starbrite

Ok, OK55, we get it !

DML756

Including multiple tire replacements for flats, punctures etc, I seem to have been spending something like $0.30 per mile driven since buying the car second hand at 42,000 (approx) miles. (Current mileage 113,000) I now face ABC work and a huge (12 hr per side) motor mount replacement job.

Has anyone else had such an experience???

rondocap

That sounds about right, unfortunately. I replaced 5 tires during the 3-4 month winter in the northeast recently. For some reason they seemed to go, even when new and good tires, pretty fast. Maybe it's the 18 inch rims with the weight of the car, I don't know.

I did motor mounts twice within 50k miles, costing between $1,100 to $1,600 each time. (The more expensive one was at the dealer, the cheaper at an indy..DIY can be cheaper but it's not so easy for most)

AMGPilot

Ummm we don't have ABC, we have airmatic and motor mounts are NOT a 12 hour per side job

PACougar

AMGPilot, he has a S55 not an E55 I think that's where the confusion is. I believe he's saying the 12 hours per side is for the ABC not the motor mounts.

PACougar

I can tell you guys where you all went wrong. You should have grown up and became best friends with a guy who becomes a master mechanic for MB. Then all of your operating costs would be in the basement

£ C43 £ AMG £

I knew there was something missing from my car!

DML756

Rondocap:

Thanks for the detailed write-up-. Seems as if your maintenance numbers are close to mine per mile. Expensive to be sure, but what a wonderful car is the S55.

I've been trying to deal with this vibration at low RPM/speeds.

First effort was replacement of front rotors (and pads), as these had tested slightly out of true.

I then replaced the damper for the ABC as the TSB description matched my symptoms exactly. Having put in the new damper (and filter and fluids etc) dealer-service reported motor mounts were shot so the vibration would not be cured. Your can imagine my dismay when , $950 poorer, I drove away from the shop and had exactly the same symptoms.

The independent service shop I have consulted said it is hard to pinpoint sources of low frequency vibrations as they can resonate throughout the car. Perhaps through MBWorld some solutions might be suggested.

Your point about going with a trusted indy is well taken. The nearest dealer (Chambers) charges on the order of $125/hr., well over double of various indys.

rondocap

DML756, it is definitely a wonderful car. I think if I were to do it over again, I'd get one with lower miles off the bat, that's still covered under warranty for a good amount of time. Outside of warranty, if you plan to daily drive the car, it can get very expensive compared to other vehicles.