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?

__________________
Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

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.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

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

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

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

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I think thats a crappy service life!

__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

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.

__________________
Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

So why'd they lie?

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

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.

__________________
Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

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.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

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.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

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.

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

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.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

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.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

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.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S