What can make a good Benz bad?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 412
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From: Derbyshire, England
What can make a good Benz bad?
I sold my 230CE Auto Coupe over 6 months ago now, but the other day I got a abrupt message from it's new owner complaining about it and asking me to ring him back.
Apparently it now fails to start when cold, keeps cutting out when running at high speeds and is using a litre of oil every 1,000 miles. The central locking has failed and he says it doesnt change gear quickly enough anymore?
The annoying thing is I owned if for 8 years and during that time it never missed a beat, allways started first time (even at 6:00am in winter), and didn't cost me a penny to maintain (except routeen sevicing, tyres etc.). I often drove it hard and it was kept out side. When I sold it it had over 142,000 miles but only a slight rattle from the cam. The engine, as with the rest of the car, was totally clean and never used a drop of oil.
What can make a good Benz bad in so little time?
Apparently it now fails to start when cold, keeps cutting out when running at high speeds and is using a litre of oil every 1,000 miles. The central locking has failed and he says it doesnt change gear quickly enough anymore?
The annoying thing is I owned if for 8 years and during that time it never missed a beat, allways started first time (even at 6:00am in winter), and didn't cost me a penny to maintain (except routeen sevicing, tyres etc.). I often drove it hard and it was kept out side. When I sold it it had over 142,000 miles but only a slight rattle from the cam. The engine, as with the rest of the car, was totally clean and never used a drop of oil.
What can make a good Benz bad in so little time?
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 28,933
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now now.. down here in texas everything is sealed with a handshake.. u did do that right? cuz if not the car is still yours..
lol
actually i have no clue what coulda gone wrong unless the guy did something..
lol
actually i have no clue what coulda gone wrong unless the guy did something..
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Genoa, NV
2014 GLK250 BlueTec & 2009 ML320 BlueTec
After 6 months, the guy has the nerve to call you! Anything could have happened in that time. Besides you sold a used car with 146,000 miles. What does he expect. To be under warranty!
He knew, what he was getting into.
He knew, what he was getting into.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,377
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
whinger
After six months this creep has the gall to call you up to whine about problems with an old car that he probably did not pay a lot for? I hope you don't know him, because what I would probably do is ask him if he thinks I'm his mother, because I'm not and he should call her up to have a good cry, or maybe I'd even tell him to s*d off.
I would imagine that this new owner has trashed the car by not maintaining it properly, driving it too hard (witness the "cutting out at high speed" gripe), not warming it up before pushing the engine and the car is going downhill fast as a result. When a car gets up there in mileage it needs a bit of TLC.
I once sold a minty 1984 Renault 5 with 150,000 km on it to a guy who gave it to his 16 year old daughter. Within 6 months the car was absolutely, completely trashed. If I had kept it, I'd have got over 150,000 MORE km from it.
So, in conclusion, do not return the call, and ignore him. If he calls back, tell him to b*gger off, and if he starts harrassing you, put in a complaint with the police.
Boy, am I mean tonight
I would imagine that this new owner has trashed the car by not maintaining it properly, driving it too hard (witness the "cutting out at high speed" gripe), not warming it up before pushing the engine and the car is going downhill fast as a result. When a car gets up there in mileage it needs a bit of TLC.
I once sold a minty 1984 Renault 5 with 150,000 km on it to a guy who gave it to his 16 year old daughter. Within 6 months the car was absolutely, completely trashed. If I had kept it, I'd have got over 150,000 MORE km from it.
So, in conclusion, do not return the call, and ignore him. If he calls back, tell him to b*gger off, and if he starts harrassing you, put in a complaint with the police.
Boy, am I mean tonight
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Germany
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
Generally I would totally suport all what the earlier posts say. There's no such thing as warrenty for an aged car. After 6 days I would think there will still be some "obligation" to call back, not after 6 months, and you have no idea what the guy did (or not did) to the car.
But for your sake, my suggestion for the problem you (he ) described: worn out Valve stem seals causing two things at a time. Oil comsumption, no leaks!! just comsumption, and this oil tends to foul the spark plugs which cause the engine not to start properly and even cut outs during driving. He should check the plugs whether they are greasy, black and full of grim. If so replace the valve stem seals (and the plugs) (wild guess $ 300) and most probably it will run ok afterwards.
But for your sake, my suggestion for the problem you (he ) described: worn out Valve stem seals causing two things at a time. Oil comsumption, no leaks!! just comsumption, and this oil tends to foul the spark plugs which cause the engine not to start properly and even cut outs during driving. He should check the plugs whether they are greasy, black and full of grim. If so replace the valve stem seals (and the plugs) (wild guess $ 300) and most probably it will run ok afterwards.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: middle o' ma
15 AMG S63 4-matic coupe
You'd be surprised what some people can do to a car.
Some years back, I had a nieghbor who trashed every car she had. When she would park, she would rev the engine and while holding it close to redline, shut off the motor ignition. Sometimes it would diesel for minutes on end. She "wanted to make sure there would be gas in the engine to start the next morning". She never had an engine last more than 50K miles.
Some years back, I had a nieghbor who trashed every car she had. When she would park, she would rev the engine and while holding it close to redline, shut off the motor ignition. Sometimes it would diesel for minutes on end. She "wanted to make sure there would be gas in the engine to start the next morning". She never had an engine last more than 50K miles.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 21
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From: Chicago
1983 300SD, 1996 C220, 1986 560SEL (my baby)
Everything said here sounds very true. The thing about Mercedes is that they tend to 'get in a groove' with whoever drives them most often. You had a certain style of driving, which the car 'tuned itself' to (you think I'm making this up... ask any employee of MBUSA, they'll say the same thing). When you sold the car, the guy that bought the thing had a different style of driving than you, and, instead of letting the car teach him (i.e. treating the car more gently than he would normally, and gentler than he obviously did), he stressed the parts in ways that they weren't used to, and so, >boom<. Being a young driver myself, I know that buying old cars take some getting used to (I'm driving a 1983 300SD now, and I haven't had problems).
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 21
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From: Chicago
1983 300SD, 1996 C220, 1986 560SEL (my baby)
Originally posted by 560SEL
Everything said here sounds very true. The thing about Mercedes is that they tend to 'get in a groove' with whoever drives them most often. You had a certain style of driving, which the car 'tuned itself' to (you think I'm making this up... ask any employee of MBUSA, they'll say the same thing). When you sold the car, the guy that bought the thing had a different style of driving than you, and, instead of letting the car teach him (i.e. treating the car more gently than he would normally, and gentler than he obviously did), he stressed the parts in ways that they weren't used to, and so, >boom<. Being a young driver myself, I know that buying old cars take some getting used to (I'm driving a 1983 300SD now, and I haven't had problems).
Everything said here sounds very true. The thing about Mercedes is that they tend to 'get in a groove' with whoever drives them most often. You had a certain style of driving, which the car 'tuned itself' to (you think I'm making this up... ask any employee of MBUSA, they'll say the same thing). When you sold the car, the guy that bought the thing had a different style of driving than you, and, instead of letting the car teach him (i.e. treating the car more gently than he would normally, and gentler than he obviously did), he stressed the parts in ways that they weren't used to, and so, >boom<. Being a young driver myself, I know that buying old cars take some getting used to (I'm driving a 1983 300SD now, and I haven't had problems).
