Repair question to ask mechanics for Pricing??
 

Hi,

I've got an 1983 Diesel. She needs some repairs. (IE, the Brake light is on when I step on the brakes).

I've found approximately 5 mechanics in the Bay area who are supposed to be good with Mercedes.

I don't want to Spend more than I have to, as I'm not working..
I'm, thinking of calling them and asking them what they charge for a certain repair, to try and get a general idea of their pricing....

Any suggestions of a good generic diesel repair cost that will help me get a feeling of their prices compared to each other?
Thanks

If you can find list price of the parts, plus the length of time to do the job, plus the hourly rate they charge - there ya go. Some mechanics will do brake jobs for a flat fee but they'll buy cheap pads to offset the low price. Either ask them how much for new pads rotors installed front/back or ask them what they charge an hour. Some garages may charge $120/hr while others only $80/hr.

You could do the brake pads yourself. It really is easy if you read about it first, then take the time to get it done.

There is nothing "diesel" about your brakes. As brakes go, they are very straight forward and any reasonably qualified brake technician should be able to fix you up.

Thanks...POS...so that is how I'd phrase it?
 

So I would ask specifically How much for new pads rotors installed front/back?...what are the rotors?...as you can see, I do not know much
about the mechanics of the car...although I do change my fuel filter
regularly.
thanks

Rotor basically means the same thing as disk. They are the big steel disks that are located just inside each of the wheels- the brake caliper pushes the brake shoes against them, creating friction, and so on. If they are below acceptable thickness, then they will need to be replaced.

I don't intend to scare you, but older cars can have unanticipated problems, such as seized bolts, nuts, and so on. I have heard mechanics say that these things can increase the labor time beyond the standard factory labor time, which tend to be figured for newer cars, still under warranty.

That being said, I hope things go well for you !

Brakes on an '83 are extremely simple. Since you aren't working, you have plenty of time to learn and do the work yourself.

i've never had brake work be anything other than radically overpriced. dunno which book they get the quotes from but it tends to be ridiculous. i would definitely take the time to call maybe even a dozen shops!

This is all DIY
 

No reason for a mechanic, brakes are a simple DIY...

PeachPartsWiki: Front Brake Pad & Rotor Replacement

PeachPartsWiki: Front Brake Line Replacement

PeachPartsWiki: Replacing the Rear Brake Pads & Rotors

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/video-forum/350091-w123-w126-brake-diy-videos.html

.

Locate a good back yard mechanic. Get a price. Not working and paying out 70-100 per hour is not a great equation. Also the less you know about cars today can make you a victom all too easily.

Much better option. You may have a friend with some experience that could help you as well. Almost anyone that works on his cars can change out a set of rotors if required and pads. Once he helps you then the next time you will know how to do it yourself.

You should start somewhere. Watch the videos Mr Hunter has posted to give you some ideals and confidence would be a good start.

Yeah, brakes are pretty straight forward.

Yet, with the front rotors there is extra time involved due to pre loading the outer bearing.

Use your head and learn how to do this simple stuff yourself.If I can do it you can. It's not rocket science. Fix one thing and you will gain more confidence to try something else. You said that you change filters. If you have an old Benz like most of here you will need to start doing stuff for yourself and there is a ton of free help available on this forum. If you just cant do it yourself and you dont have a ton of money to fix stuff that happens to 30 year old cars. You may need to look at a newer used vehicle. just sayin...

oh and definitely include mobile mechanics in your calls. i think there are some in the bay area that are much more reasonable than a specialist shop .

The brakes on these cars are super simple....i just bleed my brakes by my self....used a tool box to press the peddle down....then run to the bleeder....super easy....sounds like all you need is pads....all you need is a nail, hammer and large regular screw driver to change the pads...

Let me offer a contrary view
 

LindaJane, first, find out why you are getting the brake light. It could be pads as everyone seems to be assuming. It could also be a low brake fluid condition. Question is, which light? Low fluid will give you the "Brake" light. Worn pads will give you the yellow circle with little appendages on it.

