from left: Pete Lesler , President of Mercedes-Benz Club of America ,John Olson , Publisher of Mercedes Benz Books and SL Market Letter and judge at Pebble Beach Concours, the most honoured Classis Car place, Tony Erker, Broker for Race Cars and Classic Cars (foto 2008)

click foto to see sales register (in work)

“Autoweek” wrote the Title Story in 1985 “Buying a used car in Europe”

experts in the field say Germany is a prime hunting ground for five to 10-year-old enthusiast machinery. Grear Britain is a good bet for older, more traditional collectors cars.                                                                               According to Tony Erker, a large dealer of EPA exemption cars in Bendorf, West Germany, almost all the good cars are bought by dealers for export. As if to underscore the point, there are no signs on Erker´s “Collezione” dealership. There are no signs because Erker deals with exports only. Germans, he says, would come only to window shop. Americans ,Arabs and Japanese come to buy. They buy, Erker claims, 500 to 600 cars per year from him.”I have 10 people out looking every day...And I am notthe only one”. He adds, “If you want to lock on your own, go Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon, only the bad ones are left.Erker, for example, claims he “can find anything” and will buy a car without a deposit

because he knows he can sell anything that “looks nice” If you decide to buy a car through a dealer, contact several before leaving the States. Then you will be able to select from a variety of cars.                                                                                  Most customers, Erker says, are not enthusiasts. In fact ,one of the best buys at Collezione was a beautiful green 1980 Porsche SC at 12000$. Erker says he could get more and the car would sell faster if it were red.                     “Some Americans, they say, “I want a red 911 with beige interior”.They get here, just off the plane, they´re tired,real disappointed”Erker explains.                                                                                                                                  

“I say, relax. Go on holidays for two weeks. Call me every couple of days.” He says most customers don´t even inspect the cars. One customer, he said ,wandered through his garage pointing out cars, “I´ll take that one and that one and that one.” 

Some of my Cars in the last 35 years, click Foto please