Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
John, you actually have two batteries and the one on my 05 CDI which services the accessories went out at 50K and 4 years, still under warranty. I too, love my 05 E320 CDI and have never had a better car. Just had to replace the glow plugs last month and that is it. John On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 9:00 PM, John Robbins je...@msstate.edu wrote: LarryT wrote: Thx Ed - appreciate you keeping us aware of new MBs. My only problem, I feel cars should be judged after they have 100K miles or so on them before making any judgements about quality. My 2005 CDI has 101k on it. Still drives fantastic! :) The fit and finish is still excellent, as is the engine. The only thing outside of normal wear items (brakes, etc) is the thermostat @ 67k (stuck open), and a few months ago the plastic piece that ratchets the parking brake broke. The battery might be getting iffy, which for a normal battery would be very reasonable. However, the car comes with an AGM battery that is supposed to last longer. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive... as in... ~$250!!! The only rattle I have is the lid for the storage compartment under the front of the passenger seat. It only happens occasionally, and is easily stopped with a quick tap. My $.02 John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
John F. wrote: I too, love my 05 E320 CDI and have never had a better car. Just had to replace the glow plugs last month and that is it. I do think the CDI looks like a very nice car. I wish I could find a used one with enough miles to make it reasonably priced. I was a little concerned though about how they were going to do when they had 100,000 miles on them. I am glad to hear that you and the other John have had good luck. I bet the glow plugs weren't real cheap. How has the urea injection thing worked out? Is that something you have to refill every once in a while? Where you do get the stuff? How does it work? Inquiring minds want to know. Donald H. Snook McDonald, Tinker, Skaer, Quinn Herrington, P.A. 300 West Douglas P.O. Box 207 Wichita, Kansas 67201 0207 Tel. (316) 263-5851 This confidential message may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or protected by the attorney work-product doctrine. If you have recieved this message in error, please delete it and notify me. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Donald Snook wrote: How has the urea injection thing worked out? Is that something you have to refill every once in a while? Where you do get the stuff? How does it work? Inquiring minds want to know. If you get a 2005 or 2006 you don't have that system. :) It is only the BlueTec 2007+ models that have the extra emissions equipment. I honestly don't remember if the BlueTec's have the urea injection, but they will for 2010 (new emission regulations...). The 2007+ diesels have a diesel particulate filter, which seem to be pretty trouble free so far. I wonder how they'll last after 150-200k. That's probably when the DPF will be replaced with an improved flow model ;) John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
John Freer wrote: You actually have two batteries and the one on my 05 CDI which services the accessories went out at 50K and 4 years, still under warranty. Yep, according to the manual, the error message I'm seeing can be caused by three things: alternator, battery control module, or accessory battery. There is a new PN for the battery controller, but the reason for the new controller doesn't seem to be 100% related to the problem I'm having. I need to power cycle it sometime... I've just been super busy. The only reason I think the problem is the main battery is the error message isn't displayed while the key is in accessory, but it is in run, i.g. the glow plugs turn on. I need to bust out the DMM and measure voltages to see what's going on. If the battery controller voltage goes below 12.1V (that's pretty high IMO) it can throw that error message as well. According to the Jan 2009 price list the batteries are something like $277 for the main battery and $150-170 for the aux battery. Been a while since I looked it up. If I have to get a replacement battery, I sure hope the next one lasts as long as an AGM battery is supposed to. Optima batteries are AGM, and they're supposed to last, IIRC, ten years. MB Pricelist as of Jan 09 http://www.w124performance.com/docs/mb/other/MB_Pricelist_2009-01.zip John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
