codeblue5007

>>>>Whether you agree with my assessment or not, the fact still remains that out of warranty repairs, remain to be the responsibility of the owner, not the manufacturer. And while there are laws that might protect the consumer under some circumstances, none of those apply in any of these cases. One law is related to safety recalls and I briefly touched on why that does not apply in this case, in my previous post. The other laws that apply in cases where a vehicle might experience a mechanical break down are more commonly referred to as "Lemon laws". >>>>>


IGB, your position is simply caveat emptor -- buyer beware. As you see it, it governs all purchases of all goods in commerce, with strict limits regarding warranties and some allowance for safety issues. But the marketplace has changed Roman times. Changes include consumer protection laws, class action suits and implied warranties of merchantability, which in essence means that people should get what they reasonably expected when they bought the new or used Mercedes from a dealer. A Mercedes that needs an out-of-the-blue $1700 repair for a faulty EIS/ESL after 50K is not a regular maintenance issue and certainly not what the buyer expects. I think Mercedes should make it right.


It's particularly obnoxious to hear you say that buyers of C-Class Mercedes can't afford anything more expensive and are looking for "freebies". I own several cars. Do you even own a Mercedes? A freebie is the lollipop your mother gave you when you were a good boy. What the people in this forum are looking for is information they can use to shame Mercedes into fixing this obvious design or manufacturing defect. That's a legal and legitimate pursuit. No one here needs to hear a pedantic explanation of what a warranty is, which is in any event beside the point.


And by the way, DaimlerChrysler is no more. The parent company is Daimler AG. Buying Chrysler was a big mistake and may even be one of the reasons the 203 and 204 C-Class have so many reliability issues. It certainly wasn't in best interests of the shareholders.

chunkyhao

Thanks! I appreciate the info.

DrYoloSwag

Just adding myself to the list. Maybe someone should start a change.org or some kind of list to get real numbers on.

I have 88k miles on my C350. I have never had an issue with the key not working. I drove the car and parked in the morning last week. Thirty minutes later neither the key, nor the backup would work at all. They could still lock and unlock and I could even use remote start to actually start up the car... but the key still needs to be recognized before you can move so no dice.

Dealer invoice says "Replace Electronic Steering Lock and advise". Price is $998 and does not include any other line items other than a free car wash.

I called another certified tech and he confirmed that "while he can replace this part and used to do so when he worked at the dealership" it's a theft related item and only the dealer can have, install, and program this part.

Also search around... there are several other threads talking about this issue. This one is probably the longest, but the others avoid the annoying politics.

LandSeaAir

You got ripped off, that part is only $125

And you got 100,000 miles on a Benz, theres a lot to the car, things are gonna go wrong as they do on a lot of other 100k german cars. The 204 has actually been one of the most reliable Benzes made. I agree the EIS sucks, but thats an 08 thing. Just had my cv joint rebuilt for $650 as opposed to paying $1300 for a new one. Its the price you gotta pay. Im guessing this is your first Benz, once you get another car, you'll probably appreciate the Benz more. Also, most Benzes aren't always lemons

black lavender

Add me to the list.

Good news:
- Car was already at the Dealership getting repaired in the body shop for a fender-bender.

Bad news:
- Another problem with this car.


I'm confident I will be getting rid of the C-Class. It's been nothing but problems.

Funkwagen

Well, the sound of my steering lock has changed to a slow groan from what it used to be... Which means failure at any time. What should my course of action be? How is this not a recall..

codeblue5007

Since the ESL will likely fail, the best course of action is to bring it to the the dealership and negotiate the best repair cost you can given the failure rate of the lock. thanks for reporting it here. What's the year and mileage of the car for the record?

Funkwagen

2010 C250, Just a few hundred km under 80,000km. Just noticed the change in the noise today, now I'm terrified to take the car anywhere seeing as it might strand me.

IGB

I swear, this is starting to sound like a witch hunt! Forget the basic underlying reasons why this issue might occur; instead, and in an attempt to ride on people's emotions, and to further make a mound out of a mole hill, mislead people into believing that EVERY ESL/EIS in EVERY C300 will undoubtedly fail!

For srarters, someone mentioned that the same ESL/EIS modules are used in most, if not all MBZ vehicles. If that is the case, and if every module is destined to break down, then we would see each and every MBZ owner who owns a late model MBZ on here complaining. Well, that hasn't happebed yet!

Fact of the matter is, no one can articulate any valid connection between the noise that you hear at start up versus ESL or EIS failure.

