Newsletter Number 109
19th June 2007

This newsletter we have heaps for you, news about our OZBENZ forum and a problem with one of our e-mail address's, the details on the upcoming Victorian rally and a very good reason why you should all check you have your preferences set right with your newsletter subscription. We also have a list of specials that we will be running until the end of the financial year.

Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks John and Sandra Green.

OZBENZ hassles.

We have had more than a few hassles and e-mails from members not being able to log onto the forum in the last few weeks. It is a bit of a long story but the forum has grown to big for the ISP that was hosting it and we are moving. The URL  will remain the same   http://forum.mbspares.com.au/  but we may be in for another week or so of hassles so please hang in there.

One of the hassles we have had is idiot spammers registering as members just to get their name on the net. This has forced us to individually check every new membership which has been very time consuming. Hopefully with some changes that will be effected when the change over has been made we will be able to reset the system back to automatically approve memberships so the procedure can once again become instant.

End of financial year Specials

Here are some specials that will run up until the 30th of June. If you are interested please either ring us Toll free on 1300 787 300 or email spares@mbspares.com.au or parts@mbspares.com.au 

New parts all either Genuine or Original Equipment parts.

W108/109/110/111 boot mat sedan/coupe/cab $ 210.00
W109 300SEL 6.3 Cylinder heads $3500.00 each
W110/111 Sunroof internal lining $ 250.00
W113 Genuine soft top cover blue $1100.00
W113 Rubber boot mat $ 165.00

W114 280/280E rocker cover gasket set $ 20.00
W114 280/280E front brake pads $ 50.00 set
W116 Front pads up to 1976 $ 50.00 set
W116 280S/SE rocker cover gasket set $ 20.00
W116 front screen seal $ 120.00 each
W116/123/107/126 k-jet fuel pump $ 235.00
W123 230E water pump 83-85 $ 150.00
W123 Front coil springs std height $ 75.00 each


W124 Front coil springs std height $ 75.00 each
W124 Rear coil springs std height $ 75.00 each
W124 brake booster $ 250.00
W124 300D OM603 cylinder head $1000.00
 

W126 280S/SE rocker cover gasket set $ 20.00
W126 late style plastic sill moulds $ 50.00 each
W140 wheel arch mould sets $ 100.00 set
R170 SLK boot lid $ 750.00
R129 Bonnet $2200.00
R129 500SL cylinder heads with cams $1500.00 each
W201 early water pump >>10/85 $ 150.00

Used parts with warranty.

W107 SLC, complete rust free body and all panels $1500.00
W107 350SL/SLC engine ex cond $1200.00
W113 250SL manual engine $1500.00
W123 250 engine ex cond $ 900.00
W123 300D OM617 engine >>10/79 $1200.00
W124 300E engines $1000.00
W124 300CE-24 engine only 106000kms $1750.00
W124 230E engine, recently reconditioned $1750.00
W124 300D diesel engine ex cond $1200.00
W124/201 8 hole style alloys as new $ 550.00 set
14” Classic style alloys, repainted perfect $ 450.00 set



Heater fan motors.

Ever asked the dealership for a quote on a new heater fan because yours is noisy? Let's take a W107 SL or SLC as an example. These retail at the MB dealers for over $1500.00, for that price you get the motor, fan blades and the plastic housing. However the only part that wears out is the motor and you can not buy just the motor from MB as a spare part…… But you can from Bosch. As I have commented many times, Mercedes-Benz don’t make cars, they assemble them from parts sourced from other manufacturers. So rather than pay $1500.00 for your W107 heater fan we can supply just the motor from Bosch for just $297.00! Swap the blades and the housing and you have a new fan for only 1/5th of the cost of the Genuine MB part!! Here are some prices for other fan motors that we can supply:

W107 suit all $297.00
W123 Early version with metal blades $295.00
W123 late version with plastic blades $295.00
W124 suit all $265.00
W126 suit all $352.00
W201 suit all (one unit with blades pre installed) $350.00


SACHS shocks

SACHS are one of the two Original Equipment suppliers to Mercedes-Benz for shockabsorbers and hydraulic struts. We have a negotiated a short term discount on the following parts. If you have a W123, 116 or 126 with the ride level suspension you will see we can do the struts for the rear suspension for just $345.00 each. These currently retail for OVER $1300.00 each at an MB dealer.

