jdmfiend

did u not see the dude with the big dix in the background?
comeon dude. pure comedy.

mgw_300e

I didn't see that before!

Saijin_Naib

its a womang lolz

YNVDIZW124

1,800 for parts? 90/hr....no wonder you spent 9k, this guy is ripping you off and it dosen't take 4 hours to take out a transmission on a w124! It's pretty simple if you got all the right tools. My mechanic charges me 45-65/hour depending on how much work is involved and i'm talking about a guy that's been working on 190e and 300e's for 20 years. I do most of the work myself but sometimes i need a lift or special tools..


jmdfiend - LOL...talking about trannies...

Koolwipski

Matt: The place is C&C Auto Service, 77 Haby Dr., San Antonio, Texas 78212
210-732-3737
Guy's name is Tony.
Give him a call, real nice guy.

Bigpete123

Dude, how on earth do you find a mechanic that cheap? I have called pretty much every independent german auto mechanic in the Seattle area and I have yet to find one cheaper than $90/hr. Trust me, I've tried. I have to say that I'm very surprised that you could find that cheap and experienced of a mechanic. I honestly don't believe that one exists in the Seattle area that's much cheaper than what I pay (well, at least one that I'd feel safe taking my car to).

YNVDIZW124

I live in so cal so i guess that's way different than seattle. I've been going to this mechanic since i was 16 when i got my first 190e, so i guess i get a discount. He charged me $150 to change the rear wheel bearing including the wheel bearing and labor. It was alot of work because he had to remove the axle to get the puller in there. He also charged me $70 to change both flex discs not including the flex discs because i got them cheap on ebay.

I tried once going to a different mechanic because i needed a simple adjustment and the guy say $120 for the diagnosis and we'll go from there. I was looked at him like he was crazy and said LATER!

I found him by calling around and just asking how much does he charge for a repair. Most other mb shops looked at me young and with a mercedes so they where like let's get him for all he has...

Bigpete123

Well, I would expect socal to be even more expensive than Seattle, so it sounds like you have a really good hookup. Honestly, that's so much cheaper than mechanics in seattle that I think if I guy told me that's what he charged, I would think that he doesn't know what he's doing.

But you're right, that's definitely why I have spent so much. 3/4 of the cost of the work I've had done is labor...

ashman

my mechanic charges $60.00 an hour and has grown up working on benzes and he is in his 60's now. His father was a benz mechanic and my mechanic has been working on them forever. he knows everything about them, and does fantastic work. and he is also in so cal.

Do a search on mercedesshop in the good shops section you will be able to find out info on other mechanics others have used from various areas, and you may be able to find one who is recommended and does good work.

$90.00 an hour sounds to me like pretty much dealership rates. if you are going to pay that may as well be taking it to the dealer. at least they will usually wash the car before they give it back to you.

But back to the subject.

I think that you can get the work done for cheaper.

I have recommended my mechanic to so many people he does give me a discount, but I have also known him for probably a good 18 years

Bigpete123

So just an update (mgw, hopefully you dont' think I'm stealing your thread), I went on mercedesshop.com and found some shops in my area that come highly regarded. Here are the two options I was given:

1) Do a full rebuild, including a rebuild of the torque converter. $1,900 parts and labor, plus the cost of oil and an oil flush. This is a transmission shop that was recommended to me by a highly regarded MB-only mechanic in the seattle area.

2) Do a partial rebuild. Replace only the clutches, seals, etc, and fix everything related to the reverse gear. This is a MB shop, not a tranny shop. He'd charge $1,450 before oil, flush, and taxes. He says he's done this on cars as old as mine and they've been great for another 10yrs.

Both of these quotes are much cheaper than the $2,500 (before taxes, oil, flush, etc) my regular mechanic quoted me for. I think it's because my mechanic quoted a lot of hours. His hourly rate is about the same as the 2 shops above.

What should I do?

mhorn

I'm telling you, with cars this old and the original tranny, if you do a partial rebuild something else will break down the road and you'll be back at square one. As much as they are going to charge you for labor to take the tranny out and put it back in again, why take a chance? Get a fully rebuilt transmission. I doubt if any body will give you a warranty on a partial rebuild. If they do, I would ask for a refrence. Used transmissions are fine IF you can find them. Think about it, these cars are all 10 years old now. The odds of you finding a low mileage tansmission in a junk yard are zero. I would rather exchange my old core for a rebuilt transmission by somebody who only rebuilds mercedes. I'm sure there are mechanics capable of tearing a tranny down and rebuilding it themselves, but that is a very specialized job that in my opinion is beyond the level of competence you find in most transmission shops. If you ask around enough you'll always find somebody who "says" they can fix it. The really good shops are the ones who'll tell you they can't and turn away business they know is beyond their ability to fix.

Bigpete123

yeah, I'll just wait and do the whole thing. In terms of good mechanics, I hear you. The tranny shop that I'm talking about was referred to me by a local benz shop that is highly regarded. The guy at the shop told me that he's been sending trannies to this transmission shop for 25 years and hasn't had a single problem. I'd say this is a pretty reliable place to take it.

I even looked them up on the Better Business Bureau website and they haven't had a single claim against them in 36 months. They're really close to both my office and my home, and they are beating my regular mechanic's price by $600 (or more). So I think I'm on to something. But I'll report back!!

To have it done, I'm only going to pay $200 or $300 more than what it would cost me to buy one from Adsit Co and install it myself. So I'd say this is a good deal.

davethebenzman

I have a 1988 300E and I had a get a new trans. I called my local benz junk yard and got a trans for 360. and payed the local trans shop 400 to install and that was 2 years ago and still no prob after I ajusted the shift pont on the trans and there you go. on the head work well im doing that my self. I called the local machine shop and I will be taking the head to them to have it milled with the valvtrans on it. they will mill the head and dissasemble and reasemble the head after hot tanking it (all of the valve trans off the head) puting it all back to gether and with the all the right specs for 111.00 and then befor you get the head to them call autozone and get the head kit for it 129.00 and that is all the gaskets you will need . ok so you just spent aound 1100. for the 4000-5000 price and the head will take you about 4-5 hours . not bad for a coupel ours of work. thats (the head) is all the shop will do is have the machne shop will do and charge you the 12 hours of time. but all I need is the torc on the head and the patern for it.

davethebenzman

I would go to the auto parts store and get a oil dye that uses a UV light to see the oil spill form the car. I now no onger need the had job do to I found my comming form the oil perc. unit. a $40 part and not the head job.