Buying parts from MercedesShop.com - has anyone ordered parts through them?
 

I'm planning on placing a parts order, possibly through MercedesShop.com, the sponsor of this forum, but first wanted to hear some opinions on the quality of service and the parts themselves. When your parts arrived, where they real Mercedes OEM, or aftermarket? How about customer service, warranty, returns, etc.

I really need to order my parts soon but the marketplace seems to be mined with cheap stuff vendors looking to make a quick buck selling chinese or east-european counterfeit crap, and I want to be careful from where I end up ordering from.

Please share your parts buying experience with MercedesShop.com, good or bad.

I just got a flat rebreather hose from them today. Quick and correct. Thats all I have ordered from them so far.

excellent
 

i've ordered numerous parts from phil and he's always been accurate, considerate, timely and once when a part wasn't functioning properly he sent a replacement that arrived in 3 days!! don't think twice when ordering from him.

Ok sounds good so far. How about the prices, are they competitive? I know one has to pay somewhat extra for the good stuff, but anyone compared prices with other reliable parts dealers? Thanks for the info so far.

I have always found .....
 

Phil to be courteous, knowledgeable and fair with the pricing. Shipment is prompt too.

I always use http://www.***************/ and have never had a problem.

Phil and Fastlane are fantastic. I've ordered several times and everything arrives within 2 days max. They also can get used parts. Phil got a used rear passenger seat belt for me.:cool:

I buy from Fastlane or ***************. The prices are good at both places, but Phil gets stuff to you much quicker.

As far as "east-european counterfeit crap"....there is no such think. Hungary Romania, Bulgaria, former republics derived from Yugoslavia, Czech republic and Slovakia, they can be proud of their craftsmanship. They are all big producers of OEM part and assemblies for Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Land Rover and a lot more.
Don't make the horrible mistake to compare them with China India or Mexico.
On top of all there are no "pirating" companies out there.
For example automobile brand Skoda is over a century old comparing to the ones in south Asia that are around 20-30 years. Have you ever bought an Easter European product lately so you can make an justified explanation?

As far as Phill, great, knowledgeable, pleasant and fast ...I spend thousands of dollars on Fast Lane ... ask Phill about Radu.
They have what you want. If you want OEM they got it ....if you need after market they got it too... Is your decision.
Only downside is that the prices are a bit higher than other sites but I can live with, taking in consideration the great advice you get on this site.

I'm sure there are many legit parts factories in those countries, and as a matter of fact I know Bosch has a factory there and in some other countries as well. But it is also an undeniable fact that there are also some lower quality car parts copy-cat producers in those countries.

For example, a little more then a year ago I purchased a brand new Bosch fuel pump through an ebay seller with a very decent feedback rating given his high number of transactions. I specifically asked the seller if the part was "Made in Germany", to which he replied that, yes, it is made in Germany. What I received sure was a Bosch fuel pump, in a yellow Bosch box, but it was made in the Czech Republic. I contacted the seller, and he said that when he replied to me about my initial question, he meant to say that Bosch is a "German made brand". Smart ass answer if you ask me... but at least he stated that the pump had a 1-year warranty.

Then I compared my original pump with the new one, and there where clear differences, specially in the stamped-on lettering with the part numbers, Bosch logo and name, as it was quite hard to read, because the stamping was very shallow. In the original pump all the lettering, etc, was very crisp, very easy to read and much deeper. And even if that is not a clear indication of a low quality part, I can tell you that I now have a fuel pump that after only a little more then a year (about 5K Mi) is as noisy as the old 8+ year one. The higher noise level usually indicates that the the pump is quite worn out and might give out soon. So much for the 1-year warranty the seller gave me. It looks like I'm going to need to replace it once again, only this time nothing but "Made in Germany" will be acceptable to me.

I have to grant you that even if the pump is engraved as Made in the Czech Republic, this is not really 100% proof that it was actually made there. But there is no denying that a lot of bad stuff is coming from some East-European countries now a days due to their lax or inexistent copyright protection regulations and laws. For example I know for a fact that the German Zoll (customs) is very busy tracking down counterfeit merchandise every single day of the year and the situation is escalating to alarming levels. Anything from shoes to perfumes, clothing, auto parts, designer handbags, and the list goes on and on. Anything that carries a well known and respected brand name is a counterfeiting target. And according to the reports, those shipments mostly originate from East European countries.

-witholds sarcasms-

This site's parts operations are "top drawer"!!
 

I have gotten parts for several Mercedes from Phil and have always been totally satisfied with quality and price and service. I can highly recommend MercedesShop parts operations to anyone, anywhere. Ben Carter

Have no fears ordering from Phil.

The parts are good, the service is great, he will personallly answer your questions, and they arrive quickly.

I actually pay a bit more for his parts if he has it in stock. I only buy things he doesn't have elsewhere.

Plus you are helping to keep the forum going, that is worth a premium price on parts.

I miss Roy.......
 

Folks,
I have been dealing with these folks for several years......always have had great experiences.......I find it better to telephone rather than order online, Phil has many other parts and sources for parts other than what you see online.....and generally some free and useful advice.....

SB

I get stuff here from Phil all the time...

...except when my indie gets jealous! :rolleyes:

I always try to patronize the sponsors of things I like and use. Phil has never let me down yet. He's knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and fast. Plus, he's a sponsor. What's not to like?