Here are my three experiences, directly or indirectly, with MB dealer service over the years.

1. I had a 1987 300D. These cars had bad trap-oxidizers that would destroy the turbo. I took mine in to the dealer to have the repairs done. Afterward, my car had to go to a body shop to have the scratched-up paint repaired, at the dealer's expense.

2. 300E. Before I bought the car, according to the previous owner, the dealer had replaced the valve seals. In the process, a ball socket was evidently dropped into the engine. Unless maybe the ball socket was dropped in there by the factory. Eventually, said ball socket destroyed the oil pump. Locked the pump right up and tore the sprocket off the front. Somehow, the engine survived. It had taken years for the ball socket to finally work a hole into the oil pump screen. I replaced the oil pump myself. It had a rock-hard stainless-steel ball socket inside.

3. Different 300E. The previous owner of this car always had everything done by the dealer and always replaces their cars @ 50K miles. Today, I began the process of cleaning out the EGR tube. I hear people on the forum complain about the 5mm bolt that holds the tube to the back of the head on the left side. Well, the mechanic who did this before me simply left that bolt out so I wouldn't have to fuss with it. Unless maybe it was left off at the factory.

All this coupled with the fact that the dealer employees turn up their noses at those of us who drive MBs that are as old as ours...and MBNA who denies things like leaky evaporators and broken radiator necks..."We've never heard of that. Yours is the only one." Well, I try to stay away and will continue to do so as long as I can turn a screwdriver.

BTW, my wife LOVES her new Acura TL. We did not even consider a Mercedes-Benz. Wonder why?

But I do love my 124s. The people who build, sell and service them? Not so much.

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

Brew, I guess the dealers are used to dealing with people who buy new Benzes for their snob appeal, so their attitude works well with their preferred clientele. Since I have been on this forum, I've found that the older Benz owners are generally one of the best bunch of people I have know.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I guess they heard me talkin' about 'em.

Today I cleaned out the EGR tube. The fitting where the EGR tube attached to the EGR valve was a mess. I wondered when I removed the fitting why it popped off after only a couple of turns. Now I know. Pic below. Whoever did this turned a routine task into a big deal for me. Or, perhaps it came that way from the factory. The fitting will NOT go back on.

And...I replaced the water pump on this car a few weeks ago. It was leaking coolant between the pump and the block (not the usual leak at the shaft of the pump). Would you look at all that red RTV?? I removed the o-ring and most of the RTV before I thought to take a photo. I have never seen someone seal up a water pump with red RTV. The o-ring is all you need. Perhaps they did not have one handy.

As long as I'm posting pics, I'll post the ball socket in the oil pump. Third pic.

Today I examined the books and records for the car. We bought it with 82,000 miles, not 50,000 as I previously thought. Every single scheduled service in the book had been done, and was stamped with an MB dealer stamp. I suppose these repairs might have been done by someone other than the dealer, but the owner seemed to be loyal to the dealer and allowed no one else to do the scheduled maintenance. There was no evidence of anyone else ever servicing or repairing the car before we purchased it.

So, I do not KNOW that the dealership was responsible for the shoddy repairs, but it seems very likely.

Attached Thumbnails

     

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

I don't know.

I can't think of a factory M/B dealership that would even have a tech in their shop that would use red RTV sealer to seal a water pump at the block where an O-ring is available.
Now an idependent shop, I can see that.