chsu74

I have been thinking about finding a good source for a local indy. Since diesel mechanics are few and far in between, dealership is our only option.

However, I just realized the other day, because I am friendly with my UPS/Fedex guy, that their trucks are mostly diesel. I asked my UPS guy if he can introduce their diesel mechanic to me for work when my warranty runs out and had no issues.

If you are friendly with your UPS/Fedex/DHL driver, this can potentially be a good source for honest work at reasonable rates.

mdadgar

You can't find an independent that is competent to handle these incredibly high tech modern diesel motors.

Mercedes hires only ex-NASA and Lockheed Skunkworks engineers to design their products. The lubricants used are derived from exotic proteins found in yaks that live only on the western slopes of certain mountains in the Himalayas. O-rings are chemically cured cross-sections of rare squids found at 10,000 ft or deeper and hand-selected by German elves for their diameters. Even the administrative assistants in Mercedes offices are required to have a PhD or better.

Maintenance on these amazing, complicated machines is far, far beyond the capabilities of the club-carrying cavemen who work on lesser diesels made in America.

- lkchris

chsu74

^ thanks for a good laugh. The Mercedes master tech guys are people who graduated Devry. If I am not competent enough to think outside of the box to finding a good indy, then I am truly stupid...

mdadgar

I think the bigger problem you're going to have is that most of the UPS facilities I've seen have their own repair shops. But it sure can't hurt to ask ...

- Mark

lkchris

It's quite an uninformed leap of faith to conclude any old guy that's worked on diesels can work on a current Mercedes diesel. In fact, I'd be willing to bet your "truck" guy doesn't even have the special tool required to change a fuel filter or any experience ever removing/replacing an injector or glow plug from an aluminum head.

You'd be WAY better off finding an independent Mercedes repair shop where the owner or at least some of the techs have recent Mercedes dealership experience and especially the training that goes with that. This shop should also have a STAR diagnostic computer and access to WIS.

43221B

Funny!

Max Blast

I'm still tasting that beer that came out through my nose...hilarious!
Kidding aside, plenty of good MB indies out there with STAR knowledge and WIS access.
If you wanna boldly go to Jim Joe Sledgehammer's shop, have at it.

chsu74

Access to STAR and WIS is simply a software diagnostic program which can be purchased and hooked up to a USB port from your lap top to the OBDII port on the car. It communicates with the proprietary Mercedes software. I have to do more digging on the car and see if it spits out generic OBDII codes. My Pcar still can work with a OBDII reader on generic codes. Clearing Porsche specific issues or getting more detailed info from the DME will require the correct software but it is not some untouchable piece of tool that requires a PhD. Reason finding a Merc indy is a challenge is because not many people mod these cars. People buy these cars for different reasons compared to BMW, AUDI or Porsches.

So the diesel Jeep Cherokees that are sold in 07 which uses Mercedes diesel power plants have been serviced in the wrong places all this time? I bet no one knows, myself included, all the different vehicles this power plant currently resides or in development to be implemented in.

This is a common V6 diesel designed more for commercial application than your GL. How many units of diesel E, ML and GL are sold worldwide every year? One will never see the proper return required on an R&D engine project if one thinks that Mercedes designed this engine specifically for the E, MLs and the GLs.

lkchris

Quite simply, it's not.

The only place you can purchase it is from Mercedes, and unless you run a shop you can't afford it.

chsu74

^ That is probably true for the time being. Demand for aftermarket diagnostic tools will create supply once these cars depreciate down to $20 to $25K and out of warranty. There is no demand for these products right now because majority of these cars are serviced under warranty. I specifically purchased the 7 year 100K mile warranty so I can allow the after market to mature.

ddruker

I am on the same page here as the prior poster.

The exact same diesel engine we are talking about here is found in a bunch of different dodge, chrysler, jeep and mercedes products. Why would it need special kid gloves just because it is installed in a GL 350 instead of a Dodge Sprinter?

Is it just that DIY and Independent mechanics are something that most Mercedes buyers like to turn their nose up at?

I get a lot of satisfaction out of servicing my own truck as much as possible - and I think I do it better than most of the mechanics as I care more about it.

I also agree with the above that there are many things that only a Mercedes dealer can do, but basic service I would not consider to be one of them. For sure when under warranty and things are broken then absolutely go to the dealer. Otherwise, not so much.

chsu74

I found PeachParts(dot)com the other day. Its a great source for basic parts and really like how much more technical that forum is compared to the one we are in. Hope to catch some of you guys there also.

Fourdiesel

I agree with you except that Mercedes 'does their own thing' with the computer diagnosis. Even though the engine is the same physically as in many many other applications, the computer systems and readouts are very different. For example, the other day I got a check engine light that wouldn't go away. I went to my local indy shop who has the most modern computer apps available. His tech - a very experienced and competent mechanic - spent several hours reading the computer codes and trying to get the software to give him answers that made sense. Finally, he couldn't do any more and ended up NOT being able to tell me what was wrong. He didn't charge me for the work and I felt bad he had spent so much time.
I ended up driving it 100 miles to the dealer and for $1000 (and a day) they found and fixed the problem - replaced the servomotor that is buried deep in the valley between the two cylinder banks. That servo had failed and was drawing too much current and caused a fuse to fail. The servo operates the air valve in the intake manifold that has to do with engine braking, engine shut off, etc. You wouldn't believe how much of the car had to come off (and be put back on) to replace the thing. They also replaced lots of bolts - at least I was charged for new bolts and screws in a lot of places I didn't feel were absolutely necessary.
Without the factory computer and the code diagnostics which are constantly being updated from the factory engineering department, the indy doesn't have a chance.