Many people report not wanting to work on their cars because they find the engine cover too daunting to remove. It may just be a big chunk of plastic, but it’s a strong psychological barrier to a lot of car owners.
If you pop the hood on a modern car, you’ll see a big plastic engine cover hiding a lot of vital hoses and wires. In your case, you’ll probably see a three-pointed star on that shroud. If you want to save a little money by doing your own wrenching on your Mercedes-Benz, you just pop that off and get to work, right?
The answer to that question might be a “Yes” for you. Unfortunately, that’s not the answer a lot of other people would give. According to Haynes Manuals, the publishers of a variety of automotive repair content, “When asked, interviewees said they said they were intimidated by the covers because they were afraid they would break something while trying to remove the covers or void their warranties. Additionally, they said they couldn’t see the engine underneath them and that they felt it was too daunting to remove them.”
That’s a real shame because that cover prevents a lot of learning and saving. If you’re willing to DIY under the hood of your car, a great start is learning how to get to the engine itself in the first place. That’s where the real challenges are.
If you’d rather leave the cover off once you remove it, Haynes has a few suggestions as to what you can do with it:
-Hang it on your wall and tell people it’s modern art
-Use it as a serving tray for the holidays
-Make some extra cash and sell it on eBay
-Turn it into a litter box
-Wear it as body armor for Halloween
-Give it to someone you don’t like as a gift. Watch confusion ensue.
-Fill it with ice and put beer in it at parties
-Throw it in the trash
We have another suggestion: Send it to a fellow MB World forum member who needs it for their car.
Looking for a good deal on a new Mercedes-Benz? Get insider information here.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
