LA Area: Need mod-friendly dealership please!
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 725
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From: SoCal
05 E55
LA Area: Need mod-friendly dealership please!
I've been going to Calabasas Motocars for service, and I think I'm done with them. After my trunk stopped working, they went to read codes and could not read any of the control modules in my car. They immediately said it was because my ECU was modified (I told them about my mods, trying to be open and honest). Talk of red tagging the car, no further warranty service... Freaked me out...
Cory had to point out that an ECU mod couldn't possibly interfer with their ability to see other control units in the car... and he was right.
Later that day they said they could finally read the control units using a different computer. But they were about to throw me to the wolves.... for a frickin' trunk opener!
Now I have a rough idle... and of course I return and the talk about mods being the cause returns. Never mind my ECU has been the same for two months now, without an issue. (Sneaky ECU reset didn't help)... but they are once again returning to the mods are the casue of all failures angle.
They are very conservative and narrow minded (even though they regularly service Joey Granatelli's modded cars with a nice a$$ kiss on the way out). Me... well, I'm not special enough.
Preferrably in the valley... anyone have a good contact at Keyes or Steigler... other dealerships?
THANKS,
Loren
Cory had to point out that an ECU mod couldn't possibly interfer with their ability to see other control units in the car... and he was right.
Later that day they said they could finally read the control units using a different computer. But they were about to throw me to the wolves.... for a frickin' trunk opener!
Now I have a rough idle... and of course I return and the talk about mods being the cause returns. Never mind my ECU has been the same for two months now, without an issue. (Sneaky ECU reset didn't help)... but they are once again returning to the mods are the casue of all failures angle.
They are very conservative and narrow minded (even though they regularly service Joey Granatelli's modded cars with a nice a$$ kiss on the way out). Me... well, I'm not special enough.
Preferrably in the valley... anyone have a good contact at Keyes or Steigler... other dealerships?
THANKS,
Loren
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Loren, I think you live in the SF valley so Niguel is too far. I go there but am only 15 minutes away. When I lived up in Valencia I would take my car to Auto Stiegler and their service manager was very cool and understanding. Try contacting Drew Herman at Stiegler, I am not sure if he is still there but explain your plight and he may be able to help out. Tell him you know Vic with modded out silver E55 that his techs love to drive 
That should help you.
Oh its now called Mercedes Benz of Encino, 818-758-0234.
That should help you.Oh its now called Mercedes Benz of Encino, 818-758-0234.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Ventura County USA
'06 E55, '05 SLK55, a few others
You need to have a serious talk with Calabasas right away. They can/will tag your car to MB and it will be "blacklisted". Once so tagged, ALL WARRANTY IS GONE. They did it on my E430 with a blower and I've never went back to those a$$holes since.
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Mercedes Benz
Loren, I think you live in the SF valley so Niguel is too far. I go there but am only 15 minutes away. When I lived up in Valencia I would take my car to Auto Stiegler and their service manager was very cool and understanding. Try contacting Drew Herman at Stiegler, I am not sure if he is still there but explain your plight and he may be able to help out. Tell him you know Vic with modded out silver E55 that his techs love to drive That should help you.
Oh its now called Mercedes Benz of Encino, 818-758-0234.
That should help you.Oh its now called Mercedes Benz of Encino, 818-758-0234.
I can tell drew you are coming in. They seem to not mind mods but if it is the mods causing the issue then they will tell you thats the case. But I doubt they would void any warranty or anything like that.
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From: Ventura County USA
'06 E55, '05 SLK55, a few others
Yes talk to Drew Herman and he will take care of you. His shopforeman is a great man and hes the only one who touches my cars. I was just there today leaving the C230k daily driver for a bunch of work.
I can tell drew you are coming in. They seem to not mind mods but if it is the mods causing the issue then they will tell you thats the case. But I doubt they would void any warranty or anything like that.
I can tell drew you are coming in. They seem to not mind mods but if it is the mods causing the issue then they will tell you thats the case. But I doubt they would void any warranty or anything like that.
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Mercedes Benz
It's not the dealer, it's their notification to MB that causes MB to void your warranty. The car ran fine with no problems. It was in for a fuel tank sending unit under warranty when Calabasas noted on the work order that the car had "an aftermarket supercharger". After I traded the E430 for the 2002 E55 at Calabasas is when I was informed that they got screwed on the value of the E430 because MB had voided the warranty on the car because of the blower and they couldn't give it away with the balance of the factory warranty down the tubes. Never mind that it was returned to stock before it was traded in and that the car ran and drove like new. I told them to go screw themselves. There was no reason to boldly type out that the car was modded while it was in for an unrelated warranty repair anyway, so they only had themselves to blame. The point is, they may or may not have claimed the car is "modded", but that's all it takes for MB to screw you.
If you treat the shopeforeman and tech poorly you will surely void your warranty since they will WANT to make your day a living hell.
The only way for the factory to know is for the tech to report you....
Not saying you were rude to the tech but you just were unlucky in the end. I guess the tech should, by the book, report the car as modded when he sees it but thats why the relationship with the tech and the foreman is so importnat. The warranty is such a huge part of the car that losing it is a automatic hit in value. And a HUGE one....
Last edited by CynCarvin32; Nov 14, 2006 at 05:56 PM.
