Took my 02 CL55 in for "A" Service along with a diagnostic to
check the "check engine" light and they called me back
with the following issues!!! Do the prices they quoted
me seem excessive????
Does anyone know of a more reasonbly priced mechanic
shop in San Francisco?

$861.00
Both Front 02 sensors have failed.

$1100.00
Left and right side motor mounts collapsed.

$1412.00
Rear main seal is leaking badly.

$440.00
Transmission Service

$2400.00
Replace all supressor wires, spark plugs and valve cover gaskets.

Total: $6213..... OUCH!

What's the rear main seal?? You can do the O2 sensors, plugs and wires DIY...

seem right for stealership

Tranny service may be reasonable if it includes replacing the filter beside the fluid. As far as the other stuff, get quotes for a package repair from recommended independent MB shops. Does'nt sound if you need AMG certified to do that work, if it is truely needed.

i just called the two local dealerships asking for the price of a transmission service and was told two entirely different things.

Mercedes Benz of San Antonio

i was told that the transmission service was $299 after tax and that was the end of the conversation.

Mercedes Benz of Boerne

i told the service manager i had 76.XXX miles and was thinking about getting my transmission serviced again. he told me that the only time the transmission should ever be touched for maintenance is at 39,000 miles and left alone after that. he quoted me $415 before tax.

that just doesnt seem right to me.

every dealer is going to have something different to say no matter where you go.

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to an independent place next week sometime. Also, I think the service advisor was trying to use some type of scare tactic on me, because when I picked up my car she really wanted me to speak with a sales agent about trading in my car for a new one. I politely declined.

I agree. It seems like the dealerships want you to trade a car in under the magic 50k mile mark. Otherwise they are "less friendly" about servicing your car if they know you intend to keep it. (Like people used to do and do in Europe.)

Frankly, I think my CL55 is a classic shape and I do not like the new body styles. All of the offerings from Acura, BMW, Infiniti and so on all look alike now.

A little bird told me this redesign was compelled by the EU because of some European or German studies that forced the car companies to raise the height of the bottom front of the car to lessen injuries to pedestrians and still keep a low CD.

If you look at the front of the cars at a lot the new body style in any class has a front lip that is much higher than the earlier body style, eg 215 vs 216, or any of the C or E class cars.

Some of these may have been covered by Bulletins. Have the SA run a vehicle history and see if they were ever performed.

If not, I believe that it is on their dime.

As I recall motor mounts and transmission seals are a problem and were covered by a bulletin but this is a hazy reollection. I know they serviced the bolts to the rear end of my CL n/c and I think replaced the motor mounts.

As far as transmission service goes I would check with a Valvoline or a Ford or Chrysler dealer. They often have the proper machines to service the transmission - many MB dealers will not invest in them. Make sure you replace or clean the magnet in the transmission, too.

Ivan, the service dept doesn't care about you buying new cars they sell service and want old cars there. Customers pay more than MB pays them to do warranty work. Also those items are maintenance they won't be covered with the exception of the 02 sensors that might be covered under the extended emissions warranty. You are paying a dealer premium but the reason it is more expensive is because the ignition coil wires are expensive and use two per cylinder. As far as the transmission service it gets down to opinion a lot of times MB says its sealed and doesn't need to be changed but most people including techs think it should still be changed so they do offer the service it's just not required by factory specs. I will be doing a trans service on my vehicle soon as well even though I don't have to.

I had the transmission service done on my "sealed lifetime" G500 5 speed when a local dealer ran a special. They drained the fluid and cycled fluid through the "sealed" torque converter. (Sometimes only Ford and Chrysler dealers and say Valvoline shops have the necessary equipment to "force feed" the fluid through the sealed TQ. From what I am told many MB dealers do not have this equipment since that transmission is a "lifetime" unit and it was offered for only 2 years (?) How this fluid flush system works is beyond my knowledge.) They also changed the magnet, and replaced the filter. Before the truck goes off warranty I will have all the differential(s) fluid renewed. For what I can tell this was done as part of the CPO process since I bought it used.

AMG -
I had the brake fluid replaced on my CL55 at 20k miles because an informed SA recommended it "off formulary."

I reckon I will have the cooling system flushed and renewed, general transmission and drivetrain (rear end) service done at 45k miles. Note that I did have to have some motor mount and rear end bolt Bulletin work done just after I received the new car (the selling dealer "overlooked" it.) I noted a couple of CL55s that needed the same work at the service department.

gawd... motor mounts can be done cheaper. any capable shop can remove the headers, llift the engine and slide the mounts. btw, you sure they have collapsed? if they have you should have a drivetrain shudder when shifting at lower rpms

plug wires are about $200 at... amazon.com (believe it or not)

both oxygen sensors gone? not likely. one is bad, they do both.

valve cover gaskets? remove engine cover- look. do they leak? if they do - go buy gaskets and have them done... anywhere...

tranny flush is at 40k and then leave it alone for life. those dont go bad. $400 tops for the flush

typical...

Pointless unhelpful responses to month old threads. Glad I checked in on the forum today . . .

+1

that is wayyyy too much..it puzzles me to see how they over charge for simple things like O2 sensors ..motor mounts are soo easy to install,so are the sparkplugs ,wires and valve cover gaskets..i mean ,this is just plain crazy..they have soo much overhead they have to charge a lot to stay in business

I'm having the front 02 sensors done today for $450.00 (Parts and labor).
Thats half the cost of the dealership.

Can you recommend the shop for the benefit of our Bay area members?

Good stuff, all of what you need done I am sure is cheaper elsewhere.

One interesting point, I am due for a transmission flush in about a month or so, I was quoted a price for about $287 for the CLS. I got my E320 done for $225. Do AMG's and N/A MB's have different prices for this service?

For the plugs and wires on my CLS I was quoted about $1000 from the dealer. Those prices you got do seem rather high.

that is half of what the car is worth...omg

1. There is a reason that the service department @ MB (for that matter most other car dealerships) is a cash cow.
2. As some other board members have said, keep looking for an independent MB ASE certified shop. Luckily in Tampa, we have about several MB techs that opened up their own shingle near MB of Tampa.
3. Consider looking for parts yourself.
4. I would never take my car for service at MB of Tampa if it is not covered by warranty. I can get better customer service and expertise at the MB independent shop if they are equally equipped.
5. Another reason to look into an aftermarket warranty.

I LIVED IN TAMPA FOR QUITE A BIT,THERE IS A SHOP BY DALE MABRY NEAR THE BUCS STADIUM,BEHIND THE MB OF TAMPA,WONDERFUL PEOPLE,USED TO TAKE MY CAR THERE!!

Been there...Mercedes Complete...good guys they even showed me the program they use to figure out how much to charge a client for a particular job.

LOL,THAT S PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT..LOL..WHAT SIDE OF TOWN DO YOU LIVE?LOVELY SL BY THE WAY!!!

I've been all over Tampa...New Tampa, Westchase area, Carrollwood area, USF area...now south of Brandon.

Jon

THAT S WEIRD I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOUR CAR AROUND,DO YOU GO OUT AT NIGHT/WEEKENDS? I LIVE IN ALL THE AREAS TOO,EXCEPT FOR WESTCHASE..

Bro...I'm married with a 9 year old. My going out days are pretty rare and limited to golf and the gun range off 301 and MLK.

Most of the time my E55 or SL65 sees in Tampa is either doing a flyby past MB of Tampa to get to C2Design or dropping off my wife at International Mall or Westshore Mall...