SOLD 1992 500E, Pearl Black/Black, 107kmi, BaT auction (Neptune, NJ)

[gerryvz]

$43K with seven hours to go. Very little engagement by seller during the auction; typical weak and uninformed comments as of late.

I definitely do not see this one going for $60K. My original estimate of ~$45-50K (bit more or less with fees) still stands, with a $40-45K non-BaT correct market price being also right on.

 

[gerryvz]

Three hours to go, and still at the current market-correct price of $43K. I wonder if there will be a last-minute bid-up.

 

[Type5314]

Looks like Dean is back in the saddle.

I saw a comment from a Dealer the other day who opined that “No car is worth less than it was a year ago.” And when it comes to specialty automobiles, that’s a monumental understatement.

I’d be surprised if there aren’t a few deep-pocketed bidders sitting on the fence, waiting with a full clip, until the last half hour.

All I know is, I wouldn’t give mine up for that much!

W

 

[gsxr]

What out for that @Troll guy. He's pure evil.

 

[gerryvz]

A last-second bidding war brought it to $57K + fees!! Looks like someone paid about $15K over market price for it, but the "Dean" effect certainly put in the $10-12K to get 'er where she needed to be. Again, that $40K BIN on eBay a few months back would have been a bargain as compared to what was just paid.

Now, the buyer has a good $10K+ to look forward to for the deferred maintenance and to make the small things right. I personally can't call this one "well bought", but others may feel that it was.

First thing I'd be looking at would be chassis rubber -- motor and transmission mounts, upper strut mounts, bushings, engine and transmission seals, vacuum lines, hoses, ball-joints, and the like. The motor & transmission mounts alone will be a full quarter of that $10K, at dealer parts and labor prices.

 

[Jlaa]

$57K !!

Plus fees was $59,850. Almost 60K, as I had guessed.

 

[dbb7697]

This board is sometimes wild. The value appreciation of these cars are talked down. Not sure why. Let people pay what they want for them. Good or bad examples. We should be happy the cars appreciate. This is part of the recognition of what the cars are. If someone is willing to pay up for the car whether or not it needs work or not. For me it is great the cars are appreciating. No matter where they sell or who is selling them we should all welcome prices increasing. It shows the cars values. Just like beauty value is in the eyes of the buyers. This is a good price for a good car. Hopefully the prices keep moving in a good direction!

 

[dbb7697]

That is great Gerry! If that maintenance has not been done that increases the value to $70k in good order for a car like this! Great news for all who own these cars!! Cheers!

 

[gsxr]

Note that bidder #3 bailed at $50k. The third bidder is generally a good indicator of market value, without irrational exuberance applied by the top 2 in the bidding war. Bidder #4 stopped at $46k. Both of these are right where Gerry predicted. And possibly where the car may have landed if listed by mere mortals.

It does appear to be a very nice car, the buyer did well IMO. Sounds like it's going into a Superbeetle collection.

 

[maw1124]

And seriously, what’s a $10k difference in these cars (besides @deanlaumbach reputation and detailing)? The car sold for what it should have as far as I’m concerned. I wouldn’t pay that much, nor would I sell for that. But that’s easy for me to say having owned one since before they were hot. It’s all to the good, like @dbb7697 says above.

maw

 

[dbb7697]

We may never know the full intention of the #3 & #4 bidders. But they missed out on a good car. They must not have wanted it that badly. Maybe their budget was met. There were still 2 people having a tiny war for it. We need more of that. These cars a special. Pricing needs to reflect that. Good way to start 2022 for this car. Lets see, hopefully the future is bright. It should be considering how special these cars are in the car world. Last of a special breed of automobile. The bottom line pricing is all that matters!! Cheers

 

[gerryvz]

Look, as a 19 year owner of one of these cars, I'm damned happy to see the values going up on them.

As said, the market is, what the market is. The market today, said this is a $60K car.

And as said, some people would pay that, and plenty of others would not. This car could have been had for $40K in the fall -- just a few short months ago. So it just goes to show that the venue, and seller, can make a lot of difference as to what a car will go for, everything else being the same. Good on the seller, and good on the buyer for paying what he did.

No question this is a solid car - there was nothing remotely horrible in that Punch List report, or seemingly in the car's history, that is any kind of a black mark on it.

I know everyone isn't convinced about the "$10K deferred maintenence" cost for all cars with >100K miles, but just too many people have experienced this directly (plenty of folks on this board have vouched that $10K is actually TOO LOW).

@dbb7697 -- Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. If you spend $20K on deferred maintenance, you're really not going to get one additional red cent out of the car for it.

I spent FIVE MONTHS on my car last year, replacing and refurbishing every last thing I could find inside the engine bay. Down to the hidden foam pieces inside and below the headlight buckets -- pieces that 99% of E500E owners have NEVER SEEN AND NEVER KNEW EXISTED. Does the fact that I replaced that shit make my car worth more? How many owners here have replaced their faulty/failing ETAs? Can I hire Dean to sell my car and get extra dough for it, touting in the auction text "Owner has replaced every soft part in and around the entire front end of the car, including the headlight bucket foam, and rubber tubes for the headlight squirter fluid"?!? Nope. Not gonna add anything to the price.

Even a $2,500 motor/transmission mount change the week before an auction isn't going to add anything to a sale price. What IS being sold is a PATTERN of maintenance and attention to detail and documentation of all of this OVER TIME by an owner who pays attention and knows what he/she is doing.

So no, dropping $10-12K for the deferred maintenance on this car isn't going to add anything to the market's perceived value of it. I'd be willing to bet that it would add $10-12K of incremental enjoyment for the owner, though, having a car that operates properly.

 

[gerryvz]

Don’t think we will see $60K on this one, barring a last second bidding war. Straight market price (private sale) for this car is $40-45K, but the BaT/Dean premium (however rational) will give it a $10K lift.

Plus fees was $59,850. Almost 60K, as I had guessed.

@Jlaa

$45K + the Dean premium brings it to $55K, which is fairly close to the $57K it gaveled at.

