Hello everyone. I recently bought a used 2012 Glk 350 (which seemed in very nice condition) from a shady used car lot for $5,000 bellow average selling price, (taxes / extra warranty ate a lot of the savings but, there would've been those charges on a more expensive car also anyway). The car has just under 97,000 miles and the carp fax history shows no accidents.

However, I had to replace the transmission, that started clunking within a month of buying it. The transmission is a certified used one that comes with a year warranty. Third party warranty paid for the bulk of it, and I paid $1400. Other than one tail and cornering light needing replacing, the only thing wrong with it is the ignition key sometimes gets stuck, which may or may not be something major (cable from gear to ignition could have been bumped when replacing tranny). As for upgrades I did that I didn't have to do: I installed a CarNavi player with nav and bluetooth and backup cam, I added a lining to the wheel wells to prevent rust, and I got the rims powder coated. Here are my questions.

#1. After all the upgrades I did to it I would hate to sell it, and not counting taxes and extra warranty I'm still at $400 below average selling price even with tranny and upgrades. The car is in really nice condition body and interior wise, rides very well, and seems to run well now. However, being that the used car lot sold it with a bum transmission, (and my friend is convinced they knew) should I be worried that the car wasn't taken care of very well and I am just waiting for other problems, and sell the car? Or should I not be so pessimistic and take the tranny going as one of those things that just happens? If while I take the car to the Mercedes dealer to check the key problem, I get a standard diagnostic done and they discover no problems, is that enough? I understand that unless you can see the future it's impossible to know however, any advice is appreciated and I wouldn't blame anyone.

#2. I checked the service notifications and it said in 45 days I am due for a "B3" service. When I investigated what that is, it doesn't seem to cover very much. Since I am not too sure how well this car was looked after in the past (or if at all), should I maybe get a more thorough service done instead, or just stick with the B3?

#3. Any other potential costly problems I should investigate on the car, that a diagnostic may not find, to decide whether I should keep it?

#4. The stereo shop that installed the CarNavi player for me, said some of the cheap Chinese car stereos fail after 6 months. Am I just possibly waiting for a problem there too?

I realize a Mercedes is not a poor man's car and that you have to expect a higher cost of ownership over cheaper cars. I get that and I am prepared for it. I just don't want keep putting cash down the toilet for a possible lemon.


Thanks in advance for the help from all the who reply,

Mark

 

No point in being too critical because you are neck-deep in this and you can't turn the clock back. But wow, talk about living on the edge! For others who are reading this - never, ever buy anything from a "shady used car lot" especially a high-end car that can empty your bank account in a hurry. Always thoroughly research third-party products before buying and installing. I could go on but they are the biggies.

I would suggest taking your car to a highly reputable independent mechanic with expertise in MB cars. It's a good idea to avoid dealerships. Have them do a thorough inspection and give you a written report with estimates to fix issues they find. Have them tell you which issues are urgent/essential and which are less important. This won't come cheap but it will be well worth it to you. Take the potential repair costs and add a contingency then do the math to help you with your decision. As for your aftermarket stereo, add that to your budget and wait for it to fail if you decide to keep the car. If it doesn't fail - great!

I wish you the best of luck Mark. Hope it works out for you

 

Thanks for the your advice. What hooked me in is that the car was so cheap. Leason learned.

Is there any reason why you suggest avoiding the benz dealer? Is it because you think they will make stuff up? The indy European mechanic shop said there is some stuff only the MB dealer can diagnose because they have the extra software.

I have no problem cutting my losses and moving on if that's the wisest move. I should still get a fair amount of what i spent back when i sell. It's just i really like the car and wouldnt mind keeping it if it's not a money pit.

What would you do if you were in my shoes and dont mind just cutting your losses?

Thanks

 

your guess is as good as ours, you're trying to look into a crystal ball. The GLK is pretty simple by Mercedes standards but owning any high mileage Mercedes is a gamble. Whats up next? cam tensioners? engine mounts? any of the 100 gadgets? who knows. My 2012 GLK has been nearly trouble free, but once it edges up near 100,000 miles Its going, I am not a gambling man.

drama free cars are toyotas and hondas, but what fun is that....

