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Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedans
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Comments
Having said that, it is still under dealer warranty if one or all get discolored or even scratched let alone cracked. In a sense that is why dealers charge a wopping $1,195 or so for them instead of the original cost of $485 (including labor and balancing at Global Tires in Los Angeles for example).
Thus, Mikki, although you have tried to contact MB regional reps the issue could be solved with your sales person, his or her manager first. I am sure they have no other choice but to solve the issue especiallyy if you mention to them in writing that it is becoming a road hazard. I wish you luck.
I have been monitoring new C pricing here in southern california. The best pricing for the C Class (02) so far has been $600 over invoice for C240 and $800 for C320. Has anyone else got or heard of any better deals? please advice. Thank you.
Cheers
he scheduled me next Wednesday; he will keep the CAR for two days - hopefully he will loan MB, while walking out I saw lot of Japanese cars with dealer tags on it - looks like loaner cars
does anyone know what the loaner CAR normally is ?
here are my concern - I expected MB to give me loaner as I have to make now additional trip to dealer? and how I can manage car for next week with limited space for my stuff!! at least MB should have better customer service - any thoughts ?
'Even now, if you put lots of keys on it and go over railroad tracks, the key would get loose enough, lose contact w/ the transponder, and the engine will shut down.'
Would it be correct to say as long as I do not have too many keys to weigh things down I will not lose contact with the transponder? Is that the solution to the key problem?
Unfortunately, some dealers even have *no* loaners. A majority use Enterprise for a rental program. This is a case of caveat emptor....something you should have asked before purchase...
benz747... are you taking it to valley motors in b'more..??
I'd find it hard to believe that factory wheels would be subject to cracking.
I felt the crept crack that is still there but now looks as if it is collapsing or been hit with a piece of concrete was a safety hazard. That was why I brought the car in to be looked at in the first place -- to find out if it was hazardous, but I only asked if they thought it would harm the tire because it is at the rim edge -- the customer relations man said it would not, but he is not a bright man and I can see it is a hazard. He somehow did not grasp the fact that I was there to checkout the safety -- he was only centered on the fact that he would not replace, even though I did not ask them to do so. He would not even give me a price on a rim. Now, since I am angry with the whole situation, I am going for a replacement of that one rim. Since the owner had these rims transferred from a C320 I purchased in November to the one I purchased May 30, I think they were weakened.
Again, thanks to all of you.
personally, id rather a car that is faster than mine. and i dont think 8.2/8.7 would cut it with the 240. the 320's 6.9 would do quite nicely. but.. i also like options. they have an 01 240 for 36000 with some nice options, or a 02 320 for 40000 with less options.
please give me any advice u may have, im goin way out on a limb here as it is buying one of these, id like to make the right choice. any probs with either of em? pro's con's? anything? looks like the deal may hit tomorrow so responces tonight would be wonderful
thanks in advance
phases78
I know it is a 16x7.5 size but do not know the offset and lug pattern size.
The C seems to have had problems w/ the keys initially getting "unprogrammed", but AFAIK, that has been corrected via new keys. I'm surprised you're still having problems and it will be interesting to see what your problem was. Keep us apprised...
the car has 1,700 Miles on it - and I struck with well knows problem of Trunk Locking, which BTW is never heard by them !! anyway I still have feedback form with me and I will make recommendation on it if they give me some other CAR as a rental, it will also look them down as their competitor offers E Class.
about charging me for services doesn't arise as the CAR is new and still under warranty - its on dealer to make decision while giving loaner as we are silent salesman for them
I will update you guys on this as I am scheduled on next Wednesday - thanks
There is actually a service bulletin released years ago from MB stating that chroming alloy wheels is strictly discouraged for MB wheels.
Johnny -- My thanks for your post, I did speak to my sales person, but it was after the unpleasant encounter with the sales manager. She was of no help, although a very sweet person. I had serious problems once before with dealership and finally contacted the MB rep and he really got things done.
Two things I have learned:
1. It is very important to the dealership that you give them a good rating, because, as the owner of my dealership told me, it is their report card from Mercedes.
2. Mercedes needs to be informed when problems exist as a result of a dealership's poor performance.
My first major problem was brought about by very poor detailing and covering up of exterior damage and the customer service manager picking of some paint that could not be touched up. I also had problems with the computer -- I was not happy. The MB rep felt if the car had been detailed properly and I had not seen all the scratches, defects and marks, I would have felt better about the car and dealt with the computer problems in an easier manner.
