vmystikilv

Having had quite a few of these I have learned to usually let them go right before 160K because that is when midlife crisis for these cars kick in. This is a list of things that have gone wrong or needing touched on in my s500. I am starting to see a pattern here with other 500's I have had.


My S now has 166k. I would have got rid of it, but I just love the car too much. This is what I have replaced in the last 6k miles


1. Radiator (Always fails around this time)
2. Upper Radiator Hose (Same)
3. Engine Mounts ( usually worn way before this any ways)
4. Valve Cover Gaskets (getting done weds)
5. Rear Airmatic shock (sitting on closet, only leaks when it drops below 20F degrees) Ill change it soon enough
6. Coils and Spark Plugs
7. New 20" brabus wheels, Ok, so this is personal.
8. Rear license plate lights (LED's are nice, no fault code)
9. New Cd changer (old one went for a swim when I slightly left the trunk open)
10. New wood steering wheel
11. New tires to go with this wheels (255/35/20)
12.AC Recharge
13. Front Brakes
14. New Airmatic shock for front passenger
15. Oil Change
16. Turn Signal Bulbs (old ones had become discolored)




Hopefully I am done for a little while. I just want about 15k more miles out of her and then I will sale(possibly just keep on the side) and get a 2006 or something. I like this body and styling more than the w221. Time will tell. Happy motoring everyone.

Welwynnick

I'm pretty much where you are with my first S600TT.

Similar miles and similar things going wrong. A long list, come to think of it.

Nick

vmystikilv

Singing


"Everybody Hurts........."

tusabes

Engine mounts and valve cover gaskets for sure
transmission tend to go at 180-230k miles

vmystikilv

Seriously, say it aint so....... Anything preventative I can do before then?

cmpcpro

Keep the fluid flushed and filter changed on time.

vmystikilv

Interesting, my guy that does the big Manitence stuff I cant or don't feel like doing told me not to do it when I thought about it at 150k because it had never been done before.

cmpcpro

Unfortunately that's usually recommended on trannies like yours that had never been properly serviced. Sometimes when they have been abused like that changing the fluid can remove all the clutch particles that are holding it together so usually it's recommended to just keep the fluid and run it til it drops. If your tranny had been serviced correctly he wouldn't have said that.

vmystikilv

Whatever happen to that lifetime fluid Mercedes talked about?

cmpcpro

They very quickly got tired of replacing trannies and changed it. Proper is about 50-75k. My guy sees very dirty oil at 60k

tusabes

Unless you have a service history showing the transmission has been serviced regularly , it is best never to open it and let it die its natural death

starting to service it at 150k for the first time is just asking for trouble

you can get good used transmissions for $300-500 so that's the best thing to do if it fails

vmystikilv

That's what I thought. If or when is does, they are all over the place for under a 1,000 installed. I shall ride to Vahala !!!!! MEDIOCRE!!!!!!!

Welwynnick

This is what happened to mine after I changed the oil at 160k:





Nick

vmystikilv

What am I looking at and what the heck happened???

Welwynnick

That looks like the transmission K2 clutch, which mates with the output gear-set sun-wheel.

My car has a Euro-charged tune, and I upgraded the intercooler system quite significantly. It took a long time to get the ignition and the IC working right. Then when I finally did, I broke the gearbox, which I rebuilt about a year ago. Not as difficult as you might think.

Nick