just about in tears over Gretchen - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

john1984300dt · #1 02-20-2009, 08:23 PM

I just bought a new used 1984 300 dt with 300,000ish miles
the guy told me it would pass safety but it would need a blower fan.
the shop failed it and said it didn’t pass because
seat needs to be bolted down
rear break pads
front passenger ball baring
lug bolts 6 of which are the wrong kind need replacing
the blower fan possibly a short
and this is the one that killed me
excessive gas coolant and oil leak.
ok so the question is the engine is covered oil.
if I clean it and fix the rest of the car could I get away with it at another shop
I paid 800 for the car after my craptastic 2006 Pontiac G6 blew up
I wanted this car as a commuter to and from work
but I also love this car I have wanted one since I was6 when my uncle had one
now I own one and fear I will have to give it up
help me save this beautiful car named Gretchen............

john1984300dt · #2 02-20-2009, 08:25 PM

sorry forgot to mention the shop wants about 2000 for the work is this fair.......

Hatterasguy · #3 02-20-2009, 08:34 PM

Its a 25 year old, 300k mile, $800 car, what were you expecting? Go through it yourself, put a few grand into it and get it road worthy.

Or spend more on a better example.

DIESELVOLVO · #4 02-20-2009, 08:40 PM

You have got to be kidding me. They said it would not pass because the motor was greasy? Tell them to take a flying leap and take it somewhere else. In my area there are actually inspection only stations. I take it to one of these shops because they have no incentive to come up with ridiculous things like "sorry your engine is too dirty, gonna need to steam clean it for a grand before it'll pass". I would report that place to the BBB. One good thing about being your own mechanic is you can call BS to the face of the "mechanic" on the spot who tries to sell you a ball joint you don't need in order for you to pass inspection. Someone has to keep these guys honest and it isn't the average auto owner.

cmbdiesel · #5 02-20-2009, 09:50 PM

John, what state are you in? Makes a big difference.
Maybe the state next door has less stringent requirements.
That being said, you gotta bolt down the seats,
you gotta have good brakes, you gotta have good wheel studs, and you gotta have good ball joints.
All four of those repairs are essential for your and everyone else's safety.
Best bet is to call around some shops to get some estimates for the mechanical work, ball joints and brakes and wheel studs. Unless you can do it yourself.
$2000 doesn't immediately sound good, but it could be reasonable.
Are they replacing drums, shoes and wheel cylinders in back?
Which ball joint/joints need replacement? Some of them come only pressed into the control arm.
Only way to tell is to get a second and third opinion.

kerry · #6 02-20-2009, 10:39 PM

What you decide to do will probably be determined by what you mean by the phrase 'excessive gas coolant'. If by that you mean that there are exhaust gases in the coolant, its indicative of a failed head gasket. Given the general tone of your post, I'm guessing that you would not feel comfortable replacing the head gasket yourself. That would be a major expense. Many of the other problems seem like delayed or poorly carried out maintenance to be expected on a car that old.

Skippy · #7 02-20-2009, 10:43 PM

2000 sounds high for the quoted work. The brakes are easy enough to do yourself, but a shop should around a hundred to do rear pads.

The seat being bolted down could just be a missing bolt (real cheap) or ripped out brackets/floor pan etc (more $$$).

"Front passenger ball bearing"-did you mean ball joint or maybe wheel bearings? Neither should be terribly expensive to fix.

Wrong lug bolts-$7 a piece at the parts store last time I bought some, or free at PNP if you can find them.

Blower-haven't had to mess with this one. Could be expensive. Then again maybe not.

Leaks-clean engine and find out what's leaking. There are lots of places these engines can leak from, most of which aren't really expensive to fix.

