Mercedes-Benz C-Class Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • jkurkjianjkurkjian Member Posts: 4
    Be careful exiting your 240-320 C-class. Sometimes the seat belt doesn't retract all the way and gets hooked on the door latch. When you shut the door it breaks the door switch just under the latch. It happened to me twice. Dealer fixed it under warranty.
  • cpisanocpisano Member Posts: 23
    Does anyone know of a clean way to remove the airbag warning decal on the visor? Mine is starting to peel off but it does not appear it will come off cleanly. It will leave part of the decal on the visor if I pull it off.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    You can carefully work most of it off, and then get the adhesive off with Goo-Gone, or similar products from your local market or drug store. This is one of the first things we do when we get a new car - get rid of all of those stickers.
  • migh16migh16 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone had any problems with too much vibration at idle. It might just be me, but I don't remember any vibration during the first 3000 miles. Any solutions to the problem would be helpful thanks.
  • berrillberrill Member Posts: 3
    I find the air conditioner of my C 230 coupe` does not get very cold. I have also driven the 4 door C Class Merc and their air conditioners do not seem any better. Are Mercedes air conditioners not as powerful as they used to be in older model cars and is there a way to get it to go colder.

    PS I live in a warm climate,
  • gman000001gman000001 Member Posts: 1
    THE AWNSER TO THE NOISE FROM ENGINE AREA WHEN COLD IS THE AIR INJECTION PUMP WHICH IS ELECTRIC AND SOUNDS LIKE A HOOVER VACUME,AND IT IS A NORMAL NOISE.
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    berrill,

    I'm not sure about older MB's, but its been my general observation that European cars have less chilling capacity than generic American iron. Much of this comes from them being designed for Europe, which is a generally less severe climatic climate (both hot & cold).

    Thus said, I've found my C230K's A/C to have been adequate so far...I particularly appreciate the center dashboard vent which chills the windshield glass and reduces radiation heating of my face.

    It can cause external condensation if its _really_ humid out, but fortunately, my local climate doesn't have too much of that problem.

    -hh
  • duspinduspin Member Posts: 1
    '01 C320 Sport..64Kmi...in service 3 yrs 2 months...all highway miles. Third battery in 2 months...keeps dying overnight in the cold. Several control units have been replaced (door, seat[2], one rear SAMS unit; no change. Alarm does not always disengage when opening doors with remote. Door locks open fine, but when a door is opened the alarm sounds. Sometimes the alarm will sound by itself while car sits by its lonesome. Left alone overnight, battery is dead. Dealer has the car 3 weeks! still can't find the drain. Any similar stories?
  • design786design786 Member Posts: 14
    I need to replace the shocks on my Mercedes C280. The car only has 67000 miles but the dealer believes that the shocks are worn out. There are many aftermarket brands like Bilstein, Koni, etc. They are definitely cheaper. I am a little hesitant in installing a different brand of shocks (I might mess up the suspension characteristics). Does anybody have any suggestions? I am interested in Koni shocks. Has anybody ever used konis on a C280 before?
  • gmoneygmoney Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 99 C280, AND THE LIGHT IN THE CLIMATE CONTROL IS OUT, DOES ANY ONE NO HOW TO REPLACE?
  • ticosticos Member Posts: 19
    Hello, I want to know if any of you know where where I can purchase the service manual for a 1995 C280. In addition does anyone know of good web sites that specialze in Mercedes parts? Thanks in advance.
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    My Y2K C230 is dead as a doornail. No lights, key won't work in the ignition, trunk won't open, no power whatsoever. Just had the battery replaced at 3.5 years and approx. 11,500 miles. Will bring it in again for diagnosis and service & let you know what happens.

    This is a non-winter vehicle that is not driven in snow or salt, so perhaps the 2-week run intervals had something to do with the battery's totally dead state.

      - P.
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    Particularly for a non-daily-driver, a 3.5 year old battery is IMO the most likely culpret.

