Don't talk about my brother-in-law like that. (even though its true)

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Hey, what about the other situation? My tach stopped working for a good 6-8 months, and just as I was getting used to ignoring the fact that it didn't work, it started working again! Maybe ignoring problems DOES make them go away...

Here's my sad story - 400E shakes at idle, diagnosis: bad motor mounts, install new motor mounts, shaking goes away, comes back about 2 minutes later, completely refurbish car over next six months looking for source of rough idle. Nothing touches it. Finally discover bad motor mount - new one failed after 2 minutes of service. And it was Boge Sachs, supposedly OEM.

They used to make bumper stickers describing these very situations. Went something like this: " Sh*#@ happens ".

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2007 C 230 Sport.

well that is a sad story.

and if you car hobby enough it will surely happen again. i have chased some pretty elusive problems in my day. i cant remember off the top of my head too many that were never overcome, eventually.

i once spent almost $2000 fixing an obscure problem on a 280e, and it eventually turned out to be the (new) distributor rotor, an aftermarket part that was a little too short and the spark just refused to jump after the cold start valve shut off.

then there was the time i spent almost 2000 to solve a timing problem onmy newly rebuilt 240 d motor. that one turned out to be a worn sleeve that connects the ip to the chain sprocket. install the pump, car runs fine for a while then jumps one of the really fine little teeth and suddenly it is down on poewer, then pretty soon it jumps another and suddenly the car wont go over 50, then finally it jumps agian and the car wont go over 30... now that is too slow even for an automatic equipped 240. and i couldnt find any mb mechanic who had ever seen it happen before and there were some pretty experienced ones who took a stab at it!

the trick is to avoid changing parts without being sure you have located the problem. and that is kindof like saying if you want to get rich buy low and sell high...easier said than done!

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I ALWAYS buy high and sell low.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I too, am high when I buy...explains why I paid too much on a lot of purchases!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

My wife swears I was on crack when I bought my former Jeep Grand Wagoneer. A great tow vehicle with ice cold a/c, but 6.5 mpg doesn't cut it nowadays.

I always purchase engine mounts from the dealer. Just because something is made by an OEM supplier does not mean it is made to OE specifications unless it is made for the OE manufacturer. Engine mounts are one of the more significant items where this holds true.

John Roncallo

interesting.

i will remember this.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I wouldn't remember it for too long. It's one of those great Mercedes myths. OE manufacturers make parts to OE specs. They don't go to the trouble of dumbing down the production line so that the non-dealer parts can fail prematurely and damage their good name that was on the box. Premature motor mount failure at the dealership is very common especially on heavier motors. This is not to say that there aren't bad motor mounts, or other aftermarket parts, available through non-dealer sources.

My dope dealer told me in advance that fixes don't last. He said I'd be back. He was right.

All joking aside, OEM parts are not necessarilly the same quality as MB parts stamped with the star on the same product. I have been asking the question of why for 30 years. You can buy a Whaller thermostat for example, and it comes 3 ways. If you buy from a dealer, it will have a star and part # on back and packaged in MB box. If it comes in red and blue Whaller box it will have no inscription on the back or it will have the star and MB part # scratched out with an electric pencil. It may or may not perforn as well as an original. I don't know if the QC inspectors were pulled off the line at the end of the MB run or if the non marked ones didn't meet specs. I don't know the answer, but I've been dealing with it for years.

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

i wonder if there are any other vehicles which use the same design motor mounts? so that they could be making similar mounts to different specs.

some of the mounts have a very different appearance than others.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.