Do's and Don't on a 99 E320 (yes, i'm 19 yrs old, and yes i do care) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 07-21-2003, 09:55 PM

Hi, we got a 1999 E320 4 door like, let's see, 5 months ago or so. I like the car very much, and I would like to know what are some Do's and Dont's when it comes down to doing what it takes to keep the car in good shape and have it work for a long period of time without parts breaking down due to stressing it out too much. Here are some things I don't do, I don't turn the wheel when I'm in a totally stopped position because if you've driven a car without power steering you know how much harder it is to turn the wheel while totally stopped, I don't start off fast at all, in fact I notice how much people tend to push the gas pedal to accelerate what seems to be normal to them, and even to me back in the days of driving a Maxima (didn't care AS MUCH for that car), but now I take off a lil slower on red lights and end up behind the same red lights that the faster ppl do. I don't apply the brakes at the same pressure so that at the end of the stop you feel that motion that the car leans forward cuz ovbiously it's got momentum, I evenly ease off the brakes so it stops without that last second of braaaaaaaaaAKE...get it? Anyways, I could say a couple more things, but I would rather hear what you guys suggest. Oh and also, the kickdown position for the gas pedal...Why? The fuccing car is 3,500lbs and you wana make the engine take on the load at all it's power? I duno, common sense tells me if you use that kickdown position more than lets say once or twice a month or two months, your car isn't guna last as long. Chuck chuck duck. Let me know your opinions. Thanks

#2 07-21-2003, 10:17 PM

You mention a lot of ''don't do'' but not a single ''do''.
regular maintenance, regular maintenance, regular maintenance.
You don't turn the steering wheel when the car is stopped? That is what a power steering is for. Go ahead, turn if you want/need to. Kick down? it's there to be used, as and when required. Don't stay in the incoming lane too long for not using the kick down. It could kill you. Drive normally, let the car exercise once in a while with a good work-out. And give it regular maintenance (by the book), do not delay repairs (they only get more expensive and complex with time) .

MTI · #3 07-21-2003, 10:19 PM

here's my $0.02

1) Read & Understand the Owner's Manual
2) Get into the habit of routine checking of: tire pressure, oil level, coolant level, trans oil level and other fluids.
3) Get a good TP gauge.
3) Keep track of the MPG
4) Don't go to any place with "Jiffy" "Qwick" or "Speedy" in their names for oil changes. No automatic car washes.
5) Check the service intervals for those easily forgotten items, like the differential fluid, grease for the sunroof.
6) Get under the car, either on jackstands or on a lift, at least once a year to check the bushings, links, flex discs and all other suspension parts.
7) Same for belts, tensioners, battery, fuses and relays.

psfred · #4 07-21-2003, 11:58 PM

Wash the under side of the car as well as the top.

Regular maintenance on a German car is essential -- as my friend the German mechanic said, they are just like a Porcshe -- if you maintain them by the book, they last forever. Neglect the maintenance, and they will be junk in a couple years. All of us on the forum have experienced this at one time or another. It costs considrable less to do the maintenance corretly than is does to fix the trouble you get when you don't!

Peter

G-Benz · #5 07-22-2003, 10:55 AM

...and remember that these cars were designed to run flat out all day on the Autobahn!

So don't be fearful of exherting a driving behavior more aggressive than your grandmother.

Part of the reason some of the MB components are expensive is because they are robust and are designed to last for decades without replacement.

And MB is not alone in regular maintenance...ANY car you own should be regularly serviced.

royaiii · #6 07-22-2003, 05:43 PM

Be gentle with the Smart Key ignition tumbler, if it breaks, you are looking at least 1000 to repair it. I woudnt do kickdown if you are near time for an oil change but is safe doing after an oil change as the lubricant will protect your engine at the high rpms. Ive used kick down on all my MBs and other cars Ive owned with no subsequent engine or transmission problems. Be gentle to the tires as they are very expensive to replace (just paid 600 for MXV4+). Dont change the stock rims as the bushings will be destroyed. Do oil changes every 5000 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic. Read the D.I.Y. section and do oil changes yourself with a topsider so that you can save some money and correctly fill the crankcase w/o overfilling.

#7 07-22-2003, 08:42 PM

"I don't turn the wheel when I'm in a totally stopped position"

How do you parallel park?

Mike

cbdo · #8 07-22-2003, 10:47 PM

Haibert88, sounds like part of what you're enjoying is developing a little driving finesse--always worthwhile. I'm over 50 and still enjoy feathering the brake so the final actual stop is as close to imperceptible as I can get. But then, I do enjoy the power available in my MB--especially for merging into a freeway fast enough that nobody has to slow at all for me.
Yes, the stoplight drag race is usually about who can get to the next red light faster; and no, it doesn't make much sense.
Other than driving intelligently, as you're discussing, the most important way to respect your machinery is indeed to service it by the book, and learn what you can about handling the simpler things yourself. Not only can it be fun, but you'll know a lot more about the car and catch on much earlier when it starts trying to tell you something.

omegabenz · #9 07-23-2003, 01:07 AM

If you dont drive a benz hard it will die, thats why if you buy a benz that gets babied all the time, it leaks. The kick down is for clearing out the cobwebs.

I floor my car all the time, otherwise it wouldnt go anywhere. Look how many miles my car has below.

