Hi Gurus,

My E320 catalytic converter, in one of the exhaust pipes, is gone. Something is broken inside it and it rattles when the engine is running. Very annoying!! Mercedes will not cover for it and they are asking $1100 for parts and $600 for labor amounting to $1,700.

A local muffler garage (Meineke) told me that they can cut off the catalytic converter and replace it with an aftermarket one (MagnaFlow) which is supposed to work on an E320. They will do so by welding and clamping.

Is this second option acceptable? Of course Mercedes Service says NO. Can someone shed some light into this?

Thank you!!

A lot of the cheaper cat's will last for a very short time before needing replacment. On that new of a car I would suggest doing the MB part as you will have a serious resale hit to anyone who peeks under your car with a flaslight. Using aftermarket parts on a car that new makes a statement about how much an owner cares about their car.

I'd have a hard time spending $1,700 for a catalyst!

I would look for a better deal on an OE one & have different shop install it..

You didnt say which side is bad but factory flat rate time is less than 3 hrs times local rate ($100 an hr). Sounds like they are asking way too much for labor!

Is it a 4-matic..they are harder to install.

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
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first i thought that mercedes had to cover an emmissions related part for 80,000 mls.second you will find it easier and cheaper to replace both cats[one gone other going soon] so as to keep back pressure even.then whoever looks under the car will see the same thing on both pipes.shouldn't be a problem to sell.

__________________
David S Poole
European Performance
Dallas, TX
4696880422

"Fortune favors the prepared mind"
1987 Mercedes Benz 420SEL
1988 Mercedes Benz 300TE (With new evaporator)
2000 Mercedes Benz C280
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Many times sleazy dealerships will intentionally mislead customers because they make more money from customer paid repairs than they do reimbursed repairs. Most car makers have flat rate labor that they are willing to pay and part of the dealership franchising includes a substantial discount for parts and labor.

You can test if your dealing with a sleazy dealer by calling up and asking for a next day appointment on some oddball warranty covered item on your car. Call back in 5 minutes and ask to schedule an oil change or major service next day and amazingly they are not booked solid for a week like they were 5 minutes previoiusly. Thats one of the reasons I never make appointments at dealerships. I show un announced and mysteriously they have always been able to get me a loaner and get my car in at the last minute if I was having a service of some kind done. One of the many tricks I learned from owning new Volvo's.

Call MBUSA customer service and find out if your car is covered or not. Report to them that their dealership is giving misinformation if it is covered (they probably won't care but you never know).

Thank you for all your answers. So this is the passangers' side catalyst. MB charges $1100 only for the passangers side. If I want to replace both I have to add another $1100 so it will be roughly $3000 including labor. Considering the car has around 120,000 miles on it and the price paid was in the low 10Ks it makes me wonder. Aftermarket seems the most logical solution .... but again I might be wrong!