W140 Shift Knob
 

My shift knob on my 1998 S500 is fading and I was looking into a new one.I found this knob on Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8060888775&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT) and it looks good to me.My question is,will this fit over my original shifter and is it a DIY job or a dealer?How much will a dealer run me for it.Thanks

Just one person's experience. YMMV
 

I'm not saying these don't look good, but be careful, be sure they aren't of dubious provenance (made in Bangladesh or somewhere)

I replaced the shift knob on my car (126 series) with an aftermarket burlwood one, and found the top wore way too fast, and I'm worse off for having done it.

Maybe things are better now. I think the shop charged me about $65 to do it, about 8 years ago.

Probabably if AMG or MB made them, they are good. Where does the seller on ebay get them?

I do not know much about what to ask the seller,I would really appreciate it if you could ask the seller questions about the shifter and tell me what you think.Thanks,Please post back

It looks like it will fit. The knobs usually screw onto the chrome shaft, but the one on my 1993 300E did not. I had to purchase a new shaft so that the knob could be screwed on.

The Buy it Now price of $65 is just about full retail, though.

Instead, I'd buy directly from www.************************

They have several different styles to choose from, and they'll be able to tell you if you need a new shaft, which they can also sell you. The shafts are not that expensive anyway.

Check the seller's feedback; be sure of the shipping price too, and check out a few other sources, like the above mentioned; Can you send it back if you don't like it when you get it? (Are similar ones available at the dealership to look at to compare?)

Be sure and keep the old one, so you can change it back if you don't like this one, in the end?

IF it is too difficult to do install it yourself, probably your mechanic will do it, when the car goes in for something else.

Sorry I did not reply sooner. I don't want to say yesw or no, just telling my thoughts, like you I have the impulse to make my MB a little bit better than before. I just had the idea after almost 8 years the one I got wore too fast!

Good luck

Just a comment about aftermarket parts,,, I put a Mercedes medallion on the hood of the TE shortly after I bought it. I bought it at a popular supplier of Benz parts. After a year and a half, all the detail was gone so I just put the original star back on. If Mercedes doesn't make it,,, it's not going on my car. Just my $.02.