Furthermore, the failure seems to be more electronic, i.e. the electronic circuitry of one module failing to recognize some electronic identifying signal from another; instead of mechanical i.e. related to the steering wheel locking or not. Even if this issue turns out to be a mechanical issue that is somehow related to the noise we would hear at startup, there have been instances where only replacing EIS resolved the issue. So again, suggesting that one should go to a dealer to negotiate a repair of a failure that has not happened, is premature and unreasonable!

And in reality, how does one expect a dealer to diagnose a failure that has not occurred? And are they supposed to replace the ESL? Or replace EIS? Or maybe replace both? But, hey its your money, spend it as you wish!

You mentioned your odometer reading in KM instead of miles. Which might imply your being in Canada or Europe. And I don't know how many KM you would be covered under warranty. Eiher way, hearing a sound and purporting it has changed does not constitute failure, and without a failure, there is nothing for the dealer to repair!

IGB

And that is only but one element that needs to be emphasized.

To add to that, not only do these issues get exaggerated on this type of forum, but considering the volume of W204 that Mercedes Benz has sold in the U.S. and abroad, you are bound to hear more instances of failure of a particular part... But that does not imply that EVERY W204 will suffer from this same issue.

codeblue5007

You sound like a troll, IGB. To begin with, the EIS/ESL in the 204 model is not the "same" as the ones in other Mercedes. Your assertion "Fact of the matter is, no one can articulate any valid connection between the noise that you hear at start up versus ESL or EIS failure" is asinine, as is your loopy distinction between an electronic and mechanical failure. Not even an MB engineer could "articulate" a "valid" connection between the two. The two are likely connected and a reasonable person does not hope and pray that the car will start every time he or she needs to go somewhere.


In my own experience the only warning of impending failure was the car wouldn't start on the first try once or twice. A month later I was late for an appointment and the car wouldn't start after 30 tries with both keys. The Star diagnosis will not show an impending failure of the EIS/ESL and does not pinpoint which one has failed if the car won't start, with the result that dealers will often change both to the tune of $2,000 even if only one has failed. This particular fact is ANOTHER reason to be outraged at MBUSA's failure to fix the no-start problem for free.

Funkwagen

Sorry if it sounds like a witch hunt, it isn't. It is a concern of mine though, after reading these various threads on the issue, and the symptoms shown before complete failure. The sudden change in the way the ESL sounds upon key insertion/removal has been mentioned as an early sign of potential failure of the ESL mechanism (NOT the entire EIS module), which seems to be a somewhat costly repair, although less so than the EIS/ EIS & ESL combined.

Perhaps reading these threads have made me a bit paranoid, but I won't be contacting Merc/the dealership to negotiate a price on a repair that doesn't yet need doing. It wouldn't make sense to go in and ask for a discount related to a problem that doesn't exist yet, if anything I feel like I'd be shooting myself in the foot doing that.

Also, yes, my location says Canada. I'm not within warranty anymore.

IGB

As I have stated in a previous post, you continue to prove how unreasonable and desperate you are. Your mouth is bigger than your intellect! You can't even have an adult discussion that is on the level. Instead, you have to resort to name calling, which you started with your "obnoxious" comment and even then, you clearly misunderstood what I had stated and attempted to twist it into something it was not.

^This^ is not something I made up. I simply commented on something someone else had stated. Here:

But please, enlighten us all as to how you can come to the conclusion that it is not the same? Actually, never mind, it does not matter.... And here is why it does not matter:

Really? Asinine?

And what would you qualify this following statement as being then (wherein you state the same "asinine" thing I have stated):

So there is no valid connection! Again, isn't that the same thing I said? That "no one can articulate a connection between sound and start up failure"?

But then you immediately contradict yourself by saying:

Who's the troll now? And who is sounding more asinine? You or I?

But wait, I am not done with my demonstration of how desperately dimwitted you are, that you can even think straight (then again, may be this is the norm for you):

And just to clarify, my contention is that the EIS, i.e. the "Electronic Ignition Switch" is not mechanical but electronic.

Do you have any idea how an electronic switch works?

Obviously not. So here is a brief description from Wikipedia:

Electronic switch: In electronics, an electronic switch is an electronic component or device that can switch an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another. Typically, electronic switches use solid state devices such as transistors, though vacuum tubes can be used as well in high voltage applications.

That means it has no mechanical parts. Instead, it uses transistors to control as well as open and close different circuits depending on other non mechanical signal it receives from some control module.

