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-   -   Terrible Day Today! (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/79601-terrible-day-today.html)

Randall Kress 11-13-2003 10:59 PM

Terrible Day Today!
 
Well, I moved to South Florida last month. I took my beloved 300D. I needed an oil change and the brake pad indicator went on, so, I made an appointment at my local Mercedes-Benz of Palm Beach. I took the car in early Wednesday Morning!

After an obnoxious encounter with a service rep (I was frowned upon for having such an old car, really, I was) I was told that only one or two techs can touch the old cars. The car sat for an entire day, nothing was done to it....

Today, Thursday, still no car... An oil change, general look over (they wanted 94 bucks to just look over the car) and brake pads, I figured I'd be in for like 300 bucks, max....

So, after many calls of "where's my car" (keep in mind, I had to rent a car!) I got a faxed estimate of 1700 dollars for various things needed....

Front brakes- the whole shabang (okay, I need them and will get them done, but not for almost 600 bucks). They claimed my vacuum pump (9 months old) needed to replaced, my brake lines and trans cooler lines were cracked and leaking (they are bone dry!) and my rear sway bar mounts are badly worn. Maybe they are, but they don't make noise like the tech claimed.

I got the car home tonight and it felt sluggish. It felt horrible. I thought it was a vacuum line or something. Or my throttle linkage.... I finally drive the car- push it a bit, and its back to it's old self.

Everything they wanted to tear apart is in GREAT SHAPE! The did change my oil- I know for the over filled it- it's a quarter inch above the top notch.

Lesson learned- don't go to Palm Beach Mercedes ever again. They stink!

Please advise if my car is worse off for having just a tad too much oil in it...

Sorry, I had to vent.

85drtysthbenz 11-13-2003 11:25 PM

id never take my 300sd to a place where they are used to working on brand new cars...those guys are so spoiled that the first sight of grease makes them cringe....they cant stand to get dirty,or be seen working on some 20 yr old car...every one of them had rather be doing some trivial maintenence on that 2003 s55 amg in the other bay.....i wouldnt doubt it if they just made up some crap about your car to overcharge you just for "having the nerve to bring that car up there"....my advice to you would be this...find a good independent mercedes mechanic,one that drives an old school benz like ours,and can appreciate it..and knows about thier every quirk...my mechanic drives the exact yr and model car that i do,and hes done every bit of service(except oil changes etc.)to it since it was new.....im sure there are plenty of them in your area who specialize,and more importantly,appreciate working on cars like ours...you just have to do some looking....there are some honest mechanics out there...mine even gives me freebies from time to time....once i mentioned that my key didnt slide into the lock like it should,felt like it was getting stuck on something inside....well i came back that afternoon,and he had replaced the whole door lock assembly,and handed me a new key,and said"it was gonna get froze up before long,so i just replaced it for you" FOR FREE! i almost fell out,a mechanic that actually didnt charge me for something....they may be like the loch ness monster,but theyre out there:D

DslBnz 11-13-2003 11:26 PM

D-I-Y;)

MB just wants to make a fortune off of you. They do this to all older Benz's. Especially if you haven't been to the dealer often for service.

Some of those guys have real fresh attitudes, and think their (you-know-what) is ice cream. But they are actually no talent bums that know nothing about mechanics and only know how to diagnose something through codes on a computer screen.

wbain5280 11-13-2003 11:40 PM

Randall, did you authorize all that work? As for the brakes, read up on brake pad replacement procedures here. It's really quite easy. You need some tools, who doesn't, and you'll be on your way the brake bliss. How long is the MB spare part warranty? A year perhaps? If so, the vacuum pump part would be covered.

I think that the wanted you to go away and they did that by shocking you.

Randall Kress 11-13-2003 11:51 PM

Well, not all dealers are bad. In fact, I know a few that are AWSOME! I mean, it depends on the area I guess. Two I can think of, Contemporary Motor Cars in New Jersey, and ASC in DC- two GREAT shops that are REALLY top-notch. I'm sure there are more.

I got away with like 100 bucks in inspection and oil change. Bad lesson learned. I also lost 100 bucks on the rental, but hey, I had a car to drive. I'll never go there again. Never. Now, I'm having a hard time finding a decent indie down here. DIY? Well, I'm afraid the care does need rotors... If it wasn't my daily driver, I would venture to DIY, otherwise, I'm stuck for the convenience of it all.... Thanks for the thoughts!

lrg 11-13-2003 11:56 PM

From my experience the dealers really don't want to work on the old cars. Do as much as you can yourself. The good news is that the 123 cars are really pretty straightforward and between the Haynes manual and the factory CD shop manual (plus this forum of course) there is very little you can't do. If you need the tools buy them, you'll be paid back many times over. Also, find a good indy shop that will do a once in a while check over and be there if you have a job that you just don't feel like trying. You'll be much happier in the long run.

