Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

roadburner · March 29

With the X1 sold my wife is driving the Wrangler. The last time I filled it up was on February 15; today I filled it up and it had averaged 46.5 mpg. As I’ve said before, not bad for a 2.5 ton SUV with the aerodynamics of a brick- although my bride has a ways to go to match my high of 117.2 mpg.

roadburner · March 29

Speaking of the Wrangler, I’m getting ready to put fresh rubber on the Rubicon wheels my dealer was kind enough to give me. I’m leaning towards the BFG All-Terrain T/A KO3, but I’m waiting on seeing how well the new Pirelli XTM performs.

driver100 · March 29

roadburner said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Unless the indie shop has the proprietary Mercedes diagnostic equipment and software (Xentry) it is doubtful that they would even know an update is available- never mind being able to install it.

Thanks, confirms what I thought would happen.

oldfarmer50 · March 29

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.

One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.

abacomike2 · March 29

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Unless the indie shop has the proprietary Mercedes diagnostic equipment and software (Xentry) it is doubtful that they would even know an update is available- never mind being able to install it.
Thanks, confirms what I thought would happen.

I know you are aware that most software updates to new(er) Mercedes vehicles are automatic now with no need to bring the car into the shop to have a mechanic/technician do the update. In some cases where there is an update that is major/massive, it might require that the car be brought into a Mercedes service department to complete the update.

When I took possession of my 2024 G90 back in September, Apple Car Play could only be utilized in the car by connecting my iPhone to the car using a USB cable and plugging it into my car in the console. A few months ago, when I got into my car one morning I noticed that Car Play was active on my screen and my phone was not connected via USB. I wondered how this occurred so I called my service manager and he told me there was an update to my car's software which now enabled Car Play using my phone's Bluetooth instead of requiring that the phone be connected to a USB port.

Technology in today's vehicles is truly amazing!

abacomike2 · March 29

Hmmm! I just noticed that "abacomike2" posted something above. That's because I am on my computer right now, not my phone. "abacomike" seems to only work when I post from my iphone. That's interesting.

roadburner · March 29

@oldfarmer50 said:
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.

My C43 hasn’t required any major repairs but I don’t think the prices have been out of line. They even replaced the rear brake pads without replacing the rotors.
My only real gripe is that MB doesn’t have a credit card like my BMW card that gives me more points when I use them for parts/service. I get a lot of positive comments about the BMW card and I would switch since I use an indie shop for the ti now that it’s older than most of the techs at the dealer- and the shop owner used to be the service manager at BMW.

sda · March 29

@abacomike2 said:
Hmmm! I just noticed that "abacomike2" posted something above. That's because I am on my computer right now, not my phone. "abacomike" seems to only work when I post from my iphone. That's interesting.

Split personality?

abacomike · March 29

@sda said:

@abacomike2 said:
Hmmm! I just noticed that "abacomike2" posted something above. That's because I am on my computer right now, not my phone. "abacomike" seems to only work when I post from my iphone. That's interesting.

Split personality?

Must be! 🤪😜

jmonroe1 · March 29

abacomike2 said:
Hmmm! I just noticed that "abacomike2" posted something above. That's because I am on my computer right now, not my phone. "abacomike" seems to only work when I post from my iphone. That's interesting.

————————————————
You shouldn’t have said that because now your dues will double. Honesty doesn’t always favor the honest.

jmonroe

abacomike · March 29

@jmonroe1 said:
————————————————
You shouldn’t have said that because now your dues will double. Honesty doesn’t always favor the honest.

jmonroe

You’re right, as always Jmonroe. Thank goodness I can afford double dues now! 🤡

roadburner · March 29

I’d also add that when I worked at BMW I went out of my way to help BMW owners who came by with problems- whether they were regular customers or not. That said, if you were a “regular” customer who only showed up when they wanted a freebie the service department would not be as receptive.

fintail · March 29

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.