The next point, from post #48: (This is a brief synopsis of the main issue as has been determined by Mercedes Benz):

Daimler AG has determined that the EIS may malfunction preventing the electric steering lock and the central locking from functioning. Dealers will replace the EIS on the affected vehicles during the next workshop visit.

This has been the ONLY official diagnosis that we have received regarding this issue. And what it describes is a failure of the electronic -not mechanical- element of the starting mechanism.

Furthermore, and according to this document which Glyn had posted in response to you being confused about what was done to your car:

Inductively energised key, handshake & start process

You can see that the entire process is strictly electronic up until such a point when(AFTER the "DAS IR SIGNAL" -> "Authentication test" -> "DAS FUNCTION", then it "Authorizes the Key"... and THEN... the first mechanical function is that it unlocks the steering wheel. And in your case, it never got to that point because your EIS did not electronically recognize the key!

Granted, the ESL part might suffer from mechanical failure. In a way where it might stick, thereby not allowing the steering wheel to get unlocked, and not allowing the key to turn and start.

Now, with all that said, you of all people, and in spite of the fact that you would like to think that they replaced both ESL & EIS, and although your repair order clearly shows that they only replaced your EIS, here you are suggesting that "Funkwagen" should all but write a check and hand it to the dealer, based on your "expertise" that his car's ESL will likely fail and he should not wait any longer!

So, AGAIN, why would you advise "Funkwagen" that his ESL will likely fail, only based on his perception tat the starting cycle sounds different? He has not had any fail to start?

Wrong... And once again, you obviously are clueless. So please stop pretending that you have any idea what is going on. If Glyn Ruck had not explained the whole diagnosis process and posted a link to a description of what transpires from key insertion up until the car engine starts, and had he not posted all that in particular, to you and in response to more of your mixed up understanding, then one might say he missed that part.

I refer you to Glyn's quote from post 111:

I'm almost done here...

You only paid $722.20... But in your recent posts, you were describing it *** $1700... And now you are up to $2000.

I don't need to work too hard to undermine your credibility... You are doing a great job discrediting yourself and providing more reason why you should just stop your nonsense!

One last time, you have no grounds to expect anything for free. Scroll back up; and reread my definition of a "warranty". You clearly still do not understand what it means and/or how it works! And still, that is the least of your problems. I mean here you are trying to "shame Mercedes Benz into making things right," all while all you should be "ashamed of yourself for all the wrong things you've done"...

I am done trying to reason with you. You are free to respond with more of your insults and innuendos... I am the least bit offended by your desperation!

IGB

My comment about it being a witch hunt was not directed at you. It was an attempt to warn you not to fall for the manipulative and highly spurious attempts by some to get you to band together to "shame Mercedes into taking care of a problem" that they have no legal requirement to take care of!

I don't blame you for being concerned but at the same time, and as I clearly articulated in my last post, there is no connection between ESL sounds and ESL/EIS failure! It may in fact be related, but no one has been able to establish a certain pattern of sound with failure or success. Some have only states that the experienced the failure to start when they did NOT hear the sound. You are saying you hear it. I thought I made that clear but it appears that Mr. Genius over here thinks I am stating the opposite.

You are going to have a difficult time trying to justify "potential failure" based on "sound". But even if you could somehow establish any connection, and in spite of what Codeblue has advised you to do (to take it to the dealer to try and negotiate a repair cost), there is nothing that the dealer can be do to prevent a potential failure - unless you are willing to pay out the full amount BEFORE the failure happens. Since there is no correlation between sound and parts failure, there is no way to determined whether the dealer should replace EIS, whether they should replace ESL or whether the should replace BOTH!

So my guess is if you do take it to the dealer, one of three things can happen.

(1) They may tell you to go home and when the car breaks down, have it towed in and they will attempt to diagnose the failure and advise you accordingly.
(2) They may look you in the face and tell you "sure, we will replace both of these parts and charge you parts and labor" only to have you return here to express your disappointment that the "stealership ripped you off"... Or...
(3) Alternative number 3 would be for you to insist that the dealer replace both parts and charge you the full cost even though there is no way to establish whether your ESL/EIS will fail or not! Not until one of those two parts do in fact fail.

Why would anyone in their right mind want to pay $1200+ to repair a failure that has not happened is beyond me!

