What Have You Done To Your Merc Today?

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
Just seen this I'm a painter and Dec ,and have found out the hard way ,had big job on couple years ago painting some metal gates ,railings that unknown to me was painted with hammerite,gave them good clean down then used a metal paint made by johnstones paints ,looked ok till I went back next day ,it was all wrinkled up on top of hammerite,was told by rep ,you carnt use another paint on top it as to be hammerite ,or strip back to bare metal same when cleaning ya brushes out no good with white spirit ,you have to use there cleaner

Yep, that was my nightmare.
Once I had used hammerite I was locked in!
Pretty depressing finding it bubbled after one week!
Just left them hammerite only.

Apparently if they are left a year one can overpaint them with other stuff.
Personally next time I would just get the calipers reconditioned and then they come back beautifully powdercoated.
 

Frosty149

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Your Mercedes
W207 '63 E350 coupe amg sport
Finally got the new rears on and the winters back off.
Goodyears definately a bit quieter, not too sure about grip and endurance yet...
Both tyres fitted, balanced, valves and fitted £20 cash = chuffed Frosty:D
 

s5tuart

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2003 R230 SL350
Ordered a new vacuum pump from USA. Part numbers are very similar so I'm hoping the first press of the unlock button opens the drivers door, not the passenger one! Should be OK. Time will tell.
 

Painter16

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Sl350 2007
Yep, that was my nightmare.
Once I had used hammerite I was locked in!
Pretty depressing finding it bubbled after one week!
Just left them hammerite only.

Apparently if they are left a year one can overpaint them with other stuff.
Personally next time I would just get the calipers reconditioned and then they come back beautifully powdercoated.
I don't think that's right this hammerite had been on for 7 years and the new stuff still reacted with it
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
I don't think that's right this hammerite had been on for 7 years and the new stuff still reacted with it
Highly possible.
Initially their tech department said it reacted because I only waited a day. And I had to wait a week. I redid it and waited a whole week, and extended the interval between coats, and played a 500w lamp on it .... and then it dam well went and reacted.
They then changed their mind ( note I had treble checked a week was long enough ) and she said it needed a whole month.
Sod that, I wasnt risking all that work and sheeting up the whole car again .... just left it pure hammerite.
Fundamentally not fit for purpose imo!

As its happened to you you can imagine how ****ed I was.

And then doing the right thing by warning others about this problem, I got a few prats saying what a wally I was!
Decided it best not to respond, as I am sure I would have been banned if I printed what I was thinking!
 

Painter16

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Sl350 2007
Highly possible.
Initially their tech department said it reacted because I only waited a day. And I had to wait a week. I redid it and waited a whole week, and extended the interval between coats, and played a 500w lamp on it .... and then it dam well went and reacted.
They then changed their mind ( note I had treble checked a week was long enough ) and she said it needed a whole month.
Sod that, I wasnt risking all that work and sheeting up the whole car again .... just left it pure hammerite.
Fundamentally not fit for purpose imo!

As its happened to you you can imagine how ****ed I was.

And then doing the right thing by warning others about this problem, I got a few prats saying what a wally I was!
Decided it best not to respond, as I am sure I would have been banned if I printed what I was thinking!
I was told this by a paint chemist who works for a large paint company , I use a lot of there paint.also a lot of peps don't realise you have to use there cleaner for your brushes white spirit ain't no good just go hard ,don't get me wrong hammerite as its place but there are lots more choice now than there was just a few years ago
 

Sylar

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C Class/2006/180k
Wind deflectors on the w203 C Class today. 30 quid and stops the rain dripping in.
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
Wind deflectors on the w203 C Class today. 30 quid and stops the rain dripping in.
Ha
Ever driven a CL500 .... well C216 after its rained heavily and then you get some nice sunshine.
Open the front windows, swing around a corner and brake a little ....

Opps a wash of water soaks your arm.
The design of the roof Looks great ... but the armrest underhangs the roof too much, and the roof ridges are too shallow to stop the water coming off the side.

No complaints though, the look is so nice it justifys the problem. You just have to wait till the rain water has been blasted off the roof lol
Well thats why they put a 5.5L V8 in it :):):)
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
Ha
Ever driven a CL500 .... well C216 after its rained heavily and then you get some nice sunshine.
Open the front windows, swing around a corner and brake a little ....

Opps a wash of water soaks your arm.
The design of the roof Looks great ... but the armrest underhangs the roof too much, and the roof ridges are too shallow to stop the water coming off the side.

