I picked up my car this morning. The total came to $1372.84CAD...the distributor caps/rotors were replaced for free, or the cost would have been higher. Also, the front brake discs/pads were not replaced, since the advisor said "it is okay if we don't replace them this time...just come in when the light comes on..." oh well, I guess I will search for some quality aftermarket discs/pads for the front and find a shop to replace them sometime soon...for Jon, here is what is written on my invoice regarding the discs/pads:
frt brake pads 15% (recommend)
frt rotor at 23.0mm (recommend)
rear brake pads 60%
rear rotor at 24.0mm
It is a little early to tell if all the problems I had when I brought the car in have been addressed. However, I did have a check under the hood and did a quick match to see if the work/parts written on the invoice were actually performed...they seem to have done a good job, which I hope they would...since they charge $99CAD/hour for labour...
One thing I just want to say is that for the past two days while the car was in the dealership, I have been grumpy and angry with Mercedes and the E420...I pretty much walked into the dealership with a storm cloud over my head...when I got in the car, fired up the engine, and pulled out of the dealership, I was thinkin' to myself...why did I ever buy this car? Heavy and slow steering, car feels big and awkward driving through the stop-and-go streets of the city...ugh...the oil warmed up, and I hit the highway, and I let her free...GOD...what a wonderful feeling...I gave the gas a little gentle pressure, and she gave a huff as to say, "don't ever doubt me" and climbed to 120kph effortlessly, without even taking a breath, and just wanted to fly...the stability, the feeling of power, the feeling of confidence at the wheel...was unmatched...what a beautiful machine...it handled the gentle curves and dips of the highway with unparalleled grace and elegance...by the time I pulled into the garage...all was forgiven a million times over...what a crime it is to keep these cars caged in the city...
I thank you all for your suggestions! Some of the DIY stuff I definitely want to try...the problem is more with having the confidence to do this kinda stuff under the hood...but changing the motor oil/filter is a good first step at least...
In terms of opening her up on the highway ever so often, well, I have no problem with that
I guess I have been so caught up with other things lately...also, with the high gas prices, especially for this thirsty car who'll only feast on Techron 94, I'm feelin' a bit like Scrooge lately...
Thank you for all your help and sympathy!