Have you done plugs or transmission service yet? My E450 is at 6 years now (~35K miles), and when in for annual service the other day, those were recommended. Transmission service quote was a bit more expensive than expected, as apparently the pan is replaced.

jmonroe1 · March 29

abacomike said:

@jmonroe1 said:

————————————————

You shouldn’t have said that because now your dues will double. Honesty doesn’t always favor the honest.

jmonroe

You’re right, as always Jmonroe. Thank goodness I can afford double dues now! 🤡

————————————————
Good to hear. Anyone who can afford double can afford triple. Let me know when I can send you my member account number.

jmonroe.

driver100 · March 29

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.

All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100

driver100 · March 29

abacomike2 said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Unless the indie shop has the proprietary Mercedes diagnostic equipment and software (Xentry) it is doubtful that they would even know an update is available- never mind being able to install it.
Thanks, confirms what I thought would happen.
I know you are aware that most software updates to new(er) Mercedes vehicles are automatic now with no need to bring the car into the shop to have a mechanic/technician do the update. In some cases where there is an update that is major/massive, it might require that the car be brought into a Mercedes service department to complete the update.

When I took possession of my 2024 G90 back in September, Apple Car Play could only be utilized in the car by connecting my iPhone to the car using a USB cable and plugging it into my car in the console. A few months ago, when I got into my car one morning I noticed that Car Play was active on my screen and my phone was not connected via USB. I wondered how this occurred so I called my service manager and he told me there was an update to my car's software which now enabled Car Play using my phone's Bluetooth instead of requiring that the phone be connected to a USB port.

Technology in today's vehicles is truly amazing!

I hope the update includes modifications to the GPS system. Half the time it has no idea what I am saying even though I pronounce it very clearly. But then again, WAZE is a much better system, so who needs the built in MB GPS?

driver100 · March 29

fintail said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Have you done plugs or transmission service yet? My E450 is at 6 years now (~35K miles), and when in for annual service the other day, those were recommended. Transmission service quote was a bit more expensive than expected, as apparently the pan is replaced.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I try to follow the MB guidelines but I am sure they are overly cautious:
Every 50,000 mi/80,000 km or 4 years:
Check condition of drive shaft flex discs

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 4 years:
Replace air cleaner filter element

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 5 years:
Replace fuel filter

Every 150,000 mi/250,000 km or 15 years:
Replace coolant

Every 2 years:
Replace brake fluid
Check body for paint damage
Check chassis and supporting body parts for damage and corrosion

Every 100,000 mi/160,000 km or 5 years:
Replace spark plugs
The E400 goes 7000 miles a year, the GLK about 4000, and the C250 5000. So generally, I leave it for a year, 2 or 3 longer for some things. They say batteries should be changed every 5 years. The one in the E400 is checked every year and it is 8 years old. It will get checked in late April.
They tell you tires last 6 years max.....I tend to think that they can last longer....but all our cars are in a garage.

driver100 · March 29

My friends wife has a 2017 Honda HRV with 30000 miles on it. She got a letter from her dealer that she should have the serpentine belt checked. Here is what the internet says:
For a 2017 Honda HR-V, you should generally consider replacing the serpentine belt around 5 years or 50,000 to 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The car is 8 years old.........should she have it done now?

corvette · March 29

Given the low mileage, if it doesn't look cracked, I'd probably replace at 10 years as preventative maintenance (same with the tires, if they are original).

sda · March 29

@roadburner , I believe this one is for you. I really liked these.

https://youtu.be/7U83LArPss8?si=2_8FKW9ECP7GjBb1

roadburner · March 29

fintail said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Have you done plugs or transmission service yet? My E450 is at 6 years now (~35K miles), and when in for annual service the other day, those were recommended. Transmission service quote was a bit more expensive than expected, as apparently the pan is replaced.

