Oh my God a 20k repair on the sl600 | FerrariChat

Oh my God a 20k repair on the sl600

Discussion in 'Other German' started by robert biscan, May 12, 2005.

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  1. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
    5,066
    Nashville and Palm b
    Full Name:
    robert s biscan
    Apparently MB in all their wisdow used inferior wiring harnesses on the engine and chassy of my 94 600sl. I bought the car new and it has 25k on the clock. Well the insulation just comes off the wires ans then you don't go. The ASR light comes on and you run of 6 cylinders. The car is basicially in the go to dealer mode. That is what I did. In 94 and a few other years they had the bright idea to use this degradable wiring. My car is as new in every way and this cost me 20k. The wiring shorted out a computer and the throttle bodies. The throttle bodies are like 3700 and 3200 each plus a computer that fried. MB was written a letter and they said jamb it. The car is old.
    What do you say? Are they still responsible for **** wiring even after 11 years. I am the original owner. The car was 125k new.
     
  2. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
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    Dr. Dumb Ass
    And you wonder why they've depreciated to under $20k?

    I have a feeling this is going to turn into another why you shouldn't buy a Mercedes thread.
     
  3. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
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    I'm disillusiioned. What were they thinking?
     
  4. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
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    I'm thinking it will be a cold day in hell before I buy a new MB. I hope they choke on the repair money.
     
  5. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

    Jun 5, 2001
    19,800
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    Art
    10 year old cars costing 125k and selling for 20k. And you didn't ask why? At 40k, if it doesn't screw up again, you've got a decent car, just paid a little too much for it. Homework should have been done, I suspect.

    Art
     
  6. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Robert....

    I was an MB salesman for the last 10 years..........I feel your pain. I would never buy a Benz built in the last 5 years.

    The SL600 that you have will never be made again like that generation of car was............if the car looks new..........fix it and drive it. After all..............what kind of ride can you get for the cost of the repair and the 11 year old car (when combined) nowadays ?
     
  7. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
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    Herr Prof.
    I have a number of ideas but unfortunately, i think our firm represents them in other areas than mine, and so i was not able to sue them for another client. But, keep in mind if it's any solace, that from all indications, their quality has gone considerably downhill since the era of your car. I always thought the slab-sided ones- help me, i was just never interested in current production Benz to know the internal model designations- were the last of the old style tanks. And, be thankful you don't have a 6.3 or something really *****in for parts and service. (Jamie Kitman is a neighbor and has a mint, restored 6.3. I had one when i was a college student and it kept eating transmissions). Sorry for your misfortune.
     
  8. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
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    Tha't what I did and that's what I will do. MB has really gone down hill.
     
  9. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
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    Last line of MB letter back to me.
    "We realize this is not the response you desire, but solicit your understanding and appreciate the opportunity to respond."

    How long did it take them to think this crap up?
     
  10. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    sheesh, sorry to read about your misfortune :( ...... i guess i am safer with old carb cars.....:)
     
  11. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
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    Dirty Harry
    Time was when Mercedes, save for the occasional fluke, was a value at any price. Now, the unthinkable has happened. The customer is no longer valued, nor is the car. What was once more than a status symbol has become a symbol for something else entirely, a 3-fingered salute directly in the face of the purchaser. That's not Mr. Biscan's fault, nor could it have been predicted with reasonable certainty.

    What recourse has he?
     
  12. JCR

    JCR F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 14, 2005
    9,991
    H-Town, Tejas
    If the car is a keeper, find a high end street rod/hot rod repair or "we modify euro cars" type place. Replace the stock ecu's with MoTeC or Autronic ECUs and have them build the harnesses needed. In the end you will have better performance and materials/durability. Guess what homie, it's not only the euro cars that have taken a dump in quality, a review of a Rolex I read told of poor machining and workmanship. Too many brands are living off their past reputations.
     
  13. Hubert

    Hubert F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2002
    2,642
    The Left Coast
    Robert, Check with autozone. I know it sounds weird but they can probably get you the wiring harness, throttle bodies, etc for much less.
    I'd try every other avenue before I forked over 20k.
     
  14. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
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    It's too late the work is done. The damn throttle bodies have to communicate with a computer or 2 and it was replaced too. I appreciate the thought of Auto Zone. The work is simple but the parts are thru the roof. All the wiring harness 's have simple plug ins. It' electronic stuff that was the problem. The engine is fine and runs great. That is when it gets fuel or isn't shorted out by the crummy wiring they put in.
     
