GROUP BUY: Stabilus Damper/Struts for Center Console Lid

[a777fan]

ORDER HAS BEEN PLACED. THIS GROUP BUY IS NOW CLOSED TO NEW PARTICIPANTS




Its not quite Midnight here, but I think I have now processed all the payments that have come in over the last day. Thanks everyone! Once again, you're making this pretty easy on me. I appreciate it.
The big news... Thanks to order doubling and tripling offers from JC220 and captruff, we're going for 100!

This means everyone's per unit cost is going to go down, and I will owe most of you some money back along with your struts. See table below for an estimate of your refund:

GROUP BUY LIST

Name	# Struts (@18.90 USD each)	#Strap Sets (2 incl'd @ $4.30 USD per set)	Expected Shipping (USD)	Estimated Total Cost (USD)	Estimated Refund (USD)	Mod My Struts!	Don't touch my struts!	Paid?
a777fan	18			$248.40				Y
gerryvz	2		$7.20	$34.80	$10.20		X	Y
Ntrepid	4	1	$7.20	$66.70	$20.40		X	Y
captruff	18		$7.20	$255.60	$0	X		Y
nocfn	2		$7.20	$34.80	$10.20	X		Y
geraniumtr	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10	X		Y
sheward	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$10.20		X	Y
RHS	1		$7.20	$21.00	$5.10	X		Y
ZombieBranz	2	1	$7.20	$39.10	$10.20	X		Y
S500E	2	1	$7.20	$39.10	$10.20	X(1)		Y
JC220	8		TBD	$117.60	$0	X		Y
Matin	2	1	TBD	$31.90	$10.20	X		Y
Ralph	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$10.20		X	Y
suprnva	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10		X	Y
rinconmann	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10	X		Y
Kip	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$11.60	X		Y
ghm	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$10.20	X		Y
Dbreid	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$10.20	X		Y
Klink	3		$7.20	$48.60	$21.40		X	Y
luckymike	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10	X		Y
maui	2		$7.20	$34.80	$10.20	X		Y
8899	1		$7.20	$21.00	$5.10	X		Y
mathrock	2	2	$7.20	$43.40	$10.20		X	Y
vatc8637	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10	X		Y
Allgonquin	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10	X		Y
gsxr	15		$7.20	$34.80	$10.20	X(1)		Y
cole67	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$5.10			Y
DerFuror	1	1	$7.20	$25.30	$0		X	Y
Total	100	23		$1628.40

I will process your refund when I send out your struts (return via PayPal). In the meantime, I'll honor the group buy price ($13.80 per strut) for those who are IN as of midnight tonight. If you'd like to UP your order, you can. Just let me know. I plan on keeping about 5 of these guys for myself, so 27 or so are 'for sale'. Individuals outside of this group buy will have higher pricing applied. (which is as yet undetermined) :devil: J/K

I will call Mike tomorrow and put in the order. Just a reminder, Mike is estimating 6 weeks for the delivery to me. I will likely process and ship those who want their struts un-modified first, followed by the modified ones. For those of you with LARGER orders, (JC and capt) we'll have to see if you'll still fit into the smaller shipping boxes. There might be a slightly higher cost for shipping which we can discuss off-post.

For those of you who want modified struts, I will post up photos of my personal struts which I will be modifying first, so you can see what you are getting. If you're totally disgusted by what you see, you're more than welcome to opt out at that time and get your struts sent in an un-modified state!

Let me know if you have any questions!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ORIGINAL POST BELOW:

I have been able to track down the current part number for the small strut that seems to fail over time in our center console storage boxes. Thanks to this great HOW-TO, which includes detailed pics of the OE strut, I was able to track down a retailer (orrorr.com) that can procure the current Stabilus Part Number, which is 669233.

My contact (Mike at Orr Orr) provided me with the following schematic showing the design details of the current part number, which confirms that it meets the design criteria required for installation in our flip top center consoles.

