E-Class (W124) 1984-1995: E 260, E 300, E 320, E 420, E 500 (Includes CE, T, TD models)

Unexpected drift :/

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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:37 PM
  #1  
Dan_Audio Man's Avatar
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'87 300E
Exclamation Unexpected drift :/

While driving @ 45MPH through a highly populated highway, a HIGHLY elevated pair of manholes had caused me to veer to the left shoulder without much control of my steering.

Okay, my split second impression is that I had a blowout. After peering dangerously into the traffic I noticed that the tire is touching the fender.

Okay, so now I am thinking that the suspension gave way. I catch a moment to peek further and this is what I find:



After having it towed with the Flatbed truck, I placed a dolly under the front right wheel to support it as it sits in my driveway.



You can see the outward dent on the side there which is where the tire got stuck (angled away from the car).

The construction company president was in the area and so I filed a claim with the insurance to have them pay for this. The manholes are scattered all over the highway now and are so rediculously raised from the surrounding asphalt that it was no surprise HOW MANY SKID MARKS THERE WERE IN THE SAME PLACE MY CAR LANDED.

Last edited by Dan_Audio Man; Apr 24, 2008 at 08:41 PM.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:41 PM
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From: marlboro, nj
Mercedes benz 1991 300ce(RIP), now an 89 300ce
Originally Posted by Dan_Audio Man
While driving @ 45MPH through a highly populated highway, a HIGHLY elevated pair of manholes had caused me to view to the left shoulder without much control of my steering.

Okay, my split second impression is that I had a blowout. After peering dangerously into the traffic I notice that the tire is touching the fender.

Okay, so now I am thinking that the suspension gave way. I catch a moment to peek further and this is what I find:



After having it towed with the Flatbed truck, I placed a dolly under the front right wheel to support it as it sits in my driveway.



The construction company president was in the area and so I filed a claim with the insurance to have them pay for this. The manholes are scattered all over the highway now and are so rediculously raised from the surround asphalt that it was no surprise HOW MANY SKID MARKS THERE WERE IN THE SAME PLACE MY CAR LANDED.

tell me it was on 18 by rutgers....
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:44 PM
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From: Central NJ
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Originally Posted by crr1612
tell me it was on 18 by rutgers....
100 % .
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:45 PM
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From: marlboro, nj
Mercedes benz 1991 300ce(RIP), now an 89 300ce
Originally Posted by Dan_Audio Man
100 % .
ahhhhh i hate that...construction has been goin on forever and those manholes are ridiculous...im scared of those in my durango. im sorry to hear that man. atleast you dont have scarlet fever....
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:49 PM
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Wow....So now you need a lower control arm, strut, mount, and spindle maybe...oh, and a paint job on the fender...Best thing is if they total it and give you money for a another 300e and you keep the car and fix it yourself...
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:53 PM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by YNVDIZW124
Wow....So now you need a lower control arm, strut, mount, and spindle maybe...oh, and a paint job on the fender...Best thing is if they total it and give you money for a another 300e and you keep the car and fix it yourself...
I wish .

I already have a 300e just for parts so getting them will not be a problem, but I can't get the paint and body work from that one .
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:18 PM
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I did that 3 times with my 300e. The first time the insurance salvaged it for a fender bender and i bought it back for $600. The second time i got hit i went to court and they gave me blue book value. Third time i did the same. It spent about $200 max to fix it after those accidents. Remember even if your claim gets denied from the other persons insurance you can still take them to court and the insurance still ends up paying.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:26 PM
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From: Central NJ
'87 300E
Originally Posted by YNVDIZW124
I did that 3 times with my 300e. The first time the insurance salvaged it for a fender bender and i bought it back for $600. The second time i got hit i went to court and they gave me blue book value. Third time i did the same. It spent about $200 max to fix it after those accidents. Remember even if your claim gets denied from the other persons insurance you can still take them to court and the insurance still ends up paying.
Did this exact same part break in your case? And I hope the construction company's insurance or whatever pay up and for the $150 tow. The president of the work crew was on site, but he was a grouchy old man.

Everyone here knows how bad this is and the township is not doing anything about it. How many more accidents and skid marks do they want to see before they lay down some more asphalt?
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:36 PM
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No, a truck took the whole front of the car off so i just needed the bumper, lights, fenders, hood. When i did a 360 on the freeway i needed new rims and my rear axle and bearing broke...

