Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

omarman

graphicguy said:

@Michaell...tried to fix my siggy but it doesn’t show up in my posts.

My sig tells how to change sig.

driver100

omarman said:

graphicguy said:

@Michaell...tried to fix my siggy but it doesn’t show up in my posts.

My sig tells how to change sig.

Why didn't you do it then? I assume you have a car

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

stickguy

For windshield washer fluid or blue koolaid.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

For windshield washer fluid or blue koolaid.

Now why would a car company think it was a good idea to have coolant the same color as windshield washer fluid? You could be driving around spewing antifreeze everywhere and think it was just a bucks worth of colored water.

Could it be so they can void your warranty if they find plebeian green coolant in your car?

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

driver100

A little long...but pretty good:
A GUY THING
Husband:

My wife is missing. She went shopping yesterday and has not come home!
Officer: Age?
Husband: I'm not sure. Somewhere between 50 and 60. We don't do birthdays.
Officer: Height?
Husband: I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.
OFFICER : Weight?
Husband: Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.
OFFICER : Colour of eyes?
Husband: Sort of brown I think Never really noticed.
OFFICER : Colour of hair?
Husband: Changes a couple times a year. Maybe dark brown now. I can't remember.
OFFICER : What was she wearing?
Husband: Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know exactly.
OFFICER : What kind of car did she go in?
Husband: She went in my truck.
OFFICER : What kind of truck was it?
Husband : A 2017, manufactured September 16th, pearl white Ram Limited 4X4 .with 6.4l Hemi V8 engine ordered with the Ram Box bar and fridge option, led lighting, back up and front camera,
Moose hide leather heated and cooled seats, climate controlled air conditioning. It has a custom matching white cover for the bed, Weather Tech floor mats. Trailing package with gold hitch,
sunroof, DVD with full GPS navigation, satellite radio, Cobra 75 WX ST 40-channel CB radio, six cup holders, 3 USB ports, and 4 power outlets. I added special alloy wheels and off-road Toyo tires. It has custom retracting running boards and under-glow wheel well lighting.
At this point the husband started choking up.
OFFICER : Take it easy sir, We'll find your truck.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

It had a lid that had a symbol like this:

omarman

driver100 said:

omarman said:

graphicguy said:

@Michaell...tried to fix my siggy but it doesn’t show up in my posts.

My sig tells how to change sig.

Why didn't you do it then? I assume you have a car

I did change my sig. I assume that's why you quoted me!

jmonroe

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

It had a lid that had a symbol like this:

Yep, some dope put antifreeze in your washer fluid bin. 3 guesses who that was, the first 2 don't count.

jmonroe

explorerx4

@omarman,
Right over someone's head with the 'change sig' post.

imidazol97

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

That would make @driver100 feel better if his MB does not have a windshield spritzer leak since my GM cars haven't had any problems with the storage bottles leaking.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@omarman,
Right over someone's head with the 'change sig' post.

I forgot about omarman's sense of humor.

driver100

Whoever guessed $350 wins. Reservoir was leaking. I gave them the land line number and they texted me twice, so too late to go ahead with work today. Will complete it tomorrow afternoon.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

That would make @driver100 feel better if his MB does not have a windshield spritzer leak since my GM cars haven't had any problems with the storage bottles leaking.

Look up Chevys or Malibus with leaky window washer fluid containers....lots of them. But, yeh, if it was a GM it would probably need a more expensive thing done to it.......leaky WW container is fairly minor as these things go I suppose. Could be the start of the slippery slope though...maybe a warning sign, time to trade-in.

driver100

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

@omarman,
Right over someone's head with the 'change sig' post.

I forgot about omarman's sense of humor.

But the good news is.......I get credit for another post.....now who is the smart one.

driver100

This is the first time I have had any problems with a windshield washer reservoir....but, it says in this article they will probably need repairing at some point.
Windshield washer repairs
Average estimated cost to repair: Schedule Windshield Washer Reservoir Replacement

SELECT YOUR VEHICLE
$96.21 - $432.13
Price range for all vehicles

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

It had a lid that had a symbol like this:

Yep, some dope put antifreeze in your washer fluid bin. 3 guesses who that was, the first 2 don't count.

jmonroe

I haven't added any fluid to the car since we bought it 3 years ago. Not much need for cleaning a windshield down here, not much snow or mud.

ab348

I would have thought a quality German plastic fluid reservoir would last longer than 6 years.

fintail

I've never had an issue with a washer reservoir. Heck, the fintail still has its original part.

stickguy

nothing I ever had to repair either.