Answer this for me if you would. Do you replace your tires before it is time to replace them? I mean who knows... You might get a flat tire tomorrow and when taking it to a tire shop they might tell you it is un-repairable and must be replaced. So based on Codeblue whacked logic, you might as well buy some tires today and that way you can avoid a potential hassle tomorrow!

How about brakes? Would you replace your brake pads and rotors while they are still within their usable range? Before it is time to change them? Why not? Again, based on what Codeblue would have you do, brake pad and rotor replacement are VERY LIKELY to happen at some point in the future. So go to the dealer on Monday and try and negotiate a brake pad and rotor replacement. Even though you don't need either yet!

Compare those two examples to EIS/ESL... And since Codeblue has no basis with which he could establish that your vehicle will go through either EIS or ESL failure, there is no logic behind you going to the dealer top negotiate anything at all.

I have stated this a couple of times, but I will repeat it once again. This is based on C-Class sales in the U.S.; it is a very rough estimate but the way I see it, and under the current circumstances, its a pretty good estimate as far as the odds that ANY W204 vehicle will experience either EIS failure, ESL failure or both.

If I recall correctly, and from reviewing the information that came about by way of the tail light recall, Mercedes Benz sold approximately 250,000+ model year 2008 through 2011 C-Class vehicles in the U.S.A.

According to Codeblue, he would have you believe your car's ESL "will likely fail" and he is basing this on the number of failures reported here in this forum. I haven't counted how many different people have posted with confirmed problems, but i honestly don't think it exceeds 50 different incidents. Heck, this time, let's double my previous calculations... Let's make that 100 incidents.

100/250,000 = 0.0004 = 0.04%

Less than one half of one tenth of one percent. And from that, Codeblue is drawing a "likely will fail" and suggesting you should go ahead and fork out the better part of $1200 (actually, to further demonstrate how desperate he is, he's exaggerating the cost to $1700, and even worse, in his most recent post, its gone up to $2000 ), all while there is a 99.96% chance you will not have to do anything!

Obviously, and for all intents and purposes, you might be one of the unlucky ones. Who knows! Point is, this is an issue that is beyond your control at this point in time. My philosophy is if I cannot control it, I will not allow it to control me and get me all freaked out. If and when the time comes, I will deal with it then but for now... It has not happened yet.

Back to your comment about these threads making you paranoid. This is really a case of wanting to see all the negative, speculative, doomsday commentary, all while you manage to completely overlook the positive, straight forward and unbiased information.

You want a subjective and valid opinion, from someone who has pretty good information on this and other related topics, go read post 80, post 82... And post 84.

And to get a glimpse of the diagnosis process and further understand why taking it to the dealer now makes no sense whatsoever, read post 111

To further support the contention that until a failure occurs, "there is nothing you can do" because "it is the luck of the draw"... read post 115.

Alternatively, if you prefer a doomsday approach, and if you want some made up, highly questionable, baseless and idiotic opinion from someone who's head is so far up his ***, then read Codeblue's posts. He is so pathetically desperate and yet so obviously hopeless, that he reads my posts, and in his attempt to "correct me", he repeats the same thing I had posted, calls me asinine for posting it, only to then turn around and immediately contradict himself...

There you go... Now you've got your thinking cap on and your head screwed on straight.

I am sorry to hear that. And if it is any consolation, you are obviously not alone!

oakhillslake

So I got stranded in the rain the other night because my EIS (Steering Lock Failed). I towed my 2008 C300 to my local dealer (Mercedes Benz of Ontario California) where my service tech (Jorge) confirms the EIS (steering lock) needs to be replace at a cost of $1055.16. Needless to say, I am not happy with having to pay for a know common issue with this model. So I called MB Corp (800-367-6372) and filed a report. They told me someone will get back to me within 24 hours. Subsequently, I called the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (888-327-4236) and filed a complaint. They took my complaint, gave me a reference number and advised me to get back on this blog and inform people having issues with this vehicle to call them to file a complaint. The volume of complaints will force MB to do a recall and/or own up and pay for repairs. SO FOLKS, COMPLAINING ON THIS BLOB IS GREAT BUT WILL NOT ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. YOU MUST FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA TO GET MB TO DO SOMETHING. Good luck to all.

codeblue5007

Sorry to hear you are yet another victim of the ESL/EIS failure. Your suggestion for everyone with this problem to file a complaint with the NHTSA is well taken. Thanks for posting your incident here.

codeblue5007

IGB, I won't respond because it's just feeding a troll. Here is the Wiki definition for you:

"In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion." From Wiki

This fits you pretty well. You have nothing to contribute to this thread. You haven't had the ESL/EIS problem and have no technical or legal knowledge. All you are doing here is taking up bandwidth insulting members because they are looking for "freebies".