    And with the complexity in electronics today, something as simple as bad/dirty power often causes diagnostics to be a mess...I've had a bad battery come back as "Needs new Ignition Switch" diagnosis on an Audi.

    Consequently, I no longer trust or bother with "Battery Load Tests" - - I just replace batteries on a 3-4 year schedule regardless of if I'm having problems or not.

    What I'd do in your circumstance is to first throw my $20 Sears battery charger on the car.

    If it is a dead battery, you'll get power back for interior dome lights within 15 minutes. This is the sign to keep the charger running longer.

    Check back periodically. After ~4 hours, take the charger off and see if the car will turn over.

    If it won't start, have it towed to the Pro's.

    If it does turn over, let it run for 15-20 minutes then shut it down. Look under the hood to find the battery to see how easy/messy of a job it is to do yourself and decide accordingly if you're going to pay the shop to replace it, or DIY.

    -hh
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    Thanks hh,

    The car's still under original warranty until August, so I'm going to have MB come on site tomorrow and check it out. Can't wait to drive it, the snow and ice are finally melted here in southern New Hampshire.

    I appreciate your mention about the electronics, it's amazing how much depends on battery power these days.

      - P.
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    Well, it looks like it was just a bad replacement battery.

    Rob from MB roadside assistance came out on Sunday and jumped the car with his power pack. We let the car run for 10 minutes, then shut it off. Then he tried to start it and it was dead. So he replaced the battery with a new one he brought - it held the charge, so I was "on the road again."

    The car runs just as good as ever. I forgot how powerful the Kompressor engine was after not driving it for the last 3 months. The effect is arguably equal to that of a stock muscle car of the late 1960s and early 1970s. I've read reviews of 0 to 60 as low as 7.5 seconds. Better than the MB advertised 8.1 seconds, as perhaps they did not want the C230 to overshadow the then $5,000. more expensive C280. I haven't measured this myself though, as I do not want to put excess wear on the car which I worked such a long time to pay for.

    For folks who don't drive one of these: if you can pick up a pre-owned C230 Kompressor, and all is working properly, you should find yourself the owner of a road rocket.
  • billp8billp8 Member Posts: 56
    ...and you're right, it is a little rocket! I think that MB is usually conservative in its 0-60 runs. I remember reading somewhere on this site about 4 years ago that the C230 was quicker than any of the V6 MB's up until about 80 MPH. Don't know if that's true, but my 2000 230 does seem to "come alive in the 60-90 MPH range. Happy motoring!
  • mecheguymecheguy Member Posts: 2
    ok, this is a discussion from another board where my problem is posted as well, I apologize for this, I just did not want to type it all again...

    ---Somebody wrote:

    I have a 1997 C230 with 74k miles. It is misfiring on various cylinders according to "car chip" computer reader. This has been going on for about nine months. At first it was once every 3 months, now every week. At first it was only one cylinder, now I am getting random readings. Anyone have any answers, could it be the engine wiring harness(independent service person mentioned this).

    --- I replied:

    ok, I have the same problem with my c230, and I really hope we can work out this together, according to the information i was able to get at alldata, the cause of this could be an injector, that does not close properly or due to engine wear. I would try getting a new set of injectors my self, but honestly, i do not have the means at the moment, so if You or somebody comes forward with some help, i t will be greatly appreciated

    I went back and read what I had written, did not make much sense, so here I go again trying to be more specific.

    I have a c230 1997, and have the engine light come on a few times.

     According to the scan tool, the computer decided there was a misfire in cylinder one, so I went and did the cheapest fixed, which was to replace cables and sparkplugs. Since the light was still on, I went and unplug the battery for 5 minutes and put it back on.

    The problem got fixed for a while, I even went all the way to mexico in it without seeing the light come on again. that is like 1400 miles from where I live. Any way, while down there the light went on and I had the car scanned there, the car had a low gas sensor problem, another problem not related to the misfire, but it did not have the misfire along with it, and that is what counts. I drove another 1400 miles back to the US, and a day later from being at home...Yeap you guessed the light came on, and it was the missfire deal again, I have reset the codes by unpluggin the battery and keeps coming back with the same error.