No complaints though, the look is so nice it justifys the problem. You just have to wait till the rain water has been blasted off the roof lol
Well thats why they put a 5.5L V8 in it :):):)

Hehehehe... OR...

have the sunroof open and windows down, then wash the windscreen... the way the water sprays back is ingenious. That part that goes over the roof trickles straight onto the driver's chest, and the part that is swept to the sides comes into the open side windows at exactly the right angle to catch rear seat passengers in the fizzogg. As my 5yo daughter and I found out one day!!!!
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Was a passenger in a mates Freelander up in the Lakes a few years back. It had been raining a while but was nice and sunny so the sunroof was open. We went through a fairly deep puddle and watched as about 4 gallons of water from the puddle splashed up over the grille, missed the bonnet, flew over the windscreen and straight through the sunroof!
 

Sylar

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Your Mercedes
C Class/2006/180k
Ha
Ever driven a CL500 .... well C216 after its rained heavily and then you get some nice sunshine.
Open the front windows, swing around a corner and brake a little ....

Opps a wash of water soaks your arm.
The design of the roof Looks great ... but the armrest underhangs the roof too much, and the roof ridges are too shallow to stop the water coming off the side.

No complaints though, the look is so nice it justifys the problem. You just have to wait till the rain water has been blasted off the roof lol
Well thats why they put a 5.5L V8 in it :):):)
I was having the same problem with the c class. Especially when it had been stood in the rain so water pools on the roof. Deflectors make a massive difference for me, i like having the window down and feel closed in when shut...
 

00slk

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2002 SL55 AMG, 2005 E320 CDi, 2014 SLK250 CDi, 2003 SLK200
Taking the 500 to pick up my 55, then the 500 will be dropped off at the paint shop, forgot to wash it before leaving home, so a pit stop at the hand car wash :rolleyes: Hmmm they seem to be doing a nice job, not as good as me though :D
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
Replaced one drop link on the A Class.
Drrr discovered you need a long 16mm socket to clear the 7mm hex head shaft, for the torque wrench.
Just did it up hand tight with the ring spanner, to get the wheel back on .. sure it will rain :(

So decided to leave the other side until tomorrow, Halfords here we come.

Not sure how the MOT guy spotted slight play for the advisory ... hope I havent waisted my time.
A short drive will tell .. if these were the bonk bonk noise.

Off the car the ball joint seems a tad loose. Perplexed how that would cause the bonk bonk noise.
Tomorrow will tell.

2 MOTs advised it, and one different MB Main Dealer raised an advisory at the A Service.
But Sevan Motors the A Class specialist said he thought it might be the ball joint on the steering arm. But he was not looking at it just noticed it after changing the gearbox oil.
????

But they were only £40 so not a major disaster if it wasnt them. being 2002 and 55,000 miles its a good probable. Plus gets rid of the advisories.
And I can change them! :)
 
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00slk

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2002 SL55 AMG, 2005 E320 CDi, 2014 SLK250 CDi, 2003 SLK200
I was fairly impressed with the hand car wash today on the 500, that I took the 55 there on my way home. One of the operatives recognised us and I told them that the soap they used turned the paint from blue to black and come back for them to fix this :D
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Drove the 210 500 miles and dropped in to see Andy's (ajsl600) beautiful SL600 r230. Stunning!
The CLK was none too shabby either!
 

00slk

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2002 SL55 AMG, 2005 E320 CDi, 2014 SLK250 CDi, 2003 SLK200
Spent the rest of the day with the hoover and leather cleaner and conditioner

DSC01463 (Small).JPG

DSC01465 (Small).JPG

Under the bonnet treatment, until my shiny maker ran out :shock:

DSC01467 (Small).JPG

Finally the paint work looking.......Well shiny too :cool:

DSC01466 (Small).JPG
 

Submariner1

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Your Mercedes
CL500 2009 5.5
Replaced one drop link on the A Class.
Drrr discovered you need a long 16mm socket to clear the 7mm hex head shaft, for the torque wrench.
Just did it up hand tight with the ring spanner, to get the wheel back on .. sure it will rain :(

So decided to leave the other side until tomorrow, Halfords here we come.

Not sure how the MOT guy spotted slight play for the advisory ... hope I havent waisted my time.
A short drive will tell .. if these were the bonk bonk noise.

Off the car the ball joint seems a tad loose. Perplexed how that would cause the bonk bonk noise.
Tomorrow will tell.

2 MOTs advised it, and one different MB Main Dealer raised an advisory at the A Service.
But Sevan Motors the A Class specialist said he thought it might be the ball joint on the steering arm. But he was not looking at it just noticed it after changing the gearbox oil.
????

But they were only £40 so not a major disaster if it wasnt them. being 2002 and 55,000 miles its a good probable. Plus gets rid of the advisories.
And I can change them! :)

Finished the other drop link on the left side on the A Class.
Couldnt torque them, as Halford had no long 16mm Sockets.
Even if I get one, I can only torque the top nut. As the lower nut wont let you access it with a normal torque bar.
Needs the dreaded Spigot Torque wrench (£70) with those infamously expensive ring spanner ends £41 each!
Think I might give that a pass and torque the top one, and guess the bottom one.

The good news is they must have been shot ( though off I personally cant see if they are bad.... not sure how one tells they have play) because the bonk bonk has gone. :):):):)

There still is a little bit if chatter from the steering column, but the dealer told me that 6 years ago. He said they all go that way, and the only cure is a new steering column ... a price of £980 ... then!!
He said the slight play and clunky noise can go on forever and it wont break.
Plus as it passes MOTs, so no way am I spending £1K on it.

The not so good news is, the connector rod from the steering to the wheel hub carrier has a dogy ball joint boot. If you twist it fully in one direction the boot seems to have about 10 mini tears in it. Not all the way through, but they open up quite a lot. Its only a matter of time till it rips wide open. :(:(
But may as well leave it, as I dont think you can buy boots ... one just replaces the whole part??
And then it will need tracking I guess.

I do wonder if that is making some of the clatter, or if a new one would take up some of the steering slap.

Tightened up the amplifier securing bolts which had loosened up a little.

And put some of my precious anti rust stuff on the A Class suspension struts.

Plus Sprayed my CL500 rear level sensor brackets, with some hammerite. Decided at £5.90 each it was not worth repainting the old rusty ones. Who knows might also stop rust hopping across onto the new sensor rod ball joint threaded stubs. No wonder these things rust. You get a new one, that has obviously has been thrown loose into a "bin", so some of the galvanising is marked/scraped.
Just got to get those black plastic shrouds off the lower suspension arm to get at the securing nut.
 

area51

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Kent
Your Mercedes
Year2000 A160
Finished the other drop link on the left side on the A Class.
Couldnt torque them, as Halford had no long 16mm Sockets.
Even if I get one, I can only torque the top nut. As the lower nut wont let you access it with a normal torque bar.
Needs the dreaded Spigot Torque wrench (£70) with those infamously expensive ring spanner ends £41 each!
Think I might give that a pass and torque the top one, and guess the bottom one.

The good news is they must have been shot ( though off I personally cant see if they are bad.... not sure how one tells they have play) because the bonk bonk has gone. :):):):)

There still is a little bit if chatter from the steering column, but the dealer told me that 6 years ago. He said they all go that way, and the only cure is a new steering column ... a price of £980 ... then!!
He said the slight play and clunky noise can go on forever and it wont break.
Plus as it passes MOTs, so no way am I spending £1K on it.

The not so good news is, the connector rod from the steering to the wheel hub carrier has a dogy ball joint boot. If you twist it fully in one direction the boot seems to have about 10 mini tears in it. Not all the way through, but they open up quite a lot. Its only a matter of time till it rips wide open. :(:(
But may as well leave it, as I dont think you can buy boots ... one just replaces the whole part??
And then it will need tracking I guess.

I do wonder if that is making some of the clatter, or if a new one would take up some of the steering slap.

Tightened up the amplifier securing bolts which had loosened up a little.

And put some of my precious anti rust stuff on the A Class suspension struts.

Plus Sprayed my CL500 rear level sensor brackets, with some hammerite. Decided at £5.90 each it was not worth repainting the old rusty ones. Who knows might also stop rust hopping across onto the new sensor rod ball joint threaded stubs. No wonder these things rust. You get a new one, that has obviously has been thrown loose into a "bin", so some of the galvanising is marked/scraped.
Just got to get those black plastic shrouds off the lower suspension arm to get at the securing nut.



I have replaced the drop links twice on my A160 (which I've had since 2005, where does the time go?). Couldn't feel any excess play in the old ones but like yours the knocking noise was cured.

My steering column chatters on the right sort of road surface, always has, never got any worse and passes the MOT every year. I'm not convinced that a new column would be a permanent cure..

Looking at EPC, the steering rack boots are available separately. No idea on price though.
 

John Laidlaw

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Land Rover Discovery 4
Said bye bye to it for a week :(
Whilst I jet off for KL on business
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
I have replaced the drop links twice on my A160 (which I've had since 2005, where does the time go?). Couldn't feel any excess play in the old ones but like yours the knocking noise was cured.

My steering column chatters on the right sort of road surface, always has, never got any worse and passes the MOT every year. I'm not convinced that a new column would be a permanent cure..

Looking at EPC, the steering rack boots are available separately. No idea on price though.

Interesting to know, what sort of mileage has yours done?. This had done about 45,000 when the drop link noise started.

The steering rack boots are fine. Its the boot on the ball joint as it goes into the wheel carrier that is about to fail. Looks like a circa 300mm rod that you adjust to tweak the tracking, with a ball joint on the outer end that bolts into the wheel hub carrier.

On the odd bad road surface its as though the whole steering column has a dull rattle.
Personally I dont really see them as a Mercedes.
In future it will be a C Class upwards. And probably an E class upwards. On old school mechanic with MB said iho the E was the first true Mercedes.
 


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