My friend in Germany has a w124 diesel and he changes the brake pads every 6000 miles....

Dealer maintained cars are always worth more money. Keep good doumentation. I have a log book and I enter my miles and mpg, and cost of fuel and where I fill up every time, it is made by at a glance. People like to see those when you sell the car too.

Best of luck man, Im 20, but Ive been around cars since I was 3. Drive a German car, let an american car sit, thats how they last.

#10 07-23-2003, 08:51 PM

You remind me of some of the things I do with my cars. I also make it a habit to limit turning the wheels from lock to lock with the car NOT moving. The load is great as you can testify to by trying to turn the wheels with the engine off. It's real hard to turn.
You though, must get excellent gas mileage with the way you drive and I agree there is no sense driving any faster if the light ahead is red or you know it's going to be red.

But, as in all things balance and common sense is needed.
If you spend all your driving time thinking about how to drive to preserve the car in every way, it may just cause you much more stress than any "stress" you might save the car from. These cars are meant to be driven with the enjoyment of driving. They are there to serve you, not you them. I think it has been summed up very well that the key to keeping your car performing like new is to be strict in following the maintenance schedule. Never slack on oil changes or any other fluids for that matter.

One last note in regards to the kickdown position, IMHO not being an engineer of drivetrains, it would seem to me that flooring the accelerator when the car is standing still to take off quickly is many times a greater load on the entire drivetrain than simply cruising at 60 mph and engaging the kickdown to reach 80 in passing another vehicle because momentum is already moving you. Don't worry about the kickdown, it's better if the engine revs a little rather than be loaded down at low rpm's.

I drive a 95 E420 and it brings a smile to my face when kickdown engages. And my old 1976 Cadillac Seville sees kickdown nearly everyday and it's still on it's ORIGINAL drivetrain 27 years later.
I'll conclude with NEVER SLACK ON MAINTENANCE.

Francesco

96 Lincoln Mark VIII 59K
95 Mercedes E420 43K
76 Cadillac Seville 183K

omegabenz · #11 07-23-2003, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by midnightlsc
One last note in regards to the kickdown position, IMHO not being an engineer of drivetrains, it would seem to me that flooring the accelerator when the car is standing still to take off quickly is many times a greater load on the entire drivetrain than simply cruising at 60 mph and engaging the kickdown to reach 80 in passing another vehicle because momentum is already moving you. Don't worry about the kickdown, it's better if the engine revs a little rather than be loaded down at low rpm's.

I totally Agree with that. Flooring from take off is more stress than doing it at even a rolling start. If a car wasnt meant to have a kick down, then it wouldnt be there. Its really for passing and such.

omegabenz · #12 07-23-2003, 10:26 PM

Yeah its under the rear seat right? OUCH.

My mechanic had a lady that got one put in by sears or something for 99.00 dollars in 30 minutes or less, and her car was at the shop getting 8k of computers and wiring stuff.

#13 07-24-2003, 02:25 AM

Sup Everyone

Thanks for the replys. As far as grandma like driving behavior goes, I've seen some that go really slow and I never drive like that, I go w the traffic or usually a lil faster but I just never take off quick or keep gasing it when my common sense tells me that lights guna turn orange/red soon or if it's already one of those two. The reason why I started this thread is that my dad works pretty hard to be able to have what he has, and we're talking about an apartment with a family of 5 total and that 1999 E320, but that's probably not much in most of your eyes cuz either you don't have 5 heads in the family where you're the only person that really has an "occupation" etc etc OR you might be in a family of 5 or more but there's at least 2 people wich have an above average paying job, or an ocupation.

Regular maintanace, okay here's where it's kinda hard, a simple thing like the filter used for the air that comes into the cabin from outside, the filters that are located behind the dash...I remember every 50K miles you should change those, cept the charcoil....Not too complicated to do, doesn't cost much, and heck it's summer so why not since now is when you're using the AC. My dad doesn't even wana do that, in his mind, oil changes and other VERY basic things like tires and brakes along w calm driving habits will insure a long life from your car...I duno, maybe you guys can point me out to a site or PDF or online thing MB has that will tell me what to do for my 99 E320 as far as maintanance and tips go.

Thanks again, you guys rock.

omegabenz · #14 07-24-2003, 02:40 AM

1-800-for-merc(edes)

You can buy the service booklet <50 dollars

you can buy two CDs that tell you how to fix just about everything on your car <150 dollars

Floor it at least once a week. Fluids in a benz are so important. And DONT OVERHEAT the car, that kills mercedes.

#15 07-24-2003, 04:22 AM

Are you serious about the flooring the car once a week part? I do floor it once in a while on the freeway, not for taking off, hell no. Anyways, if you weren't being sarcastic or whatevers, then what the hell would cause you to say floor it once a week, then right after, say that fluids are very important in MB? Heh, but for sure man, I floor it prolly once or twice a month, you know. Good or not, I like seeing the engine get to the starting of the red line, that's when I ease off the pedal a little.

Thanks

Quote:

Originally posted by omegabenz
1-800-for-merc(edes)

You can buy the service booklet <50 dollars

you can buy two CDs that tell you how to fix just about everything on your car <150 dollars

Floor it at least once a week. Fluids in a benz are so important. And DONT OVERHEAT the car, that kills mercedes.