Benz-O-Rama

Well, I took my car in for it's first non-warranty repair and HOLY MOLY!

I had a knocking in the right front over bumps, no big deal I thought. Well, I just got the estimate and here's the breakdown:

Right front thrust arm - 188.00
Right front bushing - 85.00
Right front ball joint - 91.00

Not too bad I thought to myself. Then I saw the labor estimate...

...750.00!

I think that's just a touch on the high side.

What was a good relationship with my dealer has completely been dissolved by two things. One is that my S.A. quit and opened his own business, and two, the service manager is leaving at the end of the month and is no longer involved in business decisions. So, it's back to square one and greasing an entirely different set of wheels. So much for all of the lunches, tips and x-mas gifts I gave them over the past couple of years. **sigh**

So needless to say, I've already starting looking at other sources for the parts and I just need to find an independent mechanic in the area for the install.


That $4000.00 extended warranty isn't looking so overpriced now.

Barry45RPM

My guesstimate for yearly non warranty repairs would be $1800 - $2100 a year.

559EVO

Dam that sucks, how much are they charging an hour for labor?

NCE500

As much as I enjoy my Benz, I would not own it for a week without a warranty....watched my dad sink obscene sums into his old 240D at EuroMotorcars when I was a kid. He could have bought a couple of new Benzes over the years with the same money.

For what it's worth, there used to be (may still be) a Mercedes specialist in Rockville behind Scan who did work on a friend's older Benz. He was great and much cheaper than the dealer. You might want to see if he is still there, his lot was always full to the brim with cars being worked on.

Good luck.

Scambo

Mine has 67,000 miles and luckily no major issues since the 50k mile warranty expired. I'm praying I dont need an extended warranty, but I dont have a car payment now, so I also dont want a monthly extended warranty charge either. I'll just save and invest my own money in preparation for repairs, and if it gets too rough, I'll buy a new one with a 100k mile warranty. In hindsight, I should have bought the factory 100k mile warranty for an extra $2400 at the time of purchase and been done with it. However, I spent almost evey penny I had on the car itself.

W Cole

Those prices seem high. I regularly see the ball joints go on ebay for $30 or so. I noticed my local stealer was actually charging OVER mercedes recommended retail on parts. He acted like he was giving me a deal when he graciously "discounted" the prices to retail. I wonder what MBUSA would think about the dealers price gouging their customers like this??

konigstiger

Unfortunately some dealers do markup parts cost for shop service. When you receive your quote for repair call their parts counter, ask for a discount, then request the SA match or better the pricing given from their parts counter. You can also contact KYBENZ https://mbworld.org/forums/members/28130-kybenz.html to receive a fair price and either buy from him or use his price to negotiate.

Benz-O-Rama

Well,

I told my dealer that I was going to buy the parts and have them installed elsewhere. I was able to find the parts for 200.00 and I spoke to 2 MB independent shops. Both quoted around 450.00 for the install. Well, I received a phone call from my S.A. and he said that they are willing to do the whole thing for 650.00, parts included.

Since the price is the same, they're right next door to my work, and they still give me a loaner even though I'm out of warranty, I'm gonna have them do it. My car is there right now.

It's funny how the original quote was 1100.00+ and as soon as they realized that I knew I was being grossly overcharged and could get it done for roughly 1/2 of that price, they lowered their price.

E500 Benzo

unless you really know your SA well, Euromotors can be one of that shadiest places to get your car worked on.

they wanted to charge me upwards for $400 to flash my AGW with the updated software, per the DTB (even after all the yelling and commotion). now just imagine if you needed real work done on your car... ouch

benz-o-rama, looks like you have to start making some new friends lol

just my $.02

Benz-O-Rama

Tell me about it. I had a pretty good hookup there.

On a side note, if you still want to test that bluetooth puck in my car, let me know.

mtnbenzer

Another argument for extended warranty? I'm still on the fence as to whether to buy extended warranty during the first year of ownership (08 E-550 4-matic). With Toyota you can call different dealers and get different quotes on Toyota extended warranties (not getting one). Can you do this with MB dealers? I found a $400 difference between the dealer applying the clear bra for $700 and a reputable aftermarket doing it for $300 using same 3M and coverage. It is too bad dealers play these price games on parts and labor until you show you know the game they are playing. Makes me want to find a good Indy in the Denver area.

E500 Benzo

thanks! for now, work and school have got me tied up badly

i think im gonna head over to Euromotors bethesda soon (next to my work) and just bug them untill they find me a car off of their CPO lot to let me use this thing on.