    According to alldata, who provides technical info on all vehicles, this meant that my engine was worn out (from that long trip maybe?.. I do not think so) or I had a bad injector. I have driven my car for a nother 4 months with the light on and I have reset it a few times more with no luck, it comes on a little bit later.

    I know is not the engine, because it does not burn oil and works fine. So my next step will be to take the injectors and clean them my self!

    Again, if anybody out there had this experience...please advise.

    --- Somebody wrote:

    I have a 95 C280 which I bought with the engine light on. Hoping it was something simple like a bad oxygen sensor or something, I drove it home from Texas and it was misfiring and it would revv up to about 4000 RPM before shifting. I took it home and changed the plugs and fuel filter and nothing, I took it to my benz mechanic and they hooked it up and got a reading that the fuel mixture was too lean, but they said I needed a new wiring harness, so $1300.00 later the car is doing great, no misfiring,hesitation, rough idle. All cured and for such a modest price too. I paid way too little for this car and I now know why but overall I'm very pleased. This is my third Mercedes and I won't drive anything else.

    --- I replied:

    Yesterday after work I finally decided to clean the injectors, ( I did not mention before that before going to Mexico I had put some injector cleaning thing in my fuel tank, so that could have helped...), I took 2 screws out , took all 4 injectors out, (this would cause some fuel spill, and of course do this with the battery unplugged, for safety). I noticed there was a little bit of dust built around the bottom o rings, so took them off clean them, and decided to flip it over, since the bottom was kind of burned from contact with the engine. then I connected a small hose to the injector, (thats all i had on site), and filled it up with a mixture of thinner and gasoline, (yeah, yeah, thinner is too strong but i took my chances), after this i applied 12 volts on and off to it while blowing into the hose , after a while you could see a nice stream coming out of the injector, put them back together and then put a little more of this mixture inside the fuel rail before putting the last injector back on . I attached the rail back to the engine, and then try to start it, I knew it would be hard, specially with the rail half empty and the mixture i put in, so i had to crank the engine 6 or 7 times before it kept idle by itself, then once it did, I went back and turn the engine off and unplugged the battery to have the engine light go off. After 5 minutes i plugged it back on and went for a test drive, the car performed great, I mean real smooth, and the engine light that would normally go on within 10 minutes did not, I drove it to work this morning and after a smooth ride the light has not come back on, let's hope that fixes it, but I will keep you guys informed.....

     
    ---I posted:

    ok, I'm back this time the light took 2 days to come back on!!! good , we are getting there... however the code in the computer shows po170, which is a problem detected on one of the fuel banks, from reading here and there I discovered I could swap ingnition coils and see if the problems changes to another bank, that way all i would have to do would be to buy a new coil, let's hope it works.

    ---I beg: Please advise!!!...pretty please...
  • mecheguymecheguy Member Posts: 2
    Guess what guys....I did not switched the bobbins but I got it fixed!!!!!!!!!

    After going to a few reviews and forums, I noticed that one of the main complaints in some mercedes was the MAF (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR), so I made the BIG and then not so big mistake of trying to clean it. So I took it apart and put some cleaner in it..... BIG mistake! I actually finished ruining it. The car would stall unless I had my pedal on the gas!!!!. I relized it had to be the "cleaning" I had performed, so after this I drove it I noticed 30% improvement on a transmission issue I had!! why?..the MAF senses the amount of air that goes into the engine to calculate load and how much gas goes into the injectors! but also and most important it tells the computer when to shift!!!, I had bought the car like this and have always considered the car to lack some power (thinking...well, I had a v8 this is only a 4, I guess is ok for a 4 cilynder ). NO WONDER!...the issue was that my transmission would not shift gears soon enough, and I always thought that it was deterioreting little by little. because It was not that bad when I first bought it. Then it was giving me all those p017x errors that were supposed to be related to injectors and gas. that is why I decided that I was to find the problem around the injectors or spark plugs.

