Ok, time for B Service, They offered my wife the Premium B service at $929 (Houston North MB) No problem. Check engine light had been coming on. They determined mass flow sessor was bad (464 parts/240 labor) Broken passenger seat 937/396. Inside trunk switch not working (790/156) Rt side running lamp (4.25/24) Coolant service (164) Fuel filter service (159/96), Belt tensioner (noisy bearings) (282/180) Rear main seal leaking oil (have not seen any indication of an oil residue on driveway(69/1200)

Feel like I am being taken to cleaners. Can a reliable MB repair shop (not MB itself) perform most of these repairs. Any ideas on the improtance of these repairs and the urgency.

Thanks Tim in Houston

 

We have 127000 on car and it hasw been great tto date. Would like another 70k or so.

 

Yes. Find an Independant shop near you that is good. Use them instead. My service A at a local shop was $120.00. And being an independant shop they will go above and beyond with the care of your car.

 

Run like hell Tim. Grab your phone book and find a MB mechanic that has a good reputation. Ask around. Ask anyone that drives a European car who they take their ride to. Word of mouth is huge. Concerning your laundry list of things to do.... go over the actual items on the B repair with the mechanic. He should know what to do. Fix the pass seat. The trunk bill is way out of line. Ridiculous. Ask how much it will cost. Do the running light yourself. Include the coolant svc with the B service when you go over the list with the mech. Skip the rear main seal and the fuel filter svc... Do the light yourself. Mass flow sensor should cost about 1/3 what you listed and if you can live with the belt tensioner... live with it. As your post is old, I hope that you haven't been screwed yet... Good luck.

 

Yes, run for the hills. Unfortunetly for me I did not seek prior advice from others before bringing in my 2000 E320 for a service Bb/c of a checkengine light.I paid 730 for what pretty much is just a physical exam with new spark plugs. And thats what a service B really is..a check up to see what needs to be done to the car.

With this, I have found a honest, and he really is ahonest mechanic, to do all future work on my MB. So, like what the others have suggested. RUN and find a good mechanic.

 

$730 ? spark plugs are not due till 100k miles,and a $32 17mm offset spark plug boot tool delivered from me and 12 ngk platinum plugs for $2.79 each and a very simple diy and you could have done them yourself in 2 hours on a Saturday morning.Oil change every 10k miles mobil1 0w40 syn and fleece filter you can also perform.What do you need a trusted mechanic for?Nice to have if you ever have something break that you don't have the ability to fix,but for yearly maint items you have no need at all for a trusted mechanic.
ohlord

 

Old post.

 

airmass sensor you can install yourself and dont do the B service, just do an a service. B service is not really necessary. wait till another time. dont do the rear main seal,,especially if your not seeing oil on the ground. whats wrong with the seat?

 

We know it's an old post. when it was revived.Just making sure he (askpaparazzi) understood or anyone reading the post understood the options available in diy and other choices to the dealer or a trusted mechanic.

 

As I don't understand the bill for repairs...let me say..I don't understand the bill.....sorry