Damn!! I went to the new M-B dealer in town to get the mileages on my cars verified for the purpose of obtaining the high mileage badges from MBUSA. While I was waiting for the service consultant to come out, I decided to just purchase an air filter for the 300SD since it needs a new one and I don't have any at home right now. The parts guy gave me the ultimate shock: $45 for an air filter!!! $45 for the same air filter I can get online for $15, except it won't be in an M-B box!!

I know dealers charge very high prices for their goods and services but this was excessive by far!

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

You should have asked him for the price for a CA spec air filter. You're eyes REALLY would have popped out of their sockets.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

I hope you didn't buy it......you could have had Phill FedEx you one for less.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Actually I wish I had purchased that air filter because that would have meant that I have more money than brains but unfortunately that isn't the case yet. I always get most of my M-B parts from Fastlane anyway, this was just going to be an exception, but I guess the dealer didn't really want it to occur. Last night I ordered the air filter as well as some other items to give me free shipping.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

I often try to bargain when it comes to dealer parts. You have to know the internet price (plus shipping) and offer that price to the vendor. Sometimes they go for it, sometimes they don't, it's worth a try. I'm not sure how MB dealers react.

Here in the Motor City I often ask what the price is for company employees when I'm at the dealer (I have connections, just in case I need it when it's an expensive part). They often give it to me at the employee price. They still make enough profit.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

Well for one thing, M-B dealers typically don't negotiate. And even when they do, their cost for the parts normally exceeds the online retail price. The Parts Manager that I was dealing with told me that he doesn't have a 100% markup on air filters, so that means his cost couldn't have been lower than $20. That already exceeds what I paid for the filter online. MBUSA which sells them the parts marks them up heavily before the dealers do their own markup, resulting in stratopheric prices that I definitely won't pay.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver