EGR replacment paid by Mercedes? Gilly?
 

Has anyone been able to have Mercedes Benz replace the EGR in 94-5 E320's as a product recall item? (Recall Campaign # 95-0131 for all the models w/sticking EGRs.) GIlly, have you heard of this?

I can tell you a couple things. The first is that a dealer can probably write (from his discretionary fund) any warrantee he likes. MB isn't buying it outright.

I can also tell you that no one that works for MB long talks much about what they cover beyond their stated warrantee. If they do they won't be doing it long. One might think about that before publicly asking such a question of an MB employee.

In regards to the "discretionary" fund, this is referred to in the dealer environment as "DSA", Dealer Self Authorization. It actually is MB's money, they allocate a certain amount, depending on the size of the dealer and so-forth, for the dealer to use on out of warranty vehicles. DSA is commonly referred to as "Good Will Warranty, Customer Good Will, etc.
Most dealers will reserve this to help out their better customers, that is, people who buy cars at that dealership and/or frequent the service department. Makes good sense to utilize it in this manner.
I would first have a VMI run on the vehicle to see first of all if the car has an outstanding recall campaign that perhaps pertains to the EGR valve, it seems to me there is a actual campaign for the EGR valve on this car, and if it outstanding (ain't been done yet) then there is no question they will check it out and replace it if neccesary, free of charge.
In regards to Steve's last paragraph, I was never an "MB employee", just a dealer tech, and I may as well say it right here, I'm not there (at Zimbricks) any longer, been gone since April, but I'm still happy to help out here at MercedesShop. Not wrenching at all right now. (This is why I changed my user name to "Gilly" rather than "Gillybenztech")

Gilly

Where do you live Gilly? Want to work on a 1995 S-350 transmission in LA?

I'm in S. Wisconsin. So far I've done pads and rotors on a friend/customers 190 and that's it. My problem isn't tools, it's working space. Starting my own business really doesn't appeal to me either. Hard to get anything done without an actual shop with a hoist and other shop equipment.

Gilly

Gilly,

I was wondering why you changed your username.

Did you have a falling out at the dealership?

Or, have you just decided that you are going to pursue a completely different line of work?

In any event, I know we all appreciate your help on this forum, and hope that you continue to hang around and talk about cars, motorcycles, etc., even though you have been "abrasive since 1961". :D ;)

I guess you could say that the dealership made the decision for me, does that make it clear enough?

I do enjoy helping out here though, I plan on sticking around.
I have turned my part time job into my full time job, driving bus.
Gonna do that for awhile anyways, so far I like it well enough, really good hours. Start early in the morning, get done mid-afternoon. Pay isn't as good as I was making, but decent enough for the work I do I think.

Gilly

Strange thoughts come to my mind from your predicament.

I wonder if all those who have thought technicians cost too much see anything wrong when one is lost to driving a Bus. You are obviously an Allstar. It should be that you would have an easy life doing what you like. MB repair at your level should return to you that which you have obviously paid out.

Good Luck with whatever you like.

Gilly, MB just told me they would replace the EGR on the recall! Hopefully they won't charge me $400 to clean out the hot inlet pipe! I better clean it out myself because the CE light is triggered and I want to clean up everything BEFORE they combine it the EGR replacement and I get a whopping $500 bill, you know how service cost can esculate. Thanks you so much! And thank you Arthur Dalton on an associated thread.