Body Rubber Kit

[ashley]

My 69 280SL goes into the paintshop tomorrow, when I get it back I know the money hemorrhage really begins. The chrome and everything else that was "good enough" before now will look shabby next to the gleaming fresh paint. So the dilemma is new vs aftermarket. As I'm on a budget I usually lean to the later. For example the aftermarket body rubber kit that Buds sells is $659 vs $1143 for OEM, does anyone have experience with the less expensive rubbers, should I or shouldn't I ? 
Thanks, Eric

[Rolland]

Check with the classic center. I found them a bit less than the OEM prices at buds and millers.,

[Garry]

Eric,

There are a couple of rubber seals that you don't want to go other than OEM. I brought most of my rubbers from Buds and Millers but two that I found needed replacing with OEM were the window seals as the non original just did not fit and the other are the front door to window seal that on the Miller/Bud was only rubber where as the original has a cloth covering on it that allows the window to slide up the guide/groove smoothly.  All the others appeared to be fine in my replacement of rubbers.

Garry

[shanghaitom]

I just bought complete body, soft top and hard top rubbers directly from MB Classic center cheaper than budz or millers and all genuine.

[ashley]

Thanks for the info, is it me or does the Classic Center not have a website with parts and prices listed, they want you to call
Eric

[shanghaitom]

You need to search by part number or call them.

[Rolland]

Everything I've done is by phone or email. Always talk to Jon Siggson. First call he got all infobon my car, now I don't have to tell him that.  It would be nice to have more on their site but Jon is great at attaching a parts breakdown to pinpoint parts. For some grommets he even went out and looked at a car they had on the floor.

[Rolf]

I am at the tail end of having my car restored. I got some rubber from Bud's ( The soft top rubber for around the windows). The rest I got from Jon at the Classic Center. I found the rubber from Bud's to be less pliable than from the Classic Center. The prices were a little more at Bud's. Jon is an extremely helpful person. It's easier to reach him through a direct line than the 800 number. If he is not at his desk, he will return your calls. As for kits, I asked Jon for the price of one for my hardtop and was told they didn't sell the rubber as a kit. The price I got from Jon for all the pieces was close to the price for a kit from Bud's