If low fluid, open your reservoir and observe the fluid level. If fluid is low, before simply filling the reservoir, inspect each wheel on the inside and around the master cylinder for leaks. If no leaks, put fluid into the reservoir (DOT-4 only) and see if the light goes out.

If worn pads, either follow the instructions others have given or take it to somewhere like MIDAS or Meineke to repair. They will give a fair price, be honest and a guarantee. You do not need to take it to a Mercedes specialist for brakes. You CAN do it yourself or with the help of someone who has a little wrenching experience. It is not complicated but be sure you can complete the job. If you get stuck in the middle of the job with a task you can't complete, you will only add the cost of a tow.

Good luck and please come back to let us know how you do.

Sure, they will guarantee the sorry $10 pads they install. But the warranty does not include labor, which you will again need real soon, after their cheap pads wear out in short order. It's all part of the scheme to get the customer back into their shop sooner than later.

My advice on chain auto shops: never go there. They have taking your money down to a science. It's part of their culture.

for TF007
 

Sounds like the lady can't afford premium maintenance.

Ditto that. Last time I stopped by Meineke, they had a twenty something know it all working the front desk who was more interested in texting than in helping customers. As for Midas, they have old hippies working as mechanics, unshaven, long hair. Thank you, but no thank you.

You might want to consider enrolling in a local adult education or regional occupational program or community college auto mechanic program. You can learn a lot plus you will have knowledgeable people who have the proper equipment to tackle most auto repair jobs,

And....if she has mechanical aptitude, she may wind up in a decent paying job.

I interviewed at a Meineke a few months ago. Between the appearance of the place (looked like a hurricane hit it), the smell (like the inside of a burnt out starter), the things the owner had to say, and the reviews I read beforehand, I decided not to continue pursuing employment there.

A lot of posters on this board are ace mechanics, and I have seen them solve problems that I thought were unsolvable. Many have recommended the hands on approach, which entails having some knowledge of auto mechanics. One or two posters brought up the fact that brakes are simple, UNTIL you run into a problem, like frozen nipples or caliper pistons. Bleeding the brakes also can be troublesome, and is usually a two person operation if you do not have a power bleeder. You can do no harm by calling any of these mechanics to get a price quote, but you must understand that when they give you a quote, it usually will be based on everything going as planned. If, after they get into the job, any unforeseen events crop up, it may increase the price of the job. Good luck with your decision.

Talk with your friends and co-workers about where they get their work done.
Visit the place where the work is done.

Stay away from 'box' stores !!

OP, you said "Bay Area" but your forum ID states Los Angeles.

Are you in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Anyway, go to Craigslist and look for 'mechanics'.
I am sure there are guys or gals doing spot car work for extra income.

Often time car parts stores have guys doing work for hire in the parking lots.

OR make inquiries in the Inland Empire and out in the boonies,

Take a drive outside the City area and its bound to be less expensive.


Lastly, high schools with car shop classes will have ready students who can do this simple work at a reasonable price !

Good luck.


also www.repairpal.com
:)

I'm with Rocky...
why do you think you need brake work done? what is making you ask?

Looking at worst case
 

The brake light goes on when I step on the brake..looking at the prospect
of brake pads and/or rotors and the cost involved....

Which brake light? You should have two; one has nothing to do with pads.

where are you in the Bay Area? I have a great indie mechanic that I've been using for years and that is really reasonable and knows these cars extremely well. He has a shop space near the fruitvale district in oakland. you can pm me for his contact info.

Does the light read the word "BRAKE"? If it does, you either have a parking brake left on or low pressure in the brake lines. Low pressure = greatly diminished stopping power.

If it's the yellow thing, then yeah, new pads & maybe rotors.

FYI, Autozone provides a lifetime warranty on their brake pads so that when one set wears out, they'll just give you another set. I confirmed this with our local store's manager.

