SAMM

Hi there everyone,
Im a little curious about something. I travel a lot to the US and I live in the UK at the moment. I always buy genuine Bosch parts from the US if I see a good deal.
For instance ignition plug wires that are Genuine Bosch only cost me 58 pounds as opposed to 130 pounds from the dealer here in London.
But....on the box it says for USA and Asia cars only...

What is that? The leads are perfect and they come with a lifetime warranty and once again they are genuine Bosch.

Is is a money thing or is it a quality thing?

It cant be a climate issue as US has freezing, mild and hot climates...

So what is it? They saying European Mercedes are of a higher quality?

Im sure some Merc tech will know the reason and i'd just like to know?

Nice one
SAM

SAMM

by the way on a slightly relevant note,
I have noticed that on my friends W210 E320 in California, the door lock pins on the inside if the door are not the same as the ones you would find in European models. The pins on my friend's W210 are from the W123 and not even the W124! I noticed that a lot of the early W210 all have these W123 door pins in CA and NY and FL (these are the only states I frequent).
So this is a point that may be related, or not...

Again nice one...

SAM

ZedStyle

for starters, the exchange rate plays a big part in the price difference, the dollar has dropped like a stone in the last year

fal50

The one and only reason is legislation.
Some lawyer claimed that emergency people could not open the door if the rimless Euro parts were installed.

SAMM

That makes a lot of sense, of course. but how about the W140 door pins they dont have a rim either when depressed?..

SAMM

So its a competition thing...You cant sell our products to the EU because we're selling it to you at a much cheaper price, which would undermine our sales effort in the EU.

Makes plenty sense and I studied this in Law school under EC Law and Law of Trademarks.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

fal50

The W124 came in 1986 on the US market with that law.
The W140 came in 1992 and the law was changed by then.

pmb600

It's kind of like when US Students buy the international edition of textbooks that say on them "not for sale in the US" because in the US they rape us for books. It's a profit thing.

SAMM

That makes sense and I have seen that on books as a matter of fact! Exactly the same book yet it states not for sale outside of US and Canada. Thats excellent news as all the Bosch items I buy from the US are always of the highest quality just like the Mercedes dealer items.

By the way my friend has a 2000 model year E320 W210 with the same door pins from the W123! So it appears they either forgot to update or the law wasnt changed yet even by 2000....

rayhennig

Hello All,

I have bought a few parts from the USA and, yes, the recent exchange rate has been very favourable to the Euro-world.

To date, I have had 2 shipments to me (in France) from the USA and the issue of tax has never arisen. I await the most recent and most expensive (450 $US) shipment and wonder whether this one will "slip in undetected".

Anyone have any comments on this?

Another point, of course, is that if the parts are made in Europe, shipped to the USA and then we buy them and have them shipped back, the exchange rate issue must be nullified. And then there's the "carbon footprint?"....

Bonne chance from la Belle France.

RayH

SAMM

I notice that the box where it says GIFT is always ticked on the customs form.
US taxes already paid so why on earth should we pay EU tax for a single personal item? Of course if one were a trader it would be understandable to pay the import duty...

compress ignite

Ray,
'are you referring to the Francois Tax-men
or some form of "After-Tax" (Value Added to the Anglo-Saxon participants)
tacked on by U.S. authorities as the shipment sails across the Atlantic?

Hint: U.S. authorities cannot conceive of an after tax.

They have no way to tax a citizen of the French Republic for internet purchase.

Example: I buy something , over the internet ,from "Boaters World", based in
North Carolina, (One, of my legal addresses is in Georgia) ...There's no tax!

Unless Douanes has some way to track your purchase...


(Thanks , Again for the Haitian re-inforcements in 1779)

Brian McL

I just bought a set of tie rod ends for a W210 E320 made by a company in NY called Karlyn Ind Inc. and they are the most poorly engineered and manufactured automotive parts I have ever seen. Just aweful. Makes the Chinese "stuff" look good. Wow, did I just say that?
So, Made in the USA doesn't guarantee quality...not by a long shot. Those days are over.
Nowadays, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
Of course, that's only my opinion.
Oh...and their motto..."The Art of German Engineering, Made in the USA" is an insult to every German engineer, past and present....even the ones who designed that horrible W210. But that's another story.

compress ignite

Americans cannot make anything but sub-standard after-market parts for
American vehicles.(or sub-standard OE parts for American vehicles)

'No way I'd ever put an American engineered/designed/manufactured part on
my Mercedes!