This was purely an ego-driven price between bidders #1 and #2. The @gsxr's deeper analysis gives some insightful data points.

 

[maw1124]

We may never know the full intention of the #3 & #4 bidders. But they missed out on a good car. They must not have wanted it that badly. Maybe their budget was met. There were still 2 people having a tiny war for it. We need more of that. These cars a special. Pricing needs to reflect that. Good way to start 2022 for this car. Lets see, hopefully the future is bright. It should be considering how special these cars are in the car world. Last of a special breed of automobile. The bottom line pricing is all that matters!! Cheers

Listen, the earliest of these turn 30 this year. As a matter of fact, mine is a Jan'92 car that will turn 30 this month. History has shown a bump in value for these every 5 years or so. So the passage of time (and the maintenance of the item over that time passage) makes the thing rarer and more "valuable". So at 30, 35 and 40 the values will go up no matter who's buying or selling. Mine jumped at the 20year mark to near double what I paid for it. Didn't make the car drive better or more enjoyable. At best, it "justified" my upkeep of it, which is my nature anyway. So more important than the "market value" is the ownership value (to @gerryvz point)... unless of course you happen to be @deanlaumbach.

It's a big world after all. Last minute bidding wars are what BaT is all about these days, just like eBay. It's how you win.

maw

 

[gerryvz]

Last minute bidding wars are what BaT is all about these days, just like eBay. It's how you win.

Definitely makes for some entertainment and smiles -- and these are things that WE ALL need nowadays......

 

[maw1124]

This was purely an ego-driven price between bidders #1 and #2. The @gsxr's deeper analysis gives some insightful data points.

... or scarcity driven... not many good ones changing hands at this number... I'm still surprised this one sat long enough for DeanL to get to it... like that Silver Maine car that sat forever with RENNtech goodies.

Markets aren't always efficient.

maw

 

[Matt-R20]

Interesting thread here. I'm the guy that either over payed, or payed the right amount depending on where you stand on this result. My budget band was $40-60K so I had to buy at the top end of my range. I wanted a driver quality car, I didn't want to deal with paint, and I wanted a black interior so this car had attributes I'm looking for.

For reference I own an 80K mile 951 and a 50K mile 928GT so I understand what these types of complex cars really take to own. Its a combination of personal mechanical capability and knowing good mechanics for the stuff you can't do. Someone talked about what a dealer would charge and that's probably a worse plan than paying the $60K for this car. I always plan about $10K to sort the car to my standard.

I'm a Porsche guy and this is my first MB so I think its fair to say this is a good place to start and maybe paying a little extra is insurance to ensure what I'm getting is a good start. Given only 1500 came to the US, these cars will easily get back to their original sticker values and likely will be low 6 figure cars in the next decade when all you can buy is electric. I like to buy stuff that is rare to ensure they hold value, 3 and 4 digit cars I like to call them.

Look forward to learning from folks on the board and just want to say thanks in advance for the help I'm sure you all will give. Thanks!

 

[maw1124]

Welcome... my only comment in addition to what's been said above is you could have saved a bit by joining here first... not that it matters now... you'll enjoy the car and the experience ... a 928 was on my list if I hadn't found this one... hopefully you stick around and enjoy the Board as much as we do.

Cheers,

maw

 

[Matt-R20]

Welcome... my only comment in addition to what's been said above is you could have saved a bit by joining here first... not that it matters now... you'll enjoy the car and the experience ... a 928 was on my list if I hadn't found this one... hopefully you stick around and enjoy the Board as much as we do.

Cheers,

maw

Thanks Maw. I lurked here before I bought. Honestly didn't feel like waiting around for something cheaper, I take the long term view when buying and I only see positive movement in the long term here.

 

[dionphaneuf]

Congrats on the buy @Matt-R20 , you're definitely starting from a good spot....fair or not mileage will always be the big driver of value. Excited to follow you on your journey here. I got into my 124036 when I still had my 944S2 so looking forward to seeing how this vehicle stacks up from your persepcative relative to your two water cooled Transaxle cars.

 

[Jlaa]

Thanks Maw. I lurked here before I bought. Honestly didn't feel like waiting around for something cheaper, I take the long term view when buying and I only see positive movement in the long term here.

Welcome @Matt-R20! The 928 is certainly the coolest looking of all Porsches and if you have an automatic, the transmission is very similar to that of the 500E.
@dionphaneuf's old 944S2 and 928S4 / GTS are what I think of when I think "this is what a Porsche should look like!"
Enjoy it! Start an owner's thread .... .and pick up some front control arms! Assuming you have a similar frame of mind as we do, you will never ever ever want to sell the 500E.

 

[AMG5PT4]

Gerry's comments about deferred maintenance spending not adding much to a car's selling price is pretty accurate. I sold a stunning 88k miles 560SEC 18 months ago on BaT and got $18.5k for it after Jono and I went through the car in exhausting and expensive detail to take care of most every maintenance item. The car should have sold for $5k more given the gem that it was (full disclosure - the interior was a complete swap out from grey to late Gen II palomino so I expected a lower result - if not for the interior color change, the car should have been high 20's). I installed brand new NLA SLS struts, new MB ball joints, new NLA heater valve, complete MB timing chain/tensioner/rails, every vacuum pod, and on and on. Most Sellers (particularly dealers) won't spend much more than an oil change and private owners generally cheap out using cheap aftermarket parts. I could have left everything as it was (aside from a leaking A/C compressor and water pump) and the car would have brought about the same price - and saved $5,000 in parts/labor costs. All the posts about wiring harnesses and timing chain rails posted by me and the usual choir generally have little impact, IMO. My SEC was bought extremely well and will provide worry free use for years.

Regarding this 500E, The "Dean" factor is a +$10k bump all day long. I've seen it dozens of times on his cars. He makes good cars look great, but doesn't do the costly deferred maintenance that all of these cars need. Why should he? Wouldn't bring much more in bids.

