did my mech just rip me off? 1993 300CE W124.052
 

could it be my mechanic ripped me off just to get a job done? i got a brand new oem serp belt put in by him, already has signs of wear (is it cause it was sitting outside in his shop) [Mr.MB motors]
it seems when i turn the steering wheel all the way the pulley from the ps pump, or the ps pump itself seems to squeel, and cause the engine to shake alot more, while dropping the rpms to 400 - 500 or stalling.

not to mention my car seems to be dripping tranny oil, and engine oil, when he said it's okay, don't worry about it..?

Need more information.

What year / kind of car?

Miles?

Why was the belt changed?

What sort of belt wear are you seeing?

Are you holding the steering wheel hard against the limit?

You should provide more info.

Mr. MB has a good reputation. It's likely that if it leaks a little as old MBs are prone to, it's OK to live with the leaks and Mr. MB was just trying to save you a load of money. LA shop rates are probably around $100/hr and chasing fluid leaks can get very very expensive at that rate. The car has to come apart to fix most of them, which takes time and costs the owner big money. For example: the rubber seal may only be 5 or 10 bucks, but getting to it requires pulling the engine and transmission, thereby making the cost of fixing the leak uneconomical. If you have multiple simultaneous leaks as is commonplace it would be cheaper to buy a new car than have a good mechanic like Mr. MB fix those leaks. Slow, weeping leaks will not kill the car as long as you keep an eye on the levels and don't run low, which is likely what Mr. MB had in mind when they said don't worry about it. I'm sure they tire of customers getting sticker shock from what the customer thinks is going to be a cheap repair.

A serpentine belt will not show signs of wear from the car sitting outdoors. If this was true every car in the world would need new belts every day. Engine heat and age are what wears a belt, not parking outdoors.

If you are turning the wheel to full lock in either direction, the pump will make noise. Try changing your power steering fluid or resealing the pump.

From what I have read and understand about Mr. MB Motors, it's a very good shop. So I would have to say no you haven't been ripped off.

1993 300CE, 253k miles, although it is a tmu, the belt was about due for a change, changed it for a brand spanking new one, but it seems to have signs of little nicks and whatnot by the pulleys, yes I put the wheel all the way to diagnose a steering issue.. The reason I went to mr.mb is the reputation, but didn't seem so good.. Thought it was cheap but.. At the end, he charged me double of what it was supposed to be.. Still cheaper than other shops though

I talked to some others on the forums such as ps2cho about it, and seems mr.mb is overrated for certain things

Did you give him a chance to answer your concerns? Or was it easier to bash him on the internet?

:rolleyes:

So, did you ask for an estimate and then, without your authorization, the shop doubled the cost the repair?

or, much more likely:

The shop found other issues and parts needs and you authorized the additional expense.

It's a 20 year old car with very high miles, what exactly was the shop supposed to do about your leaks? If they told you not worry about it them don't. Because I'm sure you would expect a concourse restored automobile if you had them fix the leaks by the tome of your comments.

he wouldn't even give me a chance to explain.. and when i asked him if i can bring my own parts.. such as air filter.. he just said "you don't go to a restaurant and bring your own food materials"

why would he take you for just a belt? too many other possibilities, like, maybe it needs the fan bracket, tensioner or otherwise to make the belt run correctly? those plastic pulley do age and maybe they were missed by the tech.

as far as parts, it's part of the gross profit the shop needs to maintain overhead, just like the eggs in a diner. all things considered, your opinion and his reaction, maybe try once more. if that doesn't work, then find a new shop. good luck, chuck.

The only time they used my parts was when I was in for an oil change they said the beld looked poor, I suggested they use the MB spare belt I keep in my trunk, I purchased another afterward from parts, service advisor had no issues

I guess I am really lucky than, my Indy allows me to bring my own parts & he just provides the labor. :)

While we still don't have all the info, it does appear gabzor is expecting too much from a old car with interstellar miles, wants to cheap out on repairs by bringing bought parts, is whining, and can't be pleased.

