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Porsche just learn a lesson - first generation Cayennes ridiculously cheap because of the plastic components used in powertrain. In the rest - same **** different brand. The good resale value so far is for G-Wagen. I should of bought it instead of GL...
Honestly speaking i would doubt that there are any reliable car available these days. For the most you wont hear for scoring on m157 not because it is not there, just because people who has those cars don't want to expose their situation because of car residual price. Or just can afford repair (which i would doubt for the most). Like someone said to me - yes, you can rebuild Rolls'es and Bentleys but people who own it wouldn't worry themself about this kind of issues... They just going to buy a new one...
Not built to last 200k+ miles?
100% disagree with that statement, unless your talking specifically about Turbo Cars. My Mom had a 1983 MB 280E that she sold with 340K miles on the odometer and it ran like a Champ! Our neighbor had a '79 450SL that had over 600K and still going strong when I left home. He use to brag about his intentions to join the 1,000,000 mile club in the car and had only done general maintenance on the car, nothing major.
Hell I sold a 2001 Chevy Pickup with 180K miles on it and I only had to change a water pump and an alternator on it along with brakes, batteries and other wear items but nothing major.
So yeah, I'm gonna call bullsh_t on your statement.
Now if your referring to just Turbo cars, I don't know, this is the first turbo car I've ever owned and quite possibly the last if this is the future in store for my families transportation needs.
"Either buy new and extend factory warranty or CPO and extend CPO warranty then dump, wash, rinse, repeat " that doesn't work for me or my budget. I will gladly go back to a Chevy or a GMC and wrench on those for a lot cheaper and apparently, a much more reliable vehicle. My Mom's car got me excited about buying a Mercedes, seemed like the logical step to buy a Luxury vehicle and haul the wife and kids around in it when the finances could allow for it.
My Dad told me a long time ago that I had Champagne taste on Beer money, guess he was right!
Chad
Those examples you gave are vehicles 40 years old hence if you carefully read my statement you missed when I said “cars are not built to last anymore.” (modern cars)
You simply cannot compare the build quality on your moms 83 Benz to the mass produced USA assembled vehicles coming out of the factory today. Like comparing an older well built all brick home to a modern day prefab vinyl siding quick build construction home thrown up in 3 days.
Chevy/GMC?? More like Champagne taste on Malt Liquor money lol. Yeah the Mercedes is a safer than most family hauler but you pay a premium you gotta pay to play.
Also, there is survivorship bias. It's easy to see the few 40 year old cars that have survived time and are still running today, so it's easy to conclude that 40 years old cars are better than modern cars. However this overlooks that the majority of the old cars of similar age have completely broken down long ago, rusted or crumbled away and are long gone and forgotten.
In any case, I stand by my belief that the M278 engines are junk.
Also, there is survivorship bias. It's easy to see the few 40 year old cars that have survived time and are still running today, so it's easy to conclude that 40 years old cars are better than modern cars. However this overlooks that the majority of the old cars of similar age have completely broken down long ago, rusted or crumbled away and are long gone and forgotten.
In any case, I stand by my belief that the M278 engines are junk.
Hello. I have a 2013 GL550 that needs a new motor. Mechanic said that the no. 3, 5, & 7 cylinders all have excessive scoring. I called a salvage yard looking for a low mileage used engine and was told his system says 2013 GL550 ONLY for replacement engine. Has anybody has success installing an engine from another model? CLS550 or S550? If so, what all needed to be changed and did it matter if the engine came from RWD or AWD?
thanks.
I have a 2013 GL550 and need the motor replaced. I found a m278 motor from 2016 S550. Will there be any issues installing it? Is it a direct fit? All under warranty.
I have a 2013 GL550 and need the motor replaced. I found a m278 motor from 2016 S550. Will there be any issues installing it? Is it a direct fit? All under warranty.
You keep original oil pan, manifolds, mounts, etc. The motor itself modular design - same one for everything. Now i am going to warn you - replacement will start dying at about 75k miles. They all do.
Thanks for the response brother. Mine went at 87k. Always changed the oil at 5k miles... My warranty is covering the total job so not entirely the worst situation to be in. I thought on the 2016 model year they had corrected that issue with the scoaring?
I reached out to this and other sellers to no avail. I guess they never sold one to America, so they would not provide the paperwork for customs, nor any testimonials.
Some wouldn't give me any info, only spammed me later. I reached out to this one too, they never responded after I asked about testimonials.
Besides, M278 engines found on Alibaba, when I questioned, turned out to be refurbished, as opposed to new, with dismal reliability ratio: 1 in 4 turned out to be faulty.
Also, they would only agree to a wire prior to shipment, and would not refund the money if the engine is bounced by customs, etc.
There is no legal recourse anyway, if anything goes wrong.
Define legal recourse? You want to have things legal go buy one from MB, even then it is not guaranteed that their remanufactured was sleeved, most of the time just gently used block and new set of pistons, which will eventually die either way. Plus this is a performance motor, i quite sure that there is not much of the places who will offer a warranty of any kind on it unless you want to pay 30k for a new one, because it is not them who install it, oil prime, or tune.
Mean while this little baby is about to be bottom sealed and head to happy customer. Will have another one in couple weeks, 5k for short, 7k for long, 1k refund if you send core, 300 shipping.
The search function will bring up many threads on scoring. Advanced cases have misfire and compression loss/reduction.
I have all of this problems with my 450 at the moment and I found a replacement 550 motor from a 2015 with 49k miles for 8000. I also am trying to get the truck out to Mike and his team from 603 Mtech in New Hampshire. I plan to rent a pickup truck and trailer it from ny to nh for the job done was thinking u haul and then after the work is completed drive it back from there to here. that is my best bet.
Don't waste your money on another problematic engine - stock M278. Do it right and have it sleeved. If so, the engine will last a lifetime even with modifications. Do it wrong, run a tune, and you will be replacing again very soon.
You can stretch original engine for 200k, rebuild it and stretch another 250-300k. Transmission (if gently used) will last about 300k just change oil every 50k miles instead 70k, rebuild then and keep driving... It is not an engine or transmission - more like will your suspension and etc last that long and cost of maintenance... Yesterday i discovered that my rear doors panels pealing apart, with only 140k on odometer. Front windshield wipers cover plastic almost gone too... And so on so on... I am keeping it either way... Did a front air strut rebuild couple months ago...
09-04-2022, 10:31 PM
