not mine but worth reading. Interesting bit about the 8 key max.

http://owners.mercedes-benz-usa.com/forum/topics/key-to-ml320transmissionfluid

It is almost unbelievable.

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

that is one sad story. I was surprised to read the treatment they received at the dealership. another reason it is best to perform one's own service if possible and another reason mercedes has fallen down in customer satisfaction rankings.

they better get their act together if they want to keep people driving the star.

reason why I do not bring a non warrantied car to the dealership. I was treated bad twice by the dealership I had to go to. So I called MBUSA, filed a complaint, gave names and told them if they want me to keep buying parts from them, recommending people to them for cars/service that they better get their **** together and I made them quote it.

Godd for you! So what happened?

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I had an issue with a part I bought from the dealership, and they did not want to honor the warranty since I installed it. I told them the paperwork honors the part, not the labor so replace it, clearly its a faulty part. They gave me the bs, said they would do the repair work for $110 an hour and I told the SA to pretty much eff off and die because that was a slap in the face.

sadly, the Germans don't appear to understand customer service. Lexus sensed they were weak in this area and beat them like a stick. many mercedes owners have switched to Lexus and not without cause. it is as though they need to hire a public relations/customer service consultant to help them get their act together. they could rise to the top again, if they choose to.

Uhm - reality check? Why in the H E double hockey sticks should the BANK take the loss?

__________________
1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

What I don't get is why this person just bent over and took it? They had proof in writing that the dealership was at fault, yet didn't take any legal action over it. I can only assume they bought the car with no warranty as well, since it broke down so soon after purchase.

"If you build it, they will come" used to be the motto.

They stopped building "it" so people stopped "coming"

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

You hear these hard luck cases every now and then, I suspect that no matter what kind of car they own it will be a hard luck story. Clearly they can't afford it if they need to take out a loan for a 10 year old ML, and than can't afford to fix it when it breaks regardless of the cause of the problem.


If you can't afford a $3k 722.6 rebuild than you have no business buying an older MB, stick with a more affordable car.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Fair point but the dealership is still the one that screwed up the transmission in the first place. They should have taken legal action or talked to the dealers owner in order to make them replace the transmission that they broke.

Sadly is seems that a lot of MB dealers went downhill for a while and we're still waiting to see an improvement.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I've told this story, but I will tell it again.

I worked the parts counter at Pep Boys like 4-5 years ago. A woman brought in the HVAC controller out of a 1997 ML320. Like the console unit with the knobs:

"I'm lookin' for this for a '97 Benz"
"I'm sorry Ma'am we don't sell those, that would probably be a dealer item"
"It's a 1997 ML320"
"Ma'am we don't sell parts like that, I'm sorry" So I looked it up on the computer so she could see, "NO RESULT"
"I need dis for ma truck"
"I recommending going 2 miles south on this road, the local Main Dealer is down there they're parts guy is very nice I'm sure he can find what you need"
"I ain't trying to go to no motha ****in dealer, mutha****as wanted $700 for that thing"
after coming out of shock of her audacity to berate me with the F word in public over something I didn't cause I suggested she try European Auto Salvage. Her boys started whispering **** about me and how this is all bull**** and service sucks. Then they left.

She bought a $6,995 Big Body Benz Yo because of this


A nice little F-you to the neighbors. Knowing she can't even afford the 8 quart oil changes let alone any other kind of maintenance. I'm sure she went to pay her $50 a week after telling me to go **** myself (<- which she did).

On the key thing, my girlfriends parents 98 ML was on its final of what 8 keys so they sold it to some guy who exported it to Serbia with 250k miles on it.

what exactly is the 8 keys all about? how does one find out which key number one is on?

The laser keys stop reading so they have to re-key the car, but they can only re-key it some many times before they have to rewire the car or something horrible.

Sounds like a bad design. 8 keys is a lot, but really? How about a system that, after 6 years or so, disables that restriction. Basically when the car is worth much less.