The Life & Times of an SL500

[fozzymandeus]

Once the captive pillars are broken off its best to use the foam sticky pads, if you use enough of them the plate will not come off without a heat gun.

I have never had screws showing on any of me MB's, I just hate them

Interesting! I like the screws. I dislike the foam because I convince myself I've put them on wonky.

 

[television]

So last week, she had her first trip to a garage. Planned I hasten to add, so it's still all good.

Decided to try a main dealer in case I continue that route for warranty purposes. Booked a waiting appointment at the dealer who gave her a check prior to my purchase from a private dealer. They had replaced some seals, which so far, touch wood, have kept the water out of the boot since.

Hoped the drive over would be an hour or so in the sunshine, but no, it continued to rain cats and dogs, as it has done for most of my ownership.

New wipers required & replacement gas struts so that I can lift the boot without needing a weight lifting qualification. :lol: As an afterthought, I asked them to replace the screws in the number plate, as they were rusty, expecting yellow and white ones to blend accordingly. Two on each plate but there should be four.

Planned work done, the service guy wanders over for a chat. Some of the screws had been broken off in the thread (prior to my purchase - and I had forgotten this), so if I wanted four screws in, they needed to replace them, as they'd tried drilling them out but couldn't. How long would it take says I? Only 5 to 10 mins more, was the reply.

Well sadly that was not actually the case. My total wait was 2 and a half hours, of which 1 hour was spent on the screws, despite the estimation. My simple screw replacement, resulted in me being presented with a bill for £116. White screws up front but chrome screws at the back, so she doesn't even look great from behind.

Ah well, you live and learn. Main dealers are for those with deep pockets and I'm not sure mine are that deep. Moral - never ask a dealer to do something that you haven't got a fixed quote for.

The upside, is the wipers are fab and I now have a functioning rain sensitive system, which wasn't working properly before. Struts are good, easy to lift the boot now, (although it's still a solid, heavy bit of kit) and any thieves will have to take some time & a screwdriver to nick my plate.

You are lucky to have got the dealer to do anything, they normally just want to wash the cars

 

[Nemo20]

Once the captive pillars are broken off its best to use the foam sticky pads, if you use enough of them the plate will not come off without a heat gun.

I have never had screws showing on any of me MB's, I just hate them

Heat gun? Not for me, and you just never know when you need to replace a plate. We tend to keep our cars long enough for replacements to be required. Dirt over time or idiots hitting us in car parks. So maybe not the prettiest, but practical.......and it's not often I'll say that about her will I? :lol:

 

[Alex M Grieve]

You are lucky to have got the dealer to do anything, they normally just want to wash the cars

which they do, whether it is clean or not. I once took a clean car along to one of their promo days (Health Check type thing).

They declared the car to be in excellent health, then washed it, leaving water marks galore, and wet shut lines on the doors, boot lid, and worst of all, the fuel filler flap.

Can you believe it!

 

[Nemo20]

You are lucky to have got the dealer to do anything, they normally just want to wash the cars

Of course, a wash and vacuum as well. I know it's an expensive clean....but hey, I don't plan to visit too often.

 

[television]

which they do, whether it is clean or not. I once took a clean car along to one of their promo days (Health Check type thing).

They declared the car to be in excellent health, then washed it, leaving water marks galore, and wet shut lines on the doors, boot lid, and worst of all, the fuel filler flap.

Can you believe it!

And with Watford MB just threw the mats back in the car so that they got crushed when I moved the seat for Lilian

 

[television]

Heat gun? Not for me, and you just never know when you need to replace a plate. We tend to keep our cars long enough for replacements to be required. Dirt over time or idiots hitting us in car parks. So maybe not the prettiest, but practical.......and it's not often I'll say that about her will I? :lol:

Then use the holders,, free from MB

 

[Nemo20]

Then use the holders,, free from MB

Well it's no good telling me now is it........:lol: I have much to learn from the learned one.

 

[television]

Well it's no good telling me now is it........:lol: I have much to learn from the learned one.

Shall I drop in and give you some 230 lessons

 

[drmw]

Ah well, you live and learn. Main dealers are for those with deep pockets and I'm not sure mine are that deep. Moral - never ask a dealer to do something that you haven't got a fixed quote for.

I think most times you are right but there are exceptions - I took mine to MB Harrogate this morning to see if they could diagnose the keyless go playing up sometimes.

It was in the workshop for at least half an hour, no faults found (nor a single one logged for anything!) - guy came backwith my keys - told me the above, can only wait until the fault goes hard and wished me a good morning.

 

[Mic]

Shall I drop in and give you some 230 lessons

That would be a lot of ''lessons''.....with positions?

Mic

 

[Gkinghorn]

Shall I drop in and give you some 230 lessons

You cant give out free lessons without including me...

 

[television]

You cant give out free lessons without including me...

I would not dream of it

 

[Nemo20]

So where & when then Malcolm? A quick aperitif @ Jamaica Inn for me and then the entree venue to be mutually agreed with all us shiny new owners, just desperate to lap up as much as knowledge as you care to bestow?!

 

[orb the Impaler]

Then use the holders,, free from MB

What's the score here Malcolm; I need some plates for my new one (I've just sent the V5 and retention cert off to DVLA so I have a couple of weeks).

I go in and ask for plate holders and they're free? Actually free, zero cost? From MB?

 

[television]

What's the score here Malcolm; I need some plates for my new one (I've just sent the V5 and retention cert off to DVLA so I have a couple of weeks).

I go in and ask for plate holders and they're free? Actually free, zero cost? From MB?

Yes many dealers will give them free, but not all, this has been up before and about 65% got them free

 

[Nemo20]

Took a trip over to Wheels In Motion in Chesham today, to try and solve the vibration that kicked in at about 70mph. The guy asked if you could "drive through" the vibration, so that gave me a good excuse to push it beyond the speed limit , for a brief test. Still there, no matter how fast I went.

So she was booked in for a balance. It was nice to see the underside for the first time - we then found some of the undertray was broken where it's probably gone over some vicious road humps, so a small part needs replacing in due course. We also found that like a "hamster" she has a couple of cheeks where she was storing........a large pile of mud thrown up from the road. Bottom of the chassis in front of the rear wheels....sound familiar?

Wheels came off and went through the computer set up. Plenty of problems to be found. They were all out of balance, on one wheel by 100gr! As we looked though, a slight kink appeared in one wheel - presumably from pot holes unsurprisingly. It got worse as each wheel was checked, resulting in three out of the four wheels being buckled, one severely. The good news was that they can send them off to be "mended". Wouldn't fancy buying a new AMG wheel, although I see a member here has just sold his today within a couple of hours of putting them up for sale!

So she is booked in next week for two days, one day for the wheels to be sent off and the second for tracking/aligning and balancing to be done. I've been given the worse case scenario for cost, so let's hope it gets better than that. On asking to settle up for today.......no charge, even though they probably spent an hour doing the job. Thumbs up WIM so far.

Drove her home........vibration gone, she drove smoothly at high speed considering the buckling she's hiding. Piece of cardboard came out on to the drive, where upon I lay down and proceeded to scrape the large quantity of mud out of her "cheeks". She must be a pound or two lighter now..........as they say..........every little helps.

 

[television]

I have 4 AMG wheels for sale, 2 could do with a refurb with tyres with 4 to 5mm

Only been 15k miles

 

[Nemo20]

I have just seen you have another thread selling them.....but I would have had them. Too late now, as others have expressed interest?

 

[television]

I have just seen you have another thread selling them.....but I would have had them. Too late now, as others have expressed interest?

So sorry, I will never sleep tonight