Hub Replacement: Dealer, Indep. MB repair, or my long time mechanic?
10-28-2010, 08:07 AM
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CLK320
Hub Replacement: Dealer, Indep. MB repair, or my long time mechanic?
The threads in my hub of my '03 CLK are stripped. I need to replace my hub, and I'm wondering if I should take it to the dealer, try out a local independent service shop like Rolf's in Summit or Damon's in Orange that specialize in Mercedes and other foreign cars or the my long time mechanic at the service shop I have used of and on for 15 years.
I've had my long time mechanic change my breaks but that's about it for everything under the hood I've taken it to the dealer.
Then we have the home of the $600 oil change. I don't love paying dealer prices BUT I would swallow that pill if they hadn't messed up a few times. I've caught on service advisor steering me toward a more expensive unnecessary solution. My usual advisor gave me a better option. I've taken my car in for Service B and a week later was out of washer fluid = they don't actually perform every task I'm paying for.
I like the idea of trying an independent "Mercedes" repair shop, they have history working on the car, but would hopefully be less expensive, it's just difficult to get online feedback about them so you're kind of going in blind.
Dealer quoted me between $400-$1,000 but could not give me an accurate price until my hub was dismantled which would essentially mean I would be stuck paying them no matter what they charged.
My long time mechanic told me to order the hub and he would replace the hub and my breaks for about $300 (the brake replacement indicator recently came on as well).
Rolf's (independent foreign car service) could not give me a price until they had time to do a more thorough inspection but promised that they would not disable my car and that they would give me the price then I would be free to decide to go with them or take the care elsewhere.
I've had my long time mechanic change my breaks but that's about it for everything under the hood I've taken it to the dealer.
Then we have the home of the $600 oil change. I don't love paying dealer prices BUT I would swallow that pill if they hadn't messed up a few times. I've caught on service advisor steering me toward a more expensive unnecessary solution. My usual advisor gave me a better option. I've taken my car in for Service B and a week later was out of washer fluid = they don't actually perform every task I'm paying for.
I like the idea of trying an independent "Mercedes" repair shop, they have history working on the car, but would hopefully be less expensive, it's just difficult to get online feedback about them so you're kind of going in blind.
Dealer quoted me between $400-$1,000 but could not give me an accurate price until my hub was dismantled which would essentially mean I would be stuck paying them no matter what they charged.
My long time mechanic told me to order the hub and he would replace the hub and my breaks for about $300 (the brake replacement indicator recently came on as well).
Rolf's (independent foreign car service) could not give me a price until they had time to do a more thorough inspection but promised that they would not disable my car and that they would give me the price then I would be free to decide to go with them or take the care elsewhere.
10-28-2010, 08:28 AM
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04 CLK 320 > CLK32K
MB's are tricky. Rolf's sounds like a better option. It can't hurt to get their diagnosis. You want to go with someone who works on these cars everyday.
10-28-2010, 09:01 AM
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Thanks!! I may try Damon's as well. The manager of Rolf's seemed fine enough and he did the diagnosis I didn't get a good vibe from the mechanics. There were a few reviews of Rolf's Auto Craft online and they were TERRIBLE. I like to keep in mind that they've been in business for over 20 years so there are bound to be some bad experiences, but there were no good ones posted to counter the bad.
