How much maintenance is to much, or. Is she a shop queen or not. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dmorrison · #1 12-21-2002, 01:28 AM

I was replying to a post about which 90's diesel is the most reliable. So I listed everything that was done to the car since I bought it new.
Please give me your input as to whether, in your experience, is this a lot of maintenance on a 99 E300TD with 59,000mi. Or am I a little off here thinking the car is a bit of a Shop Queen.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOUR INPUT.

The list below is everthing that hs been done up to today.
Compared to my 86 300SDL which has had, in the last 3 years, fluid/filter changes and a $7.00 window lift piece, a repaired fan shroud (glued and riveted), and a new set of tires.
The SDL has been exceptional but at the other end of the spectrum is the E300, Or am I wrong.
Could I be so very picky about this car because it's new and was under a bumper to bumper warrantee.

Thanks guys

glow plugs 3X
---1 had to clean glow plug holes, glow plugs OK
---2 had to replace 1 glow plug
---3 had to replace 2 more so they replaced them all
Transmision 4X
----Transmision control module replaced
----Transmission parking interlock cable connection replaced
----Transmission electrical connection seal replaced
----Transmission Pump replaced
Radio 7X (written up 7X)maybe its just me.
----keet losing the stereo depth that you hear with stereo
----they had it 3 weeks and I still hear it.
----radio replaced
----ant amp
----connections loose, tightened
----ant switch unit
Both front door panels caused by seat belts 1X
Seat belts, both front
3 sets of front brake pads, that seems about right though
Engine mounts 1X
Serpentine belt 1X, damaged caused by poor work 1X
Rear lights both replaced
Climate control 1X unit replaced due to a BURNT OUT BULB!!!!
Steering wheel 1X replaced, coming unraveled
Instrument dash panel replaced, glue comming through on it
Ash tray door inop/replaced
Cup holder door inop/replaced
Child seat sensor inop/replaced
Turn signal combo switch inop/replaced
Mass air flow sensor replaced
INJECTION PUMP replaced
Banjo bolt replaced
Volume air flow sensor replaced
Window ant amplifier replaced
Seat track cover replaced
C pillar replaced
Drivers seat adjuster replaced
I am amazed how many light bulbs burn out on this car compared to my others. We always drive with our lights on, In all our cars.
this one has gone through 3X as many bulbs as my other cars.

And the one that seems to happen most often
State inspection expires every year at the exact same time!!!!

Now guys give me some feedback here. Is this excessive or do you find your cars are having the same amount of service on a 3 year old 59,000mi car.

#2 12-21-2002, 01:33 AM

My goodness that is alot of work for a car with only 59,000 miles.

84300DT · #3 12-21-2002, 08:07 AM

yes seems like a lot of 'getting the bugs worked out' altho am curious that an injection pump would fail at such an early age. something mighty bad must have happened?

Diesel 924 · #4 12-21-2002, 08:37 AM

My 2002 Jetta TDI with 16,000 miles just got an injection pump under warranty. My understanding is they are $3,500 if you have to buy one.

Kind of freaks me out since I'm so picky about the car and the fuel I buy (I even wipe off the nozzle before sticking it in

). I think I might have been better off taking the $22,000 I spent on the Jetta and buying 7 or 8 more 300D's.

Rick Miley · #5 12-21-2002, 09:14 AM

I have had a few problems with mine, but nothing near the amount of Dave's. I want to mention a few things specifically:

Transmission controller was replaced early on, but I still get erratic tranny behavior occasionally. I know how do drive it to avoid that problem.

I took the car in for a burned out bulb in the climate control module. Not covered under warranty, and the dealer wanted a full hour's labor to replace it. Now, this module comes out in two seconds with the radio keys unlike the oldies where you had to take a bunch of stuff apart. So I told the dealer what to do with their hour of labor and bought the radio keys instead. Then the light started working on its own. Sometimes it is a little slow to come on, but it still works.

The radio volums increases with speed by default, which really annoys me. I had the dealer adjust it for constant volume, which they will do for free. However, on the last service visit it reset itself, so I have to have it done again. I've had no other problems with the radio at all.

My glow plugs (all of them!) have been replaced ad 43,000 and 76,000 miles. They just don't seem to last very long on this engine.

Now I'm really surprised that you didn't list these things, because they are common W210 items:
Dash board cracked
Rear window regulators broken

I was furious when I noticed dash cracks at three years of age and 55,000 miles. Of course MB wouldn't cover it because I was 5,000 miles out of factory warranty and the $1,600 premium extended warranty doesn't cover "trim pieces". After a long fight I got them to cover 2/3 of the $1000 repair bill.

And both rear window regulators failed within a month of each other.