Yes, the ZF 8HP uses a similar design; the filter is built into the pan.

roadburner · March 29

sda said:
@roadburner , I believe this one is for you. I really liked these. https://youtu.be/7U83LArPss8?si=2_8FKW9ECP7GjBb1

We liked ours, but parts prices were crazy. And of course the purchase experience was "interesting" since most L-M dealers at the time weren't used to selling to people who weren't collecting SSI.

jmonroe1 · March 29

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100

————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe

driver100 · March 30

corvette said:
Given the low mileage, if it doesn't look cracked, I'd probably replace at 10 years as preventative maintenance (same with the tires, if they are original).

Thanks, that sounds sensible. It seems that using miles for service is fairly straightforward, but using time they seem to want you to service the car a lot earlier than when it really needs it. This car is also kept in a garage. I like the idea of changing tires at the same time......of course they recommend 5 or 6 years for tires, it seems to me tires last longer than that if you drive fairly normally.

imidazol97 · March 30

My Goodyear tires were just replaced with 11 years and 63K miles. The car is mostly garaged. So little sun damage to sidewall rubber. Two tires had punctures patched or I might have kept them another year and a couple trips to Pigeon forge.

When the tire companies went crazy trying to get everyone to replace tires at 6 years, because, well just because more profits, I recall Michelin and Goodyear saying could be longer.

cdnpinhead · March 30

roadburner said:
We liked ours, but parts prices were crazy. And of course the purchase experience was "interesting" since most L-M dealers at the time weren't used to selling to people who weren't collecting SSI.

Same story with the Lincoln LS. Naturally, I had to special order one with the manual transmission. Ford totally dropped the ball with the LS. First they discontinued the manual transmission, followed by cancelling the whole car a few years later. Many people at the time (25 years ago -- geez) compared the experience to the Merkur.

explorerx4 · March 30

Stumbled on this little nugget, which impacts some of our posters here.

Cryptocurrency mining companies receive heavily discounted electricity rates compared to what households pay.

In Texas, regular homeowners paid around 14.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023, while crypto miners paid as little as 2.5 cents. Similar patterns appear in New York (residents: 22.3 cents; miners: 3 cents), Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas.

driver100 · March 30

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe

Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

jmonroe1 · March 30

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe
Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

————————————————
I’m surprised a tire repair doesn’t cost more.

BTW, that place reminds me of my old Hyundai dealership that I don’t patronize anymore.

jmonroe

roadburner · March 30

I have 44,000 miles on the C43 and a Service A is due in 600 miles. I’ll check with my SA, but I’m planning to change the fluids in the differential, transmission, and transfer case at the Service B next year.

roadburner · March 30

I have a new favorite on ramp; it just opened a few weeks ago. It has an uphill right followed by a downhill left sweeper ending with a hard right into the acceleration lane. Today I shared it with an extremely timid soul in an X5M. Having driven an X5M around Greenville a few years ago for a story I was writing I knew he should have left me for dead but instead the converse was true. Crazy.

stickguy · March 30

I still can't get my head around Crypto, and the whole mining business really makes no sense to me.

stickguy · March 30

Had a fun trip today. Headed home from Boston to Albany. Google maps said 2:42 travel time, which is about as low as it can go, so figured would be a nice quick trip home, arrive at lunch time. Had to stop for gas an hour in, and when I got back on the road noticed the arrival time was creeping up so figured must be an issue ahead which the map in the car (my phone in car play running google maps) did not mention anything or suggest a detour. So the wife poked around on her phone and found some red and road closure and a suggestion about a reroute. Of course, as I was trying to figure out where and what to do, we passed the exit needed. and shortly after hit traffic and came to a dead stop. and stayed that way.

After some searching determined there was a car fire, and the westbound mass pike was closed at the exit we had just passed (must have happened right after we went by). Took about 2.5 hours of just sitting there with an occasional creep forward before we finally got funneled through the fire zone. At one point 2 medical examiner vans and a giant front loaded went up the shoulder past us so we knew it was serious and would not be quick.

