'96 E320 went in for a slight oil smell, now needs trans rebuild?!!
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'96 e320
'96 E320 went in for a slight oil smell, now needs trans rebuild?!!
as the title states, i took my moms car into a local shop for a slight oil smell when she drove about 30-40miles...there was also some vibration when we would slow down/brake (all pads/front rotors were replaced about a year ago, and rear rotors were recently replaced a couple months ago)
i believe the car has about 167,xxx miles or so
so the solution, they replaced the tranny / motor mounts and the upper timing cover and valve cover = around $600 in parts n labor (is this right?!?!)
well fast forward to about 2weeks later, i get a frantic call from my mom that her reverse is not working and she is stuck in a parking spot, she gets its backed out by the help of some passerbys and she drives it back to the shop we had recently taken it to work on it
long story short, they say that they can't fix it, that it is something internal and probably needs a tranny rebuild (and they dont have the tools to do anything internal on a tranny) said that "someone" overfilled the trans fluid and they had to "dump" 2 quarts of fluid out of the car and found metal shavings, ofcourse i have no idea if they are telling the truth or not i just have to take their word for it
did we get taken for a ride? did we just waste $600 on a fix we prob didn't need? and now we need to get the trans fixed which could cost God knows how much...i've seen some threads reference around $3k!
HELP! it was my moms birthday yesterday and i couldnt bare to tell her that we took her car to get fixed only to be in the hole even more now more so than when we first took it in!
i believe the car has about 167,xxx miles or so
so the solution, they replaced the tranny / motor mounts and the upper timing cover and valve cover = around $600 in parts n labor (is this right?!?!)
well fast forward to about 2weeks later, i get a frantic call from my mom that her reverse is not working and she is stuck in a parking spot, she gets its backed out by the help of some passerbys and she drives it back to the shop we had recently taken it to work on it
long story short, they say that they can't fix it, that it is something internal and probably needs a tranny rebuild (and they dont have the tools to do anything internal on a tranny) said that "someone" overfilled the trans fluid and they had to "dump" 2 quarts of fluid out of the car and found metal shavings, ofcourse i have no idea if they are telling the truth or not i just have to take their word for it
did we get taken for a ride? did we just waste $600 on a fix we prob didn't need? and now we need to get the trans fixed which could cost God knows how much...i've seen some threads reference around $3k!
HELP! it was my moms birthday yesterday and i couldnt bare to tell her that we took her car to get fixed only to be in the hole even more now more so than when we first took it in!
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
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From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
at 167k miles (and 13 yrs), tranny or basically anything else could crap out at any time. Most tranny shops will not touch Mercedes. Look for an independent service center that specializes in Mercedes otherwise you'll need to go to a dealer. You don't mention where you're located but someone here may be able to recommend an indy. New and used cars are selling at some of the best prices ever so you may want to consider minimizing your losses and getting something else.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Do
not go to the dealer.They won't rebuild,will only replace with new trans at a cost far in excess of the cars value.
Who would have put 2 quarts to much fluid in?
If you trust the shop,and $600 for engine and trans mounts and a timing cover on an m104 is a very fair price,then it seems like they are telling you the straight story.It is time to find a new car,or dump several thousand into a rebuilt trans and labor in a car worth 3.5 grand at best with those miles.
sorry
Who would have put 2 quarts to much fluid in?
If you trust the shop,and $600 for engine and trans mounts and a timing cover on an m104 is a very fair price,then it seems like they are telling you the straight story.It is time to find a new car,or dump several thousand into a rebuilt trans and labor in a car worth 3.5 grand at best with those miles.
sorry
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 455
Likes: 1
From: Fl
92 500sel/01 320e wag
A (factory) rebuilt tranny from MB will be around 5K from dealer (2yr warranty). If it requires a converter add another 1K, the prices are all over the place from independents and so is their expertise and warranty. I recently went MB trans job $6000, probably what the car is worth. I question how the extra oil got in, and all of a sudden they pull the pan and find shavings. This is a little fishey, who has been servicing it, the trans does not quit overnight.
I would find another place, the trans is not the late model electronic one, and probably needs front clutches.
I would find another place, the trans is not the late model electronic one, and probably needs front clutches.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 835
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From: Bay Area, CA
09' E320
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,171
Likes: 16
300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
At
168000 miles the car is not worth the cost of a transmission be it rebuilt,new,used,one from a donor car put in.That's the point.
replace the trans and the next thing to go will be the head gasket.
replace the trans and the next thing to go will be the head gasket.
