Woeful Mercedes Benz parts support for older cars

[55palfers]

I remember back in the day MB support for older cars was legendary. Did it used to be 30 years parts support from when the model was discontinued??

Like many folk on here (especially the Barge threadists ) I prefer the more mature Mercedes as daily transport.

Last autumn the alternator died on my 1994 G 300 - NLA from MB
Needed a simple antenna grommet for my 1995 W124 - NLA from MB

Over the years have been let down on a number of key parts. Aftermarket came to my rescue as they were common components.

Now I need a coolant expansion tank for the G - it's cracked and leaking - Guess what, NLA from MB.

Do MB expect me to scrap the car?

Thankfully the part is also on some R107 SLs from the same period and I managed to source a new one. Not MB OE, but a pattern part from a shop that sells SLs near Stratford upon Avon. Hope it fits.

Come on MB "The best or nothing" Remember?

[eldar]

This is what breakers are for. Expecting a full range of spares for a 25 year old car is a tad optimistic.

[55palfers]

Plenty of 124 stuff, very little G

[wolfie1978]

I had the same trouble with my R class, car was only 10 years old and they hadn't been discontinued that long. Front airspring failed and Mercedes were estimating 4 months before they could deliver a replacement

[thecremeegg]

Put the shoe on the other foot and think how many different parts a car has, and multiply that across each model and trim level, then multiply that over 30 years....hundreds of thousands of parts that need to be made, I can't blame them for stopping!

[Tony1963]

wolfie1978 said:

I had the same trouble with my R class, car was only 10 years old and they hadn't been discontinued that long. Front airspring failed and Mercedes were estimating 4 months before they could deliver a replacement

Not the same trouble at all.

[donkmeister]

eldar said:

This is what breakers are for. Expecting a full range of spares for a 25 year old car is a tad optimistic.

If Mercedes didn't make a big deal of how they support older cars, I'd agree. But it has long been part of what Mercedes do... it's partly how they earned the image of being a maker of solid, venerable cars that go on and on.
Hopefully this isn't a change in strategy for Mercedes... one of the brilliant things about the "older Merc ownership experience" is being able to order all the bits I need to keep it in tip top condition, and the part numbers are usually at a low enough level that repairs are often inexpensive as you are replacing something consumable rather than the subassembly the consumable fits to.