I'm Out of Warranty now
My second day out of warranty today .... I was getting MB warranty no deductible for $3500 ... n I figured I wont have to spend that much in the next 36k miles ...
So what maintenance items should I perform to prevent visits to the stealer for repairs...
1- Tranny Oil change (thanks for the initial write-up Vettdvr)
2- CV boots to prevent Axle damage
3- ??
CPO Warranty did cover:
- New Rt & Lft lower ball joints
- New motor mounts
- Newcenter console are rest
- New center console drink holder
- New Left door arm rest
- New Transmission and Torque converter. (they found pieces of metal in the tranny pan)
its almost like having a new car. Should only need oil change from now on. I hope!
__________________
Smart move buying the extended warranty.
You can change engine oil/filter,plugs,brakes,batteries just keep proof of purchase for verification. You must use MB approved lubes,filters and parts.
Originally Posted by mmartinez
CPO Warranty did cover:
- New Rt & Lft lower ball joints
- New motor mounts
- Newcenter console are rest
- New center console drink holder
- New Left door arm rest
- New Transmission and Torque converter. (they found pieces of metal in the tranny pan)
The items I have had repaired under warranty are:
AC water valve
door locks
ignition switch
airmatic compressor
rear air springs
SBC braking system
ac blower motor
ball joints
cig lighter
wood grain panel on dash cracked
This are just the few top lines I can remember. The cost of these way exceeded the cost I paid for the warranty. I agree that only MB dealer warranty is the one to purchase. I am really gunshy about after market.
To many iffies on it. Buy a warranty and get it from MB!
Originally Posted by mmartinez
CPO Warranty did cover:
- New Rt & Lft lower ball joints
- New motor mounts
- Newcenter console are rest
- New center console drink holder
- New Left door arm rest
- New Transmission and Torque converter. (they found pieces of metal in the tranny pan)
The items I have had repaired under warranty are:
AC water valve
door locks
ignition switch
airmatic compressor
rear air springs
SBC braking system
ac blower motor
ball joints
cig lighter
wood grain panel on dash cracked
This are just the few top lines I can remember. The cost of these way exceeded the cost I paid for the warranty. I agree that only MB dealer warranty is the one to purchase. I am really gunshy about after market.
To many iffies on it. Buy a warranty and get it from MB!
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Smart move buying the extended warranty.
You can change engine oil/filter,plugs,brakes,batteries just keep proof of purchase for verification. You must use MB approved lubes,filters and parts.
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Its is a service agreement between you and MBUSA, whereby MB promises to pay your dealer for Labor, Time and Parts installed on your vehicle which fail prior to specified milage and or time with certain exclusions.
Technically its a bet between you and MBUSA. You're betting you will have problems with their product based on past performance or observations, and they're betting that they're beyond all those problems & they won't have to pay out any of your wager money to effect repairs.
Having spent some time as a member of this community, are you a betting man?
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Jul 20, 2009 at 05:26 PM.
Its is a service agreement between you and MBUSA, whereby MB promises to pay your dealer for Labor, Time and Parts installed on your vehicle which fail prior to specified milage and or time with certain exclusions.
Technically its a bet between you and MBUSA. You're betting you will have problems with their product based on past performanc or observations, and they're betting that they're beyond all those problems & they won't have to pay out any of your wager money to effect repairs.
Having spent some time as a member of this community, are you a betting man?

Just bought a CPO E320 CDI with 2 years of additional MB extended warranty. If it turns out to me a maintenance headache, warranty or no warranty, we sell it and never buy another MB. That is the only way to teach a manufacturer that you will not put up with that sort of nonsense.
(We have a 1992 LS400, have had it since 1993.)
- nopcbs
Originally Posted by mmartinez
CPO Warranty did cover:
- New Rt & Lft lower ball joints
- New motor mounts
- Newcenter console are rest
- New center console drink holder
- New Left door arm rest
- New Transmission and Torque converter. (they found pieces of metal in the tranny pan)
The items I have had repaired under warranty are:
AC water valve
door locks
ignition switch
airmatic compressor
rear air springs
SBC braking system
ac blower motor
ball joints
cig lighter
wood grain panel on dash cracked
This are just the few top lines I can remember. The cost of these way exceeded the cost I paid for the warranty. I agree that only MB dealer warranty is the one to purchase. I am really gunshy about after market.
To many iffies on it. Buy a warranty and get it from MB!
Just bought a CPO E320 CDI with 2 years of additional MB extended warranty. If it turns out to me a maintenance headache, warranty or no warranty, we sell it and never buy another MB. That is the only way to teach a manufacturer that you will not put up with that sort of nonsense.
(We have a 1992 LS400, have had it since 1993.)
- nopcbs
For me the E500 is a great driver car but as pilots would say it is a "hanger queen" and loves to spend time in the shop.
After all the failures I have had it will be hard for me to trust MB again.
I owned a cadillac eldorado in the late 70's. I was working as a consultant with some of the cadillac QC division. They told me to buy another cadillac as it was greatly improved. I told them if they had so much confidence give me one and let me drive it 50,000 miles then If no failures I would pay for it. Look at caddy now

