Steve, I know exactly what you are talking about. I recently had a customer who toasted the motor in a 300sel because the radiator neck broke! She told me that the "low coolant" light came on (but she didn't stop),she saw alot of steam (but didn't stop), the temp gauge went up shortly after (but she didn't stop),it started to smell and make weird noise (but she didn't stop), FINALLY when ALL the dash lights came on and the thing DIED,,,,,she "HAD" to stop!

I explain to her that, had she stopped in time, she would have just needed a radiator.....But since she overheated the thing until it died, she was going to need a longblock. Of course, she is not happy that her car needs such extensive repairs, and she informs me that she is going to write a letter to Mercedes, to complain that she should have had "a buzzer or something" to indicate that she had a problem. I then pointed out to her that she had not only one warning (the low coolant light), but two (the temp gauge), and she ignored them. She being a "typical 90's genre thinker", was just certain that it had to be someone elses fault.
This is what I wish I could have told her, but didn't!


(I think maybe instead of airbags in the steering wheels of these cars, the manufacturer should put a spring loaded boxing glove.... That way if you are driving down the road and are too *&^%$#@ stupid to pay attention to the gauges & dash periodically, the car can just punch you in the face!Maybe, just maybe, that'll make you pull over to see what the he!! is going on!)

It gets more frustrating everyday, when sooooooooo many people look to place blame on others for their shortcomings. I sometimes think I should write a book with a collection of all the ridiculous things I've seen in this business,,,,,but I bet most people would think that I made it all up.

Geeze folks, sorry if it seems like I'm ranting a little,,,,,it's monday morning and I'm almost off to work, to deal with todays fiascos.


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