Hands down -- what is the best wax system?

[Zach Maggio]

Hi guys (and gals) --

I'm new to this forum, and for two months have been the proud owner of my first MB -- a pristine 92 300CE, pearl black. I know that newbies often ask questions that have already been answered many times over, and that they are often directed to use the much-lauded SEARCH feature, but I thought I'd try anyway. I have eagerly read the many postings about waxes and which is best and so on and so on, but it is only adding to my confusion; everybody seems to have a different opinion on what to use and how to use it. So, as a MB freshman, can I ask for a little consensus? What should I use to maintain the showroom condition
paint on my beloved MB, and how often should I use it? Is there anything specific to MB paint that one should know about when waxing? How can I achieve the best quality results but also have them last longer than two weeks? I currently use the three step Meguiar's system -- cleaner, polish, carnuba wax -- but am findinf that it needs to be reapplied about every three weeks to maintain appearance. Is more expensive wax necessarily the answer?

I appreciate your patience and indulgence on this
one!


Zach

[yal]

Originally posted by Zach Maggio
, but it is only adding to my confusion; everybody seems to have a different opinion on what to use and how to use it.

Zach

Sorry, but this ain't gonna change!
Everyone does have their favorite. "Zaino" (do a search) seems to be leading in the polls though.

I bet your next question is going to be what oil is best right?!
Just kidding.....


Welcome to the forum!

[DALE DORIA]

Zaino...hands down.........it is somewhat time consuming, but the results are worth the effort!

[supermech2001]

Hi Zach...I also own a 1992 300CE and mine is a very pretty midnight blue. I know that there are many different opinions on how to clean and wax your car.The best piece of information that was beneficial to me is located in the D.I.Y. section of this website and its called Lees detailing.He explains the proper procedures to clean/wax step by step.Im also located in the Bay Area...would love to see your 300CE sometime and I can show you my 300CE.
Hope that this helps
Phillip (Oakland)

[Zach Maggio]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I will definitely invest in some Zaino and will report back on my experiences. I won't even ask about the leather -- it seems clear that Leatherique has cornered the MB market on leather care!

Phillip -- I'm in Oakland too. We should definitely get together and compare 300CE notes sometime. Perhaps it would be interesting to see
how they would run against each other in some sort of informal comparison? A restrained, gentlemanly
competition, of course -- these are MBs after all. What (if any) mods have you invested in, if you don't mind my asking?

Zach

[supermech2001]

Zach,with the exception of adding chrome wheels my 300CE is 100% stock.I do plan to upgrade the sound system soon and maybe put on some 16" wheels but that will be about it.This is if I decide to keep the car...Im contemplating on buying something newer such as a CLK 320 or CLK 430..not sure which one as of this writing. My 300CE has 81,000 original miles on it and I did modify the cooling system as I think about it. I put on a cooling harness kit to make the fan come on at 95 degrees centigrade.Other than that no real mods done as of now and I plan only a few if at all. A good friend of mines wife worked in Professor Tiens office for quite awhile.She has since moved to another dept.UC Berkeley is a great school.Im sure that you love it there.

Phillip(Oakland)

[Zach Maggio]

Yeah, my 300CE is stock and I will probably keep it that way. The modification game is one which I never really had the energy or desire to keep up with. Before the 300CE, I drove a 5.0 mustang (what a change, huh?) which is probably the vehicle most obnoxiously and offensively modified by kids on the road today. Apart from a K+N filter, I was really turned off by the whole street hot-rod thing. I like to go fast as much as the next guy, but what I really like to do is hang back and watch them speed off recklessly, knowing full well that my ride is smooth, easy, and luxurious. Maybe I'm over-romanticizing it, but hey, that's what cars are for.

Of course, this isn't meant to offend those who do lovingly modify and race their cars around; different motoring philosophy, that's all.

I'm not trying to dissuade you, but I personally have heard bad things about the C-Class from people who own them. Personally, I'd stick with your gorgeous, timeless 300. Have you had the 300CE long?

I love it here at Berkeley, but I do plan on heading off to grad school in a year or two. I don't want to work in the Chancellor's Office forever, especially since I graduated and it feels a bit strange to still be on campus with all these students.

Zach

[supermech2001]

Zach...I sent you a private message..didnt want to take up too much board space.The CE cars are super classy and nice.
Phillip

Hello fellow CE owners,

Going along with the subject change here, I own a '90 variant of your car, mine have about 140K on the clock. I am thinking about getting some Euro headlights. Have you guys considered them?
Also, do the two of you have any leaks in the engine area? If so, have you identified them, and are you planning to do anything about them? Thanks.

[Zach Maggio]

Hi Saguaro,

My 300CE currently has no leaks (knock on wood!), but according to the service records of the previous owner, it has certainly had some in the past. It had a bad oil leak at the front cylinder head cover, and a coolant leak from leaking o-rings on the heater pipes. The oil leak was apparently a difficult problem to correct as the previous owner kept having various work done to remedy it. Then the radiator neck broke, obviously causing a coolant leak and necessitating more repairs. Anyway, the oil leak problem seems to have been a recurring thing for the previous owner, but I can't tell you if it's specific to the model or not. Phillip?

Zach
92 300CE

[supermech2001]

Guys,my 1992 300CE definitely has some oil leakage problems.It has only 81,000 miles on it and the left front (as viewed from looking under the hood)of the cylinder head seeps some oil.I have been told that mercedes has a up graded head gasket for this type of engine 3.0L 24V .The radiator neck breakage a buddy of mine it broke on his car...just like yours did. I replaced the valve cover gasket already...there are some drips under the car that are oil related but I havent bothered too much with them...very minor.Yes it does appear that these are a bit of a leaker.
Phillip

I enjoy this CE talk. Maybe we should form our own thread somewhere. A couple of years ago, I used to hear from maybe 6 or 7 guys on a group that all had CEs.

You are both new to this website like I am, but I have had my CE for about 4 1/2 years. It has leaked all that time, steadily, but not in great portions. A week from Tuesday, I am going to have a trusted independent I have located here (Tucson) and I finally take a look under it and try to determine where it is leaking. We cleaned it thoroughly a couple of months ago.

I think almost all of these M104 engines leak at some point. Some are head gasket related and some not. I am hoping that it will not be too expensive to get mine taken care of more or less permanently, because I really have an old fashioned attitude that I don't like leaks! I have read Frank Barrett's MB buyer's guide in which he says that we should not worry about minor leaks, and go ahead and enjoy what he thinks is MB's best value in a used car. Automobile Magazine also said that it is the best used car bar none.

But wouldn't it be nice if we could take care of the leaks?

[bcgreen]

I own a 90 ce with about 180,000 and it too leaks but very little. When I had the timing chain replaced there were a couple of leaks taken care of including the valve cover gasket. Mine leaks on the drivers side and I clean the side of the block whenever I'm down there changing the oil, There was a great article in European car magazine a couple of years ago in Dec. but I never got around to reading it completely as I was in the grocery store.

The CE thread, not wax thread, grows? Who has a solution to this?

What prompted you, BC, to change the timing chain? Excess play, or just concern? I have 140K on my 90 CE now, and beginning to think about it. Expecially if I could relatively cheaply in additional labor cost fix some oil leaks!

[supermech2001]

Hey Saguaro,There is a location on this website that discusses nothing but 300CE model cars.I got lucky and ran across it one day while surfing on this mercedesshop.com site. Maybe someone out there can help me/us find it .There area lot of discussions and useful information on that location.I cant remember how I found it.Does anyone out there know where it is located??
Thanks
Phillip