    Anyway I had to drive with both feet on the pedals for 2 days to overcome my pride and buy the sensor paying overnight shipping too!!

    Yeah, I was going to risk 345 dollars to see if the air mass flow sensor was my problem... and guess what!!!! I did not only gained that 30% increase in power, but gained smothness at idle and great performance!!!! The engine light is gone and I'm sure I will not be seeing it anytime soon!!!

    BELIEVE ME, that sensor makes the difference between a mercedes and A MERCEDES!!! if You know what I mean...Mercedes rock!!!!
  • gsesmartgsesmart Member Posts: 6
    I am having considerable difficulty with my Xenon low-beam headlights. The problem is that the auto-levelling feature aims the lamps too low. The effect of this, on my car, is that the roadway is brighly illuminated 15ft in front of the car, while the pavement beyond that it pitch black. Not only this, but the lights seem to be focused at different levels, with the passenger beam extending out slightly further than the driver side beam. This makes it almost impossible to drive on dark roads.

    I have taken my car in three times to fix, and Mercedes runs a computer test and tells me the lights are functioning "normally". The reality is, I can't drive at night.

    Has anyone had this problem? What is the solution?

    Keywords: xenon headlamps headlights auto levelling HID focus focusing C-320 320 C-Class aimed low problem issue
  • bbqdevilbbqdevil Member Posts: 2
    I'm curious as to what the result of the problem was when you took the car to get it serviced.

    I have a 2002 C230 coupe with 56K miles on it that had the same light come on the other day and my service department said that the part that holds the pulleys for the belts for both the alternator and the supercharger "fell apart" which in turn shredded both belts and lead to cracking of the from bushings....a repair that, since it is out of warranty, comes to $2K.

    What was the end result for yours?
  • design786design786 Member Posts: 14
    I own a 1997 C280 and recently had the 70K service done from the Mercedes Dealer. I told him about the check engine light turning on and off (having a mind of its own). The dealer told me that the cause of the problem is excessive carbon build up in the engine head. His advice is to remove the head and have it cleaned. Has anybody ever heard of this problem. Its a $1400
    fix. Any recommendations.

    Thanks
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    Is there a corporate policy on loaners (does warranty say you are entitled to a loaner etc.), or is it up to each dealer do whatever they want?
  • arcomomarcomom Member Posts: 3
    I just bought a 2003 c230 from a guy in St. Louis. He told me to "be sure to bring a lot of CD's because we don't have great radio stations around here." Huh? But I was stupid and did just that. Got the car home and I can only get TWO radio stations! Is this considered "normal" for a Mercedes?? If not, is it a simple warranty fix? The closest MB dealer is in Topeka, an hour away.
  • spicy320spicy320 Member Posts: 10
    So has your reception problem been fixed? I'm having some trouble with reception as well.. a lot of "fuzzy" stations when using the radio and mine is a 2004 c320..
  • mckaypemckaype Member Posts: 5
    Hi People - I'm a new owner of a C-320 sedan. We left the key in the ignition for several days (we live out in the country and usually leave our keys in the car, and don't drive every day) and found that the car wouldn't start. I measured voltage at the battery and found 8.6 VDC. I put the charger on it for a couple of hours and all was back to normal. No loss of memory for seats, radio etc... and started/run fine. Take home lesson.... the key in the ignition (even in the off position) drains the battery.
  • sweetc230sweetc230 Member Posts: 33
    I've owned my C230 sport sedan for over a year and I've never had any problems with reception. Sounds like something unique to your cars.
  • arcomomarcomom Member Posts: 3
    I haven't taken my c230 in to complain about the radio reception yet. I'm waiting for a good time to take it to the dealership, which is an hour away. And I wanted to see if this was a known problem or one unique to my "new" car. I'll let you know what they say and whether or not they can fix it.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    MB specifically cautions you NOT to leave the key in the ignition with the engine off for extended periods of time. This is mentioned in the owner's manual, for exactly the reasons you experienced - it will kill the battery.
  • cbennicbenni Member Posts: 3
    I turn to you forum members for any help and/or advice you can provide.

