The EPC is deadly...

[Hatterasguy]

I can get a lot of cool things for my car! I wonder what MB wants for the roof rack?

I'm going to price out a new tool kit. If its not crazy I'll get one for the SDL for Christmass.
I'm also going to price out that sill below the rear windsheild since mine is rusted. And if its not crazy expensive buy it and hide it away, no telling how much longer MB will have them. So when I paint it I can yank the window, have someone weld the new sill in, and get rid of the rust forever.

My seat bolster is starting to wear, maybe next year I will order a complete new drivers seat back, and bottom. My broker did that for her SDL, well actualy she dropped it at the dealer and said give me a new drivers seat.

Yeah I could drop $10k going through the EPC, money spends so easy on Mercedes. I look at parts and think hmm on my car XXX part isn't new looking lets replace it!

EPC is deadly I must keep the cell and Visa away when I go through it, MB of North Haven will let me order of the phone,to easy!

[Jim B.]

You know, I haven't figured out how to look through the EPC, although I have signed up for it and everything.

You brilliant computer types are way ahead of the game.

What HAS proved helpful to me is contacting the Mercedes Benz classic center in Irvine California. I visited there last month and got a personal contact in the Parts Department, (with phone# and email address) that told me that now the W126 Mercedes is in the classic center database, and can get and answer questions about parts for these.

To be eligible for using the Classic Center for a parts source, the model has to fall within the rolling 20 year limit. The W126 now qualifies.

A W126 parts number request is sent to Germany, where Mercedes Benz reviews it, and if it is not on the US DOT/EPA kill list, it is then approved.

For example, a W126 first aid kit request would be denied, because some of the drugs in the first aid kit are not FDA approved.

A W126 fire extinguisher would NOT be approved; and my request about the W126 accessory gas can that goes in the well above the spare tire was NOT approved because the DOT/EPA still have it on the kill list.

The W126 trunk triangle and clip, and Euro head light set up would likely not be approved, either, for the same reason.

That is a shame. It is also a good reason to have friends in Europe, I would think.

But a W126 tool kit should be doable.

My goal is to make the car as much "Euro" as possible, one thing at a time.

The car got its Christmas present today. I just blew a grand for a Remus.

[iwrock]

Could be worse......

[Jim B.]

But there is NOTHING more fun than scoring a find in the junkyard.

Nothing.

(Well, almost nothing)...

[iwrock]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

But there is NOTHING more fun than scoring a find in the junkyard.

Nothing.

(Well, almost nothing)...

Indeed.



I have found soooo much cool stuff in the JunkYard.



Its going to become a weekend outing here shortly.



Jim B. know how cool my junkyard is... They had an SEC shell out there!

[omegabenz]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

You know, I haven't figured out how to look through the EPC, although I have signed up for it and everything.

You brilliant computer types are way ahead of the game.

What HAS proved helpful to me is contacting the Mercedes Benz classic center in Irvine California. I visited there last month and got a personal contact in the Parts Department, (with phone# and email address) that told me that now the W126 Mercedes is in the classic center database, and can get and answer questions about parts for these.

To be eligible for using the Classic Center for a parts source, the model has to fall within the rolling 20 year limit. The W126 now qualifies.

A W126 parts number request is sent to Germany, where Mercedes Benz reviews it, and if it is not on the US DOT/EPA kill list, it is then approved.

For example, a W126 first aid kit request would be denied, because some of the drugs in the first aid kit are not FDA approved.

A W126 fire extinguisher would NOT be approved; and my request about the W126 accessory gas can that goes in the well above the spare tire was NOT approved because the DOT/EPA still have it on the kill list.

The W126 trunk triangle and clip, and Euro head light set up would likely not be approved, either, for the same reason.

That is a shame. It is also a good reason to have friends in Europe, I would think.

But a W126 tool kit should be doable.

My goal is to make the car as much "Euro" as possible, one thing at a time.

The car got its Christmas present today. I just blew a grand for a Remus.

The MBUSA is really cracking down on euro parts. They were being a RPITA for me to get a freckin oil cooler line for my 500E euro oil cooler set up.

1191800982 (good number in US system, but subs to 1191801120 and 1191801320). I finally gave up and ordered it from my hook up in Germany.
www.speed-autoteile.com (Christian in Berlin)

I subscribed to the EPC when it wasnt FREE, =(

I think it makes the parts guys more productive, or maybe MB realized that a lot of them were really stupid and screwed up orders Left and Right.