My advice for anyone on this board thinking of selling an .036 on an open auction - keep your stash of NLA or cherished/hoarded parts and sell these parts for market value (e.g. leave the older pitted correct headlights on the car and keep your NOS set). Make the car cosmetically great (paint correction, thorough cleaning, new mats) and sell it.

 

[gsxr]

Congrats on the purchase @Matt-R20, and welcome to the forum! Everything you need to know about the care and feeding of your new 036 is here if you search around. The punch list was pretty light on this example so you may not have much to do besides rack up the miles.

 

[Matt-R20]

Congrats on the buy @Matt-R20 , you're definitely starting from a good spot....fair or not mileage will always be the big driver of value. Excited to follow you on your journey here. I got into my 124036 when I still had my 944S2 so looking forward to seeing how this vehicle stacks up from your persepcative relative to your two water cooled Transaxle cars.

Thanks, I'm curious too.

 

[Matt-R20]

Welcome @Matt-R20! The 928 is certainly the coolest looking of all Porsches and if you have an automatic, the transmission is very similar to that of the 500E.
@dionphaneuf's old 944S2 and 928S4 / GTS are what I think of when I think "this is what a Porsche should look like!"
Enjoy it! Start an owner's thread .... .and pick up some front control arms! Assuming you have a similar frame of mind as we do, you will never ever ever want to sell the 500E.

I have a soft spot for the transaxle Porsches but they are complicated compared to the 911's. I have my own Dry Ice capability, so first process will be to thoroughly clean the underside and assess what's up. Also, thanks for the heads up on control arms, not sure why you need new ones, but I'm sure I'll find that info here.

 

[Matt-R20]

Gerry's comments about deferred maintenance spending not adding much to a car's selling price is pretty accurate. I sold a stunning 88k miles 560SEC 18 months ago on BaT and got $18.5k for it after Jono and I went through the car in exhausting and expensive detail to take care of most every maintenance item. The car should have sold for $5k more given the gem that it was (full disclosure - the interior was a complete swap out from grey to late Gen II palomino so I expected a lower result - if not for the interior color change, the car should have been high 20's). I installed brand new NLA SLS struts, new MB ball joints, new NLA heater valve, complete MB timing chain/tensioner/rails, every vacuum pod, and on and on. Most Sellers (particularly dealers) won't spend much more than an oil change and private owners generally cheap out using cheap aftermarket parts. I could have left everything as it was (aside from a leaking A/C compressor and water pump) and the car would have brought about the same price - and saved $5,000 in parts/labor costs. All the posts about wiring harnesses and timing chain rails posted by me and the usual choir generally have little impact, IMO. My SEC was bought extremely well and will provide worry free use for years.

Regarding this 500E, The "Dean" factor is a +$10k bump all day long. I've seen it dozens of times on his cars. He makes good cars look great, but doesn't do the costly deferred maintenance that all of these cars need. Why should he? Wouldn't bring much more in bids.

My advice for anyone on this board thinking of selling an .036 on an open auction - keep your stash of NLA or cherished/hoarded parts and sell these parts for market value (e.g. leave the older pitted correct headlights on the car and keep your NOS set). Make the car cosmetically great (paint correction, thorough cleaning, new mats) and sell it.

One thing I've learned is not to keep a car for the next guy, I like to sort it out for what I like. Whatever its worth when I go to sell it so be it. And I do know the difference between factory parts and cheap Chinese crap, so even though I can wrench on this car, I tend to buy the right stuff. I'm a frequent flyer at Pelican parts on the Porsche side......

As far as BAT, those prices are determined by the number of folks who want the car, so it can be good or bad depending on when folks are looking. Averages out over time. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Matt-R20]

Congrats on the purchase @Matt-R20, and welcome to the forum! Everything you need to know about the care and feeding of your new 036 is here if you search around. The punch list was pretty light on this example so you may not have much to do besides rack up the miles.

Thanks @gsxr appreciate the welcome!

 

[Type5314]

At the risk of being a Contrarian, I'm less sure now that one will never get their remedial maintenance Dollars back when they sell their car. I have rarely recovered all my money from any "Hobby" car, except when the market has risen unexpectedly, e.g. FJ-60 or G-series 911.

As stated elsewhere, my 1992 300TE sold (via a friend and dealer) on BaT a month ago for $23,250. It was a 81,000 mile car I bought on the same forum for $15,000 (not including fees) 3 years, and 15,000 miles, earlier. In the intervening period I spent $10,600 on the SLS, serpentine belt, cooling system, front suspension, cosmetics, etc. (Proving once again that low mileage does not mean perfect condition). But the arithmetic holds: $15K + $10.6K is close to $23,250.

I'm sure it helped that all the invoices were presented and summarized on a spreadsheet in the BaT listing.

Is it plausible that there's more value, nowadays, in a turnkey car? Do folks just want instant gratification in this age of Covid? Or they don't want to mess with the repair process? Or don't know any good mechanics? Or freak out when trying to source hard to find parts...?

So adding granularity to the valuation discussion: On one side, higher mileage 500's with lots of owners, obscure maintenance records, and long punch lists range from $20 - $30K. Moderately used cars, with known provenance, and OCD owners, rightly command twice the amount. And some of that amount is the maintenance Dollars these owners spent.

And congrats, @Matt-R20 Your new car is awesome!

Will

 

[sheward]

Congratulations on your purchase Matt-R20 and welcome to the board. You will find many hours of interesting reading and good advice here. I hope you will get as much enjoyment from your car as all of us owners do.

...another Porsche enthusiast , from the air-cooled era.

 

[Jlaa]

Also, thanks for the heads up on control arms, not sure why you need new ones, but I'm sure I'll find that info here.

So refreshing to find a new member who has the right idea "I'm sure I'll find that info here" as opposed to others who refuse to use search! You can start here: Early Front Control Arms NLA? | Brakes, Suspension and Steering I'm not sure if your car uses the early or late control arms, but, regardless, all E500Es can use late ones.

I'm a frequent flyer at Pelican parts on the Porsche side......