^ Low fluid as opposed to low pressure, or maybe the same thing.

David Pham in the East Bay of San Francisco.
Former Mercedes mechanic and current independent shop without the advertising bells and whistles.
1.510.813.2456

Oakland California bordering Berkeley.

tags:

David Pham

mercedes mechanic

East Bay San Francisco

Brakes are ONE THING no one should work on without adequate supervision until one is competent to mechanic on them. Not 'Going' is ONE thing , Not 'STOPPING' is in another category....

of course this thread is two years old...
I hope she got help with her brakes....

Thanks
 

Thanks for replying to an old thread...got brake problem fixed.
Now it make a loud noise when I turn the wheel right and left,
so taking it in next week. Wish I could polish the car without all
the streaking, it is oxidized, and i use a liquid. I don't think I have
enough muscle power to do an adequate job. I took it to a detailing
place, and the guy said the paint oxidized too much for them to
work on....It can still get a shine...I hope

LindaJane, You might try ' Nu Finish ' for that situation... you can do a foot square at a time.. then another when you recover... let the liquid do the work..small circular motions........ do not use abrasive cloths or paper towels... it will take off the oxidized paint.. but is good about not taking more than needed..... don't use it or any other polish in the sunshine on a hot surface... the ' work ' is in the application.... let dry and it wipes off really easily ...

Thanks
 

Hi,

Thanks, I did use Nu Finish. There are parts that look nice, but not even.
I think I try and do too fast, and need to work harder.
If I put the NuFinish on yesterday, can I still go out there today
and try to polish more off, or should I just add some new liquid
polish?...In other words, if you let the polish sit too long, do you
have to add more..
Is there a product that is like a gloss, that you can put on the car,
That will protect the oxidized paint from the sun?...like a car sunscreen?
And once a body shop guy said he'd paint a little area that was worn,
and he put some kind of sparkly stuff. Awful, well Now I find that It
will come off with a little polish and abrasive, which looks much better.
A mistake on my part to let him touch it.
A regular wax takes alot more work right?
Thanks
Linda

I think once it gets dry it should be wiped off then....
I just know that it seems to be gentle on the old paint even when highly oxidized.. and I think that applying it once per six months is like a sunscreen... but the gloss lasts way longer than that for me..... so I do it once a year....
' a regular wax' .. takes longer... OH YES.... LOL.....more than anyone these days ... without power equipment ever puts on a car... in high school I had a special date coming up with a hot little number....a Sunday morning picnic and I spent 13 hours on my family's 1957 Mercury Convertible...... that was by ' arm and hand' no power... but it sure looked great... they made a special cleaner then...and the straight Carnauba wax... no cleaners in it... so you could do two coats .... these days the second coat will clean off the first coat....

Your "clear coat" is probably going. Look at a same age car from the Central Valley and you will see what to expect in 5-10 years where you live. Not just our M-B, but even 10 yr old cars of any make here. People here have said the W123 cars are not the normal "base-coat, clear-coat" process, but have a normal single coat w/ a clear over-coat. This means that once the clear has flaked away (my 1985 is almost gone), you might be able to buff the remaining clear paint and have a decent finish. I may try that. Problem is the horizontal surfaces go first, leaving a white ring around the edges (think Mitt Romney's hair).

wax
 

Thanks much, so for ease of use, do you think I should keep using the
liquid Nu Finish...I I got Carnauba wax, even If I did a lousy job getting
it all off, do you think that may protect the car better?
Linda

If you were able to find pure carnauba wax..... like the old yellow paste can... it is only a covering... a cleaner used to be used before that was applied...
and the Carnaube wax is very hard... and needs a little application heat .. like pressing while doing the small circles....
While the Nu Finish takes much less pressure and will gently take off the oxidized paint.... the function of the cleaner if the Carnauba wax is being used..
So the Ne Finish is a one step deal... and does a great job...
I think you are better off with the Nu Finish....

