Hello everyone,

My father passed and I recently inherited a 2011 c300 4matic with only 82k miles. He always maintained it well yet it has had so many issues. I never had a Mercedes before but I’m baffled by how many problems a car can have. Especially with this mileage.

The car has many issues ( seems like it was a lemon). I would love to keep it running for a lot longer sentimentally, but wanted to ask some of you for your advice. Below I list the issues. Do you guys think it would be possible to keep it going for a long time by paying to have these fixed? Or is it better to move on?

1. Loose transmission bearing, vehicle makes a rotating sound coming from the dash when accelerating (most shops charge 7k for a new transmission and refuse to replace the bearing)

-some shops are willing to replace the bearing alone with no guarantee of other issues ($2.1k for only bearing replace).


2. Motor mounts need to be replaced. This is according to the mechanic. He said $1.2k

3. Center Console monitor is half white and faded. Not a big deal, but pretty annoying. I guess it needs a new lcd screen. (mechanic said it will cost $2k for factory replacement)

4. check engine light is always on due to old style cam magnets and wiring. ($500 to update)

5. tail lamp carrier on the right is melting. ($250) fix.


I don’t know what to do with this damn car. Any insight or advice would be much appreciated.

 

I remember #5 in the list was a recall. I had both tail light recall resolved. It was a grounding issue causing a potential overheating.

 

82k miles is really low to be honest, that is unfortunate it is having a transmission issue. 7k is a lot of money to fix but for a brand new transmission and warranty that might be reasonable. I tried to do some forum searches about 4matic transmission issues and looks like it was a common problem possibly caused by a design issue that was addressed in new/rebuilt transmissions. The only thoughts I have that might be useful is that a used transmission should be cheaper and if you buy it from a reputable seller it should come with some sort of warranty and be tested. There is definitely some used transmissions being sold that have been replaced by the dealership or rebuilt earlier in the vehicles life. Im not sure how you could verify it was rebuilt but finding a reputable used parts seller with a warranty is a good start if youre thinking of going used. There are used ones with a 1yr warranty for 1400-1600 on ebay. Either way if you go new or used make sure the transmission cooler in the radiator gets flushed out as well.

A center console screen should never cost 2k. If you have the navigation screen that would be the most expensive screen to buy at $300-450 used, if you have the smaller no nav screen you should be able to get one of those for $80. Both are also relatively easy to install.

The tail light issue hopefully can be resolved by the recall that C300CA mentioned above and not cost anything.

It seems like it will take some work to get all these issues sorted. I think there is money to be saved on the prices you mentioned. Fixing the tail lamp, cam magnet, console screen and engine mounts should all last quite a while if not fix it for good. New motor mounts should last you another 70-80k miles and if you buy them from somewhere like fcp euro that have lifetime warranties than you wont have to pay for them more than once. Many people have had great experiences with the reliability of these year c class with the exception of the 4matic transmissions, the v6 engine is relatively reliable with many people only having to do basic maintenance but there are a few other issues that can happen so you should expect to have some money set aside for possible future repairs. An intake manifold can go bad costing 600+new but you could get a used one with a warranty for 200-250 and sometimes your existing manifold can be repaired by replacing a small part on the front for even less. The steering lock and ignition switch is another issue that some people run into that the dealership would charge 1200+ but there are alternatives solutions and indy shops that can do it for less. Its not guaranteed you will run into these issues but its better to be aware of them rather than being hit with them unexpectedly. If you can handle the 10k in repairs you mentioned comfortably, than maybe keep it, if not I would do what Plutoe said and let it find a home with someone looking for a low mileage w204

 

Wow thanks so much for the in detail reply! So I found a shop that is willing to replace the bearing instead of replacing the entire transmission. They would be willing to do this for $2.1k. On the other hand, a different shop told me “don’t listen to anyone who says they can swap a bearing, you need a new transmission.” I don’t think it needs a new transmission though, they likely just prefer to have a warranty associated with the transmission change as you stated. I may try to swap the bearing and hope the noise goes away and pray the transmission will last me until 200,000 miles. What do you think? I wish I could do my own work but even if I find affordable parts, the shops are gonna charge me $4,000 for labor for big jobs like a transmission swap.

Thanks for listing all the price ranges. My issue is finding mechanics who won’t up charge me an arm and a leg (for example $2k for center console). I might try my hand at an android screen by following tutorials myself.

