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You've gotten good advice and have chosen not to follow it. I assume this is because you have a goal of fixing the car cheap. Several people have gone to great lengths to explain why the repairs must be done in a certain way. If you don't have the money to do this properly wait until you do.
Maybe you are trolling here and I don't get it. If so, well done... you got me. If not, you've failed and have done so in spectacular fashion that will leave scars for some time.
In case it still matters, I'll try one more time:
Take the car to a MB certified shop. Beg, beg and beg them to let you do the tear down and reassembly. Have them do the pull, bodywork and paint. Anything else and you've ruined the car and you'll need to part it out.
Car:$10348
Transport:$1550
Towing:$75
Fee:$100
Car Total-$12073
-------------------
Key:$350 - Due to arrive Tues, March 15.
OEM Taillights:$380
OEM Reinforcement:$245
OEM Bumper Cover:$240 - Black OEM Bumper cover due to Arrive Wed. March 16.
x4 OEM Sensors:$150
Frame pull/Body Work:Less Than $500
Paint:Less than $400
Repair Total:$2265
Total Car Cost:$14338
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-12-2016 at 04:01 PM.
Huh? He has a commercial auto refinishing business but doesn't own a spray booth? He's a painter who owns an expensive piece of equipment like a frame rack (which a painter has no use for) but doesn't have a spray booth, which is an essential piece of equipment for a painter?
Huh? He has a commercial auto refinishing business but doesn't own a spray booth? He's a painter who owns an expensive piece of equipment like a frame rack (which a painter has no use for) but doesn't have a spray booth, which is an essential piece of equipment for a painter?
You've gotten good advice and have chosen not to follow it. I assume this is because you have a goal of fixing the car cheap. Several people have gone to great lengths to explain why the repairs must be done in a certain way. If you don't have the money to do this properly wait until you do.
Maybe you are trolling here and I don't get it. If so, well done... you got me. If not, you've failed and have done so in spectacular fashion that will leave scars for some time.
In case it still matters, I'll try one more time:
Take the car to a MB certified shop. Beg, beg and beg them to let you do the tear down and reassembly. Have them do the pull, bodywork and paint. Anything else and you've ruined the car and you'll need to part it out.
Fixing it well, but on the cheap, was the point from the beginning.
I don't think you know what trolling means:
troll
trōl/Submit
verb
gerund or present participle: trolling
1.
informal
make a deliberately offensive or provocative online posting with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them.
Are you self-projecting when you speak about failure and lifelong scars?
Why should I beg MB? Beg them to charge me $10k for repairs? Thanks for the advice.
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-12-2016 at 04:46 PM.
Guys Ive seen some ****ty work on lots of cars for sale and plenty of people drive around w bad body work. Its a 10k car lets noty get all crazy about benz doing the work. Lets see the results.
The thing is, if the project is to buy a wrecked car cheap and on a shoestring budget turn it into something sort of passable from a viewing distance over twenty feet, that's not a very interesting project. If it's "watch me turn this poor wrecked S into a car you'd never know had been hit, and only spend a couple grand"-THAT'S an interesting thread.
If the finish on the back of the car will no longer match the front, why bother with cosmetics at all? Just pull the rear panel back enough to get the trunk to close, put the bumper and lamps back on and drive it as is.
The thing is, if the project is to buy a wrecked car cheap and on a shoestring budget turn it into something sort of passable from a viewing distance over twenty feet, that's not a very interesting project. If it's "watch me turn this poor wrecked S into a car you'd never know had been hit, and only spend a couple grand"-THAT'S an interesting thread.
If the finish on the back of the car will no longer match the front, why bother with cosmetics at all? Just pull the rear panel back enough to get the trunk to close, put the bumper and lamps back on and drive it as is.
That wouldn't suffice my perfectionist side. I'd like to get the 1/4 panels fixed, it looks gawdy at the moment.
I like the stock banana wheels I currently have. The 18's have a the most comfortable ride. Even though they are a tad small for the body.
