bmwpowere36m3

An old can of Aircraft decal and adhesive remover... probably full of Xylene. You know, the good stuff. Being in CT, the government says we can't such things anymore.

Left Coast Geek

interesting, my facelift 212 doesn't have those chrome handle liners. the handles themsleves are chrome on the inside, but I believe thats for the automagic unlocking (if you have the fob in your pocket, touch the metal part of the handle, and the doors unlock).,

I've noticed on our older white cars, lots and lots of fingernail scratches in the 'pocket' around the door handle, probably from my wife's not-that-long nails. they rub out easily enough with a bit of Scratch-X, or most any cleaner-wax.

bmwpowere36m3

Their a factory accessory (inserts that is) the chrome top of the handle is for the Keyless-Go. Non-KG have an all painted handle.

cetialpha5

I think it was an $84 option.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/merc.../e-class/2011/

Click on features to see the cost of individual options.

S-Prihadi

Yes, my car is white and only paintwork on that "pocket" of the door handle and if one wears a ring...hhmmm, not good for the paintwork.

Left Coast Geek

hah, by 2016 it was probably a $200 option, but out of a $60K car, thats nothing.

based on https://www.auto-brochures.com/makes...Class_2016.pdf
mine has...

• 2016 E350 4Matic Wagon - Luxury Edition
• Premium Package - COMAND nav, HK Logic7, Sirius, Voice control, heated front seats, power folding mirrors, rear side window sunshades,
• Lighthing Package with Full LED headlights and adaptive yada yada
• Keyless Go
• Lane Tracking (blind spot assist, lane keeping assist.... it beeps and buzzes but doesn't steer)
• Panoramic Roof
• 115VAC inverter (?? hey, it might be useful some day, but I've got a 200/400W cigar plug inverter already)
• MB-Tex - silk beige/espresso
• burl walnut wood
• polar white

the Luxury package has the Comfort suspension, 17" wheels, and the Elegance interior, with chocolate brown dash and steering wheel

Left Coast Geek

Sooo. Motortrend claims thats a $59,900 base car, $837 for KG, $813 for lane tracking, $1395 for the Lighting Package, Premium 1 is $3282. The 115V inverter is $106. The Panoramic sunroof was $1013, for a grand total of $67346 plus tax and 'dealer' (rape) charges.

I'm very happy to have paid $38000 for this car as a 28700 mile CPO just prior to Christmas...



(especially after 6 months of test driving a variety of $20-30K late model mostly japanese crossovers and sedans).

cetialpha5

It's actually pretty accurate. Just for fun, I spent $8 and got my window sticker and it was pretty much right on target for the list price except that Motor Trend doesn't mention the destination charge and that was the only amount I was off by.

https://monroneylabels.com/

But just use the vin decoder and you'll know exactly what options the car has, no need for the brochure.

https://www.lastvin.com/

If the car was discounted, typical discounts are usually in the 5-11% range off MSRP but sometimes you hear of 15% off when there's some kind of special clearance.

S-Prihadi

Yes Please, make a 101 on the Gotchas.
I have zero experience with rivets.

Thank u

Left Coast Geek

I have my data card, but the Mercedes factory option numbers don't map 1:1 to the MBUSA standard packages. each of the US option packages map to several of the factory option codes.

pierrejoliat

Yes, I have both and the fingernail scratches don't show up well in photos, I like the no chrome look better, but it does cut down somewhat on the scratches, I also use Scratch X a couple times a year, especially for my wife's drivers door, She has medium length nails.

LILBENZ230

Those are the invoice prices. The MSRP was probably more like $70k.

Since you bought CPO didn't you get a printout from the dealer with the build sheet?

This is the build sheet for mine:

bmwpowere36m3

Another project tackled... active bolsters, which weren't holding pressure and thus inop. Fix required a new "lumber support", P/N A0009108000 which is an assembly/frame holding both the lower lumber and active bolster [wings] bladders.

Certainly a job up there in effort, with the hardest part being unclipping the leather cover (bolsters) from the "wings". The lower seat cushion needs to be undone from the seat frame and moved forward a little (does not beed to be removed from car). The headrest guides are one-time use, luckily their only $7 ea. They have two locks, the upper being releasable with a screwdriver or pick. However the lower lock, a molded plastic one-way catch, needs to be broken to release from seat frame.

I did it with the seat in place... having it out of car would make access to the side bolsters better. You might end up fighting with the seat moving around as you pull and tug on it... YMMV.

The original bladders split right at the edge of the heat-sealed edge, like many you see online. Could the bladders be fixed... maybe. However the job is a bit of work to get to them... might as well and just replace the entire unit. The green circled areas on the bladders are the splits.

All the pictures are of the old unit, the new one was identical.