The cost of ordering a single one of these struts is prohibitive (north of $200 dollars), but the price per unit is inversely proportional to the number of units ordered. IE- more units ordered, lower per unit cost.
Mike indicates the price per unit is:

10 - $50.95 each
25 - $38.75 each
50 - $18.90 each
100 - $13.80 each

I would be more than happy to coordinate this group buy if we can get at least 10 committed orders. There has also been the suggestion of making up a little 'kit' which would include two replacement MB OE 'stop straps' with the strut, which I am also happy to entertain.

My Ask:

• I'd ask that you pay for the cost of the strut, the cost of the straps (if wanted), and shipping from my door to yours. I would assume all this would easily fit into a small flat rate USPS box (~$7.20), although that will have to be proved of course. I'd like to ask for payment via PayPal upfront. I will wait until we reach the magic 10 number before advertising my PayPal address however!

Caveats:

• The supplier indicates there is a 6 week lead time on this item, which starts AFTER we have submitted an order.My cynical side automatically multiplies this by two since I think there is going to be some manufacturing startup time involved. Bottom line, those placing orders will have to be patient!
• As there will be monies transferred between parties before a product is tangibly available, we'll all have to operate under the assumption that I am a good guy, and will stand behind my word. If the deal for whatever reason falls apart (manufacturing/supplier issues, asteroid, etc), and you don't end up receiving your strut, I will refund your PayPal in its entirety. I think we're all friends here, and I'll do my best to keep it that way!

So. Please reply to this thread if you are interested in this buy. Reply with:
1) How many struts you would like to commit to
2) If you are interested in the 'kit' option with 2 'stop straps' per strut

I think that's all for now! Let me know if you have any questions.

[COLOR=#0000ff][B]


I have heard back from my last supplier, and have confirmed that 285611 is NO LONGER AVAILABLE from Stabilus, and 669233 is the correct replacement part. As Dave/gsxr has pointed out, according to the part diagram this strut is not a 100% direct fit, and will require some slight modification of the strut 'hat' to fit.
With all that, I am ready to start the order process. So.. here is how we're going to do this:

1. Refer to the table above to confirm that I have your desired quantity of struts and strap kits correct. If not let me know.
2. For recipients in the USA, I have estimated your shipping cost at the current USPS small box rate. For those outside the USA, we'll have to play it by ear (indicated by TBD in the shipping column) when I go to ship your packages. (This will mean an additional Paypal payment from you following shipment) If you are located outside of the USA, and I have mistakenly estimated shipping for you at the small box rate, let me know and I will correct the above.
3. Check my math to make sure I have estimated your total cost as correctly
4. Paypal me your estimated amount (via friends and family), to: jonathan.j.butterworth@gmail.com
5. PM me your desired shipping address
6. PM me whether or not you'd like me to modify the 'hat' of your struts for you, or if you want to tackle that yourself.

I will update the table above as I receive funds and responses. If for some reason this still goes south, I will simply reverse the PayPal payments.

PLEASE ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE THE ABOVE BY NEXT THURSDAY 6/7/18 6/17/18. THAT WILL BE OUR CUTOFF DATE.

[captruff]

I will sign up for 6 struts, no straps

Jeff

[nocfn]

I will take a 1 spare strut, no straps.

[darek_u]

You can try Stabilus 285611 - it is available in EU, I paid EUR 40 per piece. It is supposed to be direct replacement for MB part. Attached is data card of the strut I bought.
stabilus_285611.pdf

[Ntrepid]

I’ll take two (for now). Straps for 1 armrest. With GVZ committing on the other thread, you’ve got 10!

Did Stabilus say if the price go lower for more participants?


Robert

[a777fan]

You can try Stabilus 285611 - it is available in EU, I paid EUR 40 per piece. It is supposed to be direct replacement for MB part. Attached is data card of the strut I bought.
stabilus_285611.pdf

Darek, 285611 was first supercedence of the original the part number that I was able to track down. I have been told by the supplier that it has been superceeded again to the 699233 number. Perhaps it is a US/EU thing that causes the difference? Regardless your spec sheet looks almost identical, and the price is also similar (within a few dollars).

[a777fan]

I’ll take two (for now). Straps for 1 armrest. With GVZ committing on the other thread, you’ve got 10!

Did Stabilus say if the price go lower for more participants?


Robert

This is quite excellent!.