    While on an Interstate driving my horn goes off. It was humorous at first as I thought it was someone else. The horn sounded constantly for about 15 minutes then went off for the next hour whenever it felt like it. No error codes were displayed on the console.

    No horn problem the next day.

    Gave the wife the car she drives to work - no problem. Get off from work, into the car, starts it up....the horn goes off again. Not humorous anymore, the wife did not find it funny.

    Took the car to the dealer, Valley Motors, the next morning waited 5 hours and was told they could not duplicate the problem. But charged me $90 in labor.

    Started the car to run an errand....horn goes off! Drive directly to the dealer. The dealer test drives the car the next day and while on the road, the horn goes off. This time 2 cars back is a policeman and he pulls over the technician.

    So far they have not determined the cause of the horn problem, but continue to charge me labor to find it. I'm at $450.00 and was told by the dealer that they attempted to replace the SAM unit and the problem still exists. They have traced the horn connection and still no resolution.

    Should I keep letting the cost mount up? Who can I escalate this to at Mercedes-Benz or even Daimler Chrysler. What should I do?

    Any and all advice on how I should proceed is greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...ask the dealer to get the Zone Rep involved ASAP, and get the service manager or general manager of the dealer to put a cap on diagnostic charges. [You shouldn't be paying for their lack of knowledge and competence - tell them that MBUSA needs to share the cost since they haven't trained the dealer techs well enough to call off this fishing expedition.]

    Just offhand, sounds like a malfunction in the alarm / anti-theft circuitry...always my first suspect when the horn starts to act up on its own.
  • cbennicbenni Member Posts: 3
    Wow. I really appreciate your response, jrct9454. I'll do just what you're recommending.

    I have been fairly busy online with this by sending email to MBUSA Customer's Online , filing a complaint with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (confirmation number 10073090) as well as posting to other online Mercedes-Benz resources.

    Here's the link to the ODI http://www.odi-nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq

    Thanks again for your help.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...how this turns out.
  • uplandupland Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 MB C240, 6 speed, that just turned 25,000 miles. I love this car but it has developed a really annoying squeak from the front suspension (left and right). It sounds like a dryed out rubber bushing in need of lubrication. The same thing happened last year to the right rear and I believe MB replaced the strut or suspension bushings.
    Has anyone experienced this or heard of any service bulletins regarding this? At the same time the ride has deteriorated. Instead of being the firm but comfortable German ride it hits the bumps like a stone. Wonder if this could be related to the squeaking or wear on the Goodyears?
    Car goes in June 1 for the A service but thought someone might have advice. Thanks.
  • cbennicbenni Member Posts: 3
    Here's an update on this issue.

    Talked to MBUSA Customer Care. They state the dealer is within their rights to charge the $90.00 per hour to find the problem with the intermittent horn. Also told that the Zone Rep, Brian Maloney, does not speak with customers.

    Talked with someone at NHTSA-ODI. Was told that as there is not a current recall on the intermittent horn if I continue to have the dealer search for a resolution "get complete documentation". Stated I should request a written description of what has been done in an attempt to repair my vehicle along with the recommended service actions moving forward.

    Sorry about the bad link in the previous post. Here's the correct link and the phone number to NHTSA-ODI:

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq
    888-327-4236

    Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

    Thanks again.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I think the key is to talk to both the service manager and the general manager of the dealership. It's not the labor rate that is at issue, it's the inability of the dealer's techs to find the problem in a timely fashion. The response you got from MBUSA was predictable [I'm assuming the car is out of warranty - another argument for buying the extended warranty], but a responsible dealer principal should agree to put a limit on how much the total bill should be for this kind of diagnosis.