Richard Eldridge 11-14-2003 12:09 AM

The dealers down here tend to be ghastly snobs. Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Miami dealers have this general belief that you aren't a real mercedes person if you <<cringe>> bought it used.
I would find a good independent shop or do it myself.

Orkrist 11-14-2003 01:12 AM

This is the second post I've seen about dealers and bad mechanics for old MBs. It' too bad. I was referred to my mechanic from some other older car enthusiasts and he rocks. He's in K.C., MO if anyone wants to know. I go to the shop to get my car and we end up talking about cars or I end up talking to other customers about cars and its cool, a lot of enthusiasts. I just got my car back and this was the damage: new rear brake lines, new CV boots, diff fluid change, oil change, new sunroof switch, and some trim was reattached to the inside where it was coming off. Total was $525. I think the oil change was around 60 - 70 of that. I still need to have the thermostat and water pump replaced for about $400, and I have an estimate for rust repair and painting on the rear wheels of both sides and one little rust hole on the bottom middle of the drivers side for $800. It isn't cheap, but its half the estimate I got at the local MB shop "Star Motors", who have a reputation for ripping people off royally, like charging for parts they don't replace. My mechanic will actually take a car back to "Star" if they claimed they worked on it or replaced something and show it to them so they can see that they actually didn't. Pretty nervy, I thought.

leathermang 11-14-2003 04:51 AM

About the oil level.... YES it is BAD.... to be ANY OVER.... because this may be high enough that either wind from the crank rotation or the actual crank will hit the oil and OXYGENATE IT..... which really really cuts down on the effective lubricating life of the oil..... You have a good car.... change out this oil immediately (assuming you did not have it trailered home and let it sit) .... and don't let anyone overfill it again..... :eek:

Ken300D 11-14-2003 07:54 AM

If you're willing to ship the car to me and back, I believe I can do the work for you for less cost overall than the MB dealer - including the shipping costs.

:)

Ken300D

Randall Kress 11-14-2003 08:29 AM

Thank you all for your offers. As for the oil being a tad over, I think she'll just burn off the excess? That's what I've read anyway. Hope all is well.

Richard Eldridge 11-14-2003 10:43 AM

It is best if your oil is not over the mark. The best way to remove it would be by sucking it out thru the dipstick hole with something like a topsider or another of those hand or electric gizmos used to change oil on engines in boats.

If it manual says that a Diesel engine has an 8 qt capacity, this does not mean that you should expect to remove the filter, let all the oil drain out and then put in 8 qts. If you do it will always be over the mark on nearly any car, because there is oil trapped here and there and clinging to the insides of the engine. What your dealer did was get some flunky to change it, and they looked up the capacity and added that amount.

Bozos! You are especially lucky, because bozos (especially Jiffylube bozos) also like to put your oil drainplug with an impact wrench set on "vaporize".

The right way to do it is to put in 6 qts. and check, then half a qt. and check again, until it is just below the midpoint on the dipstick. Then drive it for a day and add oil at about 1/8th to 1/4th a qt. until it is on the mark.

Bozos also like to drain oil out when it is cold so they do not burn their wittle hands (or hooves or paws), and of course, less runs out that way, and the important dirt and sludge stays in the thickest oil in the bottom of the pan.

One should drain out when it is hot. It runs more freely and more of it runs out.

diesel don 11-14-2003 10:52 AM

In general my thots are these:

1. All of us who tend to enjoy driving older MB's and diesels should either:
A. Do the work ourselves
B. Have one of the forum members do it

2. Who knows these cars anymore except the collective wisdom here?

3. This problem will only become more accentuated over the years and I plan to keep driving mine.

Don

Rick Miley 11-14-2003 11:16 AM

Well, everybody says find a good independent, but that's easier said than done. I've tried 4 in the Tampa Bay area, and won't go back to any of them.

Randall, contact your local chapter of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America to see if they can refer you to an independent.

And reread leathermang's post about the oil. You don't want to just leave it overfilled.

stevelewis 11-14-2003 12:02 PM

I don't mean to hi-jack a post but I was wondering if leathermang , or someone else could explain to me what is meant by the crank would oxyenate the oil ? steve


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