After purchasing yesterday..and a chance today to inspect what I bought..I have some questions. I'm getting a grip..slowly..here. No oil dip stick..but only an act of congress with car level and the computer..and temp, to check oil level...After 20 minutes (warm-up) did I understand how to access the in-dash screen for information...It said I'm a quart low! ....20 minutes!....I am partial and am comparing my other car to this w203...that has a engine oil 'dip-stick' a car a year newer a German comparable..yet neither have a dip-stick for their automatic transmissions. The car seems to have all available options offered for the w203...including the Bose sound system and CD player...I think the seats are MB tex, not leather..but who cares! Most concerning on my list is the front-end clunk...not a big deal, it could be anything including struts and more or as little as sway-bar mounts. Another issue concerning me was the choice of transmission fluid the previous owner installed...He put in a concoction of 'All-in-one' Dex 2-3-6...for Ford thru to Aston Martin...from WalMart... I doubt he ran enough thru to include the torque converter. I'm not worried about that now but will do it proper in the spring. I'm more concerned about seeing a 'quart low' on oil. He said he used 0-10 Mobil one....I think. Personally I like 10-30.....What do you think?

 

I also have a front end clunk that persists after replacing front and rear control arm bushings and sway bar end links. When I lowered my car to the ground after doing the work, I noticed the strut tops moved as the car settled. Maybe I need to replace the front strut mounts or can they be tightened down so they dont move? I'm sure thats it as I go over the bumps, the strut mounts move around in the strut tower housing area and since its metal on metal, makes noise. Will research more on the forum.

 

I replaced upper strut bushings in an Audi a6...simple to do...but I found out that there are really shoddy after-market replacement suppliers...even listed on Pelican and others..I posted a note to myself 5 years ago "NEVER buy replacement parts labeled from "MEYLE" ....ever again!

 

Thanks for your reply...I'd guess I should redact my Audi story. German cars, in my life experience..1962-and to this date..do share many similarities..unlike any from all the world..including the USA. German cars...VOLKSWAGAN...MERCEDES BENZ...AUTO UNION-AUDI...and more...have a history to be.....I drive MB, Audi, BMW...and in 1967 my late sisters 'green VW bug.

 

Maxlife ATF for the transmission, 0w40 or 5w40 synthetic for the e gine every 10k miles.