Thanks
 

Thanks, think you're right. I'll got out there tomorrow and
give the car a good shine...
Do you think it's ok to apply every 3 months or so?

Yes, three month intervals should be great....

IF you get a power buffer and want the old fashioned standard.. .like when you run out of Nu Finish...

https://www.simonizdetaildirect.com/Products/Simoniz_Original_Paste_Car_Wax/

Absolutely do not leave wax on single stage enamel overnight, and don't apply wax in the sun. I stopped using water to clean the car, meguiars makes a nice spray detailer that Really helps prevent the oxidation from returning if you have the original single stage enamel paint. It's a pain to keep up the paint on these cars, I've just had my car for 5 months but I'm figuring the paint out.

So this?
 

Hello,
So you must mean this product?
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G14422-Ultimate-Quik-Detailer/dp/B000RXNLK6
Would I use this randomly, after I use the NuGloss?
Thanks Much
Linda

That is not what I was referring to....
Either the Nu Finish regularly ..

or the Simonize paste wax would be great... this is just harder to apply due to its hardness...

Sorry....
 

Hi,
Sorry, I was replying to Kooop's post..

Faked me out.. since his post did not have that url in it....lol

Okay, here is what cleaned up my original paint and what is being used to maintain it.

Walts Polish - Deep Diamond on the really bad spots

Then Autoglym super resin polish on the entire car.

After that no more washing, I'm using the meguiars ultimate quick (in the shade on cool paint) and the car is a rolling car show.

I'm switching to Meguiars Synthetic X-press spray wax (about $30 per gallon on Amazon) shortly instead of th quick detailer though. It probably works out less than $1.50 per wipe down.

I think the original paint hangs onto all of the minerals in water and turns chalky so no more water on mine. I was using DI for the final rinse after wash, it still messed up the paint.

NuFinish and Simonize were great stuff, but modern product is sooooooooooooo much improved. It took some effort and $ on products to figure out how to get this car looking good and keep it up. My car does live outside so it's a real pain.

Modern paints are also SOOOOOO improved... but we are dealing with old paint on old cars....

The NuFinish and the Simonize are still great but are ALSO the least expensive great products for this I know of... they may require a little more arm grease than some of your hi tech ones..... but they are not of lower quality in terms of protection.

I was wondering how you were doing ' no more water' with regards to rain.... lol

Parking garage at my office On the few days it does rain, but rain water isn't hard here in So Cal.

There was nothing that could clean up these old single stage enamels back in the late 70s and early 80s that could clean it and maintain the finish. These fancy new chemicals can do it today though. Just like modern paint, they have massively improved. Rather than deal with this old single stage enamel, I was just going to paint the car, but one of my friends that is still detailing cars after 35 years told me I was wrong. The car looks awesome!

Many of the new chemicals involve compound purposes... like a cleaner and a protection element..
but that means that one can not do a double layer like you can with Simonize paste wax... it can be doubled and tripled ... and you can see the difference between one coat and two.... I have never tried three... but the idea is that it does not take off the underlying layer each time you apply it.
In the old days... talking about 'cleaning up ' the surface before applying protection... were 1. polishing compound 2. rubbing compound 3. dedicated cleaner ....
These were used if needed before the wax...
No wonder people went to ' one step ' fancy chemicals...when they came out...

Wow, thanks....
 

Lots of suggestions...thanks.
So the paint on the car is the original, That blue. 83 Diesel 300d
(goes by the name of cupcake).
I washed it two weeks ago, and it looks terrible after I washed it!,
Big faded spots. I though They might be areas I did not polish
adequately before.
So for upkeep for my car...as a beginner, to try and keep the paint
protected...I put the Nu Finish. What do you suggest I do next.
Another type of polish. And Not washing with a hose and water,
but using the product suggested?.A car wash I did once was not
kind.
Thanks