I did not inquire on further price breaks, but I will and report back.

[Glen]

I researched these several years ago. Never ordered because I had already committed to the member selling them here. Not sure which lifting capacity is needed but they are available here in the U.S. from Mcmaster-Carr:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#9417k1/=yxn05e

Edit:
Based on the .pdf above, it's 80 newtons which is about 18 pounds...so either 15 or 20 pound version would probably work fine.

[gerryvz]

One strut for me, no straps (I have 6 spare straps in my hoard).

Trip, I recommend you order 5-10 extra parts beyond the ones that people commit to, because there will be A LOT of people who see this thread after the fact, and down the road, who will want to buy one. It's the same with me and the data card reproductions. I say "LAST CALL" and then two weeks later I get 2-3 new orders...

[600Eric]

Interesting. I bought my replacement Stabilus strut from Mike and Orr & Orr back in February of 2015 and at that time the part number was 286511.

Wonder what if anything has changed with this new part number???

285611_EN[1].jpg

ADMIN EDIT: Video attached of Stabilus strut springing into action.

[a777fan]

As far as I can tell, they are functionally equivalent. Not sure if there will be a cosmetic difference, but i’ll happily document when they arrive.


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[a777fan]

We’re currently at 12. I’ll wait to ask for money after I have heard back from Mike on any additional discount. Order list in first post (thx gerry?) has been updated!


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[Matin]

Can you post to the UK?

If so, I'll take 1 strut and a strap.

Thanks!

[geraniumtr]

I'd like one strut and two straps. Tks.

Regards,

Peter Weissman

[sheward]

Nice work! I would like one strut and 2 straps.

drew

[gerryvz]

Time to put in an order at Naperville for 20-30 straps, too.....

[RHS]

I wil take one thanks; richard

[a777fan]

Can you post to the UK?

If so, I'll take 1 strut and a strap.

Thanks!

Matin, I think so, although I have no idea what the cost would be off the top of my head. I wouldn't think too bad since the items are small. Perhaps someone with Int'l shipping experience can chime in? If you're willing to cover the cost, I'll put you down. Let me know!

[a777fan]

List updated. 15 now!

If you see a discrepancy with your intent, let me know.

[Jlaa]

Bravo! Fwiw - to prolong the life of the struts, I have taken to keeping the lid of my armrest in the open position when the car is parked in the garage.

[gerryvz]

Trip,

The cost for a small USPS Flat Rate Box to the UK will be around $35 postage. I believe $35.25, to be totally exact. You can get the exact rate from the USPS web site.

You have to fill out one of the small customs forms at the Post Office (takes about 5 minutes) and mail it manually, waiting in line. It's not a huge deal to send it internationally, as long as you don't mind 15 minutes of extra work to do it. The main thing is to get the customs form filled out in advance (get a few from the post office ahead of time) and then you can just walk in, mail it, pay, and walk out.

For a small flat rate box of this weight, you only need the SMALL customs form, not the large one.

Cheers,
Gerry

[gsxr]

Warning: Tracking is not officially offered on international shipments with small flat rate boxes, flat rate envelopes, or first-class international parcels. You need to use weight-based Priority International to get tracking. I learned this the hard way and had to eat the cost of two separate items (and shipping!) and I no longer will ship international via small flat rate or first-class parcel. It's up to the buyer/seller to decide if y'all want to take that risk. On the bright side, for an item this small/light, weight-based Priority is quite reasonable, not much more than flat rate (varies by country).

This info is well hidden on the USPS site, it's in the footnotes:
"... [Tracking] not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Boxes."
https://www.usps.com/international/p...ernational.htm

And, if they refuse to officially track a parcel, that also means they will refuse any insurance claim as "lost" if the buyer never receives the package.

[gerryvz]

I have shipped dozens of small flat-rate boxes internationally ("Clark Plugs") as well as Flat Rate Envelopes (data cards) and never had a problem with anything not being delivered.

I also have had luck in tracking internationally with medium and large flat rate boxes. It's not always super precise, but for example I can see when something hits foreign shores and is in customs, and so forth.