Driver, if you use it that infrequently, should have just let it run dry. The leak would stop that way!

explorerx4

Probably hit something and neglected to tell us.
That car needs a front camera, too.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

It had a lid that had a symbol like this:

That’s in German, there’s no telling what it means.

driver100

stickguy said:

nothing I ever had to repair either.

Driver, if you use it that infrequently, should have just let it run dry. The leak would stop that way!

I thought about leaving it....I would guess I use the washers about 2 or 3X a year. But, I have an unwritten rule to get things fixed as they come up........or else all the little things add up and the car will cost a lot to repair or it will be junk.
I didn't do much in the way of service this year so that money went into this repair. Still, not bad after 3 years of service, and that is the only actual repair so far.
I am surprised at how many people think it is a new car...it looks nothing like a new C.....so it is well worth getting it fixed....it is like driving a new car and it is only worth $11700....well, now $12000

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, the experts are right, MB coolant is BLUE. I learned something and you have more to worry about. Maybe Imidazol97 is right, you should have registered your antifreeze.

That looks like about the right color!

Are you sure you were looking at the washer fluid reservoir? The coolant reservoir on your car is up front on the left and looks like a big egg. If that’s where it was dripping from you may have a coolant leak.

https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Mercedes-Benz_C250_Luxury_1.8L_4_Cyl._Turbo/coolant_antifreeze/add_coolant

It had a lid that had a symbol like this:

That’s in German, there’s no telling what it means.

I think it means look in here for a candy cane.

driver100

ab348 said:

I would have thought a quality German plastic fluid reservoir would last longer than 6 years.

Plastic windshield washer containers are probably all made by the same company.

fintail

I think premium cars get that mistaken identity frequently. The designs are often trend-setting or not following fads, so they don't shout their age. Paint quality is generally high, and the first few owners anyway tend to be careful - so the cars age well. Back in the early 2000s, I bought my first modern car, a 1989 S-class. People thought it was a late model car, due to it being spotless and a timeless design. People also often overestimate the value of such cars - a 10 year old S-class has a lot more presence than its price would suggest.

driver100 said:

I am surprised at how many people think it is a new car...it looks nothing like a new C.....so it is well worth getting it fixed....it is like driving a new car and it is only worth $11700....well, now $12000

driver100

fintail said:

I think premium cars get that mistaken identity frequently. The designs are often trend-setting or not following fads, so they don't shout their age. Paint quality is generally high, and the first few owners anyway tend to be careful - so the cars age well. Back in the early 2000s, I bought my first modern car, a 1989 S-class. People thought it was a late model car, due to it being spotless and a timeless design. People also often overestimate the value of such cars - a 10 year old S-class has a lot more presence than its price would suggest.

driver100 said:

I am surprised at how many people think it is a new car...it looks nothing like a new C.....so it is well worth getting it fixed....it is like driving a new car and it is only worth $11700....well, now $12000

Very true. In 1995 I took a course in running your own business. One of the other students was a real sharpie. His idea was to buy a 10 year old Jaguar, it would be relatively cheap to buy, no one knows how old Jaguars are, people would think he was a very successful salesman driving what they would assume was a new Jaguar.

He got one that was pretty old, but, it could have passed as a brand new car to most people.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

Probably hit something and neglected to tell us.
That car needs a front camera, too.

Explorer, how many miles on those tires you were replacing?

ab348

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

I would have thought a quality German plastic fluid reservoir would last longer than 6 years.

Plastic windshield washer containers are probably all made by the same company.