So given the massive failures how can I trust MB.? The dealer does excellent service, the best I have ever had. But the car just won't keep going!. My exclusive opinion only of course you may consider all these failures normal wear items. I don't!
Considering everything that was fixed by MB warranty over the time I've had the car, I feel like I am driving a new car...lol
Originally Posted by mmartinez
MB Warranty did cover:
- New Rt & Lft lower ball joints
- New motor mounts
- Newcenter console are rest
- New center console drink holder
- New Left door arm rest
- New Transmission and Torque converter. (they found pieces of metal in the tranny pan)
Technically its a bet between you and MBUSA. You're betting you will have problems with their product based on past performanc or observations, and they're betting that they're beyond all those problems & they won't have to pay out any of your wager money to effect repairs.
YMMV.
I think all this is sort of understood in the auto world, isn't it? You know, "I'm buying a Lexus because," etc., etc. This seems to be a big topic on all Euro car forums.
In the meantime BMW, MB, Audi are still selling cars. And there are lots of E Classes out there. I see hundreds of them every day here on the road.
If they are really that horrible you'd assume the gig was up and people would stop buying Euro cars. But they don't seem to be. Are they all just fools?
My problems with my '04 came so fast, randomly and unexpectedly that the car was in the shop every 5th week with a new and unique problem. (It had many options) The 07? No problems!
My guess is that problematic, poorly engineered "European" (German) cars will have to be a thing of the past in order to continue to be bought by North Americans. Reliability is NOT an option... it is standard equipment... its expected and owed to the customer by the manufacturer in every vehicle. The folks at other Brands who didn't believe in that or were too busy to provide it will all be gone shortly just like MB got rid of them to fix the 211 E Class.
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Jul 21, 2009 at 02:35 PM.

Reliability is to be built into the car just as safety.
I bought the E500 2003 EXPECTING reliability to be a non-issue. But in my car it was THE ISSUE.
Granted at 80,000 miles it still drives like a new car but the trail of parts is probably valued close to $20,000 which it totally unaccpetable from a reliability viewpoint. I can accept some mechanical failures but the total amount I have had is way beyond acceptable.
Hopefully JDP or CR will show this but currently MB has only moved to the middle range on CR. There are many other cars higher.
What suprised me was my corvette I bought new has had the
driven out of it on the track and used as a daily driver and it has only has 1 issue with the memory seat. It also has the ride control and active handling such as MB but it doesn't fail. UMMM wonder why chevy is more reliable. And don't say be cause MB drives better. If so I reco. you test drive a new corvette. It just happens I have the two cars to compare. I do hope MB's are better built. I thought when I bought the E500 I would be dealing with just one dealer and trading every 4 or so years for exclusively MB's. But now that is in question. So a car company must consider the cost of "quality non-compliance" for profits lost as a result of poor quality that gets to the customer. IT sounds like MB is making a correction but that doesn't fix my car. Now the question is, Was my car repaired with UP grade parts or 2003 quality?
Should I expect more failures of the air springs, sbc system or should I hold my breath on the radiator to blow out the transmission.
I do hope MB's are better built. I thought when I bought the E500 I would be dealing with just one dealer and trading every 4 or so years for exclusively MB's. But now that is in question. So a car company must consider the cost of "quality non-compliance" for profits lost as a result of poor quality that gets to the customer. IT sounds like MB is making a correction but that doesn't fix my car. Now the question is, Was my car repaired with UP grade parts or 2003 quality?
Should I expect more failures of the air springs, sbc system or should I hold my breath on the radiator to blow out the transmission.
Why didn't you jettison it years ago? I'm not trying to flame you at all, but if the car is such a headache, why not just count your losses and move on?
Personally, that's what I would have done (been there, done that, with Audi.)
p.s., Audi is a good example of a disaster of a car to becoming a decent seller now.
I hope this ownership turns out to be as boring an maintenance experience as our Lexi and mazda have been. If it is not, bye bye MB. I do not put up with unreliable cars when very reliable ones are easy to find.
- nopcbs
Same boat here, I’m hoping the inherent reliability of a diesel engine combined with the fact that the I6 has been in production for a while now will, in the long run, make the CDI a wise long term choice. So far I’m already due some unexpected repairs that I’m guessing shall set me back about $2k usd. Once remedied, may that be the end of them…
Diesel mercs have always been present in my family, and I hope that mine shall not be the last, but if it turns out to be a horrid rattle trap sucking money into a never ending pool of mechanic’s eager pockets… well, I’ll be rid of it and stick with my 280k mile petrol burning Audi that has had no drivability issues at all ever (sans needing new alternator brushes).

Why am I holding on to the one I have and not trading. Anyone looked at the economy lately for it's impact on being retired? Maybe you can figure out why it hasn't been traded yet.
If MB can prove reliability perhaps I will buy another. I thought it might be the S500. But given as others have stated European cars are high maintenance and low reliability perhaps I won't buy European but purchase from someone who can have the "one quality a car must have is reliability"
I am not bashing MB but mearly stating "just the facts" as I have observed them to provide information as I have experienced it. My experience
matches Consumer Reports for this car. If you check CR I would have to agree they are right in their evaluation.