Anything that is small enough for a small flat-rate box or flat-rate envelope, should in reality be inexpensive enough that it should not require insurance. If a set of Clark Plugs or data cards got lost, I wouldn't hesitate to replace for free and re-send them as needed, at my own expense. I have always personally tried to be generous in these situations (for example 500AMM in the Norge needed a slight change/modification on one of his data cards after I'd mailed his, so I reprinted and remailed to him at my cost).

[gsxr]

Tracking is officially available for medium and large FRB's. As stated on the USPS website, only small FRB's and envelopes do not get official tracking.

After my second lost package, I simply don't offer the "cheap" shipping overseas. YMMV, etc.

[ZombieBranz]

I would like 2 dampers and 2 straps please. Thanks for setting up and doing all this!

[a777fan]

List updated!

Zombie, just to clarify, did you want two SETS of straps (one set for each strut, total of 4 straps), or just one SET of straps (2 total straps)?

Still waiting to hear back from my contact about additional discounts per unit.

[gerryvz]

Zomb is da Bomb !!

Here's a group buy thread I did some years back, updated status continually. May be a model for you, Trip !!

You can also set up a table and do it that way. Pretty easy.

https://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2183

[ZombieBranz]

List updated!

Zombie, just to clarify, did you want two SETS of straps (one set for each strut, total of 4 straps), or just one SET of straps (2 total straps)?

Still waiting to hear back from my contact about additional discounts per unit.

two dampers and one set of straps please.

[S500E]

I will take 1 damper & 2 straps ("kit"). Thanks!
S500E

[a777fan]

Zomb is da Bomb !!

Here's a group buy thread I did some years back, updated status continually. May be a model for you, Trip !!

You can also set up a table and do it that way. Pretty easy.

https://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2183

Excellent excellent! I will definitely use that as a guide. Thx Gerry!

[gerryvz]

Nice to see there is interest and you can easily hit the 10 mark. Hopefully the price can come down even a bit further, that would be sweet.

[Neoni]

that’s nice to have one of these

[samiam44]

Put me on the list.. wonder what the next price break is after 10?

[a777fan]

Put me on the list.. wonder what the next price break is after 10?

Hopefully we’ll know soon. Got ya down sam.


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[a777fan]

that’s nice to have one of these

Neoni, were you asking to be included?


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[gsxr]

Jon, dumb question... it appears the 669233 still requires grinding to fit, as shown in Gerry's HOW-TO thread, correct?

Would 600Eric's number 285611 work better as it doesn't appear to require modification, assuming the diagram is accurate? (Also assuming this p/n is available and priced similar?)

Old thread from 2015: https://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=272

[gerryvz]

Guess Trip is going to have to get a bench grinder and go into production mode before he ships any of these out to our fellow members...

[a777fan]

Jon, dumb question... it appears the 669233 still requires grinding to fit, as shown in Gerry's HOW-TO thread, correct?

Would 600Eric's number 285611 work better as it doesn't appear to require modification, assuming the diagram is accurate? (Also assuming this p/n is available and priced similar?)

Old thread from 2015: https://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=272

Not dumb at all Dave. I'll have to have another look at that schematic and get back to you. I had convinced myself they would work out of the box on Monday, perhaps it was the weekend still talking.

The supplier has indicated that 669233 is the replacement for 285611. In fact when I had first contacted him, I contacted him regarding 285611, which he then went to Stabilus with, and was told 669233 was the new PN...

EDIT: OK, so it looks like the shoulder of the new PN reduces the tang 'length' by 1mm.

For those of you with 'Ivanned' struts... does this sound familiar? I'll have to look tonight to see if that will in fact impede on the armrest parts.

[a777fan]

Guess Trip is going to have to get a bench grinder and go into production mode before he ships any of these out to our fellow members...

I'm always looking for an excuse for more tools!

[gerryvz]

It's not much work and not too difficult (10 minutes with a bench grinder) to modify the tangs. You just have to be very careful not to take off too much material so as not to expose the threads.

Actually you can leave a bit of extra material, and take a small file and enlarge/widen very slightly the slot in the armrest cover into which the tang is inserted and pinned. A combination of both is ideal, and what I did with the ivanned strut. I think I showed it in my HOW-TO.

