A THREAD ABOUT MY MERCEDES ENGINE.

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

Hi Everyone, After being involved in the Brexit and the coming election postings for the past two weeks i just realised this club is about Mercedes cars.
So 4 weeks back i had to replace a glow plug on my E 300.TD, another went down this week, the previous plugs were "Denso" £12 each, they have only lasted 17,000 miles, so this time i am replacing all six plugs with "BERU" at £23 each, guaranteed for 60,000 miles, they also only stay at full glow level for 15 seconds unlike the other manufacturers which stay on for 3 minutes.
I should have replaced all the plugs the last time i did the job as removing the air intake manifold and the EGR pipe is not easy.
One funny thing is on this occasion the engine would just about fire up on two or three cylinders where 4 weeks back just number two cylinder plug had failed and the car would not fire up at all. To date no one on the club site knows why that happened as just replacing the number two plug brought everything back to normal? Herbie.

 

[LostKiwi]

Warmer weather makes a massive difference to diesel engine starting. I could start an old Landrover diesel easy with no glow plugs in summer but in winter not a chance even if only one plug was down.

 

[television]

I bet that you will keep this one for ever

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

Hi Malcolm, Good to hear from you, hope you are doing ok.? You do not seem to get into the political stuff, it is not as good as the engineering and electrical/electronic stuff, but politics never ends where the other stuff has for the most part been dealt with many times. There must be few members now who own the old diesel cars, bit sad, as they would last for ever, you could work on them and they were not designed for today's rented market, lease hire etc, few owners now own their cars, it's so easy and let's be honest, few of us could fix them or figure out how they work, we have lost the pleasure of ownership and DIY, my son in law in London has a Mercedes E-500. AMG. Hybrid, it costs him £1,600 / month, it is an awesome machine but he does not have the sense of ownership, may be he does not want it? you just drive it and put petrol in and recharge it. Not for me, it's silly money and it's like listening to caryoke instead of a live rock band, his car is only as good as his business and it could be here today and gone tomorow. Herbie.

 

[umblecumbuz]

The 'rental" market - for that's what most purchase agreements now really are - is going to cause havoc when it implodes, just like the toxic mortgage fiasco over the pond did a few years ago.

It might seem a cheap method of car 'ownership', but it's the 'hand it back or buy it' clause that is the fly in the ointment.

And I agree with you that actually owning a car is a lot more satisfying and involving.

Umble

 

[Yugguy]

This is why I have never wanted to lease, as it wouldn't feel like my car. I've had company cars in the past and they didn't. Paid cash for my C220 and it might not be new but it is mine.

 

[LostKiwi]

This is why I have never wanted to lease, as it wouldn't feel like my car. I've had company cars in the past and they didn't. Paid cash for my C220 and it might not be new but it is mine.

Likewise. I only ever pay cash for cars.

 

[silestanix]

Last few days when it's been warm outside, glow plug light comes in for maybe a second and goes off, car starts fine. Tis a good car mate, keep her...

 

[Frosty149]

+1

Likewise. I only ever pay cash for cars.

Same is true of home

 

[Frosty149]

Except you own via a mortgage/loan!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Likewise. I only ever pay cash for cars.

I must admit the grey E220 is leased and doesn't feel "mine" like the others I own outright do.

 

[John Laidlaw]

I'm 50/50, the 63 is bought, the XC90 will be on a 4 year lease. Not sure how differently I'll feel (the wife is scared to drive the 63 anyway so it's mine all mine....)

 

[Frosty149]

My partner doesn't drive mine even though she's insured - mostly cos I haven't told her

 

[John Laidlaw]

My partner doesn't drive mine even though she's insured - mostly cos I haven't told her

Good plan!