Get a life loser.

C300LOVA

Sigh. It looks like I can be added to the list of EIS/ESL failures. I have a 2008 C300 with 106k miles on it. I had either the EIS/ESL replaced earlier this year (around May) and the car ran like a charm afterwards. Paid about $700+ for the repair bill.

The same issues have come back today though. Ran fine earlier but the very ironic thing and the thing that I have not seen posted, my car stalled while in traffic. I was driving and I felt like the car was losing power or something so instead of proceeding to my destination, I attempted to turn around and go back home (for fear of being stranded like I was last time). Once I turned around, the car only got me about a half mile and then I completely lost all power. I couldn't shift gears or anything. Once I cut the car off, it restarted but once I put the car in drive it cut off again, locking the gears. Did that about 5-10 times but I was never able to move.

A lovely lady pushed me into a parking lot because I was stalled at a very dangerous intersection with a ton of traffic. Once we got it in the parking lot, the car wouldn't turn over at all. No cranking or noise. The radio and dash lights came on but the steering wheel was locked and the gearshift wouldn't move. All of the symptoms were that of this problem (which I remembered from before) except for the car stalling while driving. I have not seen that posted anywhere nor did it happen before (I just came out from my aunt's house and the car wouldn't crank last time). I also remember the first time it happened, it seemed like something was wrong with my key fob which happened again today. The light on the bottom of the key fob blinked red when I tried to unlock the doors but they wouldn't unlock or respond for a couple times then they would lock after like the 5th try. Didn't try to see if the windows would work. Tried my spare that didn't work wither.

Has anyone else's ESL/EIS failed while driving? I just seems odd to me. I am wondering if it a CPS or solenoid issue but if it were either of those why would the car not crank or anything and the remote key feature work intermittently? I just had the transmission replaced twice within the last month (oh joy!) so I am wondering if there could be something wrong there (but again why would the key fob not work and the car not crank or turn over at all?).

Anyway, had to get it towed home because everything was closed and since the MB dealership that I bought it from is only about 5 miles from me, I will have it towed to them in the morning. And it was a PAIN towing it as usual. Sigh. I am really about ready to crash this thing into a freaking wall. The repair bills are KILLING me.

codeblue5007

Stalling and having the steering wheel lock in traffic is a scary scenario. As you point out, that combination of events hasn't been reported here. It's possible that there are two or more things going wrong at once, but I don't know enough about it to venture a guess. That it can happen at all like that is very dangerous. Thank goodness for the lovely lady.

BEEPbeepZIPtang

Glyn, perhaps you know the relearning procedure or can shed some light on my dilemma. I have replaced the ESL and NOT the EIS as there was no code for it and it seems to be communicating fine. Also, both keys are fine and recognized by the ECU...able to lock and unlock the car via the FOB. I have the blue key from MB which I am under the impression all you do is stick it in the ignition, wait for the red light to go out then immediately stick the ignition key into the column. It "should" then recognize the key and the handshake should be complete from the ESL to the EIS to the FOB. However, I am getting the same message as before..."take key from ignition". The code no longer indicates a mechanical failure in the ESL (updated part number) but rather a "message error". Obviously the 3 components are not on the same page.
Any ideas?
Thanks!

Niwellness

F

IGB

Welcome to the forum. And thanks for demonstrating why issues like these are exaggerated on online forums.

Lucky for you, you simply had a key with a dead battery. That has nothing to do do with EIS/ESL failure.

I think Mercedes Benz would have designed this system in a way where the car isn't going to simply die while you're on the freeway because when that happens, power steering is off and so is ABS... This would make it a serious safety issue which would then become a huge liability. This would be a similar issue to what GM covered up for many years.

Furthermore, the issue that is the topic of this thread, and the subsequent failure that occurs resulting in a no start, is part of the process of initially identifying a key and providing an authorization to that key to start the engine. Once the key is identified, and the engine has started, the related process is no longer executed.

So again, whatever it may have been that happened to your E300, has little to nothing to do with the type of failure being discussed here in this thread.

C3fiddy

5 hours to get MBUSA to tow the car, 11pm -WTF. Did I mention when thetow truck arrived, the guy seriously was like, I got a friend downtown that reprogram your car - forget about the dealer - scammers getting dispatched by MBUSA Roadside assistance is unbelievable - if it was my wife and kid instead of me, this could have been a serious mess.