HELL YES.... the dealers can definately by haggled down as far as extended factory warranty goes... i hate aftermarket warranties... if i had a shot at a MB warranty, id jump on it. dont forget, the extended factory warranties become more expensive to purchase the longer you've owned the car.

since you have an '08, you should still be able to get it for the same price as if you were buying it at the same time as the car (im almost 90% sure). the only thing you might loose is some bargaining power (the dealer no longer feels like he needs to eat $$$ on the warranty in order to make the sale on a new car).

let us know what happens

rich644

remember that the MB extended warranty is not an extention of the original warranty.
I found this out the hard way with my ML 430.

read the fine print before signing, they do not cover many of the items likely to go wrong especially electronics and 2ndary system. The warranty states if it is not specifically mentioned in the fineprint of the MB warranty agreement, than it is EXCLUDED.

Under those terms you may be able to make an argument that a 3rd party warranty company could in fact offer better coverage

About a month after my original warranty expired my winshield washer resivoir sprung a leak. Imagine my surprise when I got a quote for $400 from the SA for a washer fluid tank.

9 months later my fuel line rubbed against the brake line causing a leak requireing a replacement of both lines. Imagine my further surprise when it was explained that it may not be covered as well. Luckily I had developled a friendship with a new service advisor at a new dealership and they worked some mojo and changed some of the description of the work thereby getting it done under the extended warranty, but just barely , and if had I taken it to the original dealer (who wouldn't have left a finger to help) it would have cost me nearly $4500.

Overall, I still came out ahead getting about $6400 in repairs covered for the cost of the $2500 MB warranty. But there are some third party warranties out there that cover everything unless it is specifically excluded in the agreement, the opposite of the MB agreement.

Just be careful, read the fineprint, and have a good working relationship with your SA.

lkchris

Makes no sense.

You seem to say that you will always come out ahead buying a warranty.

If this applied to everyone that bought a warranty, the warranty company would go out of business.

It's nothing but an insurance policy and insurance companies don't lose money.

The key is to BUDGET for car repairs. The insurance company is investing your money to make even more. Why don't you invest your money in something that pays interest/dividends and then withdraw when time to pay for repairs?

Benz-O-Rama

I couldn't agree with this more. Now, if a true bumper to bumper warranty for our cars was say, 1500-2000 dollars, then it's a no brainer. But it seems a true, no deductible, bumper-to-bumper warranty is about 4000.00, I say budget the cash and roll the dice.

Of course, you have to consider each car individually. If your particular car has had major failures within the 48/50K warranty, then you might want to consider an extended warranty.

Then there are other factors to consider like your driving style and how long you plan on keep in the car. If you really beat on your car and track it, then sure, get the warranty. But if it's a daily putt-putt around town daily driver then....I think you see where I'm going with this.

However you look at it, it all comes down to how comfortable you feel driving without a net, so to speak.

E500 Benzo

so if i understand you guys correctly, save the $$$ you would spend on an extended warranty, and "roll the dice"?

so that means an MB world Atlantic City get together if im not mistaken... sponsored by everyone's extended warranty funds.

i am so down

csumt76

How much labor? The balljoint should be 1.8hrs or so, then maybe another 1.5 for the thrust arm and busing. Conservatively say 3.5hrs, $750 for labor is an ***-raping.

Benz-O-Rama

Yeah, it seems like the service dept is much like dealing with a used car salesman. They start with an inflated price and you need to haggle them down. By the time it was all said and done, I was charged 641.00 out the door, including parts. But let's say I was an uninformed consumer, which is probably the case with many Benz owners. I would've just signed on the dotted line, handed over my credit card, lubed up by bunghole and took it like a man.

I must say, the car is much, MUCH better now. Apparently, this busted ball joint and thrust arm was causing more than just a clanking noise. The car drives and stops much better now. What I thought was severely warped rotors, are really mildly warped rotors. Plus I'm back on stock 17's with new Michelin's and I'm back to stock height for the Winter. That along with the new ball joint and thrust arm makes the car feel new again.

So, it was 650.00 well spent, if you ask me.

1999TL

I need to have this done. My dealer told me it was b/c I have low profile tires. The low profile tires are stiffer, and this added shock is transferred to the ball joints. This makes sense, but I was still skeptical. I started asking other mechanics. I heard the same story. *sigh* you pay a cost o ride on rims thats for sure, even if this theory is invalid.

Do you think you will have to replace the other side as well? can u give me a break down of the final invoice(to use as bargaining when I shop around for the service)

Thanks

vettdvr

My corvette runs on the same size tires and has 75,000 miles with some on the track. I bought it new. Tires are run flats which are much harder than the MB tires of the same size. The vett ball joints are still in great shape. I have already changed our E500 ball joints at 70,000 miles. The MB joints are Either,, too soft a metal, too small,, or not enough lubricant. Nothing to do with tire size. Just my opinion based on observation of the 50+ or so Corvettes in our club that have not changed ball joints and the number of E series MB who have. Stay a Skeptic!

Benz-O-Rama

I'll see if I can find the repair invoice. It was about 6 months ago that I got this done. The other ball joint is still as quiet as a mouse.

As long as the bottom line is about 650.00, it's a good price.