How to choose the right item
Some details on the Mercedes E-Class may have changed over time.
Pic. 2.1. Type plate in door recess: 1 – release permit number; 2-VIN (17 digit identification number); 3 - permissible total mass; 4 - permissible total weight with a trailer; 5 - permissible load on the front axle; 6 - permissible load on the rear axle; 7 - serial number; 8 - type
Therefore, in most cases, the year of manufacture of your car is decisive in the selection of spare parts. You will facilitate the work of yourself and the seller if you take with you the vehicle passport and a sheet with rewritten from the type plate (pic. 2.1) data or bring an old part with you.
Parts manufacturer selection
It is advisable to purchase all the spare parts necessary for the repair of your Mercedes from an authorized Mercedes dealer (i.e. original spare parts). You can purchase spare parts from other well-known manufacturers (i.e. non-original spare parts), however, refuse products without the name of the manufacturer. The money saved on a cheap purchase will not pay off your costs of replacing wear parts and components.
Particular care should be taken when purchasing spare parts that ensure the safety of the car.
Attention! Do not save on spare parts on which your safety depends when driving.
Brake pads, brake discs, axle bearings, shafts and joints must be purchased from an authorized Mercedes dealer, as most cheap products do not meet even the minimum quality requirements. What will you get by buying cheap brake pads from Eastern Europe or Asia, if installing them will lead to an imbalance on the front axle, which can only be corrected in a workshop for a lot of money? For the convenience of selection, Mercedes releases «General operating permits» (AVE) with brake pad material codes.
Spare parts «second hand»
New parts for electrical equipment are sold by Bosch through its representatives.
In some cases, you can use not new spare parts, but the so-called second hand ones. In terms of quality, they are not inferior to new parts, but are much cheaper and are sold with the same warranty. If you want to save on repairs and don't care much about the look of your car, you can use used body parts such as doors, bumpers and hoods.
Wear parts can only be replaced with second hand ones if the latter are significantly better than those on your car. In any case, ask the price: a used part should cost a maximum of half the price of a new one, and if the part wears out, then its cost should not exceed a quarter of the price of a new one.