Or maybe they were tired of the piracy of the EPC software.

Well needless to say, its great, but sometimes it locks up. But since it has been free, it has been much better.

ebay.de for the gas can. the triangle clip is avail. through US dealers-getting pricy though.

Dont even try the fire extinguisher. A friend of mine tried to bring Halons back to the us in his suit case and got busted. Also, you may be able to order them from germany, but they would come by boat.

Goodluck

[Jim B.]

Thank you for the tips, especially about the source.

I got the trunk triangle from a friendly German ebayer I did business with, he got a few from a junkyard in Berlin and brought them to the USA on vacation, and mailed them to me from Mississippi.

I got the W126 fire extinguisher from a Mercedesshop forum member, here, who'd pulled it off a Euro that he was selling. It was amazing, because I never look in "Parts for sale" and for some reason I did, and grabbed it with six minutes left on his ebay auction that he was running !! I know how hard these are to get. But they install beautifully.

The Euro lights and corners I got from Capitol West. The box they came in said "for off road use only." LOL

There was an auction for the euro W126 gas can on ebay.de a week ago.
I did not bid because I was waiting for a response from the classic center on it.

Meanwhile the Germans fought for it. It went for 43 euros. (About $63) so it must be pretty hard to find.

Then, too late, (after the auction ended), the classic center emailed me back and told me Merc edes in Germany said it was illegal to sell.

So, I am following Justin W.'s (W124.090) advice:

Make the car as Euro as possible. One piece at a time. I am getting there, but it is sure is slow.

JustinW: I look forward to the next junkyard trawl, especially if it is not in the rain!!

Wouldn't you like to be turned loose in a Mercedes wrecking yard in Stuttgart?
(if there IS one!!) LOL

[omegabenz]

There is a huge one in Belgium. No, Dollar to Euro sucks right now. If you can buy through US dealer, its often cheaper because the shipping from europe and daily exchange rate is very expensive.

One of my friend that works for BMW in munich said that they calculate their exchange rates 2x per year, whereas a credit card does it every day.

Euro lights (offroad use only - just to make sure they dont hold the bag) Technically they are illegal, but the headlight laws were writen in the 1970s with those stupid headlamps (VWBeetle ones you know waht I mean) so everyone got all mad about xenons and kept the same rules, so xenons have an intensity at a certain distance in a certian focal range to get past these dumb rules where as the EURO headlights have a beam patter with more intensity at a certain region, which doesnt meet the requirements. However, the euro lights (h4) with glare guards are safer and less blinding to others than these DOT ford truck headlights that aim the light from the ground to the sky. Ok enough ranting. The info may have changed. This was my info and understanding from about 5 yrs ago. Plus with euro lights you can at least see what you are going to hit.

[KAdams4458]

I've found the EPC handy for figuring out exactly what salvage parts will fit and from what cars. It also takes the guesswork out of finding something from the dealer, since my local dealer's parts people all sigh and shuffle when I ask them to look up something for a '77. Definitely a valuable resource.

[SwampYankee]

I feel like a total newb for asking but, what's the EPC?

[BENZ-LGB]

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

I feel like a total newb for asking but, what's the EPC?

Make that 2 of us....

Que es el EPC???

[TwitchKitty]

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/aboutsite.jsp

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by BENZ-LGB

Make that 2 of us....

Que es el EPC???

Now I don't feel so bad!

Thanks for the link, TwitchKitty.

[Hatterasguy]

I may have scored the sill below the rear windsheild for only $78! I had them look it up at the dealer, and it was only $78. Super limited supply from the fatherland of course. So I was like order me one! Well see what it looks like when it comes in.

If its correct you W126 guys should get them before they are gone, MB isn't making them anymore and W126's love to rust their.

The toolkit is only $90. Better than the $50 they charge you for old ones on ebay. I'll pay the extra of a nice perfect brand new one.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I may have scored the sill below the rear windsheild for only $78! I had them look it up at the dealer, and it was only $78. Super limited supply from the fatherland of course. So I was like order me one! Well see what it looks like when it comes in.

If its correct you W126 guys should get them before they are gone, MB isn't making them anymore and W126's love to rust their.

The toolkit is only $90. Better than the $50 they charge you for old ones on ebay. I'll pay the extra of a nice perfect brand new one.

Details please. What exactly do you get for the "sill"? What's the p/n?