I've only recently gotten familiar with my ML as it has gotten older and I begin to do some of the smaller maintenance issues at home.

Now I discover pieces here and there that are broken, and I KNOW had been broken when the ML was serviced for some other repair! Yet, the part was put back, and maybe one day I glance, or do some detailing and discover a loose flap, a broken windshield defrost vent, or some other piece that was broken when removed or re-installed improperly.

Problem is, I discover this stuff months later since I don't know what was dismantled when they performed the repair (I will be more vigilant from now on)!

As most of you know, it's not cheap to go to the parts bay and have to try to replace the broken pieces!

The dealership will pretty much deny any fault...do I have any recourse, or do I just have to watch for this better in the future?

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

This is the main reason I try to ALWAYS do my own maintenance whenever possible. It's been years since anyone else worked on our cars.

Well, I did have to pay for an alignment on the '91 the other day. Figured I couldn't manage that on my own. Needed the alignment after I replaced all the shocks.

Whatever knowledge I lack, I can make up for Because I Care!

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

I try to avoid our local MB dealer exactly for this reason. Years ago, I had my front brakes done by the dealer. They replaced front rotors, pads and sensor. I picked up my car and about 3 miles later, I lost a front wheel, causing some damage to the inner fender. I had the car towed back to the dealer and found out that the wheel studs had been completely stripped, probably by the use of a too-strong air gun. "Not our fault" was their final answer.
I now do business with a very competent independant shop and I always watch what they do on my car.

About ten years ago, I took my W123 300D in for an oil change just before leaving on vacation. I went to Jiffy Lube and waited the 30-45 minutes to have the car's oil/filter change.

Got the car back and drove down the street to the wash to have it rinsed off before the 7 hour drive. There, I noticed 7 or 8 little "dots" on the front fender....what's this?

Turns out the guy servicing the car tried to add water to the battery and battery acid splashed onto the fender. The acid dissolved the paint where it had splashed and was down to the bare metal! I went back immediately and spoke wth the manager. Filed insurance forms, etc. They fired the employee for not fessing up to his mistake.

You know....
You put your life into someone else's hands when they work on your vehicle.
Business knows no ethics. Techs are trying to log as many hours as they can and do not really care about you or your expensive vehicle. Next time you are at a shop watch how the "tech" test drives customers cars(sometimes to lunch and other personal errands). I am sure they don't drive their own vehicles that way because they had to pay for them(and the tires and fuel). Using a hidden gps unit can go a long way. Loose wheels, broken/missing parts, and even sabatoged vehicles are not uncommon.

My wife's sister recently had a headlight replaced (reflector and all) in her 300E. The dealer, in the California Bay Area, replaced the light and also charged for properly aiming the headlights. When she first went to drive the car at night, there was no light coming from the new headlight. The dealer tech had not put a bulb in! She took the car back to the dealer and they gave her a bad time about making it right. Talk about cheap!

I recently bought the car. With the rather grumpy help of a motorcycle policeman who I blinded with my lights one night, I found the dealer tech had gotten even by aiming both headlights way high so the low beams blinded oncoming cars. The high beams were up in the trees.

It's a shame that these kind of techs tend to make us suspicious of all techs. There are many honest and competent techs out there. I just wish I could tell which were good before I take the car in. That's why I try to DIY as much as possible.

I found an indie last summer that works on the older (R107, W126, W123, 124, etc.) models and owns a W163! Sadly, he can't do much for my R129, but fortunately, it has required very little, and I have been able to perform that work myself.

But whenever I have to farm out, it now goes to him. Not only does he do it right, but he goes ahead and orders missing or broken pieces discovered as he does the work! Some of which I didn't even know were missing until he handed me the replacements parts and told me where they install.

He's also been far more reasonable in terms of price...unlike paying the dealer $120 to replace a 75-cent shifter bushing!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

There are some careless & irresponsible Techs out there. You can come across those kinds of people anywhere in the service industry. In my shop, I find that the fastidious owner who works on his own car is the most difficult one to deal with and invariably ends up with some kind of disagreement. He comes along with an attitude of distrust and that is not a good start. It is the seed of misunderstanding. If you give people a chance to prove themselves without preconceptions they will do their best. And if their best is not good enough you deal with it in a factual and understanding manner. This way both parties establish a relationship that has respect and trust. (What a perfect world we live in) Life’s good!!!

Maybe we all need to move to Australia with haido1!



With all due respect to the concentious, responsible techs, I have found, in dealing with service work on autos, aircraft and homes...the factory tends to do a good job building a product just to have it messed up in the field. My new heat pumps come to mind...and the alledged mechanic who was running my brand new $20K airplane engine with NO air filter or cowling...etc.

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

I agree with haido1, you always hear about the horror stories that people have encountered, but you rarely hear about the positive experiences. Personally I treat every customers car as if it were mine, I build up a strong relationship with each customer and take pride in my workmanship. You can generally tell what sort of workmanship to expect from any workshop by observing a few things;
1) Have a general look at the workshop, if its untidy or dirty, this is often a reflection of work carried out.
2) Do the technicians use seat covers, floor mats, fender covers and other means of protecting your car?
3) Do the technicians look clean and presentable, if theyre covered in grease and look like they should be pumping petrol at one of those outback truckstops in the middle of nowhere, hop back in your car and find yourself another workshop.
Its not the dollar rate per hour, its the quality of workmanship per hour that counts!

I also do the majority of the work on my 190 myself but have been lucky enough after being screwed once, to find an indie shop that really does take care of their customers cars like they were their own. I have taken my car there only 3 times over the years and have been very impressed with the work not only on my car, but with the care I observed then taking with the other cars they were working on.
If you are in the Charleston South Carolina area, go see Hans at German Auto Repair on the lower end of Rivers ave. He and his whole crew are top notch, factory trained MB techs and good people to boot.

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89 190E
2.6L
Arctic white
Grey leather
Sunroof
Pirelli P400 rubber
Smoked corners

I'm new to Dallas - who is this guy you're talking about, and where is he located? I have a W124 - will he work on it if I ever need anything done?

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

On this rare occasion, I did go to an indy this morning to have my shifter bushings replaced. I didn't want to spend half a day under the car.

He was very professional, did it while I waited in about 15 minutes and charged me just $27.05.

I was pleased!

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

You have a pm...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Could someone please explain how the technicians get paid at indie shops and dealerships. From 220se's post I gather that at the dealership the pay to the technician doing the work is based in some way on the number of jobs he is able to complete in a day. Is this so?

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87 300e (white/black; amg body kit)
88 300ce (red/cream; amg body kit)
93 300ce cabrio (white/blue/blue top)
93 300ce cabrio (black/grey/black top)
98 ml 320 (totaled @ 137,000 miles)
99 clk320 (black/grey/black top)