"The real question is: How do you really know what kind of workmanship you get on a job like this. The first chain job was such a disaster that I lost all hope of finding a good mechanic. I searched for three years before I found the current guy. To say I'm nervous about all of this is putting it mildly! How could the car go 70K with heads like I have described?"

You don't know exactly whant kind of workmanship--but you've found someone who in the past has been consistently solid and right; trust that. How could the car go 70K? We all know how long a Benz can go with major suboptimal care (eg 3rd world taxis), in your case limited to one specific issue cuz you take great care of the beast otherwise.

The shop I use has a superb rep and does high-end iron for demanding owners (Royce, Ferrari, Lambo, etc) as well as routine work for ordinary folks with imports. I trust them, listen to the vehicle after work has been done, but have never found a problem in what they've done--which, like you, is why I still use that particular source for help.

__________________
Craig Bethune

'97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition

'04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's)
'06 Lexus ES330
'89 560SL (sold)


SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes.
(Kudos to whoever said it first)