they are talking about the CDI, not the Bluetec. Donald Snook wrote: John F. wrote: I too, love my 05 E320 CDI and have never had a better car. Just had to replace the glow plugs last month and that is it. I do think the CDI looks like a very nice car. I wish I could find a used one with enough miles to make it reasonably priced. I was a little concerned though about how they were going to do when they had 100,000 miles on them. I am glad to hear that you and the other John have had good luck. I bet the glow plugs weren't real cheap. How has the urea injection thing worked out? Is that something you have to refill every once in a while? Where you do get the stuff? How does it work? Inquiring minds want to know. Donald H. Snook McDonald, Tinker, Skaer, Quinn Herrington, P.A. 300 West Douglas P.O. Box 207 Wichita, Kansas 67201 0207 Tel. (316) 263-5851 This confidential message may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or protected by the attorney work-product doctrine. If you have recieved this message in error, please delete it and notify me. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- Kaleb C. Striplin/Claremore, OK 95 E300, 92 500SEL, 92 300SD, 92 300E 4Matic, 91 350SDL, 91 300D, 89 560SEL, 87 300SDL x2, 85 380SE 5.0 Euro, 85 190D, 84 190D, 84 300D euro manny, 76 240D, 76 300D, http://www.okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
That word quality has too many definitions to be meaningful. So I don't blame MBZ for not talking about it. To some people, quality describes how many defects a new example includes. To other people (most of us) it describes how durable a particular model is. And still to other people quality may mean how beautifully the bodywork and materials are put together. And I''ve often associated the word with how robust an object is and how much abuse it can withstand. Remember the Ford Quality is Job 1 campaign? I have friends who worked at Ford and were proud of it that movement. But as I listened to them and thought about it, their definition of quality really didn't mean much to the consumer. Ford used a industrial definition that identifies quality as how consistently any part, or assembly of parts, meet their specification. So they could define their objective for a certain model to be a cheap POS. And if the final product was truly a cheap POS, they considered it top quality. Conversely, if that model performed better than a POS, it failed the quality test. So, of course MBZ is not going market the word quality when there are so many ways to fail that expectation. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Wasn't the protagonist in 'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' driven crazy in his attempt to define quality? Max -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of ned kleinhenz Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 9:44 AM To: Mercedes List Subject: Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer That word quality has too many definitions to be meaningful. So I don't blame MBZ for not talking about it. To some people, quality describes how many defects a new example includes. To other people (most of us) it describes how durable a particular model is. And still to other people quality may mean how beautifully the bodywork and materials are put together. And I''ve often associated the word with how robust an object is and how much abuse it can withstand. Remember the Ford Quality is Job 1 campaign? I have friends who worked at Ford and were proud of it that movement. But as I listened to them and thought about it, their definition of quality really didn't mean much to the consumer. Ford used a industrial definition that identifies quality as how consistently any part, or assembly of parts, meet their specification. So they could define their objective for a certain model to be a cheap POS. And if the final product was truly a cheap POS, they considered it top quality. Conversely, if that model performed better than a POS, it failed the quality test. So, of course MBZ is not going market the word quality when there are so many ways to fail that expectation. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
John Robbins wrote: and a few months ago the plastic piece that ratchets the parking brake broke. I don't get that. Plastic ratchet pawls and/or sectors in a highly stressed and important area? Those ratchets usually see a few hundred pounds of force. Reminds me of the ratcheting nylon clutch cable adjuster that failed at 180,000 miles on my Chevy Citation. It was quite large and sturdy looking, but it was rather a critical part to the operation of the car, and it saw pretty heavy stress every time I shifted, and I'm not a fan of plastic in situations that see a lot of force. I'm just glad it failed in the Chevy dealer's parking lot, and they had the repair kit in stock for about $20. Even more glad I was able to install it in the parking lot. It was a bit scary when the clutch went to the floor and the car was still in gear. I think I blipped the throttle lightly while pulling the shifter into neutral. If it had failed while pulling into a parking space the results might not have been pretty. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Kaleb wrote: they are talking about the CDI, not the Bluetec. Yea, I figured that out. I thought the CDI had the Urea thing also. I forgot that was a newer emission component to make it 50 state compliant under the new standard. Donald H. Snook ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