108 320 01 31 W110/111/108 rear $127.50 each
107 320 00 30 W107 SL and SLC front $127.50 each
115 320 03 31 W114/115 rear $127.50 each
123 320 00 30 W123 front suit all $127.50 each
126 320 09 31 W107/116/126 rear $149.00 each
126 320 08 30 W126 front coupe and sedan $127.50 each
201 320 41 30 W201 front strut $195.00 each
124 320 20 31 W124 rear sedan and coupe $149.00 each
124 320 51 30 W124 front all $210.00 each
116 320 45 13 W116/126/123 ride level strut $345.00 each
202 320 08 30 W202 front $195.00 each
202 320 06 31 W202 rear $199.00 each
210 320 08 30 W210 front $255.00 each
210 320 04 31 W210 rear $255.00 each

Lowering springs.

Several newsletters ago we had some lowering kits for W124’s. Well we have found another 5 sets 2x 4cyl version and 3x 6cyl version. These will lower the car 20-30mm depending on what size rubber spacers are used. Normal retail is $750.00. These are defiantly the last ones and are on sale at $395.00 a set.
 

Tyres, more complex than you might think.

Thanks to Neil Mansini who is the editor of the Mercedes-Benz club of the ACT newsletter here are some interesting tyre facts.

1. Most punctures happen in wet weather. A wet nail will penetrate a tyre far more readily than a dry one.

2. Steel radials were on the market five years before textile radials. The radial was invented in 1913 but never caught on until Michelin released the first steel belted radial, the X, in 1948. However, the French company guarded its patent and refused to share the technology. Pirelli released the first textile radial in 1953, and shared the idea widely. This led to the textile radial establishing a firm foothold. Steels only became a market force when Michelin's patents ran out and other makers were free to develop their own.

3. The average car tyre revolves 20 to 25 million times in its life. A truck tyre will do around five times more. Not because the tread lasts longer, but because with its heavier construction it will be retreaded up to five times. A motorcycle tyre, however, will last only around five million revolutions.

4. A new tyre on a medium size car can pump around seven litres of water off the road every second.

5. The big majority of flats happen at the back. That's because the front tyre tends to kick up the object that does the damage (say a nail lying harmlessly on the road) while the back tyre comes down on it.

6. The world's biggest tyre maker, Michelin, pumps out 460,000 tyres every day (1990). These require 700 tonnes (or three million kilometres) of steel wire.

7. A steel radial gives 2.5 to three times the life of a crossply possibly why crossplies now account for only three per cent of the passenger car replacement market and nil per cent of the OE market.

8. A brand new tyre can be out performed by a slightly worn tyre in conditions of "summer ice" with the first wet weather after a prolonged dry. The rain raises all the discharged oil, soot and diesel deposits on the road, making the surface far more slippery A brand new tyre, with all its sipes unworn, can pick up and hold these deposits. With the wet they are sluiced back out to add to the slippery surface. Slightly more worn tyres are less prone to this problem.

9. Space saver spares are not new. They were introduced in 1979 by Firestone.

10. Car tyres weren't always black. The use of carbon black as a reinforcement for rubber wasn't started until 1912 when the inclusion of tyre reinforcing cords brought a need for longer wearing rubber Until that time tyres were usually white (zinc oxide being the toughening agent).

 

 info@mbspares.com.au

Have you sent an e-mail to info@mbspares.com.au in the last 12 months and not received a reply?? Well on the weekend we discovered why.... As you guys would all know, spammers are the lowest of low life. And yes, due to our high Google rating we get a lot more than our fair share of spam. Anyway, to cut a long story short, we were getting so much to the info@mbspares.com.au address that the system had a hissy fit and we have not been getting any of the mail for this address in our daily inbox. We found this out on the weekend and after sorting through over 6500 e-mail's we found 209 that were real requests.!!  So we will be sending a belated reply to all of these over the next few days.

In the meantime we have removed the links to this address from the website and would ask you guys to check your address book and use the following address's to e-mail us:

Spare parts, spares@mbspares.com.au or parts@mbspares.com.au
Service department, service@mbspares.com.au
Cars for sale,  john@mbspares.com.au
Technical advice, john@mbspares.com.au
Webmaster, john@mbspares.com.au
Administration, admin@mbspares.com.au
 

Mercedes-Benz overalls

Don't forget we have for sale a limited amount of Mercedes-Benz dealership overalls and dust coats.  We have also found a decent quantity of USED overalls that we will be selling for $40.00 each. The NEW overalls are $75.00 a pair and the dust coats are $50.00 each. Give us a ring if you don't understand the sizing system. Ph 1300 787 300.