Finally started moving and funneled down to 1 lane. Turned out that the incident happened on a bridge where they were rebuilding one side so all traffic was diverted to the other side, meaning only 2 lanes each way with no shoulder (just jersey barriers and 2 narrow lanes). so no chance of getting traffic past until the accident was clear. By the time we went through just the front loader was there with some guys shoveling up the remaining debris, and nasty residual burnt smell. And shortly after we ran into heavy fog.

some brave souls decided not to wait any hung a very illegal U turn in the median, which at that spot was a valley with quite steep sides and all grass. Was expecting someone to get stuck in the mud or not make it up the other side but they all did (that would probably be difficult to explain to the troopers.

fintail · March 30

driver100 said:

fintail said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Have you done plugs or transmission service yet? My E450 is at 6 years now (~35K miles), and when in for annual service the other day, those were recommended. Transmission service quote was a bit more expensive than expected, as apparently the pan is replaced.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I try to follow the MB guidelines but I am sure they are overly cautious:
Every 50,000 mi/80,000 km or 4 years:
Check condition of drive shaft flex discs

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 4 years:
Replace air cleaner filter element

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 5 years:
Replace fuel filter

Every 150,000 mi/250,000 km or 15 years:
Replace coolant

Every 2 years:
Replace brake fluid
Check body for paint damage
Check chassis and supporting body parts for damage and corrosion

Every 100,000 mi/160,000 km or 5 years:
Replace spark plugs
The E400 goes 7000 miles a year, the GLK about 4000, and the C250 5000. So generally, I leave it for a year, 2 or 3 longer for some things. They say batteries should be changed every 5 years. The one in the E400 is checked every year and it is 8 years old. It will get checked in late April.
They tell you tires last 6 years max.....I tend to think that they can last longer....but all our cars are in a garage.

I have a warranty until 2029, that and how good the car has been so far makes me want to just deal with it and have that work done the next time I take it in. The car has been fantastic with effectively no faults in the 6 years I've had it. I expect your E400 has been similar.

driver100 · March 30

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe
Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

————————————————
I’m surprised a tire repair doesn’t cost more.

BTW, that place reminds me of my old Hyundai dealership that I don’t patronize anymore.

jmonroe

Is this your old dealer?

driver100 · March 30

fintail said:

driver100 said:

fintail said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Have you done plugs or transmission service yet? My E450 is at 6 years now (~35K miles), and when in for annual service the other day, those were recommended. Transmission service quote was a bit more expensive than expected, as apparently the pan is replaced.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I try to follow the MB guidelines but I am sure they are overly cautious:
Every 50,000 mi/80,000 km or 4 years:
Check condition of drive shaft flex discs

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 4 years:
Replace air cleaner filter element

Every 60,000 mi/96,000 km or 5 years:
Replace fuel filter

Every 150,000 mi/250,000 km or 15 years:
Replace coolant

Every 2 years:
Replace brake fluid
Check body for paint damage
Check chassis and supporting body parts for damage and corrosion

Every 100,000 mi/160,000 km or 5 years:
Replace spark plugs
The E400 goes 7000 miles a year, the GLK about 4000, and the C250 5000. So generally, I leave it for a year, 2 or 3 longer for some things. They say batteries should be changed every 5 years. The one in the E400 is checked every year and it is 8 years old. It will get checked in late April.
They tell you tires last 6 years max.....I tend to think that they can last longer....but all our cars are in a garage.
I have a warranty until 2029, that and how good the car has been so far makes me want to just deal with it and have that work done the next time I take it in. The car has been fantastic with effectively no faults in the 6 years I've had it. I expect your E400 has been similar.

Yes, The 3 MBs we have now and the one I had before have all been great cars. No real breakdowns...just normal parts that wear, and even they last longer than I'd expect. It is worth a bit more to make sure it is serviced by pros, and that the car is in top condition....it will last longer and cost less to own in the long run.

abacomike · March 30

Warranties on upscale vehicles like Mercedes, Jaguar, BMW, Audi, Genesis, Lexus, Infinity, etc., are extremely important due to the cost factors of their service departments at dealerships. 4 years 50,000 mile warranty is the standard for these cars for good reason. My Genesis has a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty which should be the standard among all luxury brands, IMHO.

jmonroe1 · March 30

abacomike said:
Warranties on upscale vehicles like Mercedes, Jaguar, BMW, Audi, Genesis, Lexus, Infinity, etc., are extremely important due to the cost factors of their service departments at dealerships. 4 years 50,000 mile warranty is the standard for these cars for good reason. My Genesis has a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty which should be the standard among all luxury brands, IMHO.

