Upgrading w123 rear trailing arms to aluminum w126 ones possible??? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Graminal95 · #31 04-09-2009, 09:13 PM

I have to say that I have met only a few mechanics who I thought were competent and did not try to screw people.

If you find a good mechanic stick with them. If not ask around, you might find a guy who works out of an old pig sty and is honest, cheap and competent.

vstech · #32 04-10-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graminal95

I have to say that I have met only a few mechanics who I thought were competent and did not try to screw people.

If you find a good mechanic stick with them. If not ask around, you might find a guy who works out of an old pig sty and is honest, cheap and competent.

heh, you just described my business... I ought to post some pics of my shop...

nsantolick · #33 04-10-2009, 04:26 PM

I had a Porsche 928 in "the fanciest shop around", Rayco European Motorcars in Kingston, PA. Fancy place. "Bosch certified..." Lots of Ferraris, Maseratis & the like for sale. 5 lifts. Lots of relatively affluent customers, and all...

The car went there for a timing belt job, as preventative maintainence, brake pads and an x-pipe. I pulled it out of there after 10+ weeks, with the intake taken off, despite me not authorizing that costly work. They were jerks and I guess had an overinflated ego as to their capabilities. I tried to "feel them out" as far as their ability to handle that work before I trusted them with the job, and was blasted with lies about how good they are with 928's and how they "work on them all the time..."

The next shop was nearby, and a bit of a messy shop but SEEMED to have a good, knowledgable mechanic. I quizzed him, at first, for hours and felt confident. Confident enough, anyway, to pull it out of Rayco Euro.

He kept my car for over 10 weeks as well, and at the end, nearly destroyed the engine by relying on the last shops markings on the gears for the cams. I know he put a LOT of time in it, and probably didn't even charge me for the real hours, but it's clear that they didn't know what they were doing all that much. His labor for that work was over $4000.00!!! I provided ALL parts...

He drives a similar mercedes as mine, and had a lot of other Benz's around.

When I discovered dangerously corroded trailing arms on the 300D, I took it across the street to a friends BIG SHOP, and ordered the arms. Of course, the west coast place sent the wrong stuff, and that's what made me start this thread.

I know the current mechanic fairly well now. We've met for drinks a few times since I got my car back, ironically, because I would stop in for the parts that he STILL HAS left over from the 928. He "lost" a new optima battery, and never gave back my old exhaust, catalytic converters, or the old waterpump and timing belt detensioner.

His shop is cluttered and he's on and off been a one-man-shop, as his assistant has quit, again, on and off.

Recently I had him tow my 928, as he was the closest tow-company to where I broke down.

When he brought my Porsche back to me, I reminded him that I ABSOLUTELY want to get my parts from that car back, by the time the Mercedes was done.

I took the car there, as he was the only one who was even willing to try putting the aluminum arms on. He, of course, promised to do it in a day or two. It's been 5 weeks...

When I said that, he told me that he lost my $170 brand new Optima battery, but offered to replace it, "or something". I itemized the missing Porsche stuff, and he told me that he "may want to buy the detensioner" as he was stripping a wrecked 928 and selling the parts on eBay.

I suspect that he may have already used my detensioner to repair that front-collision victim 928 motor, which he MAY have already sold. Can't say for sure, and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but that's when I asked, now that we know EXACTLY what he needs to do to the Benz, if I can have the estimate for it. That's when he said 15 hours, minimum, assuming that any bolts don't break & such...

I suspect now that he has inflated that estimate, to be able to refund me for the battery and the detensioner from the Porsche. IF that's the case, IT ***IS*** STEALING...

We'll see. I don't want to accuse him of anything, just yet, but that estimate seems to be quite unreasonable, and it would follow that, with the missing parts, that he bumped the estimate up to make up for them...

Honestly, I don't even know how to proceed. I am pulling the Benz out of his shop and demanding my Porsche parts back in a few days. I suspect that he's going to say "that he still can't find them..."

I might have to take it as a hard lesson learned. Maybe he'll come through. Maybe I'll sue him. I don't know. I'd really appreciate any advice on how to get my car out of there, and deal with the possibility that when I do, that he'll still "not have the parts..."

