Gilly:
Thanks again for the info. Now, armed with that info I'm in a better position to negotiate with the dealer if need be. That's what's beautiful about this forum. As for the DIY it's well within my capability. I remember the warranty and used vehicle work when I was at GM and I didn't care for it when I was on comission either. BTW this is my first MB and plan on a new 2005 ML500 next spring during the "clearance sale". I can put up with these problems in exchange for the safety and performance of MB!

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David L