TexFinn

Yes, definitely a shady sounding shop. However, you need to look into the mirror yourself, too. Quite a few mistakes on your part.

Hopeflly you learned your lesson.

MBFanBryan

Ok what was my mistake???

torake

That's your mistake right there.

A "complete tune up" can be very expensive on a mercedes. Do you know that there for instance are 12 spark plugs @ $15 plus 2 hour labour to change them? Oil change+flush on the transmission requires 12-14 quarts of trans fluid@ $20 plus 2 hours labour. The 229.5 motor oil alone is 8 quarts @$10-20 depending on brand.

There is a thought out service plan for your vehicle, if you stick to it it'll keep your costs reasonable.

MBFanBryan

I don't mind the extra high costs of maintenance of owning a Mercedes that's a given for a premium luxury vehicle. I understood that when I bought it. What I DO MIND is some shady jerky mechanic owner lying to my face TWICE! He could have just said the complete tune up is $1,500 and to change the spark plug wires is $327 total instead he is saying lower prices then gouging me on the final invoice lying to my face twice! Why is he giving me low price ranges verbally and won't write the costs of parts and labor before working on my car? When I owned other vehicles that was Normal to be able to get ALL COSTS in Writing BEFORE work is done there is approval and signatures so all of a sudden if I own a Mercedes it's ok to lie and price gouge me by shady mechanics??? I did not sign up for that!

And is he doing this to all his customers? Probably not because I am more than certain they would be pissed off and not come back to a liar so its obvious that he is doing it to just me!

But regardless of the above I posted this because I Would Like a Recommendation for a Honest & Good Independent MB Garage Mechanic in Los Angeles please folks someone tell me this exists and is in Los Angeles??? That's what I REALLY NEED one that will write down actual costs of parts and labor BEFORE they start work I can approve and sign it not after! Every car and garage I went to before owning a MB does this so all of a sudden because I can afford to own a Mercedes then I have to deal with jerky lying shady mechanics? I did not sign up for that!

Please someone suggest and recommend a Honest & Good Independent Los Angeles MB Mechanic/Garage thanks!!!

Glyn M Ruck

We have plenty of members in your area. Hopefully someone will recommend a shop.

KHARBAT1

If you owned cars that long, you should know that " All Good & Honest mechanics are in heaven " .hahahhah

phister

try using yelp or google that lets you see reviews. call up the shops and see if they do it the right way and list all parts and labor. A good repitual shop would be able to get you prices on parts and labor and give you a call back letting you know the price range.

Glyn M Ruck

Guys on this thread (NOT phister) that keep trying to pass smart comments please pack it in. Please either help the OP or stay out of it. If you can't clean up your own sandbox we will do it for you. Enough!

TexFinn

Wow... Not sure who all that was directed to, but since phister was the only one excluded, I'll bite.

Mistakes by OP:

1. Not doing his research before choosing a shop.
2. Clearly not defining what this "tune up" consists of. At least according to the info provided, that was not done.
3. Not getting a written estimate.
4. Going back to him after taken for a ride already. Especially since the repairs needed were not severe enough to require immediate attention.

Those are the major ones, I would say, but I'm sure you get the drift. He DID as whether he was ripped off, after all, and I gave him my opinion.

Also, I'm pretty sure there still is a law in almost every state which makes it illegal for the repair shop to exceed an estimate by more than 10% (or maybe 15%, not sure). I would be surprised if CA didn't have something like that. Then again, since OP did not have a written estimate, there's no recourse and he has to suck this up as a lesson learned.

And no, since I'm not from is local area, I do not have a recommendation for a respectable shop. My apologies. However, I don't think OP owning MB probably has no effect on what the shop owner was doing. I'm sure that as long as people allow hom to do tha, he will continue to do that, regardless of the brand of the vehicle being serviced.

Not sure if this now fulfills the requirements of a legitimate response. If yes, great. If not, oh well. Then you gotta do what you gotta do.

Glyn M Ruck

We all make mistakes. People come here for help not wise cracks. The bigger the mistake the more positive help they need. Not all are technically or business savvy.

pcy

^ +1

Carsy

+2

Its nice to have a 'happy character' on the forum.

Good on ya Bryan , we love ya !!

From Australia.

ishbucs

C240 sedan

Im new to the blog and i have a question. while driving my benz i lost power steering and drove it like that until i got to work 3 miles down the road when i got there a opened my hood and a lil smoke came out and water drianed from the bottom of my car did i mess up my benz bad please advise thank you!!!!!!

note: temp wasnt shoing overheated
and im also a new benz owner fisrt time i ever had a major issue with my car too.

Glyn M Ruck

What do you mean by water drained from the bottom of your car? Did you blow a water hose or is it from using the aircon drain?

Otherwise, replace the polyV belt, check all hoses & coolant level & start the car & see how it runs.

ishbucs

I haven't checked I parked it I had to start working so I will deal with it when I get out.

But when my power steering when out after that about 2- minutes later my check coolant level came on I was all ready pulling in my parking lot at work. I parked and noticed a little smoke on my driver side coming up from the bottom area and noticed water draining down from that area. I fallowed back the spots of water I assume it was back to see if it had been draining as I was pulling in the parking lot and about half was out the tracks stopped so I'm thinking it just started doing it as I was parking my car. I'm just very afraid I may have caused a Engine problem like I said this my first benz never had an issue and I hope I didn't damage it more while I drove like they for a 2 miles

pcy

One of the broken pieces of the belt may have hit one of the cooling system hoses - causing the coolant to leak. Based on your description, it doesn't sound like the car is over heated. You will need to inspect the source of that water (likely, it's coolant) and need to replace if any of the hoses is damaged; also you will need to get a new belt.

I wonder why the belt broke. How many miles on the car? Was the belt ever changed?