I used to be a frequent flyer at Pelican as well until I came here. After some years, I realized that Pelican is just not price competitive AT ALL compared to the popular parts purveyors here. I also had a recent experience where I got burned by Pelican --- they sent me one German rear tie rod arm and one Malaysian rear tie rod arm after swearing up and down to me that their "inventory" of such arms were all German. Luckily they took my return.

These days I only purchase from Pelican when I have no other alternative.

This place has the deepest tribal-knowledge in parts-procurement for German cars - more than anywhere else I know.

 

[gerryvz]

Gerry's comments about deferred maintenance spending not adding much to a car's selling price is pretty accurate.

At the risk of being a Contrarian, I'm less sure now that one will never get their remedial maintenance Dollars back when they sell their car. I have rarely recovered all my money from any "Hobby" car, except when the market has risen unexpectedly, e.g. FJ-60 or G-series 911.

Unfortunately, it isn't like redoing a kitchen or bathrooms on a house, where you do largely get your money out of what you spent for the upgrades. Doesn't work that way on cars, particularly cars like ours that are not hugely well known and in demand.

In other words, spending $5K on an E500E transmission rebuild to fix a failed 722.3 reverse gear, doesn't automatically add $5K to the car's value. It basically keeps the value of the car the same as it was before the reverse gear failed, because any prospective buyer ("the market") wants and expects a "turnkey" car with a reverse gear that works.

Unfortunately, the fact that I replaced my leaking front crankshaft seal and broken timing chain rail last year (probably $2,500-3,000 worth of work) doesn't translate into my car being worth $2,500-$3,000 more than it was.

 

[Matt-R20]

At the risk of being a Contrarian, I'm less sure now that one will never get their remedial maintenance Dollars back when they sell their car. I have rarely recovered all my money from any "Hobby" car, except when the market has risen unexpectedly, e.g. FJ-60 or G-series 911.

As stated elsewhere, my 1992 300TE sold (via a friend and dealer) on BaT a month ago for $23,250. It was a 81,000 mile car I bought on the same forum for $15,000 (not including fees) 3 years, and 15,000 miles, earlier. In the intervening period I spent $10,600 on the SLS, serpentine belt, cooling system, front suspension, cosmetics, etc. (Proving once again that low mileage does not mean perfect condition). But the arithmetic holds: $15K + $10.6K is close to $23,250.

I'm sure it helped that all the invoices were presented and summarized on a spreadsheet in the BaT listing.

Is it plausible that there's more value, nowadays, in a turnkey car? Do folks just want instant gratification in this age of Covid? Or they don't want to mess with the repair process? Or don't know any good mechanics? Or freak out when trying to source hard to find parts...?

So adding granularity to the valuation discussion: On one side, higher mileage 500's with lots of owners, obscure maintenance records, and long punch lists range from $20 - $30K. Moderately used cars, with known provenance, and OCD owners, rightly command twice the amount. And some of that amount is the maintenance Dollars these owners spent.

And congrats, @Matt-R20 Your new car is awesome!

Will

Thanks! I think folks are saying 2 cars side by side one serviced vs one not don't see much gain. But, over time this type of car will work its way up. When the price range is $20-$30K then the cost of of servicing is too large to be recouped because there are plenty of buyers and plenty of cars. But if you push forward and the prices are going up, that means there are not enough cars to go around, hence the appreciation. So while both serviced and non serviced go up, the price spread will become much greater. So net / net a well serviced car will skew higher in the band. I have seen this with 928's and these cars are simliar. They are pretty complex and at some point get past the point of no return where they literally get parked in a corner to rot.

 

[Matt-R20]

So refreshing to find a new member who has the right idea "I'm sure I'll find that info here" as opposed to others who refuse to use search! You can start here: Early Front Control Arms NLA? | Brakes, Suspension and Steering I'm not sure if your car uses the early or late control arms, but, regardless, all E500Es can use late ones.


I used to be a frequent flyer at Pelican as well until I came here. After some years, I realized that Pelican is just not price competitive AT ALL compared to the popular parts purveyors here. I also had a recent experience where I got burned by Pelican --- they sent me one German rear tie rod arm and one Malaysian rear tie rod arm after swearing up and down to me that their "inventory" of such arms were all German. Luckily they took my return.

These days I only purchase from Pelican when I have no other alternative.

This place has the deepest tribal-knowledge in parts-procurement for German cars - more than anywhere else I know.

Thanks for the link! saves the search.... Also, what's the go to source for parts if Pelican is not the place?

 

[Matt-R20]

Unfortunately, it isn't like redoing a kitchen or bathrooms on a house, where you do largely get your money out of what you spent for the upgrades. Doesn't work that way on cars, particularly cars like ours that are not hugely well known and in demand.

In other words, spending $5K on an E500E transmission rebuild to fix a failed 722.3 reverse gear, doesn't automatically add $5K to the car's value. It basically keeps the value of the car the same as it was before the reverse gear failed, because any prospective buyer ("the market") wants and expects a "turnkey" car with a reverse gear that works.

Unfortunately, the fact that I replaced my leaking front crankshaft seal and broken timing chain rail last year (probably $2,500-3,000 worth of work) doesn't translate into my car being worth $2,500-$3,000 more than it was.

I agree, won't impact today's dollars. I do think a stack of supporting docs add value in the future. Hard to put a number or % return, but money spent within a reasonable time / mileage helps differentiate.

Its all good and part of the fun of a new old car. I have a nice reliable F80 M3 with non of those concerns that I'll probably part with. But 5-10years from now I know the Benz will be worth more than the F80 given rarity.

 

[maw1124]

In Benz circles MB Naperville (and their various sites -- your inbox will now be deluged) tends to be great. I also use FCPEuro.

If you buy the right cars (these and 928s clearly qualify), whatever you get if and when you sell will more than compensate you for what you have into it, minus a fair "headache and use" premium which varies based upon how much your own personal time is worth (on the headache and the use sides). Which is also why I don't think much about market value these days -- that premium for me eats away any value concerns.

