Damnit Mercedes Be
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2
Damnit Mercedes Be
Greetings, this is my first post. I am a BMW enuthisiasts(1999 M3) I work on BMWs and build BMWs at my shop in Atlanta. I KNOW CARS.
Back Story.
Family moved from Atlanta to Chicago and started getting our 1989 260E serviced at Autohaus on Edens(MB Dealer)
I was driving car and old person from florida ran redlight and totaled the car.(Sad day because that car was bullet proof, 250K on it and ran like a DREAM)
Mom purchased an E320 demo. The car caught FIRE driving back from getting groceries. Car was returned and we STILL purchased another car. 2000 e430 Sport. This is the car in question.
I live in Atlanta, parents still in Chicago. I came home for my mom's birthday and go to drive the car and notice engine noise, clicking... Valve tick.
I turn off the car and check the oil. There is MAYBE 1/4 inch of oil on the stick. MAYBE. I get mad at my mom, the light is on you need to check it. Oh wait, she is RIGHT! THERE IS NO DAMN LIGHT ON!!!! I go to parts store and purchase 3 quarts(that has to be enough to fill it up) Pour all 3 quarts in, it is STILL 1 quart low! Start the vehicle up and it is STILL loud as hell! I tell her this is ridicolous take it to dealership.
I wrote out the whole thing for my mom, I called and talked to service and made appointment, I left MY number for whatever moron from the dealership tries to rip off my mom. I talked to John. Here is the conversation.
John: No oil was added, we tested the sensor and it works fine. The lowest point it ever got to was 5.7 quarts.
Me: 5.7 quarts!!! it is an 8 quart system!!! I added 3 quarts and it is STILL low. I don't care about the sensor, sensors can go bad. Did you check the dipstick?
John: It's current level is within specs.
Me: That is because I added 3 quarts.
John: The computer says you didn't.
Me: Are you calling me a liar?
At this point he is getting angry
John: Your mom needs all the lifters on the left bank. Labor included that is 1300 dollars.
Me: Does that include the plastic rail that feeds the lifters that goes bad in these cars?
John: I am not aware of that problem.
At this point I know he is a moron because he does NOT even know the high failure rate parts in HIS OWN CARS!!! WTF
Me: Couldn't low oil pressure due to LOW oil levels cause these to go bad
John: That is possible.
This goes on and on. We have spent THOUSANDS of dollars at this dealership servicing two cars, we still bought a car from them after one CAUGHT ON FIRE! And we are 1500 miles out of warranty and he won't goodwill the fix? I explained to him Hydraulic lifters don't just FAIL. I have 111K on my M3, 20K of those miles are HARD track miles at various driving schools, and my lifters are FINE!
My mom is getting his name, and numbers for GM and owner of dealership and MB customer Service, this is BS.
Anyone else experienced this. I would love to have a long list of other people who this same crap is happening too.
Back Story.
Family moved from Atlanta to Chicago and started getting our 1989 260E serviced at Autohaus on Edens(MB Dealer)
I was driving car and old person from florida ran redlight and totaled the car.(Sad day because that car was bullet proof, 250K on it and ran like a DREAM)
Mom purchased an E320 demo. The car caught FIRE driving back from getting groceries. Car was returned and we STILL purchased another car. 2000 e430 Sport. This is the car in question.
I live in Atlanta, parents still in Chicago. I came home for my mom's birthday and go to drive the car and notice engine noise, clicking... Valve tick.
I turn off the car and check the oil. There is MAYBE 1/4 inch of oil on the stick. MAYBE. I get mad at my mom, the light is on you need to check it. Oh wait, she is RIGHT! THERE IS NO DAMN LIGHT ON!!!! I go to parts store and purchase 3 quarts(that has to be enough to fill it up) Pour all 3 quarts in, it is STILL 1 quart low! Start the vehicle up and it is STILL loud as hell! I tell her this is ridicolous take it to dealership.
I wrote out the whole thing for my mom, I called and talked to service and made appointment, I left MY number for whatever moron from the dealership tries to rip off my mom. I talked to John. Here is the conversation.
John: No oil was added, we tested the sensor and it works fine. The lowest point it ever got to was 5.7 quarts.
Me: 5.7 quarts!!! it is an 8 quart system!!! I added 3 quarts and it is STILL low. I don't care about the sensor, sensors can go bad. Did you check the dipstick?
John: It's current level is within specs.
Me: That is because I added 3 quarts.
John: The computer says you didn't.
Me: Are you calling me a liar?
At this point he is getting angry
John: Your mom needs all the lifters on the left bank. Labor included that is 1300 dollars.
Me: Does that include the plastic rail that feeds the lifters that goes bad in these cars?
John: I am not aware of that problem.
At this point I know he is a moron because he does NOT even know the high failure rate parts in HIS OWN CARS!!! WTF
Me: Couldn't low oil pressure due to LOW oil levels cause these to go bad
John: That is possible.
This goes on and on. We have spent THOUSANDS of dollars at this dealership servicing two cars, we still bought a car from them after one CAUGHT ON FIRE! And we are 1500 miles out of warranty and he won't goodwill the fix? I explained to him Hydraulic lifters don't just FAIL. I have 111K on my M3, 20K of those miles are HARD track miles at various driving schools, and my lifters are FINE!
My mom is getting his name, and numbers for GM and owner of dealership and MB customer Service, this is BS.
Anyone else experienced this. I would love to have a long list of other people who this same crap is happening too.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,410
From:
RE: Damnit Mercedes Be
Can't really help with support BUT your experience intrigues me.
The dealer states that he can log oil level over time from the EMS presumably thru STAR? Really! Can anybody confirm this?
I suspect NOT and even if it is possible why couldn't the dealer see the 3 quarts (when will you guys start using Litres?) you added.
Even if oil were low why does this wreck the lifters?
What happens to the lifters?
I can understand that they will go noisey since without full oil pressure they will not be adjusted to the correct "length" but why does this do permanent damage (assuming low oil pressure is only over a limited period)?
Where does the idea that this is a common MB problem come from?
MB dealership run on a totally different basis in the USA to here in Europe. Without tight control no wonder MB reputation is headed in the wrong direction.
Stuart
The dealer states that he can log oil level over time from the EMS presumably thru STAR? Really! Can anybody confirm this?
I suspect NOT and even if it is possible why couldn't the dealer see the 3 quarts (when will you guys start using Litres?) you added.
Even if oil were low why does this wreck the lifters?
What happens to the lifters?
I can understand that they will go noisey since without full oil pressure they will not be adjusted to the correct "length" but why does this do permanent damage (assuming low oil pressure is only over a limited period)?
Where does the idea that this is a common MB problem come from?
MB dealership run on a totally different basis in the USA to here in Europe. Without tight control no wonder MB reputation is headed in the wrong direction.
Stuart
