$20 Roll Bar switch = $7500 repair
 

430 cabriolet - top started squealing going up and down. Lube oil did nothing so went to dealer. They came back with a quote of $7500 to replace the roll bar, as the hudraulic switch which operates the pin which loicks the bar is leaking, and the part is swaged on to the roll bar+frame, and is not replaceable (I verified this through EPC Online parts). According to MBZ, and I called MBZ USA too, this is a safety issue determined by factory.

Yep there is indeed hydraulic fluid on the seat chassis and the car was taken apart to show me so I believe the dealer. The question is what the hell can i do ? I do not want to spend $6700 on the roll bar plus $800 install all for a 420 switch. Anyone know where I could get a used roll bar assembly ? Any thoughts as to removing the assembly and taking it to a machine shop (how about that for voiding a warranty) ?

This is a bummer, I have only just finished replacing the top latch ($750) plus all the operating cables ($1300)

that sounds retarded to be honest. $6700 on a car that can't be worth over $20k? junkyard, machine shop, call MBusa? surely there's a better option.

Call a junkyard and pick up a used 55 engine and trans for that money

Yup its retarded.......
 

.........but even with the AMG engine and tranny I still won't have a working top.

The stupid part is non-replaceable. Found a "lightly used' one for 3500.

Whoa! What a situation.

GL but it almost seems like buying a new CLK would be worth more!

Keep us posted on your decision.

yeh...sell yours and go out and buy a new one.

That sucks... Way too much money to sink into our cars especially for what they have been selling for lately. :eek:

Maybe, you can go out and buy a crappy used clk convertible that's barely running for that 7k and transfer that part you need to your car... Then you'll have 2 CLKs, one perfect and one crappy with a broken top. If you don't want to keep 2, then sell that extra one with the newly broken top for 6k.

Try calling around, maybe you can find that part cheaper. Try going on car-part.com and even though you won't be able to search for that specific part (their search categories are much more general), try searching for other parts that are only on the convertible which will link you to a bunch of salvage yards nationwide that have nearly complete cars so they might have your part.

Good Luck

Try a salvage yard, then go get the 55 motor/trans. Call Potomac German, they specialize in used benz parts