I am just worried about investing $3,000 let’s say for the bearing swap and then having the car drain my bank in the future. I think I can get $6,000 for this car by selling it to carvana the way it is right now. It’s a tough call.

one more thing, I called my local Mercedes dealer and they said there is no recall on the tail lamp! They said there is only a recall out for airbags. Should I directly call Mercedes?

thanks again for the help! You guys are awesome. I have only owned Hondas in my life, so this situation is complicated for me.

 

Tail lamp recall info from MBUSA: Recall Campaign 2014050001
Go to MBUSA.com and search for "recalls", then put in your VIN and you will find recall info.
I should have taken picture on the original rear lamp assembly to see what the difference is before and after.

 

thanks! Looks like this recall was “completed” already in 2015. Maybe I can call MBUSA and see if they can check it again since it obviously failed?

 

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your father.

Agree with frkensten. And at the same time, this vehicle can turn into a money pit, it has already started down that path.

Is this your only vehicle? If it is, the alternatives are to repair the C300 or buy a new vehicle for similar or equivalent cost. If it isn't your only vehicle, are you comfortable spending the money to repair the C300, bearing in mind it's unlikely you will recoup the money if/when you decide to sell it down the road?

Mercedes don't age gracefully like a 1972 Ford truck sitting under an oak tree in the back yard. They need to be driven often and well maintained.

 

Where are you located? If you're anywhere that has harsh winters and the car is exposed to salt on roads, just go ahead and unload this car. The W204 before 2012 or so was prone to rear subframe rust that might come to bite you even after the rest is sorted.

I'm sure your dad wouldn't want you to stress out over the car he left behind. He's on to other things now.

Good luck

 

I wouldnt go so far as hoping the bearing replacement on the transmission will get you to 200k miles. If you had a rear wheel drive c300 then you could likely get to 200k miles with regular fluid changes but the awd system likely will need more maintenance in the long run. The front differential can have issues at higher mileage and is a big job to replace if it does go bad. The rear subframe is also a great point made by LILBENZ230 and is a problem you would likely face in the future if you do live in areas that use salt on the roads. Just understand that the bearing job on the transmission is a gamble if it will be a permanent fix. If you can afford that gamble then maybe consider it otherwise get a real offer from carvana or carmax to weigh against repairs that you will likely not get your money back out of like chassis said. Those offers might make it easier to decide

 

thanks for all the advice everyone.

My dad had actually swapped out the rear subframe last year and it was a big deal for him. He really considered trading the car in but then went ahead and got it done.

anyway I am from Maryland and we use a lot of salt and have extremely humid summers so I know this will come back around.

 

Even 2012+ w204 will have the same rust issues, they are just newer so there is less of them with the issue as of this moment. plenty of cracked subframes and rusted out brake lines on facelift models were reported on this forum. If you live in areas where they salt the road, you MUST undercoat these cars (Most importantly the subframe and brake lines) I have a 2008 c350 with original brake lines and subframe, we have harsh winters with a lot of salt here. I recommend Fluid Film as undercoating, been using it for the last 6 years and it has preserved my car very well with over 300k on the clock.

 

Itwargssf that is a great bit of information you have added and a great solution that should prevent the original poster from having to touch the subframe again since his father replaced it recently. First hand reports of solutions with long term follow up is so valuable, thank you for chiming in. I have used fluid film before and it is a great product, how often do you have to recoat your subframe Itwargssf? Also do you avoid spraying it on rubber? I believe I read that on the can that it can swell rubber. Either way that is a great $10 solution to prevent a $300 subframe replacement +labor in the future

 

I fluid film once a year before winter and I do a touch up in summer while changing the oil since the panels have to come off. I don't go crazy around rubber parts but a small amount wont do anything and I haven't had a problem. I recently acquired two low mileage rear knuckle assemblies that house 3 or 4 rear suspension bushings. My car had original 2008 bearings and bushings so I figured it would be a good improvement installing low mileage knuckle assemblies. The real urgency of changing the knuckles was just worn parking brake shoes and since I was able to get the low mileage knuckles for the same price as a parking brake kit, it was a no-brainer since I do my own labor.

I was very impressed upon removing the original knuckles and seeing the bushings barely had any cracking in them and were all still very tight regardless if I sprayed everything with fluid film for years so for the rear suspension at least, I would not worry about fluid film damaging bushings.

PS: 10$ can won't get you far, years ago when I first discovered it I wasted a lot of money buying the cans. For the last 4 years I buy it by the gallon which can last a very long time and the sprayer kit was also very inexpensive yet very effective and cheaper in the long run.