 

You make alot of sense. What I think I will do is put it for sale and if I can get back a reasonable amount of the cash I put into it, I'll sell it. If all I get is real low ball offers and basically I'd be giving it away, I'll keep it.

Thanks for your help

 

just have to follow your gut here, and reflect on the history of the car. It may be trouble free for a long time to come. Did a reputable shop do the transmission? The transmission is probably one of the biggest weak points of the GLK, esp given its somewhat ridiculous "all in one" torque converter + transfer case design. You can look at the replacement as a risk if the work was done incorrectly, or one less thing to worry about if they did a good job. A member here recently had the dealer install a new transmission, and I believe she posted that it was $10,500.

 

I bought a 3rd party warranty when I bought the car. When i got tranny replaced it was at the place of the warranty companies chosing. I had no say. It seems like it could be reputable shop but, I am not sure. I do know that the tranny is a used one (probably rebuilt) and comes with a year warranty. I also still have 3 years left of 3rd party warranty. So if the tranny fails again within the 3 years I'm looking at approx $1400 to replace it with another used one.

 

smart move on the 3 year warranty. i think that's good peace of mind. you'll have at least 3 years of worry free ownership ahead

 

The warranty only covers powertrain (engine, tranny etc) and only up to $3000 per transaction. So it's not that great. I still could get killed on other stuff.

 

Find solace in the fact that the GLK is definitely one of the more reliable models mercedes have made.

 

Thanx for the input. If I end up having to keep it, it's greater reliability over other benz models is at least something.

After careful consideration, I think I am just going to see what I can get for it. It is a decent vehicle and to my knowledge, there is nothing majorly wrong with it. I know I won't get all my cash back. If I can get a decent chunk of it back I will be content. Now if I put it up for sale and all I get are really low ball offers, then I'll keep it.

I know there are more expensive benz models, it just I really like the glk specifically, and it's my favorite of the benz line for 3 reasons. #1. I love the boxy look. #2. I like the fact that it's a V6 with lots of power, and it's not overly huge. #3. It has a pretty nice ride and intetior.

Eventually when I have more cash, I'd like to get a 2015 with low millage that's fully loaded (heated steering, built in nav and back up cam) totally restore it, and drive it forever.

 

This sounds like a finance question to me as well. You owe $10k on a 10 YO car (a MB at that). I think you should get out of this car but not go to another MB or euro car. If it were me I’d drive that as is and find a used Honda or Toyota to buy for cash and sell the MB and put it against the loan. Then work to pay off the loan and pile up cash for an upgrade. That’s honestly what I would do.

 

I wouldn’t worry so much, transmissions go easily from hard driving and lack of maintenance, what is often of issue with the 250 is the pollution control system, but so far your ok. If you drive a lot of highway that’s good for the emissions systems.

 

I spent 40 years owning new car dealerships before I retired. One truth I can relate from that experience is that there is no more expensive a vehicle one can buy than a "cheap" Mercedes. Never ever buy a high mileage expensive luxury brand and have any idea it could ever be a good financial decision. In this day and age there are a large number of used bullet-proof vehicles and the high dollar brands are not included!

 

There are *SO* many early E350s around the west coast, its not funny.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...1760/overview/

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...5803/overview/

etc etc etc.

here's a search
https://www.cars.com/for-sale/search...stkTypId=28881

(note cars.com is almost exclusively dealer/broker sold cars, if you search for private party cars on sites like craigslist in LA, SF Bay Area, you find even more)

 

re: being underwater on a car loan, just don't. ever. I've only ever done loans on new cars, made substantial down payments, and no more than 4 year loans, usually paid them off early. if I can't afford to do that, I drive a cheaper car I can afford. Used cars have *ALWAYS* been cash, including the 28K mile CPO car in the pic below.

 

can i put a 2015 glk 350 body kit on a 2010 to upgrade it?

 

If you can find one, yes.

 

I dunno specifically about GLK, but many 'facelifts' also include upgrades to lighting and other such components that are on the body, these likely will require upgrades to the corresponding control units (halogen vs HID vs LED, etcetc)..

remember, these are unibody cars, the chassis and body are all integrated, you can't just lift the body off a frame, you would need to remove all the suspension and drive components off one chassis and fit them to the other..