jgcalderonperez

Hello Everyone,

So about 3 months ago I bought(first car) a 2008 C300 Sport with 4MATIC, Premium Package 1, 55k miles for $24,000 + tax + warranty(Non-MB, Dealer Recommended) from a local Mercedes-Benz dealer in Maryland. The car has clean CarFax record.

After 2 months I started feeling vibrations through the steering wheel and the car was pulling to the right. So I took the car for repairs $150 for alignment $140 for Road Force Balance. After that I was told I have to do like 5-6 repairs. Including injectors clean up, brake's fluid, rear differential, air filters change, and a few others stuff that I will post once the full invoice gets to my hands. We are talking about close to $1,000 in extra repairs plus the $300 + tax I already spend to fix the alignment and vibrations.

It's not that am trying to be cheap or anything but It doesn't feel right the fact that the car needs close to $1.5k in repairs after being bought from an official Mercedes-Benz dealer 3 months ago.

Any comments or recommendations are really appreciated.

-Thanks!

* Update my car currently has 61,000 miles

Pete7874

The items you listed sound more like maintenance than repairs to me. Unfortunately, maintenance needs to get done and most previous owners will not do it all if they're getting ready to sell the car, so it is the new owner that's stuck with it.

With that said, were you given the car's past service records when you bought it 3 months ago? Things like brake fluid only need to be changed every 2 years, so if it was recently done by the previous owner, then the dealer is just trying to upsell you unnecessary services. Same goes for trans/diff fluids, air filters, etc. Look at past service records for yourself and then decide whether you need to have them done now.

The only unusual item in your list is the alignment and wheel balance. This needs to be typically done only when installing a new set of tires, unless you hit a curb or pothole that resulted in alignment getting out of whack or wheels getting bent.

clkwork

I think you would only have a case if it was certified. Unfortunately this is a case of buyer beware - when buying used either verify the service history or expect to do catch up maintenance. Some dealers won't even change the oil on a trade-in before putting it on the lot.

Sportstick

The first distinction to make is between "repairs" and "maintenance". Replacing fluids, filters, etc. are not repairs. Tires will over time require re-balancing as they wear, and one good pothole can require an alignment.

But, based on what you wrote, nothing is broken. The car will require ongoing maintenance. When you were considering the car, did you test drive it (did it vibrate/pull?) and review its service records and were they up to date? Did you have the dealer write down on the contract that all required services had been performed for its age and mileage before you agreed to purchase? As you indicate the warranty is non-MB, this is not a CPO (certified pre owned) car, which would/should have had all the services completed. Regardless, a good dealer would have delivered the car with up to date maintenance. This could be the subject of a conversation with the sales manager. As far as exactly what the car needs, get out the owner's manual and follow the steps for time and mileage. At 55,000 miles, find out if the transmission fluid was changed by now. If not, you need to make up for that omission which should have occurred at 39,000 miles.

One caveat. Unless there is a performance/problem, I would not spend a nickle at the dealer for fuel injector cleaner, and you will notice it is not listed in the owner's manual as a maintenance item. If you suspect a problem exists based on symptoms, go to amazon.com and buy a 12oz bottle of Techron Concentrate, which is a fuel system cleaner recommended by Mercedes Benz. Follow the directions for pouring it in with the correct amount of gasoline in the tank.

jgcalderonperez

I was not given the car's past services records but neither I ask for it (first time buyer error). Will definitely request one today when I get out of work. I will post the full list of "recommended services" later today.

The car was pulling to the right and the tires where getting wear on the outer layer that why I requested the front end alignment.

I'm pretty much happy with everything else in the car, I love it. They gave me a 2011 C300 as a loaner and am loving it.

Thanks for the responses!

LandSeaAir

Is this repair shop an MB dealer? I know air filters and brake fluid should be done by 57,000 miles, but not sure about cleaning the injectors, I've never heard of that. Also, there is a thread on here from a while back where Glyn, an expert on these cars recommended 100,000 miles for both differentials, not 57,000. At the same time if you did buy the car at an MB dealer, they should have done the air filter and brake fluid before selling the car, but who knows if they did, and you have no way of knowing especially cause your car isnt certified.

If I were you I would say no to the cleaning of the injectors, no to the differential change, no to the air filter change, but yes to the brake fluid change (unless you can do it yourself). Then buy the air filters online for under $50 and install them yourself, here's how: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...tallation.html

Also, if you did want to clean the injectors yourself I would buy some Techron Concentrate Plus fuel additive, it's just a bottle of fuel additive that you put in your tank before you fill up the car, it is recommended by MB and is supposed to clean the injectors and other fuel related parts. You can find it at a local auto parts store. It's easy as that. I'm no expert on these cars, but I do think that any mechanic trying to get you pay to clean your injectors and change your differential fluid at 57,000 miles is ripping you off. Look in your maintenance manual and you will see what is actually recommended by MB.

