Mercedes Road Service - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

agplate · #1 01-29-2003, 05:50 PM

Yesterday, in our coldest New England Day yet, my 300SD wouldn't start, even with a block heater. My guess is that it was the battery. After having no luck jumping it on my own, I called MB Roadside Assistance, and within the hour they were there.

Good News: The guy attached the cables (two terminals to two terminals by the way!!), preglowed three times and it started right up! He adjusted a couple of other small items, I signed the order and he was gone (with a reasonable tip).

Bad news: He said if the battery was dead, he could replace it for only $275. !!

Moral: This is a great service that MB provides, though somebody's paying for it somewhere (not me, not today anyway!). Take the free jump and be appreciative!
In the end, I was glad to know of this service...

Diesel 924 · #2 01-29-2003, 06:48 PM

Hmmm, OK< what year is your car? Did you have to pay for anything? What's the catch(s)?

84300DT · #3 01-29-2003, 07:39 PM

agplate,
great that you got it started for free- and MB roadside assistance
works-

what year/miles on your SD?

where in mass r u? i used to live on the n.shore..

dieseldude · #4 01-29-2003, 07:48 PM

Diesel924 - 1800-FOR-MERC offers 'free' roadside assistance to any MB auto regardless of year, number of owners, etc. This roadside assistance will give you a jump, change a tire, or bring you a couple gallons of gas (the gas of which you have to pay for I understand).

Obviously, if other repairs are needed (or you need towed), you are charged regularly (or exorbitantly for an OE - MB Battery in agplate's case

), but it is still a testament to how Mercedes stands behind their product.

Just wish all the poor treament at the dealers I hear about would change for the better too!

Regards,
- Ryan

#5 01-29-2003, 09:40 PM

agplate, glad tohear that MB Roadside Assistance wasableto get you going. usually, most Benz's glove box door has a sticker with the 1-800 number attatched. never had to use them myself, however, it is a good thing. i believe that they will also give you one FREE gallon of fuel if needed. don't know if they will charge for PRIMING the fuel system. by the way, what year is your SD? also, the weather up this way has been a little NIPPY lately!!! i keep one of those portable battery packs FULLY charged in the trunk during the really cold snaps! self sufficiency you know. i even hook up the pack BEFORE i drain my own (autozone) battery. 3 or 4 COMPLETE glowcycles BEFORE even hitting the starter.....big difference. in EVERETT on rt#16 is a sunoco station that sells TAXED kerosene.......5or 6 gallonsadded to the #2 diesel helps much in the cold. where in Mass. are you located? 84300dt; glad that you're oilburner has been "lighting up" w/ this weather......Gloucester, if i recall correctly.?. best wishes always, spo.

rickjordan · #6 01-29-2003, 09:55 PM

My TD has that sticker in the glovebox, and the cool thing about it is the picture is of a TD. Speaking of cold, has anybody else seen their fuel economy drop dramaticlly lately. Mine is in the low 20's, ironicly like the temps.

The Warden · #7 01-30-2003, 04:36 AM

Are the stickers available anywhere? I'd like to have the number handy in case something like this happens to me, but I'm pretty sure that I don't have a sticker in my glovebox, or anywhere else on the car...

agplate · #8 01-30-2003, 09:44 AM

Thanks for all the interesting replies. My car is a 1983 300SD with 305k on it. To those of you in the area, I live in Worcester, though the dead battery fiasco was at my Mom's place in Lynn (Lynn, Lynn.... for you locals).
This winter has really been tough on my car, seems like everything necessary for the cold is breaking at once. Just replaced the wiper motor and antenna, now it's the blower motor and a coolant hose. GEEZ!

84300DT · #9 01-30-2003, 09:57 AM

spo,
yes i was in fishtown - the car has been lighting up with copious amounts of block heating

thanks for asking -

it's the other stuff thats feeling the cold - vacuum system intermittant etc etc - motor mounts feel to be frozen solid blocks-
- car completely crusted with salt yadayada

oh,replacing the disintegrated foam tube inside the dash for the cc temp sensor really helped a lot btw lol.

hope urs is much better with the new water pump?
best regards-bob

#10 01-30-2003, 10:14 AM

84300dt, greetings BOB, we LOVE Gloucester! spend a good amount of time up there.....did i ask you if you are familiar w/ a local bluze band....the MEGAWATT BLUES CRUSHERS from Gloucester. they have been around for quite a few years. good luck w/ the salt and the cold. agplate, i lived in the "city of sin" for a number of years........you NEVER go out the way you went in! 305k is a good number of miles on your SD! my 300d has just reached 208k and just got a new thermostat, waterpump, silicate free antifreeze, and a fresh pair of 205 70 14 michelin x one tires for the front to match the rear set from last summer! very nice and smooth, especially w/ the fresh balance on the rears! best wishes always, spo.

rwthomas1 · #11 01-30-2003, 10:24 AM

I can't believe MB offers this service to ALL owners. Fantastic. I'll toss the AAA membership..... Well maybe not. At least its an easy # to remember. btw once met a girl from Lynn, Lynn....etc. on a ski trip. You can guess how that ended. Never been there I was lucky to survive an encounter with one of its denizens. RT

84300DT · #12 01-30-2003, 10:25 AM

hey spo, am not sure about the megawatts, but for sure it was way cool when james montgomery played glou. high school, so you remember them?

#13 01-30-2003, 12:29 PM

Bob, not only do i remember the heyday of James Montgomery, i used to spend my tuesday nights in the late 70's at the Arcadia Ballroom in New Haven, Ct. where James was the regular WEEKLY attraction! that was when he was all coked up etc..........he really went down the tubes during the late 80's w/ bad divorce; substance abuse etc..........he STILL is EXCELLENT on the harp! i think he is living somewhere around Newburyport, Mass. these days............he played MANY gigs with "SUPERHARP" James Cotten........saw James Cotten last summer in Lowell, Mass.he had bad throat cancer and lost some of his neck etc........voice shot now, however was good to see him still kicking!....gotta go and get back to work!!!spo out.

mplafleur · #14 01-30-2003, 12:55 PM

That is one long sentence!

piccolovic · #15 01-30-2003, 06:10 PM

1. Get Battery for $59 from Pep Boys (is really an Interstate). Lasted me 5 years already and is over and above the recommended cold-cranking amps, deep cycling for your car.

2. You will lose power and gas mileage if you dillute with kerosene or use deisel #1. When I first got to Montana I noticed my 190D was huffing and puffing over the Ennis Hill after I filled up with the local brew. Their version of "winterized" was 50% - #2, 50 #1. Needless to say, the first tank of #2 that went in made my engine and I both a lot happier.

I prefer to add the anti-gel stuff, or buy the "winterized" stuff that isn't the local blend for winter. Your manual also should have the recipe for mixing kerosene in extrememly cold weather, based on temp range. If it doesn't, I can copy it out of my owner's manual and send to you.

Happy trails.

When it rains, it pours!