That was such a mysterious tale. They could have made it into a Netflix series.

qbrozen

Well, since this is the topic for random stuff ... I saw this commercial for the first time today and got a big kick out of it (pun not originally intended).
https://youtu.be/NqlnSgjBINo

explorerx4

@driver100,
I noticed you didn't refute my speculative comment about how the washer fluid bottle started leaking.
Back to tires, 3 of them just went over 45k, one was replaced at about 8k.
It's headed to the dealer in about a week and a half for the next round of maintenance, so I'll have them schedule tire replacement while I'm there.

explorerx4

@qbrozen,
New Years Eve I was talking with an acquaintance who said he had leased a Bolt.
During the Fall and Spring, he could exceed the rated range(getting around 270 miles), but in the winter range dropped to 160 miles(only used heated seats and steering wheel whenever possible). He said he never used the A/C in the summer.
Just thought I'd pass that info along.

qbrozen

explorerx4 said:

@qbrozen,
New Years Eve I was talking with an acquaintance who said he had leased a Bolt.
During the Fall and Spring, he could exceed the rated range(getting around 270 miles), but in the winter range dropped to 160 miles(only used heated seats and steering wheel whenever possible). He said he never used the A/C in the summer.
Just thought I'd pass that info along.

oh, I'm familiar. My Leaf was largely useless. But even 160 miles is plenty for me.

stickguy

at 160, I could normally go a full week between charges on my car.

Not sure I could convince the wife to take something that small on her commute, but that is about 28 miles/day, so would be perfect fine for her, even a full week (goes in 4 days, WFH one).

as long as I never plan to take it out of the immediate area around my house, could live with that. That though is the problem, occasionally I need to make a longer run someplace. If it was expensive, like a Tesla, would have to be the primary car, and I am not going there. Now, a super cheap Bolt lease, well, that makes a perfect 2nd car!

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
I noticed you didn't refute my speculative comment about how the washer fluid bottle started leaking.
Back to tires, 3 of them just went over 45k, one was replaced at about 8k.
It's headed to the dealer in about a week and a half for the next round of maintenance, so I'll have them schedule tire replacement while I'm there.

Speaking of replacements, I have to replace 3 RIMS on my van because they were so rusty that air was actually leaking THROUGH them. How does that even happen?

stickguy

you drive it in the winter in salt country. Entire cars rot away up there, why not wheels?

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
I noticed you didn't refute my speculative comment about how the washer fluid bottle started leaking.
Back to tires, 3 of them just went over 45k, one was replaced at about 8k.
It's headed to the dealer in about a week and a half for the next round of maintenance, so I'll have them schedule tire replacement while I'm there.

I think if hit something the front of the car would be damaged. A stone could have flown
Into the engine compartment, but hard to do.
Maybe previous owner used bad washer fluid.

imidazol97

Like someone else, I'd think the spritzensprachenmachinenjuggen would have lasted better on a luxury automobile. I suspect of cars built in the US, the reservoirs come from the same sources as the pedantic, appliance cars some of us drive.

In reality, it's likely the bottle was overheated in the hot temps and the hot engine compartment. Heat ages plastics in many cases. There likely was a casting flaw.

If @driver100 gets the bottle back from the people replacing it (give them a call in advance so they don't pitch it), we can analyze what caused the leak. I'm betting for a region that has a compound curve.

I did have a "shoulder" area on the plastic radiator tank on my leSabre 1998 that had a wee crack. It was an area that was curved in more than one direction.

Only under definite radiator pressure would it seep. If the coolant level had dropped slightly, the crack didn't seep. Took me months to find the source of the fine leak. Ordered a radiator from rockauto.com. Replaced in less than 1.5 hours. Myself.

My 2014 Malibu has had no problems with radiators. And the backup camera works just fine, but keeping the lens clean is a bear. It needs a tiny windshield wiper blade to sweep the road crud off of the lens.

All the razing like folks give GM owners at times aside..., the washer fluid tank is a minor problem. For many folks, it would be a Saturday replacement if they were used to getting under their car for oil changes, etc., done by themselves. Others, aren't into working on the car.

driver100

qbrozen.....the link says belongs to NFL...have to view on youtube. Don't know what to look for so you have to find it for us.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
I noticed you didn't refute my speculative comment about how the washer fluid bottle started leaking.
Back to tires, 3 of them just went over 45k, one was replaced at about 8k.
It's headed to the dealer in about a week and a half for the next round of maintenance, so I'll have them schedule tire replacement while I'm there.