Barn find 1953 limousine SOLD..

 To those of you who showed interest in the "Barn find" Type 300 it has been sold. This was (and still is ) a rather amazing car. It had been sitting for32 years in a garage under a block of flats in Sydney. We had no idea what the mechanics would be like after that long and were amazed to see that it started with very little trouble. We put some diesel in the bores for a few days then drained it, fitted new spark plugs and it fired up straight away. Quite amazing really. It is now off to a new home in Sunny Queensland where it will be restored back to its former glory.

What is this?

OK, I have a picture what is this for this newsletter. What model and variant is this??? e-mail me the answer.

2008 Australian National Rally of Mercedes-Benz Clubs


The next Bi-annual rally for the Mercedes-Benz clubs of Australia is to be held over the 18th  to the 22nd April 2008. It is being run by the Victorian club. Maybe you will have attended or seen our reports from the ACT Rally held in 2006 which was a great success. This rally also is shaping up to be an excellent time. Please have a look below for a General overview as supplied by the Victorian club. If you are interested in attending the rally application forms will be available from your local Mercedes-Benz club. A listing of there contact details can be found here.

General

1. The purpose of this overview is to obtain positive responses from members of addressee clubs to attend the
2008 National Rally of Mercedes-Benz Clubs to be held in the North East and South East of Victoria over the
period Friday 18th April 2008 to Tuesday 22nd April 2008

2. A further purpose is to gather information from members who might wish to extend their stay in Victoria by three
days to Anzac Day. On Anzac Day every year the Victorian Club holds a picnic and autokhana on a farm at
Romsey, north of Melbourne, and participants in the National Rally are welcome to attend. If there is sufficient
interest we can arrange accommodation in Melbourne and some activities for April 23 and 24. See the
registration form for details.

3. Attendance at the National Rally is initially being capped at 250 participants because of constraints at the dinner
venue in Lakes Entrance. There is a possibility that this cap could be lifted to 280 at the cost of the dance floor at
that venue. A waiting list will be maintained after the registrations have reached 250.

4. The 2008 rally is socially oriented, as is the custom, but with a strong driving--touring component. There will be
no buses and participants are encouraged to come in their own vehicles.

5. To meet contractual arrangements, there has to be due observance of a strict refund policy. Accordingly, after
15th Dec 2007 there can be no refunds of monies previously paid except in extreme circumstances

6. Please complete the registration form and post to Gordon Gates, 37 Yarana Street Ferntree Gully 3156.

7. If paying by credit card and you would like to Fax the form, please Fax to 03. 9888-5173.

8. If paying by credit card and you would like e-mail the form, please do not include your card details but call Gordon
on 03. 9758 6889 evenings, with the card details.

9. Dress for evening functions will be smart casual. Gentlemen should wear a jacket or blazer but no tie is
necessary.

10. Please wear your club name badge, as at some venues you will need it for identification. (there will not be a
special, Rally name badge)

Rally Programme

1. Friday April 18th Registration at the Country Comfort Hotel in Dean St. Albury. The Rally desk will be
manned from Noon. The car park at the Hotel will be under security surveillance throughout the hours of
darkness.

2. Welcoming Cocktail Party in The Stanley room at the Commercial Club Albury, adjacent to the Country
Comfort Hotel.( Drinks and snack food will be provided)

3. Saturday April 19th. Breakfast at hotel. Display of Cars and sausage sizzle lunch at Oddies Park in the
morning. Afternoon visit to historic Beechworth where we have reserved parking. Dinner dance at the
Commercial Club Albury ( beverages at own cost).

4. Sunday April 20th. Breakfast at hotel. Today we will drive 345 km. to Lakes Entrance. We will travel down
the Kiewa Valley Highway and over the Pinnacles Range into the Ovens Valley. We will then follow the
Great Alpine Road through Bright, where the famous autumn colours should be at their peak, over the
Great Dividing Range at Mount Hotham, and then down through Omeo, Swifts Creek and Bruthen to
Lakes Entrance.
There is nothing especially demanding about this drive, but John Green of MB Spares will, in any case,
be generously providing a back up service vehicle.