Also, best thing to do is to document everything with pictures and make sure you get copies of all the expenses you have. I wouldn't care if he was a grouchy old man, call the police and make a report. You should go to a city council meeting or something like that and show them. You're the taxpayer so they are working on your dime.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by YNVDIZW124

Also, best thing to do is to document everything with pictures and make sure you get copies of all the expenses you have. I wouldn't care if he was a grouchy old man, call the police and make a report. You should go to a city council meeting or something like that and show them. You're the taxpayer so they are working on your dime.
Yea I kept the tow truck receipt and police report and such. I took pics and so did the construction president. The officer gave each of us a copy of the report. I just hope they don't come up with some excuse to deny this (as thieving insurance companies do).
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 10:51 PM
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You can go straight to small claims court if you want. You have to notify the insurance company in writing that you are doing so. Once you win you send the judgment to them and they send you a check. The problem is that it takes 30-60 days for this process...
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 11:07 PM
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Was 89' 300E, Now 93' 500SEL
damn yeah that happen to my ride last summer. i suggest to everyone in this forum to get their contro arm ball bearing repleace ASAP!
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by hellah fresh
damn yeah that happen to my ride last summer. i suggest to everyone in this forum to get their contro arm ball bearing repleace ASAP!
How much did you pay for them and did you get them for all the wheels?
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 02:10 PM
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Insurance Claims

Guys, one of the things you should do if you've done a lot of work on your car, is to have it appraised by a reputable car appraiser. Then go to your insurance company and have them record the replacement value. That way you'll get better than the standard value for a claim.
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by OldBenzLover
Guys, one of the things you should do if you've done a lot of work on your car, is to have it appraised by a reputable car appraiser. Then go to your insurance company and have them record the replacement value. That way you'll get better than the standard value for a claim.
make sure he takes into account the thousands of dollar of sentimental value
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Old Apr 25, 2008 | 11:40 PM
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thats why i have stock wheels and tires. actually, one size larger tires, 205/65-15 vs standard.

i dont need to slow down for speedbumps or potholes.
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Dan_Audio Man
100 % .
That area is so horrible. I drive there a lot because many of my friends are at Rutgers. My weaving skills are honed there taking on countless pot holes and ****. Not only, that, I'm usually driving at night, so the big bright lights are blinding you, while you try to see in the dark.
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 05:09 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by jlink38
That area is so horrible. I drive there a lot because many of my friends are at Rutgers. My weaving skills are honed there taking on countless pot holes and ****. Not only, that, I'm usually driving at night, so the big bright lights are blinding you, while you try to see in the dark.
It is like a game to through that strip of highway.
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Old Apr 27, 2008 | 09:20 PM
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From: marlboro, nj
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Originally Posted by Dan_Audio Man
It is like a game to through that strip of highway.
wow, quite a few of us benz owners have to deal with that place.
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Old Apr 28, 2008 | 04:36 PM
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Originally Posted by crr1612
wow, quite a few of us benz owners have to deal with that place.
There's one dip on 18 south where the passenger side actually lowers and you feel like you're on a racetrack it curves you around it's by the albany st exit over by the river. That part is cool. Otherwise, I really really don't like 18 in NB at all. I will take the longer back streets home instead via George St. to avoid 18. I used to live in North Brunswick and now I live in Mass. where the roads are 10000x better.
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Old Apr 29, 2008 | 12:32 AM
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Drive and handling is just superb. I was told by dealers that Mercedes were staid and for old guys. I have a high powered classic sports car and the Benz will eat it (using the power option). We have done a lot to it, but nothing really outside maintenance.

The most outstanding feature we discovered when my wife hit black ice at 5am on a bridge at 60mph. The car slid the length of the bridge, (no ABS) turning and impacting the grille guard extremely hard 90 degrees to the road. It stopped dead. The impact protection took all the force, wrecking the front bumper and a slight bend to the under frame, and did not even touch the grille or lights. My lovely wife (bless her) just suffered a little whiplash.

Last edited by redmansioner; Apr 29, 2008 at 12:33 AM. Reason: paragraph alignment
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Old Apr 29, 2008 | 02:29 AM
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Originally Posted by redmansioner
Drive and handling is just superb. I was told by dealers that Mercedes were staid and for old guys. I have a high powered classic sports car and the Benz will eat it (using the power option). We have done a lot to it, but nothing really outside maintenance.

The most outstanding feature we discovered when my wife hit black ice at 5am on a bridge at 60mph. The car slid the length of the bridge, (no ABS) turning and impacting the grille guard extremely hard 90 degrees to the road. It stopped dead. The impact protection took all the force, wrecking the front bumper and a slight bend to the under frame, and did not even touch the grille or lights. My lovely wife (bless her) just suffered a little whiplash.
Do you make up stories just so you can plug that website in every one of your posts?
Business must suck, huh? Or are you too cheap to pay to be a sponsor?
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Old Apr 29, 2008 | 03:00 AM
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Funny

you pointed that outI noticed that he always had some inane comment about loving the benz or hating it, but always linking it to the crappy overpriced web site.
Good riddance to him,he was a schmuck anywayand his wife's mug most likely needed the guard more than the car
ohlord
check out the jerks latest far reaching tie in
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...55#post2794555

Last edited by ohlord; Apr 29, 2008 at 03:12 AM.
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