PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

oldtrucker · #26 01-21-2015, 02:37 PM

Although, I was going to close this issue, I would like to say, I don't blame you or any other dealer for those things to happen. It's been a few years, about 45 since I was working commercially on motor vehicles in a Manufacturers contracted shop. Things most certainly have changed over the years, in both aspects, the manufacturing process and the repair procedure.
I had once a VW Golf, new of the lot. Two weeks later, (I put on a lot of miles in those days) my Air Conditioner didn't work. it just leaked somewhere. The dealer, passed me off saying it was over charged and they fixed it. Ten month later, 200 miles over the warranty, it failed again. The dealer kindly told me to fly a kite. I called the main office a few month later (didn't use the AC, winter months), after a little blah, blah, she offered to fill a die into the system. Then the dealer could find the leak. The car was 12 month on the road, (milage over limit)! So I ask and who is flipping the bill. I got the silent treatment and knew the answer. The problem was reported just 2 weeks after it got of the lot. Problem solved for everyone involved, except for me, I didn't get what I was promised. From then on either I pay big bucks for the repair or recharge every 6 month. Great service? This a very likely scenario in modern dealerships.

As to crank bearings, although it was rare, in my repair days, we would tear the engine apart and measure the crank and then the bearings (don't know if those tools are still available). Also, we would inspect them of wear or other abnormalies. If it was the cause of the clonk, we (the shop) would determine the bearing size and replace, do what was needed, so the customer would get the car back and could use it. The failed parts would be labeled stored and send back to the Factory.
But this is a long time ago, and as I know, things have changed in many ways.

My opinion about dealer repair shops(sorry), is such as to avoid them at any cost (the logo has to be paid for too), because of the complexity involved. Doesn't help me as a customer to garage my car because I have to wait for OK from the main office. If I drive the vehicle and it blows up, oh too bad, my fault. If you can, do it yourself. If you screw up (you better don't), the only one to blame is you, yourself, but the blame doesn't last very long.

So, no offense, I am very much aware of the changes that happened over the years. It's called "Optimization of profits" Profits alone aren't enough anymore, they have to be optimized... Someone higher up had that idea!

A friend of mine, paid a Mercedes dealership $1100.00 to get it smogged. Granted they replaced a plastic part and he has no idea what is underneath the hood.

Again, we are all just puppets on a string, we may know something but really can't do anything without asking big brother.
So, no offense.