    Have they looked at the alarm system?
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    There is at least one TSB out on the suspension problem you describe. Since your car should still be under warranty, this shouldn't be a big deal. Can't remember the exact wording of the TSB, but it has to do with the bushings in the front suspension. The dealer ought be familiar with the problem.
  • farmhillfarmhill Member Posts: 1
    I am having trouble with my alarm system, for the past 3 nights the alarm system has been activated for no reason at all. The strange thing is, it has gone off roughly the same time over the 3 nights.

    Any ideas
  • eyesurgeoneyesurgeon Member Posts: 3
    My daughter bought a 2004 C230 coupe in March 2004. After 2400 miles the transmission hose burst and the car was flat bedded to Sovereign Mercedes in Brooklyn, NY. As the car was not purchased there, the original dealer authorized a rental car. After 2 days, the car was returned to her and broke down again after just 6 miles! Again it was returned to Sovereign who has now had the car for over 2 weeks. According to their mechanic, they overlooked a faulty radiator the first time around and now have to replace the entire transmission, as well as the radiator. The parts are on order. In the meantime, Sovereign refuses to provide a loaner vehicle, or authorize a rental, and White Plains Mercedes, the selling dealer, says that it is Sovereign's problem now as the initial repair was mishandled. Mercedes USA refuses to intercede claiming that each dealer must set their own policies regarding loan vehicles. My daughter is out over $700 in rental charges, and counting. This is my daughter's first car and definitely her last Mercedes!!!
        If Mercedes is seeking to alienate the next generation of car buyers they are certainly off to a flying start!
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    It's interesting to see that each dealer is free to do whatever they feel like regarding providing a loaner or not.
    I had thought the cost of loaners and rentals was at least partially sponsored by the factory warranty program.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...on the C-Coupe board.

    Dealer franchise agreements in this country permit individual dealers to do just about anything they want, short of outright fraud. The punishments that the manufacturers can impose are too small generally to be much of a disincentive for poor policies. Over the long haul, poor CSI scores will doom a bad dealer, but that doesn't help you when you need a problem solved today.

    In the past, MBUSA had supported the loaner program by generously offering very low flooring costs for cars kept in stock for this purpose...plus the dealer could then turn around and sell the loaners as Starmark cars, and often still turn a profit over the original cost. Still, many dealers refuse loaners to customers who did not buy their car at that dealership, or impose other limitations. The small print on the loaner program in the various brochures makes it clear this is up to the individual dealer, but this seems deceptive to most people, and so it probably is...
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    According to the poster, even the dealer he purchased from did not want to work on the car or provide a loaner because some work had already been done at a different dealer.

    Anyway, he can blast the dealer with unflattering survey responses now if he wishes.

    Mercedes really seems to be spiralling downhill with the reduced quality and reliability ratings, dropping free maintenance on 2005 models and the company not supporting the loaner car program. What next?

    Which manufacturers still support loaner cars at the corporate level as a perk that all owners get for at least the factory warranty period? BMW, Lexus, others?
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...that requires its dealers to offer loaners. It is VIRTUALLY universal with Lexus, but certainly not BMW [there are plenty of horror stories there, too], and in every case, the dealer has the ability to opt out if they want.

    Lexus has a huge advantage: their policies at the corporate [Toyota] level make it fantastically profitable and lucrative to own a Lexus franchise. They keep the number of dealers low, assuring that no territorial disputes arise and keeping sales-per-dealer numbers near the top of the industry year after year. They just TAKE CARE OF THE FRANCHISE, and the dealers respond by toeing the line...win-win for everybody.

    By contrast, MBUSA over the past 10-15 years has done just about everything possible to alienate its dealer body [this all started during the Mike Jackson era - he's now taken his act to the other side of the table, running Autonation's group of dealerships]: cutting margins, allowing multiple competitive dealerships within tight geographic boundaries, and most importantly, imposing the impossible task of fixing a bunch of cars that are often virtually unfixable [the last S-Class launch was an unmitigated disaster; the early W203 C-Class cars were troublesome; the MLs were stinkers at the beginning, etc. etc.].

