DON'T HAVE A TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, JUST WANTED SOME INPUT FROM YOU SEASONED MB OWNERS. WHY DOES THERE SEEM TO BE SUCH A RESISTENCE/HESITATION FOR BUYING A GREY MARKET CAR.

I HAVE ONE WHICH I AM TRYING TO SELL IN ORDER TO BY A NEWER MB. HOWEVER ANY INQUIRIES I GET THEY SEEM TO BE TURNED OFF BY THE FACT THAT IT'S GREY MARKET.

I REALIZE THAT PARTS MAY BE HARDER TO GET, BUT THERE OUT THERE THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THIS SITE.

MY CAR IS AN 82 280 SEL, EURO VERSION OF THE 380 SEL WITH A 6 INSTEAD OF 8 CYLINDER. IT LOOKS AND RUNS GREAT(THIS IS NOT AN AD) I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND FOR A FEW $ IT COULD ALMOST BE LIKE BRAND NEW AGAIN. I LOOKED AT A LOT OF CARS FOR A LOT MORE MONEY THAT COULDN'T EVEN COMPARE TO THE ONE I BOUGHT.
THERE IS ONLY 124000 MILES ON A CAR THATS 20 YEARS OLD, THAT ONLY ABOUT 6000 MILES PER YEAR.

I CAME ACROSS A 88 420SEL, THAT IS MINT WITH LOW MILES AND I WANT TO BUY IT, BUT I DON'T SEEM TO BE HAVING ANY LUCK SELLING MINE. ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Do a search on grey or gray market and you will find out why? Also turn your caps lock off :)

didn't realize caps wwere on. search the net?, sorry don't understand.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/12241-us-dot-epa-regulations%3B-i-need-help.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/8828-grey-market-imports.html


Here go to these threads above. You see the problem is that there is a stigma associated with grey market cars. Also the parts may be available but matching them to the car is harder especially if the car was not an available model in the US. This, coupled with the fact that MBUSA dealers will refuse to do certain work on these cars, has made people fearful (justifiably or not) of grey market cars regardless of how good they look. I had a guy stop me one day and he started going on about how my greymkt car did not meet such and such emission conditions and how I would fail the e-test. When I told him that the car had past 5 emission test since I got it he was stupified. Then its not a grey market car he said. Honestly I don't know where it comes from. But don't be suprised if the response to your car sale is luke warm at best.

When I posted that thread (linked by yal), I had contacted MBUSA as well and they mailed me back that I had to be aware of the fact that a lot of US MB dealers would refuse to work on a european mercedes. MBUSA does not support the mercedes models that are sold in the rest of the world. :confused: Just how different can those models be???
Anyway; the fact that MBUSA doesn't want to work on european cars is probably one of the reasons why people are not interested in gray import benzes.

greetingz,

I really can't understand why in the world any MB dealer would refuse to work on Euro MB's. Your '82 280SEL is a W126 chassis with the same engine used in the 280E, and W116 280SE(both sold in the USA) so I can't see how the dealer would have problem working on the car. I could see the problem if you imported say a A-Class (not possible anyways), but what can they say about your 280SEL? Euro models are availble in smaller engines and with less fluff like leather seats. But in response to your question, I would say wait until someone comes by that can appreciate the car for what it's worth and won't be put off because MBUSA says you shouldn't have kind of cars. After all a Mercedes is a Mercedes even is it has cloth seats.