MBCA (MB Club of America) membership ($180/3 yrs) does not give you free EPC but you can get a 10 to 15 percent discount on parts at the dealership.

I was able to get the wholesale parts discount at my local dealer by giving them enough business (bought one used car there, multiple repairs I couldn’t handle myself, lots of miscellaneous parts). This has made them competitive with online and I don’t have to pay shipping. If they don’t have it they can get it within a couple of days and then I stop by and pick it up.

In SC we have to pay sales tax over the counter or if it is untaxed online we have to declare and pay it on our state income tax return, so there is no advantage either way for us on that front.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech