I was just tearing into a small portion of my collection of MB owner's manual packs, which spans approximately 150 cars. Most of the manual packs are shelved down in my basement on racks; however I had couple of dozen located in my drawer here in my office credenza. Here is a small smattering of the service booklets that were in my drawer:
From its 1986 debut through the 1989 US model year on the W124 (and other chassis), MB used a blue and silver cover design for the owner's manual, service manual, warranty booklet (blue and white cover), and so forth. Up until around the 1988 model year, MB also employed the metal plate that included the owner's name and other pertinent information, which fit into a small pocket on the back of the owner's manual pack. You can see this illustrated in the photos below.
![[500Eboard] IMG_9429.jpeg](https://www.500eboard.co/forums/data/attachments/180/180650-a2adbdd50255f9ef9da7f45c1878ad73.jpg?hash=oq291QJV-e "[500Eboard] IMG_9429.jpeg")
For model year 1990, the USA model owner's and service manual setup went through a total redesign. The look of the booklets changed from a silver and blue design, to a full silver cover design. The owner's manual case went from a clear plastic design, to a black leather design. For model year 1993, this black leather owner's manual case was cheapened to a vinyl design, but of similar look on the outside. The inside of the the two black cases was very different, however.
Here is an illustration of the owner's manual cases, which changed from the clear plastic case (top) to the black leather case (bottom) in US dealerships, as of model year 1990. All US-model 500Es would have been delivered with this leather case.
This case changed again to a "cheapened" vinyl case of similar external design, starting in US model year 1993. 1993 and 1994 500E and E500 models would have been delivered from the dealership with this case. Also 1995 E420 models.
Photos of model year 1988 W126 manual vs. model year 1990 W126 owner's manual, illustrating the difference in the design of the manuals. Note that the design of the W124 owner's manual and service manual booklets was identical to these, per model year.
But let's delve into the service booklets for a bit.
For those interested, here is a comparison of the service booklets that were used in W124 models, from 1986 through 1995.
The top service booklet was used in all W124 models from model years 1986 through 1989. It was also used for W126, R107 and other models. The bottom service booklet design was phased in for model year 1990, and was also used for all W124 models through the end of production (and also the other MB models offered).
The MB part number for the earlier booklet is 124 584 01 93. This was used in cars circa 1988.
A second variant of this booklet is 124 584 24 95. This was used in earlier cars, circa 1986-1987.
For model year 1989, the service book part number is 124 584 03 93.
Another near-identical variant of this early booklet is 129 584 14 95. This also was used for later cars circa 1988-1989.
The MB part number for the model year 1990 W140/W124/129 booklet is 129 584 11 95.
W140 and W124 models of model year 1992 used part number 140 584 27 95. Also, for 1992, 140 584 12 95 was used.
For diesel W140s of model year 1993, service booklet 140 594 29 95 was used.
1993 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 30 95. Another model year 1993 part number was 124 584 21 93.
1994 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 41 95.
1995 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 45 95.
1996 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 58 95.
Here are some photos illustrating the evolution of the "Approved Service Products" brochures that shipped with MB models in the owner's manual packs. For the purposes of this illustration, these brochures are from model years 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1994.
And lastly, let's touch upon another item that shipped in US-delivered cars' glove boxes/owner's manual packs in the mid to late 1990s: the MBCA membership brochure. This brochure, by special agreement of MBCA and MBNA, was included with every purchased MB during a period of several years. It featured a tear-off card that new owners could send in to MBCA to become a member of the club. I believe these were first offered in the 1995 or 1996 time frame. These cards were no longer being included with new cars by the 1998 or 1999 time frame.
Here is a very rare owner's manual case that I have as part of my collection. It is from 1990, and came from Newport Beach, CA Mercedes-Benz dealer Jim Slemons Imports. Slemons went out of business in the mid-1990s, but in the mid-1980s through about 1991, Slemons was one of the very largest MB dealers in the USA by sales revenues. The Slemons dealership replaced the cheap clear owner's manual pack with this high quality vinyl case, embossed with the MB star on the cover. It is a nice piece.
From its 1986 debut through the 1989 US model year on the W124 (and other chassis), MB used a blue and silver cover design for the owner's manual, service manual, warranty booklet (blue and white cover), and so forth. Up until around the 1988 model year, MB also employed the metal plate that included the owner's name and other pertinent information, which fit into a small pocket on the back of the owner's manual pack. You can see this illustrated in the photos below.
For model year 1990, the USA model owner's and service manual setup went through a total redesign. The look of the booklets changed from a silver and blue design, to a full silver cover design. The owner's manual case went from a clear plastic design, to a black leather design. For model year 1993, this black leather owner's manual case was cheapened to a vinyl design, but of similar look on the outside. The inside of the the two black cases was very different, however.
Here is an illustration of the owner's manual cases, which changed from the clear plastic case (top) to the black leather case (bottom) in US dealerships, as of model year 1990. All US-model 500Es would have been delivered with this leather case.
This case changed again to a "cheapened" vinyl case of similar external design, starting in US model year 1993. 1993 and 1994 500E and E500 models would have been delivered from the dealership with this case. Also 1995 E420 models.
Photos of model year 1988 W126 manual vs. model year 1990 W126 owner's manual, illustrating the difference in the design of the manuals. Note that the design of the W124 owner's manual and service manual booklets was identical to these, per model year.
But let's delve into the service booklets for a bit.
For those interested, here is a comparison of the service booklets that were used in W124 models, from 1986 through 1995.
The top service booklet was used in all W124 models from model years 1986 through 1989. It was also used for W126, R107 and other models. The bottom service booklet design was phased in for model year 1990, and was also used for all W124 models through the end of production (and also the other MB models offered).
The MB part number for the earlier booklet is 124 584 01 93. This was used in cars circa 1988.
A second variant of this booklet is 124 584 24 95. This was used in earlier cars, circa 1986-1987.
For model year 1989, the service book part number is 124 584 03 93.
Another near-identical variant of this early booklet is 129 584 14 95. This also was used for later cars circa 1988-1989.
The MB part number for the model year 1990 W140/W124/129 booklet is 129 584 11 95.
W140 and W124 models of model year 1992 used part number 140 584 27 95. Also, for 1992, 140 584 12 95 was used.
For diesel W140s of model year 1993, service booklet 140 594 29 95 was used.
1993 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 30 95. Another model year 1993 part number was 124 584 21 93.
1994 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 41 95.
1995 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 45 95.
1996 W140 and W124 models used service booklet part number 140 584 58 95.
Here are some photos illustrating the evolution of the "Approved Service Products" brochures that shipped with MB models in the owner's manual packs. For the purposes of this illustration, these brochures are from model years 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1994.
And lastly, let's touch upon another item that shipped in US-delivered cars' glove boxes/owner's manual packs in the mid to late 1990s: the MBCA membership brochure. This brochure, by special agreement of MBCA and MBNA, was included with every purchased MB during a period of several years. It featured a tear-off card that new owners could send in to MBCA to become a member of the club. I believe these were first offered in the 1995 or 1996 time frame. These cards were no longer being included with new cars by the 1998 or 1999 time frame.
Here is a very rare owner's manual case that I have as part of my collection. It is from 1990, and came from Newport Beach, CA Mercedes-Benz dealer Jim Slemons Imports. Slemons went out of business in the mid-1990s, but in the mid-1980s through about 1991, Slemons was one of the very largest MB dealers in the USA by sales revenues. The Slemons dealership replaced the cheap clear owner's manual pack with this high quality vinyl case, embossed with the MB star on the cover. It is a nice piece.
