I have I 82' 380 SEL and I was wondering what site is best to find parts for it,performance and looks. I'm already looking at myhotmercedes.com and carpartswholesale.com are there any better ones out there that you guys know about?
Best Place for parts
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
83 380SEC/85 500SEC | 92 500SL | 92 190e 2.6 5-speed/92 190e 2.3 5-speed
Joined
·
2,404 Posts
For little things cheap you can go to autohausaz.com, make sure you buy OEM parts because members have had problems with aftermarket stuff in the past. For performance... thats a little harder. Jonathan on this forum can help you with that. There is a limited amount of readily available performance parts, especially for the 380. You have a pretty good set up with the Euro (euro logs, dual exhaust, higher compression engine, hotter cams).
What you can do is change out your differential, upgrade the exhaust, and change out the suspension. They do make Bilstein HD's for our cars and H&R springs which are pretty easy to get your hands on. You can also hunt for AMG bits, but good luck there hard to find.
I'm sure there is some more you could do but those are pretty 'standard' upgrades.
What you can do is change out your differential, upgrade the exhaust, and change out the suspension. They do make Bilstein HD's for our cars and H&R springs which are pretty easy to get your hands on. You can also hunt for AMG bits, but good luck there hard to find.
I'm sure there is some more you could do but those are pretty 'standard' upgrades.
You're going to get varying answers in regards to which sites are the best and where to source the best parts.
IMO, the best source for "performance" and "looks" would be original AMG parts. These are absurdly priced and sold by people who aren't necessarily motivated sellers, so they become expensive, to say the least. You really have to be part of a special array of W126 owners:eclipsee_steering:
Parts are best sourced from the dealership. The only parts I buy online are ones that don't require a total tear down of the engine to get to, and parts that are priced beyond reasonable at the dealer. I wouldn't buy a radiator from the dealership, or a muffler, for instance.
Online parts sites sometimes offer inferior parts, but so does the dealership from time to time. Often, I have found that the dealer gives me the same part I could have bought online for 30% of the price, shipped out of the same warehouse in Mississauga.
I buy spark plugs from the local auto parts store, while something like plug wires are $307 from the dealership. Wires are sourced through the after-market. You really have to look around and research to find the best places for getting the part you want, and ensuring that it is a quality part. The old adage of "buy everything from the dealer" doesn't cut it anymore as quality is hit & miss and, in some cases, they've stopped carrying parts.
My experience has been that there is a 60-40 split between the dealer and the websites (respectively) giving you a quality part. Only purchase filters from the dealer though...that is the one constant.
IMO, the best source for "performance" and "looks" would be original AMG parts. These are absurdly priced and sold by people who aren't necessarily motivated sellers, so they become expensive, to say the least. You really have to be part of a special array of W126 owners:eclipsee_steering:
Parts are best sourced from the dealership. The only parts I buy online are ones that don't require a total tear down of the engine to get to, and parts that are priced beyond reasonable at the dealer. I wouldn't buy a radiator from the dealership, or a muffler, for instance.
Online parts sites sometimes offer inferior parts, but so does the dealership from time to time. Often, I have found that the dealer gives me the same part I could have bought online for 30% of the price, shipped out of the same warehouse in Mississauga.
I buy spark plugs from the local auto parts store, while something like plug wires are $307 from the dealership. Wires are sourced through the after-market. You really have to look around and research to find the best places for getting the part you want, and ensuring that it is a quality part. The old adage of "buy everything from the dealer" doesn't cut it anymore as quality is hit & miss and, in some cases, they've stopped carrying parts.
My experience has been that there is a 60-40 split between the dealer and the websites (respectively) giving you a quality part. Only purchase filters from the dealer though...that is the one constant.
For MB Parts:
Jonathan - www dot blueridgemb dot com
Randy - www dot autopartsguru dot com
Rusty - mbz dot org
Salvage yards have a lot of parts if you want used.
