Last week I took my 1982 300D to Sam's Club for a new set of tires. All went well, or so I thought...

Yesterday I was doing some spring cleaning of my interior and noticed a "bulge on the floor in the backseat. I pulled up the carpet and found the floor bulging up big time. I immediately looked underneath and saw I nice indentation where something square had pushed in. I then went to the other side and same thing. Also, my car is virtually rust free and they also mangled the rubberized undercoating. Obviously some idiot lifted my car by the floor pans.

Needless to day I was a little upset. So now I have to figure out how I am going to handle the situation. Any ideas?

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82 300D 225k

That is too sad, I'm so sorry. Atleast they didn't raise it on the gas tank which I have seen. Glad your tank is out of the way.

I really don't know how to fix that. I'd get Sams to figure it out.

Good luck. Report back.

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1982 300SD

Take it back, show them what they did and ask them to file an insurance claim.

those guys at sams lifted my 77 vw westy by the bottom of the engine years ago. They seem to be one of the few shops left that still use jacks rather than lifts for tires.

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1985 300D cali 190K

http://mercedes.thatchermathias.com/mw300d.jpg

Mercedes did not do a good job of providing an easy way to properly lift their cars...
There are specific directions in the FSM with pictures....
It might help to take copies of those pages to any shop which is going to work on your car...
On my wagon a guy locally started to use a normal floor jack on it without even a block of wood in the cradle.... any of those four nibs around the edge that touched the car would be applying Thousands of pounds per square inch of pressure where it was not built to take that....
I am still trying to locate some of those jigs used to jack up the car which use the regular jack holes... as shown in the FSM...

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

They are called "jack pads" by MBZ. They have them, but bloody expensive.

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Don't Chrome them; polish them

In my FSM they call them "support point (hard rubber buffer)"

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

I went in to Sam's today. Before which I stopped at a body shop and got a quote for $600 to pound out both sides. Which would involve removing the front seats and reapplying the undercoating in that area.

Anyway, a couple managers came out and took pictures of the damage after I explained what happened and showed them the estimate from the body shop. They said I should hear from them by the end of the week. I can only assume that means they are going to cut me a check.

I learned my lesson though, next time bring the tires in alone.

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82 300D 225k

I brought my 240d to a local goodyear a few months ago to have them install two used tires I had purchased - one on the spare, and one on front PS.

1. They began jacking up the car (with a floor jack on the frame rail, which ripped the undercoat, though didn't dent anything) and removing the wrong wheel until I pointed it out to them. Twice.

2. Left my hubcap laying face down on the ground and stepped on it accidentally, scratching the paint.

3. Left greasy fingerprints all over hubcaps.

4. I discovered later that they left one lug nut off of one wheel.

5. Tightened other lug nuts so tight that I can not get them off with a 16" wrench, even if I stand on it and jump.

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Well, it is Sam's and they are owned by WalMart, so I hope they do cut you a check for the repairs! But, don't be surprised if the amount they give you is about $250, they love to lowball! If they don't budge on the amount, call your local television station this has caused Sam's to up their offer! Best of luck, and keep us posted on the outcome!

Almost every car I've ever owned has had floor damage due to unskilled monkey's putting jacks under the floor pan.
I take off my wheels and bring the wheels/tires to the tire place for a switch out on all my cars.
Lets face it in today's society we don't value a job well done anymore, its all about cutting corners, cutting costs and making the most money....

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Current Rides:

2004 BMW R1150GS Adventure
2005 MB W211 E320 Cdi

This is why no one has ever mounted, much less torqued, a wheel /tire on either of my cars other than myself since I have owned them.

I'd like to know exactly what kind of new car can be lifted this way without some serious damage.

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86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

All of my 126's have 4 jack pads located just inside of the jack holes. I make double Da4m sure that they are used if the shop is using floor jacks. I use them myself to jack the car when I work on them. The MB jack is for changing tires. IMHO

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1986 Euro 500SEC "RUF" 9:1CR, "Rose"
1985 Euro 500SEC Cabriolet AMG Widebody
1982 Euro 500SEL "Blue"
2001 Texas Heeler (Aussie/Queensland X) "Sulphie",
2012 Queensland Red Heeler "Squeak"
Best dogs I've ever had.

I lift the front with two jacks on the jack pads underneath and behind the jack holes. I'll use a block of wood there if I can't square the jack up on the rubberized pad thing without getting up into the plastic trim - this is a function of how shredded the pad I'm working with is. One of them has about fallen off.

I just pick the back up from the center differential.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

I would go to a reputable body shop and get a quote, then take the quote to sams and have them pay for the damage.

This same thing happened with an indi tire shop on my mothers nissan maxima. The idiots put the car on the lift without properly locating the pads on one of the jack points, it crushed the rocker panel pretty badly. We got a quote from a couple body shops and had it fixed. The tire shop picked up the tab.