ImBroke · #8 02-21-2009, 06:31 AM

Lower ball joints, about 4-700 installed. Seat, I'd find a PNP and pull the bolts, if that's all it needs. Or, I have a set of four. Lug studs, same deal. These do drip some oil, to mark the territory so to speak, but a leak could be something serioius. I'd clean the engine and find out what is leaking. Same with the coolant, they need to define leaking. Could be a cracked thermostat housing, to an untightened hose clamp, to like has been said, a head gasket. I'd definitely take it somewhere else.

tobybul · #9 02-21-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john1984300dt

I just bought a new used 1984 300 dt with 300,000ish miles
the guy told me it would pass safety but it would need a blower fan.
the shop failed it and said it didn’t pass because
seat needs to be bolted down
rear break pads
front passenger ball baring
lug bolts 6 of which are the wrong kind need replacing
the blower fan possibly a short
and this is the one that killed me
excessive gas coolant and oil leak.
ok so the question is the engine is covered oil.
if I clean it and fix the rest of the car could I get away with it at another shop
I paid 800 for the car after my craptastic 2006 Pontiac G6 blew up
I wanted this car as a commuter to and from work
but I also love this car I have wanted one since I was6 when my uncle had one
now I own one and fear I will have to give it up
help me save this beautiful car named Gretchen............

sounds like a conflict of interest to me. Service shops should not be inspecting for exactly this reason. Aren't there places who only inspect?

617s are hard to kill unless totally neglected. Did you open the hood b4 u bought the car?

Order the lug bolts. about $2.50 ea. Bearings & brakes are easy... fan most likely need new brushes or just replace it.

.... and whatever "leaks" mean.

Is the tranny in decent shape?

SwampYankee · #10 02-21-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john1984300dt

I just bought a new used 1984 300 dt with 300,000ish miles
the guy told me it would pass safety but it would need a blower fan.
the shop failed it and said it didn’t pass because
seat needs to be bolted down
rear break pads
front passenger ball baring
lug bolts 6 of which are the wrong kind need replacing
the blower fan possibly a short
and this is the one that killed me
excessive gas coolant and oil leak.
ok so the question is the engine is covered oil.
if I clean it and fix the rest of the car could I get away with it at another shop
I paid 800 for the car after my craptastic 2006 Pontiac G6 blew up
I wanted this car as a commuter to and from work
but I also love this car I have wanted one since I was6 when my uncle had one
now I own one and fear I will have to give it up
help me save this beautiful car named Gretchen............

In CT, thanks to cut-backs, if a car was registered by the previous owner they would issue a new registration without even looking at it (when I registered my TD they handed me the plates, car sight unseen). Kind of frightening when you think about it.

JimmyL · #11 02-21-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john1984300dt

I just bought a new used 1984 300 dt .......

cmbdiesel · #12 02-21-2009, 11:17 AM

Swamp Yankee, thats what they're doing these days?
Man times have changed. I didn't even think about registering
my vehicles here in CT when I moved back, due to the enormous
PITA that it used to be in the '90's. Jeez, they were installing computerized brake machines in the DMV inspection sites, that were an almost guaranteed
fail for any car over 15 years. So, I run VT registration, not only is it much cheaper, but it's a good excuse to head north a couple times a year. That and the VT DMV actually hires people to work there who want to help you.

pawoSD · #13 02-21-2009, 11:36 AM

Have a DEALER inspect it, I did with our 300E when I got it, and they gave a me a list of "less than perfect" problems....but did admit which ones should actually be fixed right away (pretty much nothing)....at least they are honest. I did a bunch of the repairs myself and now its in good shape. The only thing the dealer will need to do this year is replace the steering rods/do an alignment.

Most of the stuff that shop said are very easy repairs.....I'd do them myself.

$2000 is way too high....find a better service place!

And....you bought an $800 300,000 mile MB with a history of neglect....how much did you expect it was going to need in repairs? My car cost $3,700 and I had to put another $2,500 into it in the first year. And then another 1-2k a year for the next 3-4 years. Old car = lots of repairs.

But, once you've repaired a ton of stuff, the amount needing repairs goes way down, and you'll go long periods with no work needed. I haven't done a repair to my SD in almost 1.5 years now....just oil changes....

E300TD99 · #14 02-21-2009, 02:04 PM

When I was a kid, Ohio had a safety lane you had to take your car to. I don't know when it was we went away from them but then we went to emissions check...what a waste of money. When the air magically became clean again, we did away with the emissions checks. What is funny about the whole thing is that our registration costs and taxes went up for our vehicles when the emissions tests went away.

IMO, they should go back to safety checks for mechanical things, brakes, tires, etc. It just goes to show its all about the money. I don't think the safety lane checks were govt run when i was a kid. I could be wrong.

kerry · #15 02-21-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Jimmy, just got my windshield replaced at Safelite. You have to highlight the model of car in their database to get a quote. Guess what the post 1980 300TD's are listed as? 300TD-T