  15. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
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    Dr. Dumb Ass
    I would imagine that they've had lots of opportunities to practice writing those letters.
     
  16. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,196
    MO
    Rob sorry to hear that! Please tell me the replacement wires do not suffer the same problem!
     
  17. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    10,194
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    Angus Podgorney
    So has BMW.
    Pebble Beach in 30-40 years will be interesting. Wonder how my SA top will hold up?
    BMW doesn't support the Z8 well now...what about 10-20 years later?
    Sad to hear about the troubles with SL. I owned an 85 190E, new, and best thing that ever happened was hitting a deer and rolling it. Haven't owned a Benz since 89.
    Now, BMW has done same, 1st time in 15 years I haven't had a Bimmer either. Customer service sucks, they are arrogant....
     
  18. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
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    MO
    BMW guaranteed parts for 50 years.
     
  19. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

    Nov 3, 2003
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    Mercedes Benz' recent quality ranking:

    30 out of 33......

    The bright side is they can't fall more than 3 more places....
     
  20. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

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  21. asianbond

    asianbond Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
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    #21 asianbond, May 13, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    The MB W140 is one of the best engineered and constructed cars Mercedes has ever made. You just got majorly screwed by the dealer. The wire harness does disentegrate but that is only a $800 repair. The dealer changed other parts that were unnecessary. No way does all those parts fail at the same time and especially not with your mileage. Don't blame the car, it's the dealer that's at fault.

    Amazing how you guys ***** that mercedes and bmw sucks, so what else is there to buy that is more reliable? Audi, Chevy , Ford, Japanese?

    Where are you going to find another over-engineer cars like these for less than 20k? But I do agree that the current crop of Mercedes vehicles do not hold a candle to the previous generation.
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  22. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Angus Podgorney
    Well, Omar, there you go...
    I got rid of mine, gorgeous, but they do not support them...trust me. 160 days in shop in 3 years. BMW is teh suk.
    Lessee...wiring built by MB takes dump, ever see what voltage drops/surges do to processors?? Pull your APC/surge out of the line before you spout nonsense.
    Amazing is spending over 750k @ local BMW dealer in last 7 years, having a 750iL strand my wife twice in 105 degree weather with our infant son, and they wouldn't come get her or give a loaner...BMW said tough, despite it being in owners manuals that Z8 and 750il BOTH get automatic loaners, and valet pick-up and drop off. BTW, the strandind happened for a coollant problem that it was in the shop 5 times, 1.5 weeks each, and still wasn't fixed.
    Or the time the BMW field service engineer told me it was bad gas in my Z8 that made the Vanos fail??? Made techs pull fuel tank...it was spotless.
    I'd rather drive a reliable anything than an auto that is frustrating. Audi is getting my business, because the dealer won't let me get frustrated.
    MB lost my business 20 years ago.
    My Maranello is more reliable than my last 3 BMW's, our Hondas and Toyotas too. My M5 was great, but ask Bobafett about his.
     
  23. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
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    MO
    Damn... I guess guaranteeing parts doesn't mean they will work on them right. :p
     
  24. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    10,194
    Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, Wales
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    Angus Podgorney
    I got one of 3 radio head units left in the world about 9 mos ago. I loved BMW's, but they have started to drift like GM did, and Porsche did in 80-90's.
    Focus is gone. My wife loved her E36 M3/4, and E38 750, but the aggro wasn't worth it. Damn BMW's worse than our Range Rovers ever were.
     
  25. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

    Nov 3, 2003
    10,065
    Boulder, CO
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    Scott


    You said it: JAPANESE. And by a wide margin. As far as Mercedes being over-engineered, they are; and the worst sin they have committed is being under-developed in direct porportion to the over-engineering. A disastrous combination. Relative to their initial sale price some of these used Mercedes are approaching an effective retail value of zero, you don't really sell the cars anymore you just pass them on to whomever is willing to take assume the service-cost burden.

    BMW is the same. The head tech at a local dealer said it took three days of training just to get up to speed on the electronic buss system in the new cars. And look at iDrive, what a joke. Before long you are going to have to hire a full time IT guy to ride around with you just to keep these electronic nightmares functioning.
     

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