I owned the car for X years for free or made money. What else is there to talk about? If that doesn't happen, I bought the wrong car. Move on.

maw

 

[Jlaa]

Thanks for the link! saves the search.... Also, what's the go to source for parts if Pelican is not the place?

Non Benz -

RM European
FCP Euro
AutohausAZ
ECS Tuning

Benz --

like @maw1124 I like MB Naperville - Bob and Nick are awesome - mboemparts.com. Especially with no tax and free shipping.
Others like other places. I saved a big compendium on this stuff w/ a lot of input from @gsxr. Here it is:

Vendors of reasonably reproduced NLA parts. URO is not reasonable:

* TrabHan
* Spare parts for Mercedes-Benz classic cars
* Kurth Classics Autoparts

SEARCH FOR NLA PARTS? https://partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com/parts/result

I may need to update the boilerplate below as info becomes available on MB's new "No List Price" policy. Note that variable price dealers can have weak pricing on low-dollar items. Fixed price dealers can do better with low-priced stuff but the trend is headed towards more variable, and less fixed. A few years ago it was the opposite. Variable priced dealers are a PITA as they each have a different break point where the discount changes. Grrrr.


_______________________________________________________

I used to buy primarily from Husker, as they would usually adjust ship charges to a flat $15-$18 or so on a large order (say, at least $300-$500). I'd occasionally buy from Naperville if the free shipping makes it worth it. I also buy from my local dealership, I talked to them years ago about giving me a price break and I pay list minus 17% (approximately), plus tax. For oversize or overweight items, or fragile items that could be damaged in shipping, this is better than buying online. I used to buy exclusively from the local dealer until all the online places started popping up circa 2011-2012. Since Husker changed parts guys in late 2019, the new guy was charging ~$30 shipping on my orders that used to be ~$15 or so, which made me grumpy.

WARNING: None of these websites will show actual part availability. Inventory is tracked in an MB dealer system called Paragon (aka Parts-r-gone). The only way to find out if a part is available for purchase is to call a dealer and have them check stock both in USA warehouses, and also Germany. Or, place an order, and if a part is not available they'll remove it from your order and refund your $$$. Plan on 10-14 day delivery from when the order is placed, especially if the item has to come from a Germany warehouse. If all parts are in USA (or in stock at the dealer), you could receive the items in <7 days, but it's best to expect 2 weeks and be happy if the order arrives early.

Some dealers will update their sites for particular part numbers when a certain part is permanent NLA (ex: 124-540-31-30 shows as "Discontinued Part" at Husker) but not many do this. Also, some show "Not for sale" on items they will not ship, like Group 49 batteries (005-541-10-01).


__________________________________________________________

NOTE: Sample $100 part pricing is based on standard pricing (wholesale $80, dealer cost $60). Some parts have non-standard pricing such as tools, remanufactured transmissions/engines, accessory items (B-, Q-, or BQ- prefix). Certain lighting items/brands (i.e,., Hella ) have lower than normal dealer cost which can make the "cost plus" dealers substantially cheaper than "list minus".

DEALER NOT ON PARTS REVOLUTION

Domain Parked

"Variable" price dealers

https://www.Sfbenzparts.com - pickup for no shipping costs. Variable Price. Cost Plus. +15% at ~$500, +20% at ~$100, +25% under ~$99 GOOD Q4/2020
__________________________________________________________

Mercedes of Lake Bluff, IL
Cost plus (12-23%) / variable **NEW** - Cart abandon offer TAKE10 is 10% off shipping. Meh.

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Fender, Front 124-880-26-18 | Buy Mercedes Parts Now

Fender, Front - 1248802618. Genuine Mercedes-Benz® Parts & Accessories. Manufacturer Warranty. From the Dealership to your Door.

www.buymercedespartsnow.com

Mercedes of Louisville, KY
Cost plus / variable (14-17% above $100) **NEW**

Genuine Fender for 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz | Part# 124-880-25-18 | Over 30% Off All Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts & Accessories | Shop Mercedes Parts Online

Find the right Fender for your 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz with Shop Mercedes Parts Online. Part# 124-880-25-18. Order factory direct Mercedes-Benz parts and accessories online and get up to 45% off.

www.shopmercedespartsonline.com

Mercedes of Arrowhead (Peoria, AZ)
Cost plus / variable (14-17% above $100) **NEW** Abandoned card = 10% off shipping, pffft.

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Fender, Front 124-880-25-18 | Shop MB Parts

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E part # 124-880-25-18 - Fender, Front

www.shopmbparts.com

Mercedes of Stockton, CA
Cost plus / variable (14-17% above $100) **NEW**

Genuine Fender for 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz | Part# 124-880-25-18 | eMercedes-Benz Parts

Buy the right Fender for your 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz with eMercedes-Benz Parts. Part# 124-880-25-18. Not sure what you need? Use our VIN number search tool to find everything you need in one spot.

www.emercedesbenzparts.com

MB of Stevens Creek (San Jose, CA)
Cost plus 14% on expensive items ($500+ list), +17% at ~$100, +22% at $50, slides down to +30% on cheap items (few dollars)

129-820-01-56 - Front Fog Lamp 1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz Star Parts

Order Your OEM Front Fog Lamp (1298200156) For Your 1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz Vehicle And Get It Shipped Right To You!

www.mercedesbenzstarparts.com

Mercedes of Birmingham, AL
Cost plus 14% on expensive items ($1000+ list), +15% at ~$650, +17 at ~$300, +22% under $100, +27% under ~$50?

1990-1995 Mercedes-Benz Fog Lamp Assembly 129-820-01-56 | Mercedes-Benz Parts of Birmingham

1990-1995 Mercedes-Benz Fog Lamp Assembly 129-820-01-56

parts.mbbhm.com

Mercedes of Beaverton, OR <—— GSXR LIKES THEM! use code BACK10 to get 10% off shipping
Cost plus (14-27%) / variable **NEW**

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18 | Mercedes Genuine Parts

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18

www.mercedesgenuineparts.com

Mercedes-Benz of Massapequa (Amityville, NY)
Cost plus (14-27%) / variable **NEW**

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18 | My New Benz Parts

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18

www.mynewbenzparts.com

Mercedes of Laredo, TX — dave says good 2021
Cost plus 14% on expensive items ($1000+ list), ... +28% under ~$10?

124-670-10-80 - Rear Window 1958-1993 Mercedes-Benz | MB Parts Source

Factory Direct Rear Window (1246701080) For Your 1958-1993 Mercedes-Benz Vehicle. Up To 35% Off On Every Order And Guaranteed Fit When You Enter Your VIN!

www.mbpartsource.com

Sears Imported Autos, Minnetonka, MN
Cost plus 14% on expensive items ($1000+ list), ... +28% under ~$10? - Abandoned cart = 5% off order, TAKE 5

Front Fog Lamp - 1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz (129-820-01-56) | MB Parts Center

1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz Front Fog Lamp 129-820-01-56

www.mercedesbenzpartscenter.com

MB of Portland, OR
Cost plus 15% on expensive items ($500+ list), +15%@ $201, +16% @ ~$101, +19% @ ~$50, +23% @ ~$30, slides down to +26% on cheap items (few dollars)

https://www.mbpartspros.com/oem-parts/mercedes-benz-fog-lamp-assembly-1298200156

MB of Daytona Beach (FL)
Cost plus 15% on expensive items ($200+ list), +17% at ~$100, +23% at ~$50, slides down to +30% on cheap items (few dollars)

Loading...

Mercedes of Wappingers Falls, NY
Cost plus / variable (17% above $100) **NEW**

Genuine Fender, Front for 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E | Part# 124-880-25-18 | Over 30% Off All Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts & Accessories | Mercedes Benz of Wappingers Falls Parts

Find the right Fender, Front for your 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E with Mercedes-Benz of Wappingers Falls. Part# 124-880-25-18. Order factory direct Mercedes-Benz parts and accessories online and get up to 45% off.

parts.mercedesbenzofwappingersfalls.com

Mercedes of Coral Gables, FL
Cost plus / variable (17-19% above $100) **NEW**

124-880-25-18 - Fender, Front 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E | Mercedes-Benz Parts Depot

Save Money On Your OEM Fender, Front - 1248802518 - For Your 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Vehicle When You Shop Online With MB Parts Depot!!

www.mbpartsdepot.com

Mercedes of Naples, FL
Cost plus (20-27%) / variable **NEW**

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18 | MB Parts Delivered

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz part # 124-880-26-18 - Fender

www.mercedespartsdelivered.com

"Fixed" price dealers
__________________________________________________________

Ed Hicks Imports, Corpus Christi, TX — GOOD Q4/2020
Cost plus 10.5 % ($100 part = $87) <-- as of mid-June. +45%! June 11. +9% early June, +10% 5/20, +12% early May. Why all the change?

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E Control Unit 124-545-40-32 | OEM Mercedes Benz Parts

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E Control Unit 124-545-40-32

parts.edhicksimports.com

RBM of Alpharetta, GA
List minus 30% ($100 part = $70)

https://www.genuinemercedesparts.com/oem-parts/mercedes-benz-fog-lamp-assembly-1298200156

Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale, AZ (New site 2019, was OEMMercedesBenzParts in 2018) Abandon Cart offer = 20-OFFSHIPPING

1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz Front Fog Lamp 129-820-01-56 | MB Parts Center

Genuine Mercedes Benz OEM factory Part #129-820-01-56Front Fog Lamp 1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz. MB Parts Center is your choice for Discount Mercedes OEM factory parts and accessories. We are a factory Mercedes Benz dealer with Mercedes OEM parts and Mercedes accessories at discounted wholesale...

www.mbpartscenter.com

Cost plus 19.x% ($100 part = $71.xx) <-- As of Oct-2019. Had been +12% (!!) in Sept-2019. **CHARGES SALES TAX**

MB of Bonita Springs, Naples, FL
Cost plus 20% ($100 part = $72.00) <-- As of 7/2017.

https://www.mboriginalparts.com/oem-parts/mercedes-benz-rear-cap-1248110461

Husker Mercedes - Lincoln, NE
Cost plus 21% ($100 part = $72.60) <-- As of 2/5/2017. Had been cost plus 15, 17% (2015), 19% (2016).

Genuine Cap for 1955-1993 Mercedes-Benz | OEM Part# 124-811-04-61 | MB Direct Parts

Find the right Genuine Cap for your 1955-1993 Mercedes-Benz with MB Direct Parts. Part# 124-811-04-61. Factory direct inventory comes with a 12 month minimum warranty. We offer fast shipping and have a team of Mercedes experts to help you find what you need for your ride.

www.mbdirectparts.com

Mercedes of Annapolis - Annapolis, MD (Was list minus 20%, then Aug-2017: Cost + 30%; Feb-2018: Cost + 25%. Apr-2020, Cost + 20%.)
Cost plus 25% ($100 part = $75) <-- As of 7/31/2020.

Front Fog Lamp - 1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz (129-820-01-56) | Get Mercedes Parts

1954-1993 Mercedes-Benz Front Fog Lamp 129-820-01-56

www.getmercedesparts.com

Mercedes of Naperville - Naperville, IL - Abandon Cart offer = free ship up to $50, code: ShoppingCart
List minus 26% ($100 part = $74) - Free shipping (max $75?) through 3/31/2020 with code: 500EPROMO (50% off as of April-2020)

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Lamp Unit 124-820-36-57 | MB OEM Parts

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E part # 124-820-36-57 - Lamp Unit

www.mboemparts.com

MB of Ft. Pierce, FL - Abandon Cart offer is 5% off order, codes: SAVEMYCART or REVIEW2018
Cost plus 25% ($100 part = $75.00) <-- As of May-2020. INCREASE FROM COST +15%, EARLY MAY 2020

https://www.mbpartshq.com/oem-parts/mercedes-benz-fog-lamp-assembly-1298200156

NOTE: Certificate error, 7/2/2020... may be temporary.

