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#16
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I'll try and find a dealership in the area that hasn't treated me like crap and talk to them and have it done. Right now it doesn't track straight. It veers of to the right but its not too extreme.
I did just order new sway bar links and a differential mount. The car needs them anyways. |
#17
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If your options are limited....you might just have to go to one anyway.
I'm not too fond of either of the closest Benz dealers in my area for a number of reasons....and have a real big issue with one Benz indy thats even closer. You may have to view it as choosing the lesser evil. Unless of course its due to them hiring clueless idiots as mechanics. (which is why I have an issue with the one Benz dealer in my area) Despite the fact my W108 was dealer serviced by the PO and I have the reciepts to prove it....they had so many things screwed up the car barely ran when they got through with it. Of course I would have never gotten it for Free if they hadn't. So its a mixed blessing.
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Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche |
#18
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I just do no like the dealership in Orlando since they were rude to me and looked down there nose to me since I drove an "old" car.... That old car is a classic Mercedes-Benz.. I'll call around. The dealership in Lakeland did my 300D for me and charged like $110 4 years ago for a front wheel alignment but they recently changed ownership.
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#19
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Quote:
What's the old adage: "Don't cut your nose off to spite your face" |
#20
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Call some local Benz indy's and see where they get their cars aligned. That's what I did just this last week and came home with the best alignment yet.
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http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...-RESIZED-1.jpg 1991 300E - 212K and rising fast... |
#21
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Called Fields BMW/Mercedes in Lakeland. $129 for the alignment. They will use the spreader bar and lock the steering box.
I'll schedule that soon as I get my money from selling the CLK wheels. The only down side is they sold their last SLS AMG so when I go I wont be able to check it out. I told the SA that the other dealerships wanted $350 to align the car and he said they were pretty much being stupid and not paying attention to what I was bringing in. The new cars are a bit more complicated and require more work than the ole w123 |
#22
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Ask where folks who track vintage BMWs and Porsches go for custom alignment work. You'll pay more than Pep Boys charges but they'll usually let you drive around a little to make sure it feels right and tweak it if it doesn't and you'll hear some good war stories.
Ask independents where they take customer cars for alignment. Sixto 87 300D |
#23
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$350 for an alignment.......Geeze. Someone should have bought a smaller Island or a smaller Yacht.
I flat out REFUSE to go to a local Benz indie because they screwed me a number of years ago (overcharged me for a simple job)....and got snooty. They lost all future work including alignments as I would practically drive past this shop to get to any other. But over that one incident....I refuse to let them touch anything I own. And they did have a good rep from people on this site at the time. I do nearly all my own work....but alignments are something I just can't do myself. As high as these people here are (the Benz dealers) they aren't much over the $100 range (with hourly shop rates of $175) for an alignment. And when they quoted me a price on the phone they didn't as what I had. And that wasn't much over what the local tire shops charge (assuming any of them had the right stuff, something I know for a fact all don't, because they have admitted to it).
__________________
Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche |
#24
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Quote:
It's times like this that one of those Mercedes service/parts discount coupon cards would be pretty nice to have and make use of. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/297806-service-coupon-dealer.html |
#25
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Why?
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#26
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I don't have the equipment needed to do it. I'm not a mechanic by trade...and I can't justify the cost of even the portable type racers use at the track to set up their cars.
And from the other perspective....I do nearly all my own work because, #1 I'm cheap. #2 I know only 3 mechanics within hours of my house that I actually trust. And one of those works for the Fairfax County Garage. (meaning he couldn't take my stuff in if I paid him to as they ONLY do County owned Vehicles) Meaning Local Government vehicles. #3 I do it because I can....and I do like working on my own stuff most of the time.
__________________
Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche Last edited by boneheaddoctor; 09-26-2011 at 03:52 PM. |
#27
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Quote:
How I adjusted the toe in / out, camber and caster on my W123 300D It isn't for everyone as it 1) is too much reading 2) takes a long time 3) is hardly believable that you can do just as well as hi-tec laser equipment (if not better) with bits of string! 4) is hardly believable that you don't need to spend 350 USD to get a good result...
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#28
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Quote:
And the thought about the coupon is not a bad one. I used to get $50 off coupons mailed to me from the dealer and never knew what to use them for . . . don't know why the alignment never crossed my mind. Now I want one and they don't send them to me anymore. Go figure. When I lived at my old place, there was an older man who lived down the street. I was usually out in the driveway tinkering on the car and so he stopped by one day to ask me if I would change the oil in MB. He said he couldn't stomach taking it to the dealer for oil changes any longer . . .I'm pretty sure he told me he was paying about $100 a pop. I offered to do it for $40 and he was pretty happy with that. He never came by again though and we moved a few months later. It's amazing how much the dealer charges for some routine maintenance.
__________________
'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles '79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold) '83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer) ______________________________________ "Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman |
#29
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I'm totally cool with the $129.. It's the other dealerships that are the rip off.
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#30
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Dealership charged me anohter $50 for aftermarket wheels. Still drives straight though.
Anyone in Atlanta, I highly recommend Grand Tourismo East. They will give you a CONSULTATION and do the final check with you IN THE CAR.
__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg 1995 E420 Schwarz 1995 E300 Weiss #1987 300D Sturmmachine #1991 300D Nearly Perfect #1994 E320 Cabriolet #1995 E320 Touring #1985 300D Sedan OBK #42 |
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