I've had a few other minor issues, but nothing like yours. So yes, I think your car is a shop queen. Hopefully, you've gotten all the bugs out and it will be good for a while. But if you want to dump it, let me know. I may just buy it as a replacement for the Jetta.

slowmoe · #6 12-21-2002, 09:17 AM

There is no excuse for that type of negligence and obvious poor workmanship.

Your experience reminds me of my first 12 months with my 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee. After so long, I thought I would just try an American car - never again!!. Anyway, I eventually called one of those Lemon Law 1 800 numbers, spent 10 minutes in the phone with an attorney and 5 months later THEY took Daimler-Chrysler to court over the matter, implementing the PA Lemon Law- I did nothing but give them the name of the dealership where I had the car purchased.

PA Lemon Law states, essentially: if a dealership can not repair an item after three attempts within the same 12 month period while the car is covered by factory warranty, the manufacturer is responsible for canceling all debt on the vehicle or replacing the vehicle free of charge.

If you are covered by an extended warranty, another option to employ a "Breach of Contract" suit. Since, you sign the documents for your new car which included a warranty, Daimler-Chrysler has been held to a contract. Very simply, they are required to fix your car when it breaks!!!! If they fail to do so - they breach the contract and are liable to make you whole for you time, energy, efforts, frustrations and ... possibly a new car.

I know we live in an overly court - ridden age, but sometimes it is justifiable.

P.E.Haiges · #7 12-21-2002, 10:30 AM

DMorrison,

Let's see. I bought a '79 300SD for a parts car. It ran so good I decided to drive it. That was 4 years and 45,000 ago.

So far I have replaced or repaired:

1. Rebuilt front calipers. Pads and rotors OK.
2. Repaired rear brakes including cable for parking brake. Replaced rotor because old one had to be taken off with a hammer.
3. Replaced one glow plug.
4. Replaced one fuel filter because case split.
5. Miscellanous tires because I only put free used ones on it.
6. 5 Oil and filter changes using Castrol syntec and 2 Transmission oil changes.
7. One battery
8. Needs a flex joint which will be done soon.

Now you tell me which is a better/ more reliable car. The old 300SDs or the newer E300.

What are you going to do when the warranty runs out??

The 300E sounds like a Lemon with a capital L.

P E H

dmorrison · #8 12-21-2002, 01:26 PM

Rick
The dash was replaced at about 45,000 due to the glue stain comming through. So It was probably going to crack we just had a preemtive replacement.
The rear windows probably are either getting ready to fail. Or they are the "new " fix. We don't use the windows that much. My daughter has the 300SDL and my son is gone to college, so We don't have anyone back there that often.

Slowmoe
Texas lemon laws. I'll check into that.

P.E.Haiges
I have the Mercedes 8 year/100,000 premium warranty. The Idea was I was going to buy this and drive it untill I retire in 2014. But the reliability factor has raised its ugly head.
That is why my wife and I have put it on probation untill next Dec. 31. If its still a Shop Queen I'll sell it and buy a Honda/Acura or Toyota/Lexus product.

I leased a 1988 Acura Legend from 88-93. The car was in the shop for
Normal service
Center arm rest, My elbow would wear it down every year. The second time they put a leather one in.
Transmission cooling hose burst, the only time it left us stranded. We must have run over something, there was a gash in the hose
Contant velocity joint replaced at 20,000mi.
A bad rear light socket replaced.

And that was it. In 5 years.

In 86 I bought a Ford Taurus wagon that was also a Shop Queen. It was in the shop for 17 items in the first 2 years. 5 of those things were multiple times. I traded the car in for the Acura legend.
In 1992 I saw the car in a parking lot and talked to the owner. I explained that I had bought the car new and asked her about
the cars reliability. She said it was great, It never went in the shop. I realized I had fixed all the problems. but sometimes you develop a bad relationship with a car and you and the car just don't get along. I want this car to work for us. But I won't keep it unless it proves its reliable.

So depending on how the car does over the next 12 months will determine whether I keep it.

Being in the Airline industry (American Airlines). My wife and I have gone on a bit of an austerity program. (Next fall we will also have 2 kids in College). With US Air and United in Chapter 11, the pressure on the other airlines is tremendous. If the terrorists are able to "get " the airlines again. Every airline out there will go bankrupt. And the economy will go into severe recession. And we will ALL be worried about our jobs and lifestyle. So I would like my cars to be as worry free as they can. and so far this one is not.

I changed dealers. It could be that the synergies at Park Place Midcities was not working. I saw a tremendous amount of coordination and logistic problems at Park Place Midcitied. But what was funny, I didn't see that at Park Place Dallas the few times I used that place.
For 17 years, 1981- 1998 I used ******** in Plano, Texas. I was always very happy with them. They learned me and I learned them. They new that I worked on all my cars and that I new a lot about them. We had a good relationship.
Hopefully that returning to ******** will help me get this car in shape. I would like to keep the car for quite some time.

Thank for all your input
Dave