Please do your homework and research repair procedures before doing any "simple" brake system repairs on this car. The SBC needs to be deactivated before doing any work involving brake pads or calipers. You risk bodily harm or damage to the car otherwise.

Most dealers these days do a look over of the car and recommend needed repairs. That's how they make money. You can decline any additional repairs and come away from it with an idea of what work the car may need.

Good luck with your dealership experience. Hopefully all goes well!

Robert

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Mercedes Benz Master Tech - Retired

Well, here is a follow up on my MB dealership experience;

The good;

The car was transported from my house on an island at no cost to me to nearest dealership. They fixed the brakes and brought car back to boat terminal, so all I had to do is go over and drive on boat to get it back.

The "OK";

They told me the rear brake lines started leaking when system was being tested. Fortunately, I had looked at the car on my lift, and had noticed a leaky line, so I know they were not lying. I decided not to fix myself, as I was afraid them seeing home made lines would violate their warranty protocol, but perhaps this was a mistake.

They told me it would be around $1,600 to replace the two lines, which is absurd, but I figured I did not have much choice, as the car would have been un safe to transport (includes freeway driving) without repair, and I knew it was unlikely I'd get out of there for free in the first place.

They suggested a few other repairs at exorbitant prices, which I declined. My trust level was lowered by being told the battery was 17 years old.

The not so good;

I told them there was an open safety recall on sun roof, they said they would look into it, they did not repair, and I got an official letter from MB informing me of recall the day after I got the car back.

I ordered a spare key, as I only had one, for $225, but they forgot to put in car, so they just sent it Fedex, and it is a key for a late model Audi. Not so much a fault of dealership maybe, but what I am beginning to expect due to my back and forth with my assigned "service rep" who is either "out to lunch" or passive/aggressive.

Question; Anyone know how immanent a danger my sunroof glass is to blowing out? I'm not sure I want to deal with the dealership again any time soon, and I doubt I'd get free transport for that.

The sunroof issue is simply an inspection to see if the glue holding the glass to the mechanism has deteriorated. In most cars they're not replacing the sunroof, just inspecting it.

I would have an independent shop replace the leaking brake line.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

Sixteen hundred to replace two rear break lines? Unless unbelievably complex to do. Do read up on issues with the brake unit if any in doing this.

I only went to one dealer once. There were customers picking up their cars. The bills they were paying where out of this world for the jobs involved.

When I asked a price for what I wanted done as I was on the road. It was almost unbelievable. They could fit me in somehow as well. I declined their nice offer.

I have no issue with companies making a profit. I do have issues with clip joints. Instead I paid a local shop to do it when I got home. It was something I could not do myself. Thirty dollars and out the door.