The Stevens Creek MB dealer, first called and asked to reprogram keys, thanks to this forum - asked some questions and they realized a diagnostic was the right approach. My hopes of a silly key issue went out the window.

My car is a pretty well maintained 2008 c350 with 75k miles, original owner.

Originally thought the MB Fremont dealer made the problem last month when they had to fix my rear lights - I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Told the service advisor we bought the car new and financed it as a lease and purchase through MBUSA - she appreciated this and Stevens Creek MB waived the $195 diagnostic and gave me a 2015 c300 loaner with 500 miles on it - which was very appreciated, think they felt bad I was stuck for 5 hours.

Now the tech called back, nice enough guy, asking for $1,400 - which seems to be several hundred dollars more than everyone else in the forum.

I discussed the TSB's, the fact this part is a mfg defect (which it is) and he told me the ESL is $560 plus labor of at $195/hour and taxes for a total of $1,400+.

Politely told him, that this is too large a sum for a part which should not break for 16-19 years, the useful life of the car, this is not maintenance or something which should wear out.

Suggested that the going rate is $900 and that it will be better to call MBUSA on Monday and get some assistance. We agreed to order the part.

Service advisor said he would have good news on Tuesday - let's see.

Still a bit sad that this is the first time the car has failed to get me home and still annoyed by the manfacturing defect on the Silver control knob that controls the radio and the front lower grills which break too easily. Fearful that this may be the start of the famous MB electrical and part failures which cost $500-$1500 to repair. Don't want to buy a new car, after maintaining this car and paying it off, I see too many earlier generation cars on the road to warrant this car cannot be maintained in a reasonable amount of money - as service a/b, tires, brakes, brake flushes, the 39k tranny flush the 5 year spark plugs and the occasional oil plug and pc. Valve have been a very good ownership service.

The part 2045458132 is available for about $290 from MB of South Atlanta online and other retailers - so WTF am I quoted $560?!?

I requested that maybe what would be fair is that MBUSA picks up the part cost or labor cost - and I pay one of the costs - hope it happens.

Also, after sulking and googling for hours - hey I like to get into the details sometimes, I see that the REAL issue is actually a $8 electronic piston that breaks, if it is even $8 bucks... There are several companies that seem to be getting into this like it was replacing ipad screens - which does not help me, but may be an option for others and really highlights that MB manufacturing and engineers and ultimately MB is too blame here.

The headache for almost anyone who has a C350 is that we probably don't have the wherewithal to tear down the steering column and there 'may' be some of the famous German programming needed to make this work.

IF I HAD A CHANE FOR A DO-over, I probably would have towed it to my trusted independent guy that tlistens to me when I say use all genuine parts and my guess is he would have charged $300 for the labor instead of the first ask by the dealer of $900 in labor.

On the fence about this, and like others on the forum say - we may be getting tricked into feeling like we got off lucky for $900 - when this is due to a $8 simple electric motor and MB and MBUSA not taking ownership for their manufacturing defect.

That said, I do really appreciate that MB has fixed all other recalls and other issues during the campaigns - but the ESL ripoff covers all their costs for the tail lights, the roof trim pieces, the cam solenoid and any other little fixes they give us.

BTW - mercedes Benz roadside is a POS, staffed by a bunch of people that do not know care about customers being stranded and anyone that has had poor roadside assistance should really let Everyone Know about I could have used My AAA in an hour, rather than the 5 hours of hell dealing with Roadside Assistance.

codeblue5007

Sorry to hear you are another victim of the ESL failure. Mercedes has earned itself a lot of ill will because of its mismanagement of this problem. The trade-in value of a 2008 C300 4-Matic with 90,000 miles is now only $7,640 according to Edmund's - about the same as a 2008 Honda Accord.

C3fiddy

hi CodeBlue - not sure where you came up with your numbers...

Kbb.con shows nearly double for my car - 2008 C350 with 75k miles in the SF Bay Area.

$15,145 as trade-in and $16,553 in very good condition - which covers the top 26% of cars.

Where did you find your abysmal $8k number?

I think the 2008 C series still is prices at $14k-$19500, assuming these are asking - I would still find it difficult to find them in the $13k-$17k range which is reasonable considering the enjoyment we have for almost 7 years.. The ESL/EIS gouging aside - the cars are decent and I see a lot of 2005-2006 c230's that people lovingly own...