Aristocrat Motors - Kansas City, KS
Cost plus 24.25 % ($100 part = $74.55)

Lamp Unit - Part #124-820-36-57 | Mercedes Parts Center

Genuine OEM Mercedes-Benz Lamp Unit, Part # 124-820-36-57. Fits 1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E. Fast Shipping, Great Prices, Order Now!

mercedespartscenter.com

MB of Durham, NC / Hendrick Auto
List minus 20% ($100 part = $80) - LAST NON-RevParts DEALER ?? - Shows prices on NLA parts

Mercedes-benz 300E Insulation. Insulator. 300d. Front. Hood - 1246820526 | Mercedes-Benz Parts U.S.A., Durham NC

Insulation. Insulator. 300d. Front. Hood, body, grille. Mercedes-benz 300E. Genuine Mercedes-benz Part - 1246820526 (124 682 05 26). Ships from Mercedes-Benz Parts U.S.A., Durham NC

www.mbpartsus.com

Miscellaneous dealers, saved for future reference
__________________________________________________________
Unknown dealer in New Jersey - List minus 25% / fixed

Contact Us | MB Online Parts

www.mbonlineparts.com

Mercedes of South Atlanta, GA - Pricing NOT competitive

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz Fender 124-880-26-18 | MB Parts World

1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz part # 124-880-26-18 - Fender

www.mbpartsworld.com

Mercedes of Austin, TX - Pricing NOT competitive

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Fender, Front 124-880-26-18 | Mercedes-Benz Parts

1992-1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E Fender, Front 124-880-26-18

www.mercedesoem.parts

Unknown dealer - Pricing NOT competitive, no contact info or phone

Original Quarter Panel for 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz | OEM Part# 124-630-41-21 | Benz Parts Store

Find the right Quarter Panel for your 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz with Benz Parts. Part# 124-630-41-21. Not sure what you need? Use our VIN number search tool to find everything you need in one spot.

www.benzparts.com

====================================================================

Sample part numbers with abnormally low dealer cost (half of list), to check for 'cost plus' pricing:
124-811-04-61 - W124 mirror boot (right)
129-820-02-56 - 500E bumper fog light (right)
124-820-56-66 - E320 Euro headlight lens (right)
140-880-05-83 - S600 grille assembly

Note: Numbers below are MSRP / cost
Sample parts to check variable price dealers (need more at different amounts)
015-545-13-32 = $1500 / $900
015-545-60-32 = $1420 / $850
124-670-10-80 = $1140 / $570
124-350-87-10 = $1000 / $600
011-545-97-32 = $745 / $447
013-545-39-32 = $645 / $385
001-835-13-64 = $316 / $189.xx
129-460-00-19 = $184 / $110
124-884-16-35 = $97 / $58
000-140-77-60 = $37 / $22
124-323-06-44 = $23.50 / $14
140-357-00-89 = $12 / $7
124-988-27-78 = $1.40 / $0.80


2020:

From Dave:

That is MB of Daytona Beach, FL. Have I never sent you my running list of RevParts dealers? If not, I'll forward. They're on there.

I'm still searching for the holy grail. I used Husker for years as the parts guy would generally give me a flat rate of $15-$18 shipping per order, generally orders were at least $300-$500. depending on the items it was usually slightly less, to a lot less, than Napsterville. Occasionally when I only needed a couple items (but still $100+) I'd go Naper for the free ship. The Husker changed parts guys in late 2019 and the new dude charged me $30 on a $1k order that fit in a shoebox and maybe cost them $10 to ship. I was pissed, and haven't ordered from them since, but they are one of the few who actually will adjust the insane ship quote to something semi-reasonable.

I just tried MB Beaverton, OR and although it took 2 weeks, they did an excellent packing job, and will probably never charge sales tax. Ship charges were reasonable but mostly because they are close to where I live. I'm thinking about contacting them and asking for a better ship deal.

Ed Hicks in TX has the lowest prices in USA by a large amount, but their ship charges kill the savings. I emailed them a couple months ago asking about it and they never replied. I didn't try emailing them again.

I also have stopped using Napster since they changed to 50% off shipping, but if you fill a cart and stop checkout before entering payment, within a day they'll send you an "abandoned cart" promo code for free shipping. At least they did a month or two ago. Bigger issue is they seem to cancel orders based on a whim, and orders may take weeks to fulfill. I'd still use them if I wasn't in a hurry. But I can't do that for large quantities and get free shipping. Example, put 20 spark plugs in the cart and view ship rate. Then change to 200 plugs. The calculator is stupid. That's when Husker is better, they manually adjust. I'm not selling plugs anymore though so I'm not buying hundreds at a time anymore.

=)

 

[Matt-R20]

Non Benz -

RM European
FCP Euro
...

Wow

 

[gsxr]

Wow

This is what we call "drinking from the fire hose". LOL.

Shorter version is to cross-shop RMEuro and FCP for most aftermarket parts, and use MBOEMParts (Naperville) for Genuine Mercedes dealer parts (free ship over $100 with code 500EPROMO).

WARNING: Don't use the online catalogs for either looking up parts, or obtaining part numbers. Use the Mercedes EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog), now replaced by Xentry Parts, which is what the dealer parts counter uses. Search the forum for details. Once you get the proper part number, search the vendor sites by part number only.

Hopefully you will spend more time driving the car than looking for stuff to hoard though.

 

[Jlaa]

This is what we call "drinking from the fire hose". LOL.

Shorter version is to cross-shop RMEuro and FCP for most aftermarket parts, and use MBOEMParts (Naperville) for Genuine Mercedes dealer parts (free ship over $100 with code 500EPROMO).

WARNING: Don't use the online catalogs for either looking up parts, or obtaining part numbers. Use the Mercedes EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog), now replaced by Xentry Parts, which is what the dealer parts counter uses. Search the forum for details. Once you get the proper part number, search the vendor sites by part number only.

