Might actually do a stealership service...What do you think? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JordaanDMC-12 · #16 10-12-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I have no interest in crawling under the car without a lift.

Exactly!! I can just see myself trying to do it at night and freaking out weather dust got in it or something or I did something wrong..

JordaanDMC-12 · #17 10-12-2010, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

You sure it is trans fluid they use not some red colored fluid?

Dealerships are big, independents are small. Americans have always had a tendency to side with the little guy. I had somebody do a fan clutch WITHOUT the proper tools and it dented a lot of radiator fins. I had someone misdiagnose too. Also sloppy work. All of those were independents. What about dealerships? I had my share of problems there too. Fortunately, many, if not most problems are solved by me watching them whether they are dealership or not. I've also had independents try to rape me financially without the KY so what is the difference?

Dealerships tend to shy away from them more because they are not so hard up for the business. Independents tend to take on whatever job comes in so they will do it. Whether they have the proper training and tools to do the job is a different story. Quite often, not and they will still muddle thru the job AT YOUR EXPENSE.

Aklim, can you ask them if you can watch? I'd love to watch and would feel much more at ease, have you ever been able to at a dealership? I can just see them saying no because of insurance reasons in case I slip or fall. Although on the techs side, I'd hate to have someone just watching me work, I hated that when I detailed cars with my dad at the customers house...

aklim · #18 10-12-2010, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Enjoy

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

As I said, mistakes and problems can happen at a dealership. They can also happen at independent shops. They have happened to me. I had a shop that wanted several hundred bucks to take off 2 AC valves I could do with a wrench.

aklim · #19 10-12-2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

Aklim, can you ask them if you can watch? I'd love to watch and would feel much more at ease, have you ever been able to at a dealership? I can just see them saying no because of insurance reasons in case I slip or fall. Although on the techs side, I'd hate to have someone just watching me work, I hated that when I detailed cars with my dad at the customers house...

I make friends with the techs there and get to do that. Coffee, donuts, an occasional tip for a good job done helps them get more motivated. So yes, I do watch. That is, until I can feel good about them. I discuss the repair with the tech that I know first then tell the Service Writer what I want done.

A very important question is why you want to watch them. If you watch them to watch them, it is pretty useless. When I go to the doctor, they explain things to me and I just nod my head and look thoughtfully at them like I understand. Usually it is down her blouse that I am looking. I don't understand what they are saying for the most part nor do I care to understand. The wife takes care of that. Do you understand what is being done? If not, what is the point of watching. I read up on the procedure before the thing is done. That makes my watching more meaningful. Are you willing to read up on what is being done?

JordaanDMC-12 · #20 10-12-2010, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I make friends with the techs there and get to do that. Coffee, donuts, an occasional tip for a good job done helps them get more motivated. So yes, I do watch. That is, until I can feel good about them. I discuss the repair with the tech that I know first then tell the Service Writer what I want done.

A very important question is why you want to watch them. If you watch them to watch them, it is pretty useless. When I go to the doctor, they explain things to me and I just nod my head and look thoughtfully at them like I understand. Usually it is down her blouse that I am looking. I don't understand what they are saying for the most part nor do I care to understand. The wife takes care of that. Do you understand what is being done? If not, what is the point of watching. I read up on the procedure before the thing is done. That makes my watching more meaningful. Are you willing to read up on what is being done?

How do you make friends with them? I mean, I'd be totally down buying donuts for them making them more motivated, but I just feel they'd think it'd weird, to be like.. "Here are some donuts for the tech/s working on my car." (Maybe it's because I'm from California and we're not used to such gestures lol) That would be okay right? To do something like that? They wouldn't look at you like O_o?

You made an excellent point, I actually wasn't going to read up on it and though to myself "A fluid change is probably very easy and I'll understand as I watch" but I'll read up on it now and see what goes down, step by step.

aklim · #21 10-12-2010, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

How do you make friends with them? I mean, I'd be totally down buying donuts for them making them more motivated, but I just feel they'd think it'd weird, to be like.. "Here are some donuts for the tech/s working on my car." (Maybe it's because I'm from California and we're not used to such gestures lol) That would be okay right? To do something like that? They wouldn't look at you like O_o?

You made an excellent point, I actually wasn't going to read up on it and though to myself "A fluid change is probably very easy and I'll understand as I watch" but I'll read up on it now and see what goes down, step by step.

I give it to the tech myself. When I brought my Jetski in for work, I went to the tech area and gave the guy coffee. Or you can leave a box of donuts with a label on it "For my tech working on my car". Also make friends with the SA

The easy part is to dump the pan, change the filter and then pour most of the oil needed in. You'd need the dipstick that they have to see it is close. Drive it or run it or whatever to burp it. Now they need to hook up SDS to see what the sensor is seeing. When the temp is right is hard to say. On a cold day, it might take more running. Fill it to the special dipstick level and check. When it is right, put the cap on and the seal on.

Skid Row Joe · #22 10-12-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

How did you get the fill level right? You'd have to buy a test stick or whatever they call it. Also, how did you set the level right without using SDS to get the temps just where they want it to be? Without both of those, what do you have besides a SWAG when doing the levels? I could do all of that but I don't see a way to get ensure the level is right.

I don't understand what your acronyms mean?