    I've been buying MBs since 1968, and our '02 C240 is number 14. I like the car very much, and knock on wood, it has been very easy to live with so far [two small problems remedied at the dealer with no great difficulty] - HOWEVER, I always qualify my recommendations these days when asked: if you want a trouble-free ownership experience, buy Japanese. The Germans still produce a superior touring car, but owning one requires a degree of patience and understanding that may or may not be worth it to you. And yes, in my opinion the best cars they ever made were the W126 S-Class cars, and the W124 Es...I'm out looking for a good used W126 right now.

    Real MB enthusiasts, including virtually all of the MBCA club members I know, do indeed focus heavily on the "good old days" that seemed to have ended sometime in the mid-to-late '90s. To be completely fair, this applies IN SPADES to hardcore BMWCCA people, as well - most of them think most of what BMW is offering up these days is of no interest to them [I belong to both organizations], and think BMW has lost its way.
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    If the manufacturer puts up money directly or indirectly to pay for or subsidize the loaner program, they should be able to "require" it.
    I looked through the Lexus website and the only reference I found was for the Certified Pre-owned cars. Looks like complimentary loaner cars are part of the deal with CPO cars.
    If loaner cars are at the dealers whim on a Mercedes or other luxury brand, then you might as well just buy a non-luxury brand car and take part of the savings to pay for your own rentals if needed.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...but your beef is with US franchise laws. Thanks to a great lobby, a lot of lawyers, and generous political contributions, the dealers call the tune, not the manufacturers.

    What SHOULD happen, of course, is that no car maker ought to advertise a program that the dealers are not 100% committed to delivering. The wording in the literature is legally unambiguous, but practically misleading.

    We've probably beaten this to death...the fact remains, MB and this particular dealer have managed to alienate a first-time customer - the worst no-no in the business. Sigh...
  • spantspant Member Posts: 2
    Can someone please clue me in on the use of the phone buttons on the steering wheel?

    As background, I am considering a 2002 C230 as a used purchase, but want to make sure I have some form of hands-free phone unit to use. I saw the phone buttons on the column, but have no idea what they are linked to?

    I'm guessing it is some proprietary car phone service that you pay a subscription fee towards, but on the off chance that it somehow works with your existing cell phone, please let me know.

    Any clue would help...-Clueless
  • fellyfelly Member Posts: 16
    I've been noticing a very slight pull to the right on my new C230K from just a few months old car. Has anyone experienced this problem? Any advise? Thanks
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Sure. This isn't unusual. When I tested our '02 C240 prior to the sale, it had a noticeable pull. I stipulated that it had to be fixed before closing the deal. It took two tries. On the first, the alignment tech said that he had set it within specs, and though it was improved, it wasn't cured completely. I asked the service mgr to assign the most experienced suspension guy to the case; he decided to vary the caster settings [made the left and right front caster settings slightly different]. Caster affects the willingness of the car to change direction, so he in effect made it just slightly more stubborn on the side that was pulling. Voila, problem fixed. The cars tracks like the proverbial train now, which is the way all MBs should.

    Keep in mind the problem could also be one or more tires with belt problems; one of the standard tricks is to swap tires from side to side, or back and forth [not possible of course with staggered tire sizes or unidirectional tires, which is one reason I avoid both] to see if it goes away.

    Bottom line: for a competent dealer, this should not be a huge challenge. If it proves to be, find a better dealer.
  • fellyfelly Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the advise jrct9454. I'll contact my dealer today and have them take a look at it. Will update once its completed. Thanks again.
  • polyester1970polyester1970 Member Posts: 18
    I'm thinking about getting a 04/05 C230 Sport Sedan. I've never purchased a MB or any European car, only Toyotas & Mazdas in the past. I have a mixed impression of MB's mechanical quality/reliability. Basically, I've heard, "they used to be great, but they've gone downhill." I've also seen some graphs on the internet that shows a pretty rapid decline in reliability over the last 8-10 yrs or so.

    Can anyone comment on this?
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