[Ntrepid]

It's not much work and not too difficult (10 minutes with a bench grinder) to modify the tangs.

Could we ask Stabilus to modify these all together?


Robert

[a777fan]

Could we ask Stabilus to modify these all together?


Robert

With all this information, I will check with Mike and report back.

Apologies for the delays, but I think he is having to communicate with Germany, which adds a few days to any questions on pricing and applicability.

[Ntrepid]

I think he is having to communicate with Germany, which adds a few days to any questions on pricing and applicability.

Hopefully the Stabilus team in Germany says "We know exactly what they need!"


Robert

[JC220]

With all this information, I will check with Mike and report back.

Apologies for the delays, but I think he is having to communicate with Germany, which adds a few days to any questions on pricing and applicability.

Thanks for your efforts on this!

Count me in for 1x strut with no straps please. (I already have 2x ivanned struts and 10x new straps in my hoard)

[600Eric]

Guys just to add to this the 285611 part number was a dead nuts match to the original. So if Mike from Orr & Orr can get still those from Stabilus (or get them to make some more???) I would go that route if possible. Just my $.02

[a777fan]

OK... back with an update. I sent the gsxr provided comparison to Mike and this is his response:

Stabilus Germany is in the process of consolidating all 4mm and 20mm rod LOM manufacturing from Stabilus Koblenz to Stabilus IndustryLine product (made by Hahn Gasfedern GmbH). It is a slight difference (4mm from center of hole to end of fitting) but functionality will be the same, this is what Stabilus is replacing it with.

I have made an additional inquiry via Mike to confirm there is no longer any stock of 285611 available on a dusty shelf in the far corner of the Deutschland.

I have viewed the pictures of the ivanned strut and the modification required to make them work. Am I correct in understanding that the entire 'brim' of the end 'hat' needs to be removed in order to fit into the center console? Or is some residual 'hat' material OK?

This ivanned 'strut' installed pic (courtesy of ivanned) seems to confirm that no 'brim' (IE- needs to be completely removed) is required for proper installation

[a777fan]

Mike has now confirmed that there is no dusty shelf with any 285611 struts left on them.

He has also indicated that the next price point break is at 25 units, which we are currently 5 away from. If we order 25, the price per unit drops to: $38.75!

I might regret this later (lol)... but I'll gladly perform the required modification of these struts such that they fit appropriately in our coveted W124 center consoles. I will be ordering two, and will perform said modifications on my struts first, so no one will be forced to be the guinea pig. This would likely add to the delivery time to your front door, however.

If with all the above information, you have preciously committed and are no longer interested, please indicate that here and I will remove you from the list!

Silence will be taken as consent! *evil laugh*

(I'll update the first post with all this additional information)

[Ntrepid]

I'll gladly perform the required modification of these struts

Thanks but I was serious about asking Stabilus to do it for us. It should not be a problem and it keeps you out of the cross hairs if something goes awry.


Robert

[gerryvz]

If you look at my HOW-TO, you'll see I had pretty much ZERO "brim" on the ivanned strut I modified. And as I mentioned previously, you can probably have a slightly wider brim on each side (say 0.5mm each side) if you take a file and slightly widen the plastic slot in the arm rest into which the brim passes through where it's pinned. Again ... if folks file the plastic slot (and NO ONE WILL EVER SEE THIS) they can get away with a little more material left to CYA on the brims.

You have to be VERY careful not to take off too much brim, you take off a bit at a time, slowly. You don't want to cut into the threads. It's not hard, and I'd think you could do them on an assembly-line basis with a grinding wheel in about 5-10 minutes each strut. Again, I'd charge a few bucks for your time and labor and keep them at $50 a pop to cover everything.

Whatever the final count is on the struts, make sure you order some extras. As I mentioned, some will see your GROUP BUY post too late for the initial shipment, and will want them. Then you can hike the price for the late-comers to cover the extensive warehouse space and electrical/HVAC costs needed to properly store the extras.

Also, same with the plastic limiters ... say the final count is 5 sets of limiters. Order 8-10 sets (they're what, $2.50 apiece?) so you have a few extras for the stragglers. Also, you KNOW you will be needing at least one extra set for your burgeoning parts hoard....as with all good 500Eboard members.

