Well it figures; less than 5,000 miles after the warranty ran out, my left front strut developed a leak. While it's nothing the system couldn't overcome yet (no warnings from the airmatic system's computer), when I parked I could literally watch the left front corner drop all the way down. The wheel sure looks weird at that angle.

Anyway, I dropped in without an appointment to Schumacher European in Scottsdale. Sam took the truck back to see if it was just a plastic pipe or some such but no, it was leaking from the strut itself and had to be replaced. While I'm in the waiting room, he grabs the paperwork with the estimate, whizzes by me and says, "Let me work something out here."

A few minutes later he comes back. He knows I've been hemming and hawing about a trailer hitch. He showed me the cost of the strut and, interestingly, it was the exact same amount as the cost of the trailer hitch and controller unit (which I know to be correct as I've had it bid to me before). He said he convinced the dealership that for customer loyalty, they should replace the strut for free if I pay for the trailer hitch.

So here's my situation - I'm basically paying to have the strut replaced, as I'm out of warranty so I'm out of pocket. For just about the same money, I can get my strut replaced that I'm paying for anyway, and get that trailer hitch I've been eyeing for ... what, a year? No brainer.

My points are these; first, watch those struts. If you suspect a leak, take it in before the warranty expires! Second, sometimes the service advisor at the dealership really is not trying to screw you. Having a nice car should mean a little bit more service, and in this case I believe it did.

Thanks for listening,

STP

PS Yes, I am going to get an extended warranty. Bit late, I know.

 

That is a bummer, STP.

BUT kudos to Schumacher and Sam for taking such nice care of you. Maybe I should move to Scottsdale to get better service

 

just fyi if you weren't aware... all mb service dealerships have "good will" funds allocated to them every month for situations like this where a customer is out of warranty, but reasonably close enough to offer good will.

if you were persistent you could have gotten them to just replace the strut, and do the alignment at no charge.

but if you are happy with the arrangement provided which it seems you are, then thats ok too.

 

I kind of thought so as I've had some "goodwill" work done before at Lexus, but I'm thinking with the economy how it is (don't you hate the way people say that all the time?) that it might've been a bit harder to get them to do it.

And yeah, now I've got my tow hitch. Next up, brake controller!

Danno?

 

SteveThePilot,
You were having a good day. You got the strut replaced and you got the hitch you wanted and you DIDN'T have to order a new truck to get a factory installed hitch.

 

The struts must be an issue, as both my ML rear struts were replaced at 43K miles. Fortunately it was under warranty, ($600 a piece) but with 2000 miles to go on the factory warranty, I wonder how long the fronts will hold up?

 

 

Listen, I was amazed that my Lexus' struts held up for nearly 220,000 miles. My mechanic told me he hadn't seen LS struts hold up that long, much less ones like on my LX!

I think that having an air suspension or hydraulic suspension like that begs the question of not if it'll fail but when. It's just more mechanical parts that are always always moving.

 

So is the air bag integrated into the strut/shock or is it separate?

What was the cost of the part?

We had a 92 Mits Diamante with air bags integrated into the strut at all 4 corners and they would crack and leak at approx 100K intervals.

I think this is simply the nature of the beast.
I hope we get at least 100K out of the airbags on our GL.

Thanks

Ashok

 

I'm not certain but I believe it's the strut itself that is inflated/deflated. I don't think it's an airbag, like on a motorhome (or a 1958 Caddy limo, like I once owned).

The cost for the part itself is something more than $900, plus installation, tax, license, dock fees, dealer prep ... seriously, just tax and installation. It just seems like they add whatever fees they can to it!

STP

 

Strange.....Same exact thing happened to me but it was less than 2500 miles after my warranty expired. Then the CEL came on and that costed me approximately $600.00.

 

This morning the right front strut blew for the second time, what gives? My Z06 has been to the dealer once in 41/2 years, so much for American vehicles!

 

Don't want to give you the wrong impression, but ... you're driving an American vehicle, technically. If my strut were to go again soon, I'd be pretty pissed off and insist they replace it. My LX470 had nearly 220,000 miles on it without a strut failure, the Mercedes didn't make it 56,000 before the first failed. I took the LX off-roading (a couple of fairly serious spots though no rock crawling). The GL's been on-highway pretty much all its life (an excursion around the sign at the entrance to Red Rock notwithstanding).

Bode well, it does not. (As "Yoda.")

STP

 

Dealer flatbedded it back, left a Toyota Camry, was ready by 5 PM. I know it was made here, bottom line parts are parts. Don't think for 1 minute M-B isn't going to back charge whom ever made the strut bag!