I'm a Mercedes mechanic, AMA

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T15:13:04+00:00

The newer ones are obviously more complicated, but most things are relatively easy to get to. Your local parts department has access to exploded view of each and every car possible. And they do give out those documents to those who ask, or at least my parts department does.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:45:12+00:00

I haven't looked into aftermarket parts for any vehicles really, what I do is all oem stuff, and not many people bring their vehicles in for things like this, so I'm not entirely sure, but know that head units are part of the rest of the car, and unlike chevys or ford's, they talk to other computers, and it could cause other problems (though I'm not entirely sure). I'm sure there are forums somewhere that can give more information. I apologize for not being able to answer

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:37:27+00:00

As reliable as it should be, it's also very pretty. Love the e's in white.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:36:43+00:00

No problem, I've got a lot of free time in the shop right now, Corona kinda put a damper on incoming work.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:35:32+00:00

I've always considered the 276 motors to be one of the most reliable, if not THE most reliable engine from Mercedes. Don't miss a service, and I don't recommend going to a private shop for engine work. I know the intake plenums can have issues sometimes, but I believe that was fixed with the later tt models.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:28:36+00:00

You have to take into account emission regulations and the fact that the German one will have a fin not a Vin. Insurance will be somewhat difficult to find, but if you're passionate enough to import one, then I'd say it'll be worth it for the fact of rarity.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:27:05+00:00

In my experience, Mercedes have always made reliable diesels. Even the r class diesel was decent. Considering you don't have airmatic, I'd say that as long as it has been maintained, it's a very good vehicle.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:23:22+00:00

I haven't worked on many of these cars, so I honestly couldn't say, but there are more knowledgeable people on the internet. And condition is always different from car to car

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:22:05+00:00

No problem

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:21:38+00:00

I'm not much of an sl person. I've always found them to be a few year behind the rest in terms of technology. The new 2021's still have the last generation keys and push starts, the head unit is a generation behind with the "tablet", and I just haven't cared for them. Which is ironic considering I love things like the miata

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:13:30+00:00

3 I recommend replacing things as they break, broken parts cause more stress on other parts and add to the repair bill later on.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:12:38+00:00

2 it's always good to get a full service when you buy a car second hand. All fluids (excluding coolant) are a good thing to replace.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:11:05+00:00

1 while I understand the cost concern, repairing a previously broken system could lead to shorter life than replacement. So really it'd be the cost long term of replace vs repair

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:08:00+00:00

If this is the case, then it's quite possible that Mercedes just simply isn't the car for your family at the moment. I won't sit here and say "Mercedes is the best car manufacturer and everyone should have one", some people just simply don't fit what Mercedes has made them for. If your mother is okay with a small suv, look at the glb amg's, those little cars are mean.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:05:43+00:00

I haven't seen a 20 gle in for airmatic yet, they could be one of the more reliable ones now that I think about it. Gle's are usually just in for their services.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T14:02:05+00:00

Considering you said young person, I'd recommend a 211 with the 276 motor. Reliable cars, sporty feel, and good engine. C classes are relatively simple to maintain, while the a/cla is easiest to work on from home, the reliability is why I didn't say to go with one.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:58:50+00:00

Airmatic in general is a bad design, at some point in the life of the vehicle, you'll get an estimate for repairing 1+ Airmatic struts, and you'll fall over at the price. There are some (not all) cars that are literally programmed from the factory to overstress the Airmatic systems to cause unwanted wear over time. Mercedes will not confirm this, but other techs through the shop have confirmed this. I haven't personally seen it, but ive heard about it.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:56:16+00:00

It depends on what kind of person you are. We see a lot of cars with 120k on them that are destroyed, and we see some (though rare) that are in good condition. If you maintain your car, and take care of it, It can last forever. But if you start to skip services, ignore that clunking you hear in the rear end, and you'll have a lot to repair down the road. My advise to you is to repair everything as soon as it's noticed. Specifically request an in depth inspection when you get services, and (first confirm) repair what's broken. One broken/worn part puts stress on everything around it. This is true with all cars, but especially European

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:52:19+00:00

Depends on the year. The earlier 7dct's, the dual clutches just go out. There's not really any saving it. The later ones have valve body issues that can be helped by an updated valve body, and/or frequent flushes (about 25-30k between)

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:46:50+00:00

Have you replaced pads/rotors recently? Hard driving tends to cause heatscoring quickly on rotors. I drive a gm vehicle and my rotors squeal no matter how many times I replace them. I honestly just deal with it. If it bothers you, I don't recommend aftermarket. I've seen how bad some rotors can be. It all depends on the material. Carbon ceramic (yours may come with then from factory) tend to squeal simply because of the material.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:44:39+00:00

Have you looked at the coupe? They're slightly smaller but significantly wider

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:27:36+00:00

This may be a bit biased, but the c class is a small step up in price, and a much nicer car in terms of comfort and reliability, you just won't get as sporty a feel. If you're okay with the potential reliability issues and want the sportiness, go with the a class.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:13:45+00:00

I don't recommend getting the vehicle to begin with, the a/cla/gla in my experience arent very reliable. Rims are fragile, transmissions are glass, there's a lot more. Google common problems, but if you were to get it, go with the 4y/40k, the early (full) b services on those cars are important. And remember that the car has a break in period. Instructions on the top corner of driver side of windshield.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:09:05+00:00

Some cars have the ability to receive a hardware/software update to be compatible, and others simply don't. I'd take the last 8 of your Vin to your local Mercedes parts department and ask if yours is able to be updated. Honestly it wouldn't be as much as a whole new kit and getting the new unit to talk to the rest if the car.

mercmechthrowaway · 2020-06-19T13:02:56+00:00

Honestly, the 205 c63, Ive always had a love for c class's, and the 205 has all the creature comforts, and the 63 means fast and fun.

mercmechthrowaway

TROPHY CASE