cracker123

Problems till now

Speakers replaced 3 time (3 front speakers + 1 rear)
Front drive side airbag problem in shop for 3 weeks
Front right suspension parts replaced
window problem's
+ couple others don’t remember
Major Engine problem

Yesterday the engine was doing weird things basically was shaking violently during idle, and the service guy talked about some carbon build up that screwed up the valves, I don’t remember what he exactly said, but it something pretty major for a new car. He said it will be in the shop for another 2weeks. The took the whole engine apart it was pretty cool to look at but sad thing that this had to happen on 7 month old car.

This engine problem was very major because when I stopped and tried to turn the car really did not respond could have a caused a major accident. I am not sure about the lemon laws in Texas, I will try to find out more information.

My service guy Ron Odom @ MB of Austin is awesome but there is only so much he can do if the car is manufactured poorly.

I would still buy a Mercedes for my next car, because the drive and service at MB of Austin is worth more than the problem.

RJC

My suggestions having been through this.

1) Process all lemon law paperwork asap (In FL its three unsuccessful repairs and or out of service for 30 cummulative days, which includes weekends).

2) After LL paperwork has been recieved by MBUSA ask for your dealer to contact local MB regional rep and ask for a meeting with him, a replacement car or refund would be in order.

3) Once you get close to the point of scheduling for the arbitration hearing MB will step up. Hopefully they will do the right thing before it gets you to the point of no return.

cracker123

But I dont think I can claim lemon yet becuase I have not had the same problem thrice.

I need to talk with a lemon law attorney.

Jon200

good luck with ya problems

vadim

Speaking of carbon deposits on the valves: not sure how the car has been driven since new, but this may have happened because of babying the car (=underrevving the engine) all the time, especially during break-in period, and a "short-trip" pattern of use, where you drive just a few miles not allowing the engine to completely warm up before shutting it down.

I am not stating that this is necessarily the case with your car, but it could be one of likely reasons.

cracker123

I think you are right on the bat with the reason with the reason Carbon deposits. I live 1 mile from work so there is no time for the car to warm up. Also I dont 0-60 to0 much. I shuttle about 6 times from work-home in a day, and every time the car does not have enough driving time.

I dont quite understand the babying part during the breakin period.

Thanks for interesting knowledge.

Guest0001

Sorry man, looks like you got a bad one. The engine and airbag problem are the major ones to me. I would get rid of the car if these persist.

HITMAN

LOL, MB OF AUSTIN IS GREAT!!!!

Im glad my car hasnt been trouble................yet.

mctwin2kman

That's your problem with the Carbon Build-up. If you live that close to work why the heck are you driving? If you need to drive then I suggest driving around the block once or twice to warm the engine up properly and at least taking her out on the open road once a week to blow the carbon out. You need to rev that engine up or you will keep having this problem, no matter what car you drive!

As for lemon law you need to of course check with the state and of course have a major problem keep re-occuring. The air bag problem and other issues are not going to make it a lemon. As they do not affect the drivability of the car. The engine could make it a lemon but has to happen more than once. And they could turn around and mention your driving habbits and that the engine is going to do that thus making it not a lemon but your fault for not following proper prescribed warm up procedures.

cracker123

I mean only the works trips are short but after work, I drive to other places I already have about 11,000 miles on the car which is I got in May. I drive a lot around town, or make quite a few trips to houston. On an average day I drive around 10-30 miles, and on the weekends it is greater. Since I do drive a bit, those short work trips should not be such a big deal.

Well my 01 C240 did not suffer from the same problem but it would stall sometimes on cold start, and stopped once on the highway. 330ci also never had any problem of this sort.

I was thinking about getting an CLK any way, may be I will make the switch some time next year lets see.

cracker123

good, becuase I frankly think it is luck,

mctwin2kman

Ah I see. Then I guess the next question is how do you drive it on these trips? Do you rev it up once in a while or keep it lower in the RPM range. While I agree after 11,000 miles it should not have that kind of carbon buildup yet, it does seem like a problem. Maybe it is the gas you use or just a bad engine! Who knows, lets just hope they get it all fixed up for you. Or just Buy it Back!!!

RJC

You don't need an attorney I did mine myself. Just get the info off the State website and get familiar with it. You may be getting close to 30 days out of service wih all the visits you list, hopefully this applies in Tx.

cracker123

I think it said 30 days in a row.

akbro93704

about the carbon buildup--are you using premium unleaded fuel?? Using lower than 91 octane can make carbon buildup problems worse

cracker123

As far as gas goes, I only use the Shell Vpower, nothing less. I have always used Shell on all my cars, no problem with it.

from190e_cs

Wow

Burnt Toast

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/mvd/lemon/lemonlaw.htm

wala... a 9 min 50 sec video all on the texas lemon laws.. why read when you can watch

cracker123

Well the Austin dealer couple of months ago decided to buy back the car, and I ended up getting a CLK320. MB Austin rocks.

skahung

Congratz, how much did they buy it back for $$$???

from190e_cs

Thats cool, is the Austin Dealer the original dealer you bought it from ? And how much was the buy back

Tishers

Since I am in that ordering phase, due to weird circumstances I own properties in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. I guess that I could register my vehicle at any of those addresses. I will probably stick with TN where I live now.

But I went to look up Lemon Laws in Dixie, in TN it's 4 repairs on the same problem but it also says "reasoable attempts".. Sounds like lawyer fodder and arbitration (yuk).

Alabama law states that if your car is a lemon, the dealer must give you four chickens and a good coon dog. <j/k>