Edit: Haha, Sportstick you beat me to the Techron recommendation! And yes, I did forget to mention the automatic transmission fluid, other than the engine oil probably the most important maintenance procedure needed.

jgcalderonperez

My bad for the confusion between "Repairs" and "Services".

Yes I did test drive the car and it didn't pull/vibrate, it started happening later on maybe it was me hitting a pole or it was a previous issues that when unnoticed when I drove the car. I was not shown the services records by the dealer, neither I requested them (first time buyer error), I will definitely request them today. Correct the car is NON-CPO. As you say any good dealer would had all required services done, apparently mine didn't...

Currently no performance issues they just "recommended" the injectors clean-up, which I declined to be done. I also declined all the other "recommended" services for now.

jgcalderonperez

Yes, the repair shop is an MB Dealer. I said no to all the "recommended" services they told me about during their last call. I will post a full list of them later on today.

Thanks for the links and info about Techron additive.

C300CA

I rotate my other two cars' tires at Costco every few thousand miles, and they always re-balance the wheels, no matter new tires putting on or old tires just for rotation.

Sportstick

Good work! Stick to the book, once you make up for anything which was missed. If they "recommend" something, that's often a code word for "this will make us money". Ask them to show you where MB lists the action in the maintenance log, and if they can't....no thanks!

Do be sure to find out about the trans. One exception to what I wrote above. There was a year, possibly 08, when MB tried to have a "lifetime" fill. They later realized that to prevent trans failures the fluid needs to be changed and scheduled it for 39,000 miles. If yours was not done, DO IT NOW and be sure they don't just drain the pan but also the torque converter. This should consumer approximately 9 quarts of fluid, not just 5, which is just a pan drain and refill. If they resist, go to another dealer.

Sportstick

Depends how sensitive you are and how evenly the tires wear. I find that, as rubber starts to wear from the tread, I can find small vibrations returning between 5,000-10,000 miles, so I rebalance more often than just when new.

Pete7874

Agreed. If you're feeling vibration, then definitely have the wheels rebalanced. I was just saying that it's not necessary to rebalance the tires every X miles if all is well.

Sportstick

We agree again! I just didn't want the OP to think the need to balance was a "repair" versus just part of the ongoing maintenance all of our cars need from time to time.

jgcalderonperez

So...

I'm back from the dealer the car is not pulling now. Vibrations are much less now, it still vibrates but not as much as before now its more of a soft vibration. The steering wheel now feels steady and firm, like the 2011 loaner I was given.

Grand total: $518
Includes:
- 4 Wheels Alignment = $149
- Road Force Balance = $140
- SDS for Sunroof Issue (anti-pinch correction) = $129
- 4 new wheels center caps = $18 each = $72 (they are gorgeous)
+ tax

I asked for the Service Records, the transmission service was done at 36,000 miles, all the services for the car have been done.

Recommended Services:
- Engine Air Filter = $165
- Fuel Injection/Induction Service = $390
- Brake Flush = $160
- Coolant Flush = $160
- Power Steering Flush = $190
- Driveline Service = $160
Total: $1225 + tax

Comments, recommendations or tips are appreciated!

* Update my car currently has 61,000 miles

louiet3

Verify that they used 9 quarts of oil instead of 5, meaning they drained the oil in the torque converter as well.


https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-done-but.html

Sportstick

Comments in red.

Pete7874

What exactly is this?

jgcalderonperez

It only says that "Driveline Service $160" no more comments.

jgcalderonperez

Thanks, I will take apart the engine air filters this weekend. I'm also buying the Techron Additive. I'm also going to schedule for the Brakes Flush.

Any ideas on the other flush services ? Power Steering, Driveline, Coolant.

jgcalderonperez

Yes, It was the 9 qts.

Sportstick

You got me curious enough to head out to the garage and do some glove box reading! I thought it might be 4MATIC transfer case fluid replacement, but I cannot find that listed in the maintenance book up through 100,000 miles. Ask the dealer to show you where this service is listed as needed. I also did not see the replacement of power steering fluid...did I miss it or has anyone else seen that listed?

Spend some time paging through the book in the glove box. It's the same source I'm using.

Sportstick

Techron Concentrate....not "Additive". 12oz bottle is the right size for one usage. Don't use more than twice between oil changes.

Pete7874

I just looked at the service page of my local MB dealer. They list a "driveline fluid service" that reads like this:

However, I also can't find anything in the maintenance booklet that would require to do this service. Does MB corporate consider these lifetime fluids? Dealers certainly don't.

jgcalderonperez

I do drive under "High Traffic Conditions" every single day, should I take this into account ?

ggms16

You shouldn't go to the shops saying that it's your first car... Then they say you need to replace airbags for maintenance.

If balancing won't solve your issue, take a look at the wheels. One of them could be bent.