mercedes parts catalog

[donlawson84]

Hello,
I have a parts catalog with labeled "type 230-250 catalog B 1969" that has the parts fich for diagrams and all the parts in the table are numbered. Is there another book that tells you the names of the parts?

[ScooterABC]

You could use EPC, but the translations on the part names are often kind of useless, like "fastener".

[Graham]

I have one of those parts books. Nice pictures, but the numbering is not useful. Apparently MB changed their numbering system some time back. For a while they were giving away those parts books.

If you sign up for and get access to the MBUSA epc, the books are of some help. If you scan through and, just as an example, find the exhaust manifold for your car. At the top of the page it will say Group 14. That is the group for intake/exhaust manifold and emission equipment. MB retained those groups. So if you go to EPC, enter your car's VIN and then go to engine, group 14, you will find similar pictures there. But now with current part numbers

BTW, EPC asks for your CC, but doesn't charge for access. They just want to verify that you are in USA.

[ScooterABC]

It's not that the numbering changed. The parts book that comes in the glove compartment is for you to show the dealer something. It will be in the correct "group" and groups remain constant through models and years. There is a different version of the book that is sometimes called the "dealer parts book" - same pictures but much better and larger and with part numbers and stuff like that. If you want to know about the two books read this thread:

Best source for part numbers

EPC gives you the same diagrams you will find in the old dealer parts books and the same information, except you also get cross-reference information, replacement part information. What you DON'T get is some cars have part numbers that EPC can't figure out or doesn't list. But if you are a US resident and you have a PC (won't run on a Mac) then using EPC will get you some very useful parts information. Referenced thread above has link to signing up to EPC.

Scott

[donlawson84]

yea its crazy, i found another site online has the same diagrams but different part numbers on the pictures. they also do not have a list of all the part numbers, just the common ones that they carry (2 total). my service manual shows some stuff too, just alot of missing information.

[ScooterABC]

The numbers in the glove box parts book were intended for customer - dealer interface -- you turn to the section and tell the guy on the phone or the counter what you are talking about, and in the context of that time era, it all made sense.

For today, looking at 30 - 60 year old cars, we need part numbers. Thankfully Mercedes provides them fairly easily through EPC. The glove box book is just that - a piece of original material that completes a set. It has little to no practical value.

If you _really_ want a parts book, get the dealer parts book (also of that era, but with part numbers). That is useful sometimes when you can't find something in EPC. But for the most part, even with my VAST collection of Mercedes manuals and dealer part books, my most common source for information on parts is EPC. While not intuitive, once learned (and once you learn what Mercedes "groups" are (i.e. Brakes = group 42)) you can learn to use EPC as an extremely powerful tool.

If you couple EPC with on-line Mercedes dealerships you can end up with parts at a very significant discount on parts purchases. (google trademotion mercedes to find on-line dealers and COMPARE PRICES. All dealers set their own prices and some are much better than others).