pedant Quality doesn't mean much of anything by itself. It requires a modifier, such as high, poor or questionable. When somebody speaks of a real quality item it drives the editor in me right up the wall. --mf /pedant On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 10:00 AM, Dillon, Meade M CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-ATLANTIC, 53310 meade.m.dil...@navy.mil wrote: Wasn't the protagonist in 'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' driven crazy in his attempt to define quality? Max -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of ned kleinhenz Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 9:44 AM To: Mercedes List Subject: Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer That word quality has too many definitions to be meaningful. So I don't blame MBZ for not talking about it. To some people, quality describes how many defects a new example includes. To other people (most of us) it describes how durable a particular model is. And still to other people quality may mean how beautifully the bodywork and materials are put together. And I''ve often associated the word with how robust an object is and how much abuse it can withstand. Remember the Ford Quality is Job 1 campaign? I have friends who worked at Ford and were proud of it that movement. But as I listened to them and thought about it, their definition of quality really didn't mean much to the consumer. Ford used a industrial definition that identifies quality as how consistently any part, or assembly of parts, meet their specification. So they could define their objective for a certain model to be a cheap POS. And if the final product was truly a cheap POS, they considered it top quality. Conversely, if that model performed better than a POS, it failed the quality test. So, of course MBZ is not going market the word quality when there are so many ways to fail that expectation. Ned ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
On 12/11/2009 9:07 AM, Mitch Haley wrote: I don't get that. Plastic ratchet pawls and/or sectors in a highly stressed and important area? Those ratchets usually see a few hundred pounds of force. I don't get it either... If nothing else, it should be a more substantial piece of plastic than what it is. It definitely is very fragile looking. John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
The only Mercedes I would consider purchasing NEW is the Bluetec. On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 5:07 PM, E M pokieba...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Dwight, To be honest, I didn't really look for one, but will next time I'm there. The only diesels I see around here, in the newer models, are most often in the large GL SUVs. You do see the odd one in an M Class too. I'm not sure if either are Bluetech, or just their regular diesels, as I'm not really up on the latest diesel offerings. The did have a SDL in for servicing, getting it's snows on though. A number of older cars here are still dealer serviced, including mine, ('88), right up until I purchased it about a year or so ago. I'll ask about what models the Bluetech is offered in here (Canada) next time I'm in, and report back. ;-) Ed 300E 2009/12/10 Dwight E. Giles, Jr degco...@cox.net ED, Did they have any Bluetecs there? Bissell Cove Quahog Auto Salvage Co Dwight E. Giles, Jr. Wickford RI 02852 -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of E M Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give it a quick vacuum. Happy motoring everyone. Ed 300E ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:09:16 -0500 L Mark Finch mfi...@katzenfinch.com wrote: pedant Quality doesn't mean much of anything by itself. It requires a modifier, such as high, poor or questionable. When somebody speaks of a real quality item it drives the editor in me right up the wall. The quality of Ford's Job 1 campaign was actually quality of assembly, whether all the parts are assembled correctly to meet the ideal car of that design. In our estimation of Benz products, we also consider quality of design, which includes the overall function of the car, the durability of the individual parts, and the ease and simplicity of service. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
hi John! we've gotten almost 7 years out of a severely abused Optima (Red Top) in our J**p, but that's about it. (we have another with almost that much time on it in there now with no indication of it getting tired,... yet.) if people are actually getting 10 years out of them, i haven't heard about it anywhere yet... but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. Optima suffered in performance quality when they were sold years ago but are rumored to have come partway back to where they were. just another data point; the AGM batteries that are now OEM replacements for some BMW motorcycles are known to be commonly failing in about 3 years,... so obviously, not all AGMs are the magic bullet some might like us to believe. (i still like them better in the BMW, though; the big gs is likely to be laid down on its side in regular trail use, and i prefer to not have caustic acid spilling out of the battery added to my problems at that point!) cheers! e '85 300D Berkeley, CA John Robbins wrote: Optima batteries are AGM, and they're supposed to last, IIRC, ten years. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