Hopefully you will spend more time driving the car than looking for stuff to hoard though.

And also by all means @Matt-R20 you must must must must must install and run a VM of the MB EPC parts catalog. It will provide you with hours of delight in looking up part numbers.

It is a lot more fun than the Porsche PET catalog running in a VM.

EDIT LINK - HOW-TO: Mercedes-Benz EPC 101 | Maintenance Documents

 

[gerryvz]

And also by all means @Matt-R20 you must must must must must install and run a VM of the MB EPC parts catalog. It will provide you with hours of delight in looking up part numbers.

It is a lot more fun than the Porsche PET catalog running in a VM.

???

 

[gerryvz]

The most beneficial part of this site is here:

"HOW-TO" Tutorial Articles

In-depth, illustrated articles for 500E / E500 maintenance and repair.

www.500eboard.co

 

[Matt-R20]

The most beneficial part of this site is here:

"HOW-TO" Tutorial Articles

In-depth, illustrated articles for 500E / E500 maintenance and repair.

www.500eboard.co

Thanks Gerry, that looks like a good place to start.....

 

[Matt-R20]

This is what we call "drinking from the fire hose". LOL.

Shorter version is to cross-shop RMEuro and FCP for most aftermarket parts, and use MBOEMParts (Naperville) for Genuine Mercedes dealer parts (free ship over $100 with code 500EPROMO).

WARNING: Don't use the online catalogs for either looking up parts, or obtaining part numbers. Use the Mercedes EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog), now replaced by Xentry Parts, which is what the dealer parts counter uses. Search the forum for details. Once you get the proper part number, search the vendor sites by part number only.

Hopefully you will spend more time driving the car than looking for stuff to hoard though.

Haha, fresh meat! I'm in SoCal, so we drive everyday its not raining, which is pretty much every day, so not so much time scouring the inter webs. Appreciate the pointers fellas!

 

[TerryA]

@Matt-R20, Welcome to the forum. It’s nice to see another 500E coming to the Southland. We have quite a few members here in SoCal albeit we haven’t had a GTG in a long time. I’m in the OC where are you?

@Jlaa, Is your intent to replace every part on your car?

 

[Jlaa]

@Jlaa, Is your intent to replace every part on your car?

I worship at the temple of @600Eric and @captruff.

 

[Ctibulschii]

This board is sometimes wild. The value appreciation of these cars are talked down. Not sure why. Let people pay what they want for them. Good or bad examples. We should be happy the cars appreciate. This is part of the recognition of what the cars are. If someone is willing to pay up for the car whether or not it needs work or not. For me it is great the cars are appreciating. No matter where they sell or who is selling them we should all welcome prices increasing. It shows the cars values. Just like beauty value is in the eyes of the buyers. This is a good price for a good car. Hopefully the prices keep moving in a good direction!

Right on point. Never understood why this is happening here!? It’s a pretty rare and special car, it’s not like you can walk tomorrow in any dealership and buy it right from their lot. It’s market price is always gonna be what one is willing to pay for it. And I’m positive, pretty much every member here understands this, yet, very often we keep talking about how high the price is on one or another example. What’s high for you may be a bargain for another.

And then, there’s the punch list with 30+ points that sometimes makes you think that the vehicle is nearly totalled. (Especially if you’re not too familiar with the E500E)

I get it, there are certain situations that need to be discussed. But still…

Congratulations to the buyer!!! Awesome example, I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Matt-R20]

@Matt-R20, Welcome to the forum. It’s nice to see another 500E coming to the Southland. We have quite a few members here in SoCal albeit we haven’t had a GTG in a long time. I’m in the OC where are you?

@Jlaa, Is your intent to replace every part on your car?

Yorba Linda, north OC.

 

[Matt-R20]

Right on point. Never understood why this is happening here!? It’s a pretty rare and special car, it’s not like you can walk tomorrow in any dealership and buy it right from their lot. It’s market price is always gonna be what one is willing to pay for it. And I’m positive, pretty much every member here understands this, yet, very often we keep talking about how high the price is on one or another example. What’s high for you may be a bargain for another.

And then, there’s the punch list with 30+ points that sometimes makes you think that the vehicle is nearly totalled. (Especially if you’re not too familiar with the E500E)

I get it, there are certain situations that need to be discussed. But still…

Congratulations to the buyer!!! Awesome example, I hope you enjoy it!

I think some folks just want a “deal” on everything and the chase and finding something hidden is what motivates them. When you buy on a platform like BAT, everything is out in the open, so there’s no chase, no deal to be had. These cars are rare and they were driven, so there‘s not a huge selection. I’d rather have one in the garage to sort through and drive vs spend my time chasing. To each their own! Thanks for the comment!

 

[maw1124]

Yes... and no. I think the deal is to be had BEFORE they get to BaT. I mean, Dean scored that deal, while we all looked at it, so Dean made the profit off that deal. He provided a service, if you will, and was compensated accordingly. He brought the car to where people who are not doing what he's doing could see it and buy it.

Of course, none of that explains the "oh that car's not worth that much" that goes on in just about every car board of which I'm a part. I don't know what that is exactly. It's like negative recruiting in the NCAA. Otherwise known as haterism.

What I learned here that I didn't know before is that Dean's rep is becoming like EAG (Enthusiast Auto Group). Noteworthy and duly noted.

maw

 

[gsxr]

What I learned here that I didn't know before is that Dean's rep is becoming like EAG (Enthusiast Auto Group). Noteworthy and duly noted.

maw

This: ^^^

Dean has done a very good job with sourcing really nice cars, giving them an top-notch detail job, and doing the BaHaT presentation properly. I hadn't looked at his profile recently, he sells a LOT of cars now on BaHaT. Fourteen in the past 2 months. That's about 2 cars per week. Doing some maths, he's got a fantastic business model there.

The best vintage and classic cars for sale online | Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer Auctions is the best place to buy and sell vintage and classic vehicles - Porsche, BMW, Land Rover, and more.

bringatrailer.com