This chrome problem is only a problem because of how I was treated by customer relations. It has become more of one because no one has replied to my written words or voice mail messages -- and even more of a problem because I am being ignored.
Checking out the rim that is the worst, I noticed that the cracked area has progressed. I was going to drive to San Franciso from LA tomorrow, but now I am flying because I can see it has become a hazard and I am afraid to drive it. Even though the customer relations person told me there was no danger to the tires when I brought the car in to show, I can see there is now.
When I return from SF, I will take the car over to West Coast Tires -- they will help me with all this -- they are nice folks.
Miki
It happened to me once. I had to try unlock it several times to get it opened.
Thanks
thanks
Now, having said that, I will reiterate [as have several other posts in the last couple of days] that chroming of Mercedes alloys carries risks. The technical reasons were well laid out by 404 in his post. It is a fact that real MB veterans have looked askance at this recent trend toward chroming on this class of car, precisely because everyone in the business knows of at least one instance of a chromed wheel failing in service - it is what happens. My buddy with the chromes on his E has already had to replace two of them for leaks and cracks.
Hey, gang, do what you want for whatever reasons you want. To the extent this forum is about information exchange, however, be warned: this business of chroming wheels is risky. Mostly, the risks are in slow leaks and expensive replacements; occasionally, the consequences are considerably worse. Miki gets points for refusing to drive the car until this thing gets fixed - others might have lived to regret ignoring it.
I'm in the process of buying my VERY VERY first MB. It's exciting as I have been an admirer for a long time. It's a silver, 98'CLK320. All suggestions and advice are welcomed. It doesn't come with a CD changer, where can I get a after market changer? I know people talk about Zaino, is this a good choice & where can I get it? Does anyone know where I can get the extended warranty for a reasonble price? As you all can tell, I have a lot of questions. Thanks everyone.
Tunde
There is a Porsche service bulletin discouraging the process, which I'm sure is as much as a CYA move as anything else.
But there are many cars out there with chrome wheels.
John W.
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About the squealing brakes, there are at least two things that could be done. Firstly, put anti-squeal compound on the backs of the pads. That would stop the noise if it's being caused by the pads oscillating harmonically. The second thing that can be done is replacing the standard pads with less powdery ones (i.e. a harder compound). I suspect that the US market pads are dumbed down for US driving conditions and the EU pads may be harder (and thus better suited to heat dissapation during 235 km/h to zero braking). Harder pads tend to squeal less, as they produce less dust, which itself is another source of noise. Ask your dealer to look into this for you.
Mike
Also I don't think the X-type is so bad. The base X car certainly has more power than the C240 plus the advantage of AWD. It drives very well. The main things that C class has got going for it over the X-type is that it is noticably quieter, it may be safer (haven't seen X-type crash tests yet), obviously some prefer the styling of the C and some of the X-type fitments are sourced from Ford which remind one that the car is based on the Mondeo.
I find there is such poor headroom in the X-type, and when I sat in one (I'm not tall, 5'10"), I found I was looking down to look out the windshield, even with the seat as low as it could go. I think the cars ergonomics were setup for a woman, I would bet most X owners will be women.
So a company such as M-B that sells very fast cars (even a C 240 will do 147 MPH in Europe - 152 for a C320) may well fit more heat resistant pads to these cars, in countries where the typical highway speeds are high.
Many aspects of German cars are altered for the North American market. For example, with the C-Class (and the non-sport BMW 3) the cars are "dumbed down" by putting 205-210 km/h (127-130 MPH) speed limiters and crappy HR "all-season" tires on them (most North Americans apparently don't like the rough ride of VR or WR tires, or the fact that they don't last as long).
As another example of this product adaptation to our market, I'd not be surprised to discover a softer pad material on the brakes (which happens to be dustier and possibly more prone to squealing), in order to give that "reassuring" feel upon initial application for Joe or Jane Average as they drive to the local Starbucks. This thing about pads is a speculation on my part - your dealer or the importer should be able to figure it out. If M-B offers another type of pad for the C, have the dealer fit them instead.
If you really care about the alleged safety benefits of 4WD, I'd recommend waiting a year until the 4Matic version of the C becomes available in North America. I'm sure it'll be head and shoulders better than the Jaguar X.