Speaking of replacements, I have to replace 3 RIMS on my van because they were so rusty that air was actually leaking THROUGH them. How does that even happen?

That sounds like you didn't wax them often enough.

jmonroe

driver100

imidazol97 said:

Like someone else, I'd think the spritzensprachenmachinenjuggen would have lasted better on a luxury automobile. I suspect of cars built in the US, the reservoirs come from the same sources as the pedantic, appliance cars some of us drive.

.All the razing like folks give GM owners at times aside..., the washer fluid tank is a minor problem. For many folks, it would be a Saturday replacement if they were used to getting under their car for oil changes, etc., done by themselves. Others, aren't into working on the car.

It is a 6 year old car....if cars didn't break down as they get older no one would have to buy a new one. In the big scheme of things, this is pretty minor really. For some reason, windshield washer containers breakdown...there are lots of videos on how to repair them and to explain how and why they break. Other things can go too, spray nozzles, pumps, tubing etc. It could be a problem with the molding or glue....who knows, who cares? Something much more expensive could have broken down.

Let's not get all excited because something on a Mercedes breaks. No make of car is immune from something breaking down. That is the first repair in 3 years, and it is relatively minor. And I would take the C250 any time over this much newer Altima and most other cars around. Averages out to $120 a year in repairs on a 6 year old car.......hmmmm, not bad!

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
I noticed you didn't refute my speculative comment about how the washer fluid bottle started leaking.
Back to tires, 3 of them just went over 45k, one was replaced at about 8k.
It's headed to the dealer in about a week and a half for the next round of maintenance, so I'll have them schedule tire replacement while I'm there.

Speaking of replacements, I have to replace 3 RIMS on my van because they were so rusty that air was actually leaking THROUGH them. How does that even happen?

Wheels rust all the time, paint peels off....moisture gets in and they rust.

stickguy

driver100 said:

qbrozen.....the link says belongs to NFL...have to view on youtube. Don't know what to look for so you have to find it for us.

in the middle of the page there is a link that says something like "view on youtube". Just click that and it opens up in, surprise, you tube!

28firefighter

Explorer was closest. I said $320+ tax.

jmonroe

28firefighter said:

Explorer was closest. I said $320+ tax.

If he knew how to negotiate car repairs it would have been $275 including tax.

jmonroe

stickguy

If he planned ahead, he would be driving a 2017 with a BU camera and the reservoir repair would be someone else's problem.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

stickguy said:

these days I think getting all the covers off, without breaking all the clips, is the hardest part of the job. But, DIY is the way to go if possible.

my latest help out project at the princess' house was electrical. They have a basic overhead bulb fixture with a pull chain over the washer. And it is pretty much the only light in the area. Well, the BF yanked on the chain and snapped it off. So I got to R&R the unit. No chain left inside to grab, so off with the old, and one with a new one. I think it cost a whopping $3.49 at Lowes. Labor, as always, was comped. I don't want to think what an electrician would have charged to show up and do the job.

Passed my QC test. For electric, that means you turn it on and it turns on, and no sparks shoot out of the fixture. Passed on the first try!

Which is worse? Doing electrical or doing plumbing?

Electrical is worse.....less chance of electrocuting yourself doing plumbing.

Less chance of drowning doing electrical.

snakeweasel

imidazol97 said:

Like someone else, I'd think the spritzensprachenmachinenjuggen would have lasted better on a luxury automobile.

Maybe they were making the washer fluid from Flint Michigan water.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

at 160, I could normally go a full week between charges on my car.

Not sure I could convince the wife to take something that small on her commute, but that is about 28 miles/day, so would be perfect fine for her, even a full week (goes in 4 days, WFH one).

as long as I never plan to take it out of the immediate area around my house, could live with that. That though is the problem, occasionally I need to make a longer run someplace. If it was expensive, like a Tesla, would have to be the primary car, and I am not going there. Now, a super cheap Bolt lease, well, that makes a perfect 2nd car!

I haven’t actually stood next to one, but I don’t think it is that small. It is 8” shorter than our X2, but only 2” narrower and it is actually 3” taller. And it has a couple inches in all directions over the Honda Fit.