Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-25-2005, 05:27 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: orlando fla
Posts: 276
How others perceive dieselheads?

I recently called a shop in L.A. called Semhi motors or something like that. I asked the owner if he could do a ppi on a 1967 200D. He immediately asked "what do you want that car for?" I told him I liked them and he replied that they were awful and they were $200.00 cars. He told me he would not inspect one and " I won't let those cars in my shop!" "People who own THOSE cars can't afford to fix them when they break."

He is a mercedes shop that supposedly works on the cars... I got his name off the forum when the seller couldn't drive to see Enrique. What a jackass!

I love my diesels, but is it possible that the rest of the world doesn't perceive us as cool like we think of ourselves in our smelly little cars?

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-25-2005, 05:33 PM
R Leo's Avatar
Stella!
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: En te l'eau Rant
Posts: 5,393
One local indy refuses work on MBZ diesels older than 1990 for the same reason. Based on my PO's service records, I also have to believe that they are accomplished shysters. Maybe it's just that owners of older MBZ diesels are too knowledgeable for these outfits to be able to pull the same crap that they do to the crowd with disposable income.
__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-25-2005, 05:50 PM
goldenbear's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: NorCal
Posts: 442
Quote:
Originally Posted by R Leo
...Maybe it's just that owners of older MBZ diesels are too knowledgeable for these outfits to be able to pull the same crap that they do to the crowd with disposable income.
Isn't that the truth; couldn't agree more. Not that I don't have disposable income, I just prefer to be knowledgeable about what my $$ goes to. I would go further to state that, at times, we are a burden.
__________________
Chris

'04 ML500 - 53k, Inspiration Edition, Desert Silver
'11 Audi A4 Avant - Brilliant Black
'87 300SDL sold
'99 C280 Sport sold
'85 190E 2.3 sold
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-25-2005, 05:54 PM
BusyBenz
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Many of these specialty shops don't want to get stuck with your car after you discover it's gonna cost $3200 to fix properly and nowhere else to dump it off after you deside it's not worth putting the money into. Look out back of many of these shops, they have tons of old MB's back there and at some point had to draw the line! A lot of mechanics see these people as dreamers!

If you want to have this mechanic do work on that old 220D, pull out your wallet and convince him you are serious about it!

Money talks, and bull**** walks!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-25-2005, 06:29 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: orlando fla
Posts: 276
I just wanted the pinhead to do a pre purchase inspection, I was going to pay him by credit card over the phone ! He just apparently don't like us dieselers...

With his attitude, I wouldn't let this guy work on my ex wife, well maybe I would...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-25-2005, 06:41 PM
Hatterasguy's Avatar
Zero
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Milford, CT
Posts: 19,318
I think he just is a jerk. I would avoid his shop, their are a fair number of shops around my area that work on these cars. Also the dealer seems to like them.

He probably sees a lot of people that want a "cheap" MB though. They buy a $1k 240D and then find out it needs $3k worth of work and run away. I can understand how they would get feed up with people that want a cheap MB who really can't afford one.
__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-25-2005, 07:13 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Matthews, NC
Posts: 1,356
People who have these cars that need repairs that are more than the value of the car are not a bad thing. I have 2 MB's now and may get more. First I bought an 84 500SEL with the dreaded broken timing chain. The car was at a MB speciality shop. I gave $500. for the car, repaired it, and now have one of the finist cars I have ever owned. I have about $2000 in it now, but where else can you get a running car in this class for $2000.
The second is a 91 300D 2.5 turbo that had a transmission problem. I gave $1000 for this car, and sofar have only put $500 in the car. It does have a transmission issue that I need to work out but even If it needs a rebuild (I have a friend who will do it for less than $1000 if I take it out and put it in} I still will only have $2500 in the car. I feel I have gotten a great deal on both cars. So you DIYers should think about this pick up a car that needs some work, buy it, work on it as time and money permit. You can end up with a great car.
__________________
84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-25-2005, 07:16 PM
wolf_walker's Avatar
Zen And The Art Of Diesel
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 2,050
The correct response to the "why do you want that" question should have been a prompt "none of your #@#$%&$ business, will you take my money and do your job or not?".

If it were a call on anything other than a pre-paid PPI, I might have bought some of the reasons people have given(which are valid), but I bet you money he's just a prick that's too good to work on a diesel. There are MB drivers that way as well, will not even look at you in an old diesel.

__________________
One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-26-2005, 12:18 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: West of Ft. Worth. TX
Posts: 4,186
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHARK1007
"what do you want that car for?" .........he would not inspect one and " I won't let those cars in my shop!"
I have met a lot of mechanics that just don't understand diesels and therefore do not want to be embarassed I guess. I would not be surprised if this wasn't the case.
__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-26-2005, 01:20 AM
Ara T.'s Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Posts: 2,075
He probably just wanted a car with a computer in it to tell him what's wrong
__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-26-2005, 08:37 AM
Gurkha's Avatar
Satyameva Jayate Ad vitam
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Boondocks
Posts: 1,026
The reason mechanics dread the old MB diesels, especially the OM 616/617 series is because of their legendary reliability, these engines are nightmare for mechanics looking for steady source of income plus the fact that they are easy to fix and access is another nightmare for them. If mechanics don't get engines which last up to 100,000 and have expensive repairs and maintenance at every 10K miles, it is a truly bad business proposition.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-26-2005, 12:49 PM
Dance'w'Diesels's Avatar
1984 300D
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Schenectady, NY
Posts: 157
Thumbs down

Well that's just not right I think that shops who black list our cars should receive the same.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-26-2005, 04:32 PM
aklim's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Location: Greenfield WI, USA
Posts: 8,514
Why don't you take it to your local MB shop? They work on MBs and they might have a clue as to what could go wrong in this, that or the other. Before I bought my cars, I had Gilly tell me the problems with them so I know what to expect.
__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-26-2005, 05:04 PM
diametricalbenz's Avatar
The Crowbar of Embriage
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 3,511
Quote:
Originally Posted by aklim
Why don't you take it to your local MB shop? They work on MBs and they might have a clue as to what could go wrong in this, that or the other. Before I bought my cars, I had Gilly tell me the problems with them so I know what to expect.
Shark1007's perspective car is in Los Angeles and he's in Orlando.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego Dieselheads get together! LAX300DTurbo Diesel Discussion 11 02-06-2002 12:47 PM



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page