Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz wooden gear-shift knob. Those aren’t the exact lyrics from Janis Joplin’s song, but you get the idea. Maintaining a classic Mercedes-Benz automobile is a pleasure that has its tribulations. Making sure your vintage import car remains in brilliant condition means finding spare components on a consistent basis. Your replacement parts’ requirements could range from steering wheels to air hoses. This article is filled with tips about finding quality used parts at reasonable prices, no matter what Mercedes parts you need.

First of all, you should make sure your Mercedes is actually a classic. Components for models built after 1982 can typically be located at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer’s parts department, or from online German car parts authorities like www.all-import.com. Mercedes cars assembled before 1981 are definite classics and, therefore, involve extensive parts searches.

Your local phone book will list German car specialists. Suppliers, mechanics and fellow Mercedes enthusiasts will frequently provide directions on where to find components.

Contacting the Mercedes-Benz Club of America to find a local chapter is another good idea. Perhaps you can attend a meeting and make contact with other classic Mercedes owners. They can tell you where to find parts.

Joining a Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts’ online forum is another option. You can ask frequenters for good parts sources for your make and model year.

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center  is also available. It stocks countless parts and can even find your Mercedes’ original build sheet in its records.

The Classic Center and Mercedes-Benz dealers will generally charge the most for parts, so it’s a good idea to take the time to compare prices before purchasing. You can probably find German car parts consultants nearby. Purchasing parts locally is advantageous because you might have questions or problems with the part. Be cautious when purchasing parts through online auction sites. They might sell you broken, substandard or simply the wrong parts, and some don’t allow refunds or exchanges. You can always buy with confidence at www.all-import.com used auto parts.