S-Prihadi

Do u think it is possible to re-seal those lumbar/bladder bags with food type hot seal ?
I think originally those bags were RF welded.

bmwpowere36m3

Certainly possible, when I was searching the issue... predominately I was seeing it on W211 and W221s. There's no marking on the bladder regarding material and hose that's sealed along the edge is 006198/802 290mm / >TPU< Guys using shoe goop, electrical tape, remelting with soldering iron or clothes iron. I don't want to do this for another 10 years

bmwpowere36m3

Nearing the end... that while I'm there is a *****



Had some leaks from the oil filter housing/cooler area, so the plan is to:

* Replace oil filter housing and oil cooler seals
* Replace thermostat & flush coolant
* Replace accessory belt/pulleys/tensioner
* Replace P/S reservoir & flush fluid

Replacing the P/S reservoir would be a smart thing as you approach 10yr/100k. The reservoir has built-in filter and here's what mine looked like at 10 years and 100k:









I sourced a replacement reservoir from FCP who sold it as OEM, sure enough its a ZF unit with the MB star ground off (1/3 price of OE). A suck 'n fill at 50k and again at 100k with a reservoir replacement would be a good strategy.

S-Prihadi

I am wondering, when my previous car/s still have power steering fluid type.... I do oil change on it every 2-3 years thereabout.
Do you guys in the US do oil change on power steering ? I know it is not in the car maintenance manual.

bmwpowere36m3

There's no service requirement for P/S, nor the differential on the W212... reducing maintenance is a strategy for the european manufacturers as it has implications for them, pretty sure financial, from what I understand. Building cars to last 20+ years and keeping them out of the landfill is not the goal for the legislators, nor the manufacturers.

bmwpowere36m3

In the older days, we did the fluids like the AT, diff and P/S every 30k... even if some were considered "lifetime". You know, small price in the scheme of things. Today, I would adjust those targets based on the vehicle and fluids. Some guys still want to do 3k oil changes...

Then again, most people don't keep a car 100k and even less 200k.

Left Coast Geek

I see "check power steering fluid" as a service B line item. Presumably if it looks dirty at that point it should be changed.

S-Prihadi

I do my oil change for DIFF at 2 years or 20,000KM, same as as my 7 speed A/T. No replaceable lubrication fluid in my car is allowed to stay in use for longer than 2 years.
The improvement change in response of the transmission when it is almost 4 years , albeit 10,000KM old oil as I bought the W212, to new trans oil was obvious for sensitive me.

bmwpowere36m3

There’s a few checks for fluid... pretty sure it’s just a top off, if low at the dealer.

With this black reservoir, small opening, green fluid... it’s really hard to judge by simply pulling the dipstick/cap.

When I flush I’ll try and save some of the old fluid... but the stuff that came out of the reservoir was a dark amber, almost like old brake fluid. The reservoir is original, but someone may have replaced the fluid in that past with something other than the correct fluid as well, hence the color.

They certainly replaced the coolant NOT with G48 or MB, BMW or Volvo dark blue-green stuff.

Left Coast Geek

changing ATF every 2 years or 20K miles seems way excessive to me, especially with the $$$$$ MB236.15 blue ATF that most W212 7G+'s use. factory says 60K / 6 years at least for my '16 E350. If I raced the car I might cut that in half.

S-Prihadi

Hi LCG,

It is 20,000KM or 12,427 statue miles.
As to why I choose 20,000 KM is based on operating hours.
During non covid days, my car only get 21 - 24KM/H average , majority of these is for sending and picking up my daughter from school, where 70% of the distance is actually already the paid highway.
So you can imagine what kind of bumper-2-bumper traffic Jakarta my city has. Even paid highway coming to a near snail speed is not uncommon during morning and evening rush hour.

20,000KM is already 800 - 1,000 hours for my W212.
Any typical lube oil passed 75C is starting to degrade.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com.../oil-breakdown
So I loose out on the temperature side of things and not 20,000KM worth of wear & tear or degrading addetives power and what not.
The 2 years is the natural degradation of the oil when already contaminated or used.

My engine oil is 5,000KM or 200-250 hours or 6-9 months max.
My car is turbo charged, so oil work harder.

Also no matter how clean an assembly plant it, it is wise to change the 1st oil OEM provide us by 1,500KM < 2,000KM , that includes engine oil, trans oil and DIFF oil.
Brake Fluid and Power Steering can wait.

I do not know what the techy name for this :............
When a new engine is exposed to 1st time oil, that oil need to stabilize certain things be it metal, gasket material and what not in the engine.
This 1st time oil always gets dirtier fast. That is a good sign, oil is working.
I still practice running-in oil change till today, for everything I own.

Below is my DIFF, when I installed an ABT type LSD, and its running-in oil 2,000KM looks like that.

Me trying to find metallic trace with magnet. I can't get locally a drain plug with magnet. I dare not use just any unknown quality magnet when it is for hot temperature. The magnet I use below the rectangular one,
it lost it sticking power by 50% or so when I placed it in engine bay, at ABS unit on the 4 brake pipes for 6 months or so.






ADD : 15 to 20K Kilometers oil vs engine hour life

Left Coast Geek

yikes, 20km/h, I'd be riding a bicycle. maybe a scooter, or a eBike.