The detensioner goes for $900-ish online, but a credible Porsche parts vendor told me that $250-$350 is a fair price. That's over $500 in stuff, and since he hasn't touched the Mercedes, all that I owe him for is a 30 mile tow.

Actually, that "whole thing" pisses me off as much as the missing parts. I didn't ask him to "call someone..." I've done ENOUGH research. I wanted someone to physically TRY to put the aluminum arms on. I was willing to pay for that job, even if we had to start over with metal arms. I was fine with that possible "extra expense", to find out. To have been told, again, that it will be done in 3 days, and end up waiting 5 weeks for him to "make a call" REALLY irritates me.

He's a nice enough guy, but whenever I question anything, I get a line about how "he's been doing it for 40+ years" and then usually something telling me to never look for advice online, as it's full of people who just want to mess with you. Of course, that's nonsense.

Sure, there's some bad-advice, but internet has proven to be the best source of data, IMHO.

So that's it. I'm pulling the Benz and he has a bunch of Porsche stuff that I may not see back. I'm a bit stressed and just don't know how to proceed.

Why can't people just have some integrity? It DOES SEEM that I can't find a competent mechanic, locally, at least, that I can trust, who won't screw me over. Don't they understand how much money they LOSE by being "that way???"

If Rayco Euro HAD treated me well, I can say with certainty, that in the next few years, it's likely I would have bought a used Ferrari 308 from them, EVEN IF THEY COST MORE THAN EBAY. If I had a good experience with them, they would have made THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS off me in future business. Now, I tell EVERYONE what bastards they were, anytime I get a chance. I'm certain that that is highly likely to cost them the business of other customers in the future... (I'm not not the only one with similar stories being reported online regarding them...)

The Porsche took, between those two shops, over 5 months for the work. It came back with problems. It cost 3-4X in labor what one of the "Big Four" 928 specialists that are out there estimated what they would have charged for that work...

Fortunately, the 928 was hauled some 130 miles to someone that I KNOW I can trust. I feel privlaged to have my car fixed by him and am certain, after a lot of digging, that he can be trusted.

Thanks to all for the input. And, PLEASE, if you can recommend any "good tactics" on how to get my Benz out of there and salvage whatever Porsche parts that he still has, PLEASE let me know. One thing seems certain; if I'm right, and he's already used my $350 detensioner, he's not likely to be handing me cash all that easily...

I swore to myself recently to just do the work myself, if I can't find someone whose integrity is assured. I'm buying a nice lift this summer, and setting up an area where I can do most of future work MYSELF. I LOVE CARS and have a LOT of projects left.

Anyway, thanks to all. Let me know what you'd do in my situation, if you don't mind.

Nick

t walgamuth · #34 04-10-2009, 06:46 PM

A letter from a lawyer often leads to action.

I feel for you. I have an indie whom I have been frequenting for over twenty years. They aren't perfect but they are honest and they will do about any hare brained thing I ask.

nsantolick · #35 05-10-2010, 05:34 PM

I should have posted this a while ago - the result is:

IT WON'T WORK...

The mechanic tried and although they are close in geometry, the aluminum ones simply won't properly fit. Can't be done, it seems.

Cheers... :-D

winmutt · #36 05-10-2010, 05:38 PM

Pretty sure someone had already said that somewhere else. Not sure how they can be interchangeable on the 126 and not the 123 if the 123 uses the same steel ones.... What was the physical problem?

nsantolick · #37 05-10-2010, 05:45 PM

Oh, perhaps someone/several did answer. I checked around a lot, on several forums back then. There were a lot of opinions. Just was here posting a new question and thought I'd confirm MY results in case it helps others in the future.

I had rusted out rear trailing arms. Ordered steel replacements from somewhere in Arizona and received aluminum ones. Their response was that they are interchangeable.

The car was in two shops, to deal with those nearly collapsed rusty rear arms. The second shop didn't think it would work but tried nonetheless, and insists, though close, it just won't work, and there was no easy modification to make it so, unfortunately.

Car has been great since. :-)

All the best!

nsantolick
Hazleton, Pennsylvania