In earlier advices we indicated that a boxed lunch would be provided but in the interests of flexibility
and cost, we feel that it would be preferable that participants purchase their own lunch at one of the
many towns en route. We will be using two hotels – the Bellevue and the Esplanade. Dinner will be at
the Lakes Entrance Golf Club (beverages at own cost).

5. Monday April 21st. Breakfast at Bellevue hotel for all participants. The Rally will be in two parts today - a
two and a half hour Cruise on Gippsland Lakes and a visit to Buchan Caves. We recognise that there will
be some who do not wish to go into the caves. For those who do there will be a discounted entry fee of
$10 per head. Lunch at own cost. Final Dinner at Lakes Entrance Golf Club ( beverages at own cost).

6. Tuesday April 22nd Breakfast at Bellevue hotel for all participants followed by departure for home or for
Melbourne for those planning to attend the Victorian Club’s Anzac Day event at Romsey.

Current Sponsors of the Rally

M.B Spares & Service

Daimler- Chrysler

RACV

Silver Star Motors

Worrells

Joke of the month.

 The 3 Goldberg brothers, Norman, Hyman, and Max invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner. On July 17th, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97. The 3 brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that 3 gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter.

 Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car. They persuaded him to get into the car which was about 130 - turned on the air-conditioner and cooled the car off immediately.

 The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them 3 million dollars for the patent. The brothers refused saying they would settle for 2 million but they wanted the recognition by having a label "The Goldberg Air-Conditioner" on the dashboard of each car that it was installed in.

 Now old man Ford was more than just a little bit Anti-Semitic, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldbergs name on 2 million Ford cars. They haggled back and forth for about 2 hours and finally agreed on 4 million dollars and that just their first names would be shown.

 And so, even today, all Ford air-conditioners show on the controls, the names "Norm, Hi, & Max".

Links of the month.

Big pile of stuff to check out this month. Don't forget that if you find something interesting on the net to send me a link to it.

- Last newsletter we told you to go to the Australian Gelanderwagon Owners Association (AGOA) website here. What I should also have told you is to subscribe to their Newsletter the GEOCENTRIC. It is an electronic newsletter like ours and arrived in my inbox last week. A great read if you are into the G wagon.

- Want a definition for insane? Try this....

- Poor mans 3.5 cabriolet??

- Here is a page full of dreams for you.

- And here is the ultimate dream.

Cars for Sale.

More cars have come and gone in the "Pre loved" car department. We sold the C220CDI sedan to a couple who regularly commute between Wangaratta and Melbourne. They reported an average fuel consumption figure for 5.4lts per 100kms for the trip back to Wangaratta from Canberra. Also sold theW116 Crayford wagon and  a rather amazing  E320 Coupe. It was a 1984 model, one owner with only 81000kms of the clock and looking like new.  The sale of this car only proves why it is so important to register your preferences with us. The car was sold within 3 days of us e-mailing everyone on the W124 coupe list. If you are interested in a W124 coupe and were not on the list you would not have received an e-mail about it.  To check or update you preferences read this page, and then log on using the box in the right hand margin at the top of this page. Here is a shot of the interior.

New cars into stock include a great looking Blue Black 1994 E280 and  don't forget that if we don't have what you want to give us a ring (1300 787 300) or an e-mail as we have access to heaps of other cars.

The other interesting car we have is a great little A200. This car was a special order for the wife of a Mercedes-Benz executive and has some great options like rear integrated child seats, rear side airbags, Harmon Karmon sound , interior light package, etc, etc. The updated A class is a great little car and  gets exceptional fuel consumption.

You can check out all our Mercedes-Benz's for sale here.   Or you can check out all the other cars we have for sale here:
 

New cars into stock:

E280 sedan 1994

Cars sold:

C220CDI sedan 2002 model

E320 coupe only 81000kms

280SE Rare Crayford station wagon

Also in stock we have:

C240 1998 only 72000kms

E280 sedan 1995 spec

300TE wagon 1989 model

A200 2005 model "as new"

E320 Elegance station wagon

170S, classic sedan

170SD, classic Diesel sedan

So that's it for another newsletter. Hope you liked what you saw. If you have any ideas or want to contribute any articles, pictures or other material please e-mail me here. Also, don't forget that you can check out the old newsletters here
Thanks, John Green.