Laura

Hi, I'm newbie, so be nice. I drive a beautiful '81 300SD, probably 150-200,000 miles on it (the odometer broke years ago and it was never fixed. At this point, it adds character so I just left it).

I thought this might be an interesting question. I have two mechanics. Either one tried to rip me off, or the other has put me back in a car of dubious safety. What do you think?

The story is that three weeks ago, the locking nut that holds my left front wheel popped out. This caused the bearing holder to slip, the bearings to drop, the wheel to tilt a bit, and the inner bearing got ground up completely. It was driven about 1/2 mile before I could safely park it until I could have it towed.

I had it towed to Mechanic A. He estimated the damage at $1000-1100 to fix, basically told me the car's not worth it, and suggested I sign the title over. He's been in business 30 years, an independent who works on Mercedes only, so he's not fly-by-night. But I had never met him before, am female and youngish, and had no real reason to trust him. He diagnosed the bad bearings and also told me the spindle was significantly worn and ought to be replaced.

Given that I don't have $1000 and didn't trust Mechanic A fully, I had the car towed 100 miles away to Mechanic B, who is a mechanic that has been working on the car for 5 years. Good people, also an indendent Mercedes-only shop. If the car was toast, I figured I'd rather hand the title to them than to a shop I don't know. Mechanic B replaced the bearings, wheel seal, and grease cap, repaired the damaged threads, and got me back on the road for $137 ($37 for parts and $100 for two hours' labor).

I called Mechanic A to complain about his high estimate. He insists that the spindle was worn, that it's not safe to drive a car with a worn spindle, and he stands by his estimate. He says rethreading is dangerous and I shouldn't be on the road. Mechanic B insists that the spindle is fine, and that A probably just took off the wheel, saw the popped nut, saw the bearing problem, and guessed a spindle problem from there. He says the spindle's slightly worn but fine, and that A is trying to cover his a** on the high estimate by asserting a spindle problem. He says unless A got significantly into the car, cleaned the grease off the spindle, etc., he wouldn't have had a good look at the spindle anyway.

So: need I be concerned at all about my car's spindle? Or is Mechanic A just a big fat jerk who tried to get the title on a perfectly good Mercedes for free?

Thanks!

Laura

BUY SELL

I would side with the proven mechanic. If you have been going to him for some length of time and have a relationship, he realizes that you will come back only if the car is fixed safely.

I wouldn't worry if the car drives well. This is one thing you do not indicate. How long have you owned the car? I presume 5 years but this car could have been serviced by the same mechanic prior to you. Still, you should have SOME inclination as to how it drives. Is there anything that concerns you? If yes, I would start asking questions of B. If not, I would move on.

I can tell when the slightest thing is wrong with my W126 because I have so many miles on my watch with it (~175k, and it has 231k now).

BUY SELL

dtkw

Why did mechanie A want you to sign the title over?? What business of his that what you want to do with your car even if it's broken? A sounded fishy.