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Advice on CLK550 bushings, oil seperator, engine mounts
Just took my 2008 CLK550 (just over 59K miles) in for service today and they quoted me the following additional work:
$385 right side torque arm bushings
$1031 engine mount leaking
$313 oil separator leaking
This info came by text message, so I haven't seen the issues with my own eyes. Just looking for a bit of advice on what the real expectation for parts and labor should be and how much I can take care of myself if it's just a leak. Would a full replacement also be possible for a mechanic n00b?
For engine mount, i'm planning to tell them hell no based on info I've read in the forums...that cost is way too high. Also, I found these replacement parts, $88...good purchase?
Based on this thread, it seems like I may be able to take care of the oil separator myself.
I'm at a loss on the bushings. Any thoughts are welcome.
Well, we need to know how much of a mechanical noob you are. For example, if you were to attack the bushings, do you even know what they are talking about? Front or rear? Is this a dealer? Never, ever take a car out of warranty to a dealer. Having said that, the bushing price sounds low and the mount price sounds high.
yup, this is the dealer I bought the car from and I didn't ask for any of this, so I was immediately skeptical and i'm certainly going to get some other quotes from shops in the area.
i am mechanically inclined, I just rarely do any work on cars. i've got access to a shop and the tools i'll need for it...even a mechanic to provide some advice if i go after it myself. I just need to know what i'm getting into so I can better determine if it's worth it for me to pay for the labor.
i know all the parts just from reading up on them and I can certainly find them on the car. however, i can't look at it and see how to do the replacement, so I'd need a guide. the bushings and mounts seem like they would take a good half day, so i'm inclined to buy the parts and take them to a mechanic. but the oil separator looks like it might be a quick fix.
Just saying, as for your comment of you purchasing the parts yourself and bring them to a shop to install. I wouldn't recommend it. I run a shop. First i charge a little premium if the customer does that. Also if i install your parts you get no warranty at all. So if that oil leak comes back you are paying for it again. I'm not warranting your parts. So i cheaper parts like that the little you save isn't worth the risk IMO. Especially on the oil leak.
Granted on different types of parts but i've had customers try and save a few dollars and bring me parts or used parts. And them not work and cost them more then double in the end. I had a guy have me install a used engine he bought, He saved maybe $500 getting the engine on his own. Well the engine was bad. He had to pay us to r &r it twice and buy the other engine from me.
i'm curious why a mechanic would tag on additional cost to put in a new official MB (not knock off) part?
and why would an official MB part not work aside from poor install (mechanic fault) or manufacturing flaw (covered under item warranty)?
i understand your not interested in used parts, i was just giving that example.
Why? Because the shop makes money on parts. Its still taking them the same amount of time to install yours or theirs. So thats less profit for them in that time period. Also ive had customer bring me parts then they dont bring everything needed or get the wrong thing and it ties my shop up longer.
Parts fail. your originals did. I've gotten brand new parts out of the box, sensors or what ever that didnt work. Things happen thats why things have warranties.
alot of part vendors warranty the parts to the shop. If i put an alternator on a car and it goes 6 months later, the place i bought it from does pay me a small amount to replace it. No shop is going to replace a part you brought for free if it fails.
OK. after some reading i can see that OEM does not equal official MB part. And, parts don't necessarily come with a warranty.
I'm used to building computers where OEM parts are from the original manufacturer and often come with a warranty.
seems like every step of car ownership is rife with scam artists looking to capitalize on ignorance, from buying to maintaining to selling. same can be said of computers, but i know in and outs of hardware and software, so I can't be screwed. i cannot say the same about my knowledge of cars, which is why i'm here asking questions.
I found what appears to be OE parts for mounts at two stores:
OK. after some reading i can see that OEM does not equal official MB part. And, parts don't necessarily come with a warranty.
I'm used to building computers where OEM parts are from the original manufacturer and often come with a warranty.
seems like every step of car ownership is rife with scam artists looking to capitalize on ignorance, from buying to maintaining to selling. same can be said of computers, but i know in and outs of hardware and software, so I can't be screwed. i cannot say the same about my knowledge of cars, which is why i'm here asking questions.
I found what appears to be OE parts for mounts at two stores:
Based on this thread, I should expect $350 labor, so around $650 for the mounts.
OEM means original equipment manufacturer. So that means benz bought the part from them. So it is the same part, but not an official Mercedes part unless you buy it from Mercedes. Only difference is the box
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