ED, Did they have any Bluetecs there? Bissell Cove Quahog Auto Salvage Co Dwight E. Giles, Jr. Wickford RI 02852 -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of E M Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give it a quick vacuum. Happy motoring everyone. Ed 300E ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Hi Dwight, To be honest, I didn't really look for one, but will next time I'm there. The only diesels I see around here, in the newer models, are most often in the large GL SUVs. You do see the odd one in an M Class too. I'm not sure if either are Bluetech, or just their regular diesels, as I'm not really up on the latest diesel offerings. The did have a SDL in for servicing, getting it's snows on though. A number of older cars here are still dealer serviced, including mine, ('88), right up until I purchased it about a year or so ago. I'll ask about what models the Bluetech is offered in here (Canada) next time I'm in, and report back. ;-) Ed 300E 2009/12/10 Dwight E. Giles, Jr degco...@cox.net ED, Did they have any Bluetecs there? Bissell Cove Quahog Auto Salvage Co Dwight E. Giles, Jr. Wickford RI 02852 -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of E M Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give it a quick vacuum. Happy motoring everyone. Ed 300E ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Thx Ed - appreciate you keeping us aware of new MBs. My only problem, I feel cars should be judged after they have 100K miles or so on them before making any judgements about quality. BTW - until I actually looked, I would have thought MB would have made much in their brochures and advertisements about their quality. But they seldom mention it - at least not in the brochures they publish. You'd think they would shout it from the rooftops - instead, they talk *around* it without ever saying anything substantive. I did research for a guy with a S430 suing MB because the paint was falling off his S430 which gave me the opportunity to learn about this twist. LarryT 91 300D OilAnalysis Time? Looking for Weber Parts or Porsche Posters? www.youroil.net -- From: E M pokieba...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give it a quick vacuum. Happy motoring everyone. Ed 300E ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Hi Larry, I still dream about an old 6.3. I know Jay Leno has one with over 300,000 on the clock, and says it still drives tighter than most cars with less than 50,000. I haven't driven my old E300 for awhile, but took it for a spin the other night, and forgot just how solid it is. It has over 350,000 km on the clock, and drives WAY tighter than a minivan I just bought which now has 40,000 km on the clock. Ok, I know an apple and orange comparison, but still, always amazes me how Mercedes managed to build them so solid! To me, nothing spells confidence in a product, like a good warranty. I think Mercedes has the quality back, but as you say, it's the long term performance that really speaks to a products quality. I'd like to see Mercedes get behind their products a bit more, and show their faith in what they make, by offering longer warranties. After all, they are asking us to part with a good chunk of change for a new one! S430I'm sure Mercedes would prefer to forget about that whole period in their history. hee hee. Take care Larry. Ed 2009/12/10 LarryT l02tur...@comcast.net Thx Ed - appreciate you keeping us aware of new MBs. My only problem, I feel cars should be judged after they have 100K miles or so on them before making any judgements about quality. BTW - until I actually looked, I would have thought MB would have made much in their brochures and advertisements about their quality. But they seldom mention it - at least not in the brochures they publish. You'd think they would shout it from the rooftops - instead, they talk *around* it without ever saying anything substantive. I did research for a guy with a S430 suing MB because the paint was falling off his S430 which gave me the opportunity to learn about this twist. LarryT 91 300D OilAnalysis Time? Looking for Weber Parts or Porsche Posters? www.youroil.net -- From: E M pokieba...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give it a quick vacuum. Happy motoring everyone. Ed 300E ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
