DID TUNE-UP 85 300D Turbo, Received a list of repairs - Need Help Prioritizing
 

This is a list of all the repairs needed for the car according to an assessment given after a tune-up was performed at MB Manhattan. The car is currently at the dealer and they're waiting for me to decide what to do next. I was thinking of just getting an alignment and going somewhere else for any other repairs. I'm obviously not a DIYer however out of necessity I may become one. So what do you think is priority and needs to be done by a mechanic and what can be done by a really green DIYer? I would have checked the forum for loads of fixes however I have to make a decision in the morning, they've had my car since last Thursday.

The ones with asterisks were deemed safety concerns, four asterisks were mandatory maintenance.

The car has very slow pick up in traffic and vibrates however it runs well on the highway. I'd like to take it to Premier Auto (Vito?) in Staten Island, however the number listed in the forum no longer works.:(

coolant flush
idler arm repair *
steering shock *
lower ball joints & upper *
left / right tie rods - turns both front wheels *
center link *
break strut bushing *
both flex disc *
parking brake adjusted* (loose)
fuel lines
alignment
engine mounts (2x) *
engine vibration damper (2x) *
transmission mount - one is worn out *
left front window motor & regulator
left window switch
all drive belts (worn and cracking) -****
three air cleaner mounts need replacing (holds filter over the engine)
throttle stepper motor
two brake calibers *

Thanks for your help.

A really green DIY should not be doing the things listed below. Even an experienced mechanic should have the Factory Shop manual with him when doing these things.. as MB does a lot of things different from the usual... and not knowing that can cause accidents.
Have you shopped around any with regards to shops ? Usually there is some place which can do a good job at less than the dealership....


idler arm repair *
steering shock *
lower ball joints & upper *
left / right tie rods - turns both front wheels *
center link *
break strut bushing *
both flex disc *
parking brake adjusted* (loose)
fuel lines - does this mean metal lines or rubber ?
alignment
engine mounts (2x) *
engine vibration damper (2x) *
two brake calibers *

Take it to a shop that knows these cars and have them do it.

The number 1 rule of owning any old car is never bring it to the dealer. If you are going to pay someone $100 an hour to fix them, it would be cheaper to just buy a new/er one.

repairs
 

The alighnment comes AFTER the repairs to tie rods, ball joint etc. A few of the above repairs you should be able to do. Have a look around in here plenty of help. See your in NYC everything is HIGH there. No time like the present to start learning. Get your feet wet.

I'd put the flex disc at the top of the list if they are severely cracked.

I bet a dealership would charge over 4K for the listed items. These cars barely make sense if you do allot yourself. If you don't, then I hope there is a huge sentimental attraction to the car.

So, the left window switch, motor and regulator all went out at the same time.........

What the heck is a "throttle stepper motor"...never even heard of that???

New York City car? How much rust do you have? Reason being, if the dealership does all that work it'll cost big bucks. Do you want big bucks tied up in a bucket of rust?

really?:confused:

1985 300SD Sady,
Ever sat down with a paper copy of the MB factory shop manual ? These cars are way overengineered... so the potential for doing it wrong is much higher than some older american car... I have 35 years of doing all my own mechanicing... and I was really surprised at these MB Diesels...
How important is Steering and Braking to one's lifespan ?
That is mostly what is in that list..
However, what Jim said about the flex discs being a very high priority is true... they can actually hurt you with you inside the car.. pictures of the damage they can do is in the archives... that was another eyeopener for me... usually a driveshaft is under the car and not too much problem if it gives way...
Although I did see an early 1950's Ford on its roof in the middle of Burnet Road in Austin about 1963 when riding the school bus home from Jr.High... later I was in an automotive mechanics class with the guy that was driving it.. it had lost the front ujoint and the shaft had flipped the car straight over onto its top. It was still lined up inside the middle left turn lane as we passed it.

There was a 16 yr old boy killed near here recently when the exact same thing happened.

Thanks for your response. I only took it to the dealership to get a run down of everything they thought it could possibly need. I had no intention of getting the work done there. I initially wanted a diagnostic, but instead decided to have a tune-up because I'd have to pay them to tell me what's wrong and drive out with no fixes. Although the tune-up was more than I'd like to have spent, it did uncover all of these additional issues that I can tackle at my leisure. The car is not a necessity here in NYC.

I checked the NY section here and faxed a list of the above repairs to Ultimate Car in Queens, NY. They said they'd get back to me with a quote. I'm still looking for this guy Vito in Staten Island who is suppose to be really good too. My brother spoke with some mechanics in Virginia... waiting for quotes to come back. Thanks :)

The dealer:greedy: estimated @8k not including the fuel lines (parts and labor)... which inspires me to become a DIYer.

The window motor is fine, from reading post regarding this, it's probably the regulator or a bad switch. This is one problem I'll tackle myself.

There is no rust, it was stored inside and only driven in warm weather.

I would concure that the most pressing issues are the flex disks and the brake works.

The steering rebuilt should be close next.

The rest is vanity for now