————————————————
If/when other luxury brands feel they are losing too many sales to Genesis because of the longer warranty, they will offer longer warranties too.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 · March 31

explorerx4 said:
Stumbled on this little nugget, which impacts some of our posters here.

Cryptocurrency mining companies receive heavily discounted electricity rates compared to what households pay.

In Texas, regular homeowners paid around 14.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023, while crypto miners paid as little as 2.5 cents. Similar patterns appear in New York (residents: 22.3 cents; miners: 3 cents), Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas.

That would explain my electric bill.

xwesx · March 31

oldfarmer50 said:

Depends on the codes. In NY you couldn’t get it inspected with a CEL lit up. I had a CEL evap code on my PT Cruiser that I just couldn’t fix. Turned out to be a rusted out fuel tank. Expensive repair relative to the value of the car. Even a $1000 repair on Jipster’s hooptie might be too much.

At least dad is a mechanic, that should help with repair costs.

EDIT: I see the code was only for O2 sensor. Hopefully that doesn’t mean a bad catalytic converter.

At those miles, I always start with replacing the oxygen sensors (both of them). As long as the rest of the engine is operating correctly (no excess oil consumption or coolant leaking into the cylinders), it is more common that the sensors are going bad than the converter. Price and time-wise, it is always worth changing them first. Then, if you do need to replace the expensive part, you already have new sensors in place to support it!

snakeweasel · March 31

abacomike2 said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
Unless the indie shop has the proprietary Mercedes diagnostic equipment and software (Xentry) it is doubtful that they would even know an update is available- never mind being able to install it.
Thanks, confirms what I thought would happen.
I know you are aware that most software updates to new(er) Mercedes vehicles are automatic now with no need to bring the car into the shop to have a mechanic/technician do the update. In some cases where there is an update that is major/massive, it might require that the car be brought into a Mercedes service department to complete the update.

When I took possession of my 2024 G90 back in September, Apple Car Play could only be utilized in the car by connecting my iPhone to the car using a USB cable and plugging it into my car in the console. A few months ago, when I got into my car one morning I noticed that Car Play was active on my screen and my phone was not connected via USB. I wondered how this occurred so I called my service manager and he told me there was an update to my car's software which now enabled Car Play using my phone's Bluetooth instead of requiring that the phone be connected to a USB port.

Technology in today's vehicles is truly amazing!

"The more you overthink the plumbing the easier to stop up the drain" - LtCmdr Montgomery Scott (AAK Scottie).

snakeweasel · March 31

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe
Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

————————————————
I’m surprised a tire repair doesn’t cost more.

BTW, that place reminds me of my old Hyundai dealership that I don’t patronize anymore.

jmonroe
Is this your old dealer?

At least that there is truth in advertising,

xwesx · March 31

roadburner said:
Speaking of the Wrangler, I’m getting ready to put fresh rubber on the Rubicon wheels my dealer was kind enough to give me. I’m leaning towards the BFG All-Terrain T/A KO3, but I’m waiting on seeing how well the new Pirelli XTM performs.

Serious overkill and extra weight to lug around unless you're planning on spending some time in the back country!

jmonroe1 · March 31

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe
Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

————————————————
I’m surprised a tire repair doesn’t cost more.

BTW, that place reminds me of my old Hyundai dealership that I don’t patronize anymore.

jmonroe
Is this your old dealer?

