where's the advice
 

Can't believe no one has any idea with the codes that I've posted earlier tonight. Is this really a mercedes forum????????

Why are you here?
 

You wrote:



Problems with 1999 C230 Kompressor-HELP

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Hi All,
I'm new to this forum. I need sound advice. I have a 1999 C230 Kompressor with 92K miles. I got a new head gasket last March 2008. The day after I got my car back, I had to return it because of the slight vehicle shaking when the car is on idle. And for me, it's most of the time since I drive on side streets. I've brought it back to my mechanic three times (which he kept at least 1 week at a time) and still the car has the same shaking problem. He swore that the car is fixed everytime I get it back. So finally, I gave up going to him, since he hasn't solve the car problem. I eventually went and paid $84 to get a diagnostic test at the MB dealer. And here are the following codes they found:
00110 Intake air temp sensor incomponent B2/5
P1519 Variable camshaft timing malfunction
Performed compression test on all cyl. Good 1:170 2:170 3:175 4:175 PSI
Sparkplugs Good
Checked found intermittent misfire on all cyl.
The dealer is asking $1700 for repair. Can anyone please tell me what to do. To top it off here are the recommended work that supposedly the car needs since it is close to 100K miles:
Motor mounts and Trans mounts
Flex Disc
Rear Brake Pads
Power steering shock
Trans service
Filter fuel
Will it be worth it to do all of the above work, or should I just move on and get another car? I do love this car that's why it's so hard to let go. How long will this car last me if I do all the work? How much more money will I have to spend in maintenance as my mileage increases? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Help! Thanks for reading my post.

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Move your question to the Tech Help section. This is the wrong place for it.



and it says you are from Glendale. You said it was taken to a dealer. I hope it was not CALSTAR Mercedes in Glendale. I have been there, they are not that wonderful. You should try MR MB in Tarzana. He is the best, by acclamation, on this board. When you call, make sure he has a code reader though. He REALLY can work magic on the old 15-30 year old Mercedes.


As a WAG, at 92k, on your car, I'd go for the motor mounts if I did nothing else on that great big fat list. I bet they are collapsed and that is why the car shakes.

Mine NEVER lasted over 50k..... never....

I went to Downtown LA Motors. Can you give me the number of that place? Thanks.

Yeah, the motor mounts jumped out at me ... having those changed shouldn't be a big deal. I'd try that first. The timing issues could be a result of error made during the head gasket replacement.

It's hard to say what to do. No one can tell you whether your car is worth it or not, and no one can tell you how long it's going to last if you do get it repaired. Maybe someone in your area could recommend a good indy who could do it a lesser price. Either way, the diagnosis your dealer gave you is probably accurate, and you just have to decide whether or not you want to make that investment. Wouldn't hurt to take it to another dealer or mechanic and get a second opinion first.

Either way, a touch of patience wouldn't hurt when asking people for help. Yes this IS a Mercedes forum. It is NOT a Mercedes hotline.:cool:

Mr. MB Motors, Enrique Rodriguez, 1 818 708 8086, Reseda Blvd one block South of the 101 Fwy.

Read this. All you need.
 

Read this to the end. It will take you time, but it is worth it.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/california-southwest-us-az-nv/144503-mr-mb-motors-tarzana-ca.html


It will take awhile.

But it is all you need to know.

It was worth it to me to make a 1,500 mile round trip to have my car *completely* gone through by Enrique, and sit in a hotel in Tarzana for a week waiting for parts to come.

Tell him Jim B with the black 560SEC from up near Sacramento sent you.

Tell him Paul S with the dark red S430 sent you.

Tell him Ernesto with the white 300TE and the black 300CE sent you.

Tell him Charlie with the black 560SEC and the blue 380SE from Acton sent you.

Tell him Camelot Shadow with her brown 500SEC sent you.

Etc.

Hell, just tell him the guys/girls from Mercedesshop on the internet sent you.

A bunch of us had a gathering in his parking lot when I came down in November. He will remember us for sure. ALL happy customers of his.

And only $80 per hour. A steal for what you get.

He has been repairing Mercedes since 1961, and he KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.

I sat down with him and talked. He told me his business philosophy is that "I NEVER do more than fix only what the car needs; anything more that would be CHEATING my customers."

He is a treasure.

It's worth fixing them up. At least I think so. I threw a LOT of $$$ at mine, recently, but my 17 year old one now looks as good as it did when I got it in `1996 as a 5 year old car from a Mercedes dealer in Orange County California, near Disneyland in Buena Park:

(I took these several hours ago with my new digi cam:)

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-1090_IMG.jpg

showing off the clean wheels.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-1092_IMG.jpg

Passes up everything but the gas stations.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-1091_IMG.jpg[/QUOTE]

well said, Bodhi
 

^^^^Well put. Only an automotive journalist such as you could have said it that way.

That needs to be said more often.

You posted in the wrong forum, copy your post to the tech forum.

Sorry guys, I was just stressing out:confused:. Will work on my patience. Thanks for all the great advice. I will call Enrique tomorrow and I hope he can accomodate me. Do any one of you know what time his shop opens??? I might have to take a day off to get my car over. If I get an appt., should I show him the diagnostic test from the MB dealer that I paid for? I will give you guys an update...

Also, if you post on the Tech Forum during weekdays at midnight our time, the East Coast techs will see your post at the top of the page the next morning and reply typically. There are very few West Coast techs contributing to the forum.

Most techs are not online on weekends.

Hi There,
Thanks for the heads up... This forum is a real find for me. I hit the jackpot. I hope I can keep my car for another 10yrs;)

Only 10 years?:eek: Some of us are aiming for eternity with our cars.:D

Welcome to the forums! I think you'll find you get lots of good info here ... about pretty much anything (even things you thought you never wanted to know).;)

Another 10 years? Maybe from a 124, probably from a 123 & 126.

Enrique opens in the morning.
 

He usually opens at about 8:00am.

Get there a few minutes before then, and be the first inside the gate.

I think he drives a small white compact pickup truck, Ford Ranger or some small Japanese one.

Any written printouts would help. Your car is a little newer than most he works on.