Also, as I've found with GROUP BUYs, you will have about 20% of people drop out when it comes time to front the $50 (or whatever the final cost is). So you may want to have a few alternate folks (again if they come late and you don't order any extra struts) on hand to replace the dropouts.

If it matters, and you are close to the 25 needed......sign me up for a second strut if needed.

Cheers,
Gerry

[a777fan]

Thanks but I was serious about asking Stabilus to do it for us. It should not be a problem and it keeps you out of the cross hairs if something goes awry.


Robert

True Robert, I certainly could ask. I'm sure Mike at orrorr, just LOVES talking to me by now!

[a777fan]

If you look at my HOW-TO, you'll see I had pretty much ZERO "brim" on the ivanned strut I modified. And as I mentioned previously, you can probably have a slightly wider brim on each side (say 0.5mm each side) if you take a file and slightly widen the plastic slot in the arm rest into which the brim passes through where it's pinned. Again ... if folks file the plastic slot (and NO ONE WILL EVER SEE THIS) they can get away with a little more material left to CYA on the brims.

You have to be VERY careful not to take off too much brim, you take off a bit at a time, slowly. You don't want to cut into the threads. It's not hard, and I'd think you could do them on an assembly-line basis with a grinding wheel in about 5-10 minutes each strut. Again, I'd charge a few bucks for your time and labor and keep them at $50 a pop to cover everything.

Whatever the final count is on the struts, make sure you order some extras. As I mentioned, some will see your GROUP BUY post too late for the initial shipment, and will want them. Then you can hike the price for the late-comers to cover the extensive warehouse space and electrical/HVAC costs needed to properly store the extras.

Also, same with the plastic limiters ... say the final count is 5 sets of limiters. Order 8-10 sets (they're what, $2.50 apiece?) so you have a few extras for the stragglers. Also, you KNOW you will be needing at least one extra set for your burgeoning parts hoard....as with all good 500Eboard members.

Also, as I've found with GROUP BUYs, you will have about 20% of people drop out when it comes time to front the $50 (or whatever the final cost is). So you may want to have a few alternate folks (again if they come late and you don't order any extra struts) on hand to replace the dropouts.

If it matters, and you are close to the 25 needed......sign me up for a second strut if needed.

Cheers,
Gerry

thx Gerry! Yeah, the modifications don't seem like they are that complicated, even if the strut 'brim' has to be modified. I'm going to wait a bit to see if there are any upfront back outs, and then make the determination as to how realistic we can be about getting to the 25 level. Thanks for your offer of getting an additional strut to get us there!

[gsxr]

For a 30% price drop, I think it won't be too much trouble to hit the 25 level.

I have a feeling they won't be willing to modify the part, which is a shame, as 669233 is *not* functionally equivalent to 285611. I'm also guessing they are not willing to do another production run of the correct 285611 unless it was for yuuuge quantities.

[a777fan]

For a 30% price drop, I think it won't be too much trouble to hit the 25 level.

I have a feeling they won't be willing to modify the part, which is a shame, as 669233 is *not* functionally equivalent to 285611. I'm also guessing they are not willing to do another production run of the correct 285611 unless it was for yuuuge quantities.

That's my gut feeling too Dave. I have asked Mike though, juuuuust to absolutely confirm any/all possible options.

[JC220]

Ok I'll take 2x now of we hit 25! I can PayPal anytime no problem just shout when needed. Postage to me will be higher too I'm aware of that

[Matin]

Did you add me to the list? I don’t see my name.

2x strut and 1 strap

[a777fan]

Did you add me to the list? I don’t see my name.

2x strut and 1 strap

Will do now! Wanted to make sure you were OK with the int’l shipping costs before I put you down.


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[Ralph]

I will take two struts and four straps please. Thank you for doing this.

[a777fan]

And we have 25!

[Blessed88]

Other than the center console, are there any other applications ?

[a777fan]

Other than the center console, are there any other applications ?

Hmm. I don’t think any w124 ones. Otherwise they might be a little bit easier to source.


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