320ML Rattle and black material in A/C duct
 

My girl friend's ML developed a rattling noise underneath and some sponge rubber material pieces are coming out of the A/C ducts ?? Any idea what that might be in terms of the reason or source. I imagine there are some filters back in there, but don't know where and wonder why the rattling noise?
The car has over 90K on it now; has been a good runner.

Rattle in ML 320
 

As I feared, the rattle in this ML was the "cats". They are apparently starting to degenerate internally. The black material from the A/C vents is just the foam rubber also disintegrating a bit in some area back in the A/C tubes; not serious enough to have the whole dash torn off.

Question tho'? MB quoted $3K for the cats replacement. What lower cost alternatives are there? I know you can save money by going to a regular mechanic for the job, but are there some workable after market cats that can be purchased and effectively installed??

"ML Cats"
 

I keep answering my own posts .... I found cats on the net at about $350 apiece and can have them both installed at Meineke for about $125 ... at total cost for 2 cats and inst of $900 prox.... much better than the $3000 quoted by the MB dealer!!

Do they have Meineke here in TX? I moved down from the Chicago area just over a year ago; we had them there, but I didn't think they had them here...

Meineke Muffler shops
 

Quite a few of them in DFW area; look in yellow pages book or on line to find addresses and phone numbers.... BC