Hi Ed, Excellent post - re the MB warranty -- you'd think that if the Koreans can warranty their products for 10 years 100K miles, MB should be able match it. Of course, maybe I'm speaking too soon - how long is the MB full warranty? LarryT OilAnalysis Time? Looking for Weber Parts or Porsche Posters? www.youroil.net -- From: E M pokieba...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:35 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer Hi Larry, I still dream about an old 6.3. I know Jay Leno has one with over 300,000 on the clock, and says it still drives tighter than most cars with less than 50,000. I haven't driven my old E300 for awhile, but took it for a spin the other night, and forgot just how solid it is. It has over 350,000 km on the clock, and drives WAY tighter than a minivan I just bought which now has 40,000 km on the clock. Ok, I know an apple and orange comparison, but still, always amazes me how Mercedes managed to build them so solid! To me, nothing spells confidence in a product, like a good warranty. I think Mercedes has the quality back, but as you say, it's the long term performance that really speaks to a products quality. I'd like to see Mercedes get behind their products a bit more, and show their faith in what they make, by offering longer warranties. After all, they are asking us to part with a good chunk of change for a new one! S430I'm sure Mercedes would prefer to forget about that whole period in their history. hee hee. Take care Larry. Ed 2009/12/10 LarryT l02tur...@comcast.net Thx Ed - appreciate you keeping us aware of new MBs. My only problem, I feel cars should be judged after they have 100K miles or so on them before making any judgements about quality. BTW - until I actually looked, I would have thought MB would have made much in their brochures and advertisements about their quality. But they seldom mention it - at least not in the brochures they publish. You'd think they would shout it from the rooftops - instead, they talk *around* it without ever saying anything substantive. I did research for a guy with a S430 suing MB because the paint was falling off his S430 which gave me the opportunity to learn about this twist. LarryT 91 300D OilAnalysis Time? Looking for Weber Parts or Porsche Posters? www.youroil.net -- From: E M pokieba...@gmail.com Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:12 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer I was in the area, so stopped off at one of my local dealers today, for a peek around. I do these little dealer showroom updates for those who don't have a dealer nearby to see what's new on the floor. Anyway, I know there's isn't a lot of interest on the list with newer models, but looking at the build quality, and attention to fit and finish on the current C, E, and S Class models, it looks like Mercedes has turned the corner, and are now headed back in the right direction. The previous model S Class was a huge disappointment to me. My first experience with one, was running my hand along the inside of a door seal, only to have one of the spot welds cut my finger, which was protruding through the paint!! Ok, I thought a one off boo boo, but found the same things on another car! Hard to believe that car was made by the same company as the W140 series. Yeah yeah, I know the W140 was a fortune to run, and service properly, but it was never meant for the masses, or those on a budget. The new S is amazing! Interior fit and finish, feel and look of materials are all first class. Not a cheap car, but I'm sure regardless of how much you spend, if you couldn't find better quality. The way things are put together, looks every bit as good as on the Maybachs I've seen. Caught a peek at the new E Class, in full pavement melting AMG kit. It was pulling away from teh dealer, and sounded every bit the business!! Yummy. They also had a Hybrid S there, and other than exterior badges, I couldn't tell it from a standard gasser car. Most Ss here seem to come with the AMG sport package, so regardless of the engine, they all looks a bit sportier and more aggressive. They also had a SLR 733 drop top on the floor. I'm wondering with how much they've depreciated (if you peek on eBay), and the new SLS arriving soon, if ppl are just waiting for the new car, which gives similar performance, but at a lot less money. They also had an original Gullwing on the floor which has been there awhile, so maybe it's a company car, or belongs to the guy who owns the dealership. Either way, great looking car, and must have looked like something from outer space when it first arrived. Much like the Countach in the 70s. Well there it is. Off to remove the snow from the old E, and give
Re: [MBZ] trip to the local dealer
LarryT wrote: Thx Ed - appreciate you keeping us aware of new MBs. My only problem, I feel cars should be judged after they have 100K miles or so on them before making any judgements about quality. My 2005 CDI has 101k on it. Still drives fantastic! :) The fit and finish is still excellent, as is the engine. The only thing outside of normal wear items (brakes, etc) is the thermostat @ 67k (stuck open), and a few months ago the plastic piece that ratchets the parking brake broke. The battery might be getting iffy, which for a normal battery would be very reasonable. However, the car comes with an AGM battery that is supposed to last longer. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive... as in... ~$250!!! The only rattle I have is the lid for the storage compartment under the front of the passenger seat. It only happens occasionally, and is easily stopped with a quick tap. My $.02 John ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com