this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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Oldtimers, Youngtimers and Vintage Motoring
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A community for everything old and youngtimers! That includes Cars, Bikes, Trucks, Bicycles and all other old Personal Vehicles!
Oldtimers are Defined as Vehicles 30 years or older, whereas Youngtimers are between 25 and 30 years of age!
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Was hoping to see more discussion here. When I maintain them, which I don't do enough, I tend to go to a site depending on the make.
Mercedes seems to have great part service in house, for Citroen and Porsche I use an aftermarket reseller (online), for the MX5 NA there are lots of online options (even Ebay).
I have sourced second-hand parts but it takes a long time.
Common things, like batteries or generic tools, I source in local shops. It's globally produced but they can give good advice on battery chargers and the likes, plus we all know we should buy locally when we can.
I used to order motorcycle parts from Great Brittain, but with Brexit I've completely stopped that. I have not found good alternatives there.
I can only really speak for Mercedes as I own two W124s, but as you said, their classic parts service is very good. Though I feel like it's gotten a little worse in recent years. Luckily there's also a huge amount of 3rd party manufacturers. Very specific stuff like wiring harnesses, interior panels and such are best found used on eBay and similar sites. Having the workshop documentation and parts numbers is a must for older cars like this.