If you're asking about new fluid levels, they checked out after warm, being driven a few blocks and re-checking. It's been about 15K miles since I did the change outs, and my car's perfect in regards to the tran's performance.

Other than re-torquing the pan bolt/screws properly, it really was a piece of cake on my E300TD.

The '83 300SD was easy enough to do blindfolded. Really, this stuff ain't rocket-science.....

JordaanDMC-12 · #23 10-12-2010, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I give it to the tech myself. When I brought my Jetski in for work, I went to the tech area and gave the guy coffee. Or you can leave a box of donuts with a label on it "For my tech working on my car". Also make friends with the SA

The easy part is to dump the pan, change the filter and then pour most of the oil needed in. You'd need the dipstick that they have to see it is close. Drive it or run it or whatever to burp it. Now they need to hook up SDS to see what the sensor is seeing. When the temp is right is hard to say. On a cold day, it might take more running. Fill it to the special dipstick level and check. When it is right, put the cap on and the seal on.

That'll work, I'll go ahead and either ask to give it to him, or write it on the box, that's awesome, didn't even think about doing that! Making friends with the SA I think might be kind of easy, they sounded very nice and were joking with me and everything..

Thanks for writing the process, I wonder of they adjust the shifting ect... Also the SA said they recommend changing it every 30K, you said you do 60K is it cool to let it go a bit over? Is 30K a bit soon?

aklim · #24 10-12-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

I don't understand what your acronyms mean?

If you're asking about new fluid levels, they checked out after warm, being driven a few blocks and re-checking. It's been about 15K miles since I did the change outs, and my car's perfect in regards to the tran's performance.

SDS: Star Diagnostic System. Look in your fuse box and see the round plug there. It is near the firewall. Not sure but I think it is on the driver side.

http://www.google.com/images?q=mercedes+sds&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US

fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=XOq0TNuIJMH98AbB-I3ICg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CD0QsAQwAg&biw=1440&bih=719

SWAG: Silly Wild Ass Guess

How did you check the fluid levels? They don't have a dipstick in my 99. You have to buy a MB one. How did you know that you were at the right temp to check that level without feedback from SDS?

Hatterasguy · #25 10-12-2010, 07:15 PM

Use an indy, should be around $200, unless you use synthetic than it might be a bit more. I paid $180 to have my trucks transmission done last year at a good shop.

The older MB's are simple and they just use regular old Dex 3, nothing special ATF wise. I had really good results with Mobil 1 ATF in my older cars, made the old gearbox's shift really nice. Since its not something you do very often I would recommend spending the extra money on Mobil 1, Amsoil, or Royal Purple ATF.

The 722.6's used a special fluid, but you also don't have to change it as much, and they don't have a dipstick. I think yours is a 722.3 or 4 off the top of my head, they don't require anything special.

aklim · #26 10-12-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

That'll work, I'll go ahead and either ask to give it to him, or write it on the box, that's awesome, didn't even think about doing that! Making friends with the SA I think might be kind of easy, they sounded very nice and were joking with me and everything..

Thanks for writing the process, I wonder of they adjust the shifting ect... Also the SA said they recommend changing it every 30K, you said you do 60K is it cool to let it go a bit over? Is 30K a bit soon?

That's a start.

Not sure. I change it every 60K in spite of MB saying originally it was "filled for life" and later they recanted. I just saw that you have a 91 so I am not totally sure but 30K sounds ok

Skid Row Joe · #27 10-12-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

SDS: Star Diagnostic System. Look in your fuse box and see the round plug there. It is near the firewall. Not sure but I think it is on the driver side.

http://www.google.com/images?q=mercedes+sds&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US

fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=XOq0TNuIJMH98AbB-I3ICg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CD0QsAQwAg&biw=1440&bih=719

SWAG: Silly Wild Ass Guess

How did you check the fluid levels? They don't have a dipstick in my 99. You have to buy a MB one. How did you know that you were at the right temp to check that level without feedback from SDS?

I borrowed the dipstick at the Mercedes-Benz dealership. They are wonderful at loaning key tools at key times.

I have no idea about the SDS, I'm a DIYer. The car's transmission works and performs perfectly - no, flawlessly.

Is there a problem here?

Skid Row Joe · #28 10-12-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

That'll work, I'll go ahead and either ask to give it to him, or write it on the box, that's awesome, didn't even think about doing that! Making friends with the SA I think might be kind of easy, they sounded very nice and were joking with me and everything..

Thanks for writing the process, I wonder of they adjust the shifting ect... Also the SA said they recommend changing it every 30K, you said you do 60K is it cool to let it go a bit over? Is 30K a bit soon?

Indys are sometimes as high, or higher than MB/dealerships.

I would check several, before committing to one indy.

aklim · #29 10-12-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

I borrowed the dipstick at the Mercedes-Benz dealership. They are wonderful at loaning key tools at key times.

I have no idea about the SDS, I'm a DIYer. The car's transmission works and performs perfectly - no, flawlessly.

Is there a problem here?

That is fair enough. Car is dumb and doesn't know whether it is your own tool or a borrowed tool so life is good there.

Without SDS, all you can do is hope it is at the right temp. I prefer to KNOW that I am at the right temp and not guess. That is why I don't DIY that part.

PaulC · #30 10-12-2010, 08:36 PM

It's worth the price premium to benefit from the competency and experience of a dealership: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvNKBe6DZhk&NR=1