My C230's problems...apprently newer MB's aren't so great?
 

So I thought I was doing the prudent, smart thing when I bought my 1998 C230, because I thought that buying a newer car would mean less problems. It's also in AMAZING shape with 141k miles. Well, apparently I was wrong, because I have had more problems with this car in the last few months than I have ever had with an older MB. O_O

Firstly, it keeps blowing light bulbs (three so far) and the check engine light comes on randomly, with a misfire code. Still haven't been able to figure out what's going on with it. Then the AC blower regulator went bad...had to replace it with a new part. One of the flaps just started making an insanely loud high-pitched squealing sound whenever the air is direct at the floor...so I have to have it blowing at the windshield constantly. -_-

The most recent breakdown occurred about two weeks ago, and it was the transmission. It failed catastrophically in a parking lot when I was driving at about 2mph...loud banging noises, and the car came to a stop with a puddle of ATF on the ground. Had it towed to the mechanic, and the bill is now $2500 and rising. Apparently something had broken inside the tranny, and put tiny shards of metal everywhere...damaged just about every gear in the planetary set (I think that's what it's called) and the valve body was loaded with metal shavings. Strange since I had just had the fluid checked about a month ago, and everything looked fine. The fluid now looks black.

Anyway, I have had problems with this newer MB, and my father has had a lot of problems with his 02' C240, and 01' E55...makes me think that the newer MB's just aren't built to the same standards as the older pre-91 MB's. What do you guys think?

While not defending Mercedes on every vehicle they've made during the past 20 years . . . did you have the vehicles maintenance records to inspect before purchase; did you have the vehicle inspected before purchase by a qualified MB tech; how much did you pay for this creampuff?

I've had more trouble with the older ones, so I don't really buy this newer = less reliable notion. The newer ones are certainly more complicated and more things can go wrong, but on the other hand I believe the newer ones are generally built to a higher precision, particularly the engine and are less likely to burn oil as they get old. Certainly the previous owner's maintenance & care makes a big difference as does the particular year, make and model. Chances are your car still had the original transmission fluid as MB used to tell people it had a lifetime fill, but that's never been true and MB has stopped saying that.

BTW, my 2004 TDI has been the most trouble-free used car I've ever had.

Only an MB addict will call a '98 a "newer" MB. :)

Its 11 years old and has 141k miles on it. Thats not a bad service life from a trans, was the fluid ever changed?

I think thats a crappy service life!

Me too...

I thought this was one of the models that had "lifetime fluid" or something like that. Isn't that correct? I have no idea if the transmission fluid was ever changed. When I first bought the car, I checked it, and it looked perfect, didn't smell burnt or anything. Then a month later, the fluid is black, and smells TERRIBLE. Seems like something just decided to break, I doubt the age of the fluid would have made much difference.

So why'd they lie?

- Peter.

Oh, I also forgot to mention that the torque converter showed signs of overheating. The metal around the input shaft was completely blue from heat.

I certainly agree. In my opinion it will take them a very long time to regain my respect for their product. I regard their new ones as ****. This may be unfair. They might have started to make siginificant improvements on the disasters they had since the begining of their decline. But I'm still hearing too many stories like yours to believe that.

My wife had a 2000 or 2002 can't remember exactly which year ML. She loved it apart from the couple of thousand dollars she'd have to drop at the dealership every few months for some or other bizarre problem. Eventually there was a 7 thousdand dollar component in the engine that went out at which point she said **** this and traded it. She's had far fewer problems with her 05 Saturn VUE so far than she ever had with her ML.

In my opinion they are trading on their reputation from past glory which is fading fast.

- Peter.

Find a good used transmission to install and sell. No point in spending over half the value of the car on a transmission, especially if you don't like it.

I decided to do a PPI on my W124 purchase and it saved my butt. I got the seller to bump of 2k for the head gasket leak. After having it fixed, the car gave me 6 months of trouble free service.

Bummer on the tranny. The whistling vent could be the cabin filter (there was a TSB on that.) The misfire could be the plug connectors which are 15.00 each and you need 2. I have never heard of the blowing bulbs on that car. The CEL will come on with the misfire. My car has more miles than that and I never had any of those problems. Did have a coil go bad 3 days ago. That cost 65.00 for the part. The code accurately located the bad coil.

I don't know if they lied. They may have simply lived and learned. I take these lifetime fill claims to mean the lifetime of the warranty. A lot of people probably believe it means the fluid never needs changing, but I don't think that's true on any car.

Those early 2000's ML's were built at MB's new Alabama plant. I've heard many bad things about the early ML's.

You might want to test drive a new E-class Bluetec sometime. Maybe your opinion that their new products are **** will change. I certainly think it's the best diesel they ever built, at least based on my brief driving experience and overall perceived quality. Only time will tell if they are durable, but I have no reason to believe they're not. The CDI's are holding up pretty well, at least based on the almost 100% positive reviews on Edmunds.

I take lifetime to mean exactly that. Lifetime. That means it doesn't need changing ever. If they want to go all lawyer on your ass and explain that it just means the lifetime of the warrantee then they should have done that and not listened to some idiot in the marketing department..

- Peter.