Euro car parts, never again .

[wobbly]

In late January, in a attempt to cure the ABS problem I was having on the SL, I decided to change the Brake light switch.

Being as I was busy at the time, rather than go to the dealers to get the switch, I ordered one via Euro car parts to be delivered, not something I would normally do.

I had changed the Brake light switch in my ML, this took no time, so I thought the SL would be the same, how wrong I was it took hours, lying on my back in the footwell legs in the air, stuggling to undo and the tighten locknuts in a confined space, only able to get one hand in the space, and two spanners needed top undo the nuts. But I got it done, although it didnt help with the ABS light situation.

Since then the car has covered about 300 miles.

I was out for a drive this morning, pulled up at a set of traffic lights, when a young couple in a ML pulled up by my side, and said I had no brake lights. I was only a few of miles from home, so I thought the best bet was to get home and try and sort the problem.

At home checked the bulbs, and the fuse no problems found, I thought it couldnt be the brake switch, but it was the only other thing I could think of.
I luckily kept the old switch, so before removing the one in the car, I connected the old switch and manually operated the switch, the brake lights worked fine.

So another hour and a half stuggling upside down in the footwell, the brake lights now work.

The moral of the story, always buy genuine parts, as in the longrun it saves time and money.

 

[recycled]

Are the euro parts not genuine parts?surely someone must make them for mercedes

 

[Fandango]

I agree, they're not always genuine as ECP claim.

A friend bought and fitted a supposedly genuine ball joint from ECP, and ended up with his steering geometry needing to be sorted. We took it off again and you could actually see there was a slight difference in the angles.
Not worth it skimping on a few pounds, just order it from your main dealer and collect when they got it in stock.

 

[recycled]

well if the disparity is close to 200pounds from the dealer, you may have a rethink.
i bought my MAF from the bosch dealer and it was £150 cheaper than the merc main dealer that they make it for.

 

[television]

The only snag here is that the Brake light switch will not cure an ABS fault on a 89 car

 

[Fandango]

well if the disparity is close to 200pounds from the dealer, you may have a rethink.
i bought my MAF from the bosch dealer and it was £150 cheaper than the merc main dealer that they make it for.

Fairy Nuff if you know the part to be genuine, like from Bosch.

I still think it's just false economy getting pattern part.

 

[KLP 92]

The only snag here is that the Brake light switch will not cure an ABS fault on a 89 car

I would suggest the OVP relay.

I just changed mine on the SEC, bought a new one from MB, plugged it in and the car wouldn't start. MB replaced it with another one which worked fine and cured my ABS light.

Moral of the story is that electronic components can prematurely failure. Its too easy to blame ECP because it may have been a pattern part.

 

[wobbly]

The only snag here is that the Brake light switch will not cure an ABS fault on a 89 car

The ABS fault was fixed with a front offside sensor.

 

[wobbly]

Fairy Nuff if you know the part to be genuine, like from Bosch.

I still think it's just false economy getting pattern part.

I quite agree.

 

[barryj]

I don't normally get involved in threads like this but I have used ECP for years mostly for BMW stuff and often bought the pattern gear when funds were tighter, always been well impresed and on the rare ocasion I have had to return somthing (usually as I ordered the wrong thing) they were nothing but helpfull.

I am sure they would send you another one FOC due to premeature failure, if you had bought one and paid for the fitting from MB they would supply and fit one FOC (what was the price differential between buying from ECP and fitting yourself and taking to MB?).

The trouble with the internet is that the millions of people who have had no trouble with parts from ECP dont post a comment every time they are happy, bad news sells as they say. ECP were the only reason that I felt comfy buying a BMW (in my case) at a young age, if the main dealer had been my only choice I would have been in a scruffy Vauxhall like my mates.

I would imagine that some parts bought from MB have failed premetuarly from time-to-time.

 

[big x]

ECP do sell plenty of OE makes you have to confirm when ordering.Bilstein is certainly cheaper than MB dealer prices as are Lemforder suspension parts and ATE brakes.
I was surprised to see they also sell expensive specialist German Klann tools.
These are the tools MB use for suspension work.
Don't overlook http://www.kmsparts.com/ who specialise in German stuff.

adam

 

[MBManInKen]

Fairy Nuff

 

[GRAV888]

I used THESE for the rear spheres on the 190.

 

[Fandango]

Sorry, thought I'd use a bit of artistic license

 

[grober]

When I was looking for a pair of rear shocks for my older car a couple of years ago, they were on "back order" from Germany at my local MB dealer . Got BILSTEINS next day from ECP. Go figure??

 

[miro]

Here is the thing I dont understand.

British Mercedes = expensive parts

German Mercedes = Well priced parts

Aftermarket Parts in Britain = dont work well

Why don't people order more parts from Germany ? I read Mercedes enthusiast and they have several suppliers listed in Germany.

 

[recycled]

Like everything else in britain. Rip offs. Houses, footballers, carparts e.t.c

 

[miro]

Like everything else in britain. Rip offs. Houses, footballers, carparts e.t.c

In this age of couriers and internet what possible excuse do people have to tolerate poor service in any place.

 

[wobbly]

When I was looking for a pair of rear shocks for my older car a couple of years ago, they were on "back order" from Germany at my local MB dealer . Got BILSTEINS next day from ECP. Go figure??

Again I agree if you get named quality parts at a cheaper price fine. The brake light switch I bought from ECP, was a naff pattern part.

 

[barryj]

Again I agree if you get named quality parts at a cheaper price fine. The brake light switch I bought from ECP, was a naff pattern part.

Did you think the part was substandard before you fitted it? if so why fit it? You have had one bad part from a supplier and are willing to write them off over it, has anything ever gone wrong with your Mercedes? if so at that point did you stop buying the Mercedes product.

Your comments do no seem to be the result of a number of issues, or even the result of the knowledge of a number of issues with regard to ECP, it seems to me that they were simply supplied with a sub standard switch!

Reading between the lines what seems to have made you mad is that time spent fitting, removing, and then re-fitting again; this I can see but when you chose to save money and do jobs yourself I suppose thats the risk you take. If you pay MB to do it then its their risk.