My key for my 2000 C280 stopped working about 2 weeks ago so I had the car towed to figure out why. I also noted that some of the lines that make up the numbers on my clock were out, the backlight behind my temperature controls is out, and my AC didn't work. Mostly little stuff...

Got the bill yesterday...

Key issue -- needed new ignition -- ~$1200
Clock -- installed entirely new console -- ~$850
AC -- refilled system with dye to isolate leak (did not fix anything yet) -- ~$400
Backlight -- replaced bulb -- $110 (Ba-ba-bwhaaat?!!)

All said and done it was just short of $2600... and fixing the actutal AC problem is yet to be done.

There is a happy ending... I have a 3rd party warranty that paid for $1900 of it and will reimburse me another $400 when the AC is fixed in about a month... Didn't know it at the time, but the warranty didn't cover the light bulb so I got rolled for $110 for that.

But still... sheesh. Once this warranty runs out, I'm gonna be nervous... although I guess I could get the work done by local shops who won't charge $110 to change a light bulb.

Have you guys had ridiculously expensive repairs on your cars????

 

Damn. Why didnt u replace ur own bulb? 10 bux max at an auto parts store. Come ask us first next time to see if we can help. With that kind of bill i would have just sold the car and bought another one!

 

Ha ha seriously! I almost always do my own work on my cars normally. I thought the problem was electrical (not just a bulb) since the bulb would go out and come back on periodically. Had it been an electrical issue, the warranty would have covered it. I had no idea that I was going to have to pay for that. Freakin ridiculous.