I lived in an incredible snow belt for 10 years and found my RWD Peugeot 404, and later two FWD cars, more than capable of dealing with anything that winter (6 months long) could throw at them. This was a place that got 20 feet of snow per year, with snow on the ground between Halloween and Easter. In fact, it was the guys in their SUVs and 4WD Volvos etc. that always ended up in the ditch or in an accident. Even if car control doesn't come naturally to a C-Class driver, the ESP should handle most slippery winter situations perfectly well. All a 4WD vehicle does better than a 2WD one is accelerate better. They don't corner or brake any better. Safety is all about knowing the limits of the car....and the driver.
Sorry is I was a bit harsh about the X, but it is a Ford through and through. Actually that probably makes it a better car than it would have been if it was done by British Leyland (duh!), but in the expensive small car market, I think pedigree matters. And, as you can tell, I'm not too fond of Ford-Jaguar's neo-retro look.
Mike
For alternatives, try a 3er or an IS or an A4 [the 2002 of course, not the older car].
As for the squealing brakes, I have not had a problem in 6,000 miles. I (along with several others over the past year) believe that any squeal you may be experiencing has to do with driving style.
When I went to Sindelfingen last March to pick up my 6spd 240, a German friend of mine picked me up at the train station in Stuttgart. He said (without being prompted) that it is pretty well accepted in Germany that if you drive in the city too much, you will start getting brake squeal on German high-performance cars (he drives an Audi A8). Anyone who has spent time on the Autobahn knows what he means - brakes on German cars are designed to do one thing extremely well: stop very quickly from very high speed. Too much city driving (i.e., low speed/light braking) allows film to develop on the discs which in turn causes a squeal when the brakes are applied lightly. Try taking your car out on a lonely stretch of highway and hitting the brakes hard a few times. Works like a charm for me.
I disagree with the earlier post about the squeal being due to differences in German/American MB brakes. Every car I've driven in Germany stops exactly like the C240 in my carport. In fact, my explanation defines the squeal in terms of the 'sameness' of the US/German brakes - and why would MB go to the expense of using different parts in their two biggest markets if they didn't have to? (oh well, varieties in opinion are the spice of life....).
I have had one minor key problem, where I could not set the "easy entry/exit" feature for both keys (only one or the other. Weird). I never use the feature, but, I paid for it and everything....a new set of keys fixed that.
The only warning I would have for anyone new to the 'C' world is to watch for paint chips. Even the guy at the factory mentioned that recent German VOC regulations mean that the paint doesn't stick like it used to (I can vouch for that as a former '97 C230 owner). In fact, he told me not to wax it for at least 8 months or so.
Finally, I want to share something I saw in this month's Consumer Reports: certain BMW 500-series cars are being recalled because they have an annoying tendency to catch fire. There is NO such thing as the perfect car!!
Here's more information from the Porsche RennList.
There are metallurgists who claim hydrogen enbrittlement can happen to any alloy, but it is so uncommon with anything but high-strength steel, that it's not established or accepted as a real issue in the industry. Decent platers are very aware of this issue and bake the newly plated items to eliminate it, as well as follow other steps in the preparation process to reduce hydrogen accumulation.
The primary objection Porsche had about plating was poor cosmetics, although they do comment that pitting and weakening may occur. Here is the full text of the TSB:
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General Information: Porsche does not approve of chrome plating Porsche aluminum road wheels.
Corrosion tests by Porsche AG on chrome plated aluminum wheels have shown heavy pitting, especially with winter use.
The high difference in potential between the base metal of the wheel and the plating material (chrome, nickel) may cause pitting and could reduce wheel strength.
Polishing road wheels is an acceptable alternative. When polished, the wheel's protective coating is removed. To avoid corrosion and discoloration, wheel maintenance will need to be increased.
Warranty Information: Corrosion and/or discoloration due to a lack of maintenance are not a warranty matter.
Important Note: Please make a copy of this bulletin and give to your dealership's Sales Manager and General Manager.
December 14, 1990
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Ron Brown at Wheel Enhancement is fully aware of the controversy and will discuss it with anyone who is concerned.
http://www.wheelenhancement.com/main.htm
Hope it sheds some light.
Thanks,
John W.
http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/
Thanks to all in advance.
Something's fishy there.
By the way, the previous AMG version of the C class was either a C36 or C43, depending upon the year. (Neither of which come very close to the performance of the lighter, supercharged C32).