Well I called Tysinger, an MB dealership in the Tidewater area, to see if there was a difference. You can actually still order the brushes for $12 - 2 day delivery, or the regulator is $75 with the brushes. I asked if it mattered that i had a 70A or a 80A alternator but they only have one part number for my year (1987).

Anyway, I'm not going to shell out $75 if i can get a regulator with brushes elsewhere for less than $30 and I would rather spend $30 than $12 just to replace the brushes...but i will definitely take the existng regulator with me.

I was a little confused when i told the MB parts guy i had an '87 300E - he asked if the engine was a 3.0 - aren't all 300E's 3.0 litres?

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'87 BMW 325 convertible (162k + miles)
'87 300E, 144k + miles (sold)
'93 Chevy Blazer (full size), 207K + miles
'89 Sea Ray 390EC, 2 x 454's, 1550 hours...
'85 AMF Sunfish

Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA