What does "NOS" mean?

[ChrisInNashville]

"New Old Style"?

"New Original Spec"?

What assurance does a buyer have that NOS is close to original?   Is there a certification process for something to be designated "NOS"?

[Douglas]

New Old Stock. In other words, a part that was made some time ago, but never used. I've found the term is generally applied to factory parts.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[A Dalton]

As Doug says  " New, Old Stock"

 meaning , a part that has been on the shelf of a parts inventory selection for a long time, but never sold or used .. problem is people use the phrase to entice a customer into thinking it is either an Original  part , made by Benz or OEM, when it does not neccessarily hold true.
 What one wants to ask of an NOS part is if it is also OEM [Original Equipment Manufacture] and/or  original Benz part..

[Mike Hughes]

NOS is "New, Old Stock," meaning that it is an original production or replacement part from the period of manufacture of the vehicle, in it's original period packaging.  A NOS part for a 1966 automobile, for instance, would have been made at the time, or within a year or two of 1966 as a production or direct warranty replacement part and would likely have the same engineering numbers as the part being replaced.  Some manufacturers date stamp their parts, making it easier to identify new old stock.  A later part might have been reengineered to improve durability or performance or to be used as a common replacement part for several different vehicles made over a period of time.  For this reason, a part that fits a 1966 automobile that was manufactured in, say, 1975 might be OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) but NOT NOS (New, Old Stock), in terms of a 1966 vehicle!  Of course, it very well might be NOS for a 1974 or 75 model...

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[norton]

How would one describe an aftermarket accessory, that has not been produced for 20 years. Built to fit only one make and model of car, that is unused, and in it's og. box. Would this just be NIB (new in box)?

Mike Halleck
Chesterfield Mi
71 280SL
68 250SL (parts car)
94 E320 Coupe

[Benz Dr.]

NOS is factory and nothing else.
OEM is still factory but it won't always be in a MB box. Could be any one of a number of different suppliers to MB.
Repro is any part that's been reproduced - quality runs from spot on to very cheap junk.
Rebuilt means just that. Could be with NOS parts, OEM parts or junk repro parts. Who knows?

I use OEM parts simply because I won't buy directly from MB. Some of these parts are NOS in MB boxes but most are from their suppliers. Some things are rebuilt like brake shoes or calipers simply because of cost.


Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org

[n/a]

christietz

To further complicate matters-you may also see NOSR on some parts.  This means new old stock reproduction.  The term is more common for parts for older american cars.  These are all aftermarket parts and many timew were of inferior quality.

Iverson

[ChrisInNashville]

John Olson's SL Market Letter describes a Condition #3 car as including a "mixture of NOS and older components".    Is it the "older" or the "NOS" that conditions it down to a #3 condition?