I'm not into trying to make it look loud or "cool". I'm more for the comfort than the Edgy/fast look. I think it looks great the way it is. But a Khul Box fridge would be Sweeeet!
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-12-2016 at 07:03 PM.
I'll look at his recent work, and if its not up to snuff, have him only do the body and prep work and take it to someone with a better booth.
In most markets Mercedes doesn't have a body shop, they farm it out to "certified" indie shops. Find one of those. They won't charge you the high rate they bill Mercedes if you come in off the street but they'll have the right equipment and guys with experience on the S.
I'm not sure what they'd think of coming in midstream though, since they'll normally guarantee their work but they want to be involved start to finish. I'd at least let them write an estimate to do the pull and hand work, and paint.
I think the more important factor is not how it looks but how safe is it? It takes a trained eye to look at the frame, crumple zones and body overall to correctly assess the damage and properly fix it. This is too important to leave to chance if you are transporting your family around in this car. If you have friends in the business willing to give you at cost labor and rack time then great but I think it is a mistake to sidestep the inspection by going through Oregon. This whole story is on the internet at this point and if you do decide to sell at some point you could use this thread as a way to document how you fixed the car and made it roadworthy, thus blunting some of the devaluation based on the branded title. Opinions are like a#$holes, everyone has one, but at the end of the day you want a safe and sound car.
Good idea, I'l get an estimate once the 'Cedes starts. "Knock on wood grain"
Will you be able to register/insure as is? I guess you can slap on some plates and drive it, but these days with automated license plate scanning it may not be a great option.
I think the more important factor is not how it looks but how safe is it? It takes a trained eye to look at the frame, crumple zones and body overall to correctly assess the damage and properly fix it. This is too important to leave to chance if you are transporting your family around in this car. If you have friends in the business willing to give you at cost labor and rack time then great but I think it is a mistake to sidestep the inspection by going through Oregon. This whole story is on the internet at this point and if you do decide to sell at some point you could use this thread as a way to document how you fixed the car and made it roadworthy, thus blunting some of the devaluation based on the branded title. Opinions are like a#$holes, everyone has one, but at the end of the day you want a safe and sound car.
Well put!
I've gone through the inspection here in my city before. They are definitely Not a trained eye. They took my word that the car was done right, even though I used a tree and a Clickity clackity ratchet to pull the the metal back out. They looked at the headlight receipt I had and called it good.
I think any indi shop is worlds better then the inspection done by the state patrol here in Washington sense. This is just from my own experience.
Will you be able to register/insure as is? I guess you can slap on some plates and drive it, but these days with automated license plate scanning it may not be a great option.
If I take it through Oregon DMV first then yes.
But I have more respect for myself then to be seen in a beat up W221(Though its still a boss car). But if thats the case ill just rock my Acura until its finished.
If I want to insure it the damage has to be repaired, and then inspected by an insurance agent. You just bring it to them and they take a look and note anything that may keep them from paying a claim if that area is ever again in a collision. E.G., if I don't put on a reinforcement bar.
What do you mean by slap on plates? Plates not registered to the car? No thanks, I can borrow my buddy's dealer plates...
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-12-2016 at 08:30 PM.
What do you mean by slap on plates? Plates not registered to the car? No thanks, I can borrow my buddy's dealer plates...
I just meant that if you wanted to bring it in for some estimates, you'd need tags to drive it there. It looks like you have access to dealer plates, so that will allow you drive it as necessary.
I just meant that if you wanted to bring it in for some estimates, you'd need tags to drive it there. It looks like you have access to dealer plates, so that will allow you drive it as necessary.
I hardly find it buying a car as an investment unless one has deep pockets to cover all the losses if anything goes wrong , you know depreciation is a big factor here .
Well, I like Mike's posts and his helps and tips as well.
I have my best wishes for you to be happy with your choice
03-28-2016, 07:21 PM