"Performance parts" for a 380 is a contradiction in terms. Try www dot ls1tech dot com or Jonathan can help you swap that anemic 380 for a 5.0L (a direct swap) or 5.6L engine. He'd probably be able to put a 6.0L DOHC AMG motor in there if you want 350-400HP and I'm doing an LS6 swap into my 560SEC to get about 480HP.
Whatcha want??
Jonathan - www dot blueridgemb dot com
Randy - www dot autopartsguru dot com
Rusty - mbz dot org
Salvage yards have a lot of parts if you want used.
"Performance parts" for a 380 is a contradiction in terms. Try www dot ls1tech dot com or Jonathan can help you swap that anemic 380 for a 5.0L (a direct swap) or 5.6L engine. He'd probably be able to put a 6.0L DOHC AMG motor in there if you want 350-400HP and I'm doing an LS6 swap into my 560SEC to get about 480HP.
Whatcha want??
83 500SEC, 87 300D, 92 190E 2.6, 02 C32, 02 C32T, 03 C320T4, 03 E55, 05 CDI, 06 CDI
Joined
·
2,601 Posts
Auto Parts at AutohausAZ - OEM Auto Parts - Discount Replacement Parts, Resources and Car Care Tips
Mercedes Benz Parts, BMW Parts, Volvo Parts, VW Parts - Low Prices - Free Shipping
All OEM Auto Parts - Mercedes,BMW,Volvo,Volkswagen,Porsche,Saab,Mini,Toyota,Honda parts- Free Shipping with order $75 or more!
Mercedes Benz Parts, BMW Parts, Volvo Parts, VW Parts - Low Prices - Free Shipping
All OEM Auto Parts - Mercedes,BMW,Volvo,Volkswagen,Porsche,Saab,Mini,Toyota,Honda parts- Free Shipping with order $75 or more!
Whose Jonathan? And he can give me a 5L/5.6L/6L v8 for cheap? Cuz that would be sick lol how much would he want?.For MB Parts:
Jonathan - www dot blueridgemb dot com
Randy - www dot autopartsguru dot com
Rusty - mbz dot org
Salvage yards have a lot of parts if you want used.
"Performance parts" for a 380 is a contradiction in terms. Try www dot ls1tech dot com or Jonathan can help you swap that anemic 380 for a 5.0L (a direct swap) or 5.6L engine. He'd probably be able to put a 6.0L DOHC AMG motor in there if you want 350-400HP and I'm doing an LS6 swap into my 560SEC to get about 480HP.
Whatcha want??
And what I want to do is pretty much completely restore it and make it as fast and clean as I can with a tight budget.
May the force be with you.
hahaha I know. I got a long road ahead lol
These are not the project cars you are looking for.
83 500SEC, 87 300D, 92 190E 2.6, 02 C32, 02 C32T, 03 C320T4, 03 E55, 05 CDI, 06 CDI
Joined
·
2,601 Posts
stick with your euro 3.8 over a US 380 or 500 engine. only thing better is a euro 5 or 5.6
6.0 on a budget?
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
sorry, but you have better chances of winning the lottery. today. in all 50 states.
6.0 on a budget?
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
sorry, but you have better chances of winning the lottery. today. in all 50 states.
1986 560SEC TT KS,1988 300CE,1990 560SEC 2nd GEN.KS.1990 560SEL AMG,1985 W126 [parts]
Joined
·
1,565 Posts
thats to funny but you are correct :thumbsup:
Lol I just needa look around for cars that actually have the parts i need in them buy them from people that don't know anything for like a couple k and then swap the parts lol. Oh and how long would you give my engine with it's 170k miles. I mean everything pretty much needs to be replaces which is what i'm doing but yeah.
83 500SEC, 87 300D, 92 190E 2.6, 02 C32, 02 C32T, 03 C320T4, 03 E55, 05 CDI, 06 CDI
Joined
·
2,601 Posts
I have 250k plus on my euro 5.0 and it gets punished every time I drive it. keep up with the wear and tear items and chain and rails and it should last you a long time.
Alright. Before I even really drive it im going to replace all the belts, filters, etc.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