At least that there is truth in advertising,

————————————————
Honesty never goes out of style, honest.

jmonroe

Michaell · March 31

jmonroe1 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
The E400 is 8 years old (50k miles) and MrsD100s GLK is 10 years old (30000 miles).
I was thinking they just need an oil change this year so I might try an indie garage which worked quite well with the Florida car. Then I thought, the MB dealer is closer, they want me as a customer so they get me in asap if I have a problem, maybe they will give me more for them as trade-ins one day if we have all our servicing done by the dealer. Their service has always been reasonable, and the coffee, soup and sandwiches are good...plus wi-fi etc.
I made the appointments, and they mentioned they would need the car for most of the day because there was a free major software update they wanted to do on the E400.
So, my question is....if I had gone to the indie garage, would they have told me about the update, and would they have done the update or would I miss getting it done? Also, it is nice that since it is a long visit they will shuttle me home and back.
One of my coworkers also drives for a Mercedes dealer and he tells us about the incredible service bills he hands to customers when he delivers a car. The dealership will provide pick up and loner services as well as nice snacks but boy oh boy do you pay for it.

Couldn’t you just call them once a year and ask if they have any free software updates? Don’t you have any friends who would give you a ride? My indie shop doesn’t even have coffee.
All of our MBs have given us good service and there is something special about them...they are a pleasure to drive. They have not needed a lot of repairs. If we maintain them well, they may last longer and that will make economic sense too. I did have a flat tire that needed a patch on a long weekend...they said it would take 4 days to get the car into the shop. I told them if they want to sell me another car they should try to get it done sooner....they said they'd squeeze it in that day....no one else wanted to do a $50 patch when they could sell $1200 worth of tires. Of course at MB the $50 patch was $100
————————————————
That’s the upcharge for squeezing you in. I hope you got them for an extra bowl of their delicious soup.

jmonroe
Not an upcharge for squeezing me in.......it is a case of high overhead and they'd be losing money to do a tire patch for the standard garage price of $50.......minimum repair is probably $100.

————————————————
I’m surprised a tire repair doesn’t cost more.

BTW, that place reminds me of my old Hyundai dealership that I don’t patronize anymore.

jmonroe
Is this your old dealer?

At least that there is truth in advertising,
————————————————
Honesty never goes out of style, honest.

jmonroe

This coming from the guy who "fudges" his taxes on a consistent basis.

ab348 · March 31

jmonroe1 said:

Is this your old dealer?

These guys look like their Thompson machine guns are stashed just out of camera range. Especially the fellow on the left with his hat tilted at a rakish angle.

kyfdx · March 31

ab348 said:

jmonroe1 said:

Is this your old dealer?

These guys look like their Thompson machine guns are stashed just out of camera range. Especially the fellow on the left with his hat tilted at a rakish angle.

On a related note, Thompson of machine gun fame lived a couple of miles from me in Newport, KY. His historic house was a music venue until a few years ago.

abacomike · March 31

@kyfdx said:
On a related note, Thompson of machine gun fame lived a couple of miles from me in Newport, KY. His historic house was a music venue until a few years ago.

On another related note, it was a Thompson Submachine Gun that my Dad used to take out 2 German machine gun nests and a mortar unit that was killing men in his unit. Several grenades helped as well. It earned him a Silver and a Bronze Star, both of which hang in a wood and glass case beside his Purple Heart on the wall above my bed. There are several other medals in the case all earned in The Battle of The Bulge. God, I miss him just thinking about his Thompson Submachine Gun! 😪

suydam · March 31

Many years ago when I was in Belgium I took a trip to see the Battle of the Bulge memorial. It was very moving.

explorerx4 · March 31

Back in 1997, Kenner came out with their Medal of Honor series GI Joes.
They made the Army version of the Francis S Currey the dad of one of my across the street neighbors.
The neighbor got us the GI Joe, signed with a picture of him signing it.
It deserves something to preserve it, I just don't know what.
Took a couple of pictures of it and the story of how it was earned.
I'm not trying to diminish anything that Abacomike's father did, it just struck a chord.
A lot of medal awards were a matter of circumstance and politics.

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