wannawagon

Hi I looking at a 2015 GL350 that is going through a damaged auction for fresh water damage, Unfortunately due to the COVID19 inspections are not possible (which should keep the price down (hopefully)

The status of the damage ("repairable" in my state of Australia) means the water was BELOW the top of the sill

I was wondering what is under the seats, and below the sill level) in regards to electronic components on the X166

I know that the front SAM, amplifiers etc are under the front seats on a W/X164 but I am not familiar with the X166

All I can see on the net in general that the front SAM is "under rear seat? is that right? is it above the fuel tank (ie not as low as under front seats?

What about the rear SAM (assuming X166 has 2) is it low in the trunk (like the earlier W164) or have they lifted it higher (like on the later W164)

geniushanbiao

The WIS/ASRA shows on my 2015 GL350BT the rear control unit (I assume it's the rear SAM) is located inside the passenger side side panel in the trunk, around the right rear wheel well. I guess it's similar than the later version 164.

Also the front SAM is under the passenger footwell, next to the blower motor.

prktkljokr

Having purchased a number of water damaged cars in the past, its not what the water has touched but how the car was stored after it got wet.
You will find that most times the car is stored with the windows closed for many months, this is ok if the water damage is minimal and the carpets are slightly moist, but when you have water present and the car is locked up the water eventually gets into every part of the interior.
The water inside the car causes humidity when closed up and that gets into every thing, have had cars when picked up that the roof grab handles are dripping with condensation, then there is the smell, depending how long it has been since getting a swim, you can clean it with every known product on the market, but on a hot day you can smell it like it was never cleaned.

The right way for when a car is water damaged, is to pull the carpets and leave the windows open, it then has a chance of everything drying before it has time to cause damage.

Hope that helps with your decision on the purchase, If it was me and I couldn't view the car, I would leave it alone, or be looking at it as a parts car.

Dealing with Pickles the past month, i have found that the Covid 19 has only made a difference to the price of scrap cars, the rest are selling at the normal prices they always do (off the planet )

wannawagon

I know where you are coming from - did an E36 BMW 10 yrs ago that had gone under to top of dash (back when that was a repairable) - the cylinders were full of water but sump still good - motor ran for another 10 yrs but I still remember getting the carpet out - must have weighed 100kg -

This car looks ok in photos - dark grey (hot color) but no condensation showing on windows and actually looks like the carpet is dry (doesn't have the dappled mud look) - have to laugh that I reckon they put grease on the lense of an iphone2 to take the photo so it is poor low res - I agree it would have to go for a bargain

I was more concerned with the stuff under the front seats - knew of someone who drove a W164 into the drink and the water just got under the RH front seat and it got stat writeoff it went very wild though with horn, wipers etc coming on (by report)

Mainly just concerned if the W166 the same as W164 (under seat) or if they had put some of the more expensive electronics higher up in car?

I remember the later W164 rear sam was in RH side wall of trunk (not RH floor)

wannawagon

Many thanks for that - so the front SAM has been put a little higher than on W164. That sounds possibly positive

BlownV8

The AMP is under the driver's seat in the X164. Though not critical to the car to run, the amp is expensive to replace. Not sure if MB moved that or not on the X166.

geniushanbiao

Same location according to the WIS/ASRA on my 2015 GL350BT.

wannawagon

Thanks for that - I actually parted out a 2010 w164 which had the upmarket audio so I have an amp (if it is compatible),