How do I come to this conclusion? It is more of a preponderance of issues rather than just one. I've seen this kind of thing before as I had owned / operated a auto repair shop from 88 to 97. ( I'm now doing the engineering thing at a factory. )

Before anyone says a MB should last forever, some materials on these cars are no different from what one would find on a 20 year old VW or even a Chevy Cavalier.


The belt wear description you give is still vague, are the "little nicks" on the flat side or the ribbed side of the belt? Micro V belts will have some graininess on the ribbed side and the back side will show signs of the fabric as the flat pulleys burnish the surface. Some Micro V belts have notched ribs so it can bend around pulleys with less wear.

Patient: “Doctor it hurts when I go like this”.
Doctor (Groucho Marx ): “Well then don't go like this”.

Really, holding the steering to the limit isn't advisable. The engine vibration is caused by the steering pump dragging the motor down due to high pressure at the limit, the noise could be anything from vibration to a failing tensioner.

Losing 4 to 500 RPM is a engine performance issue not a belt issue.

" The reason I went to mr.mb is the reputation, " I'm happy

" but didn't seem so good.. " I'm sad

" Thought it was cheap but " I'm happy

" At the end, he charged me double of what it was supposed to be. " I'm sad

" Still cheaper than other shops though " I'm happy

Bi polar car repair?"

Double of what he said it was estimated to be or after finding other problems , double of the repairs were needed? I find it hard to believe that specialty shop could miss quote a fan belt change by half. Unless. . . There were some other " I won't know what needs replaced until I have it apart " type repairs performed and you are lumping this into the belt change.


So you thought a belt change would cure the oil leak? Or, you are complaining that the oil leaks were caused by the belt change? Or you are complaining that the shop said the oil leaks were OK for a high mile old car. ( and you would complain about the cost to repair those leaks if given a estimate )


I had a speech to give to those that wanted to bring bought parts ( hint, to a one those that wanted to bring bought parts were problem customers that expected free work, would blame any new ills on the most recent repair and a would expect their neglected car to be " new and fully overhauled " when they had the spark plugs changed. )

Speech
"I do not put on bought parts, and here is why. . .
First, if the parts are wrong it ties up my shop.
Second, if the part fails, who gets blamed?. . . Usually the mechanic does.
Third, I make a mark up on parts,. . . I am entitled to make a living.
You will find that most, better garages, do not put on bought parts."

Now, there were specific instances where at my request I had loyal customers source parts only because the parts were a ordeal for me to source in the pre internet days ( Fiat Spyder for example )

Well, I will agree more or less on most part with you but saying, I make a mark up on parts to make living,

What is per hour labor that customer is paying is?

$100 to $150 per hour labor is not cheap. Most high paying jobs (1,00,000 salary is $50/hr) are half of that on per hour basis if you know what i mean.

I have long stories about going to different mechanics and felt having been ripped of some time or other. Not one exception. I feel like it's easier to find at least one honest lawyer, doctor or politician then mechanic.

That's why I do most job myself and do my home work before going to them and don't let them sell part to me. Take estimate of repair job and explanation with symptom from at least three of them, go online, find diy link , check if it's easy or difficult, see it special tool is required, usually cheaper to buy even for one time job and try to do it yourself.

It ain't an easy way to make a living!

At least at the shop I've used in the past, he doesn't care about you bringing in your own parts but they had better be Original Equipment or you forfeit your right to complain in the event of failure. By the by, any work he has done which involved the replacement of anything has never failed. Good independent mechanics absolutely hate aftermarket parts because they frequently make them look bad due to the shoddy quality.

Really, if you're resorting to professional help with your 20 year-old MB(not a fiscally responsible choice, but that's another discussion altogether) you should appreciate the convenience of not having to source your own parts or deal with availability and shipping times. I think the relatively nominal upcharge for OE parts is OK by me and seems fair all things concerning auto repair considered.

understand the shop is billing 100-150/hour but you can bet no one in the building is earning anywhere CLOSE to 100k/yr. like i said, lotsa overhead. i can list it, but i digress. and so it goes, chuck.

after you do your homework,go online, bother shops with estimates that you have no inttention of using, why don't take it a step further and call the mechanic and wast some more of his time by having him help you fix your botched job via phone.