£5,000 Repair bill!

[Dr Claire]

I have a 2003 E Class 270CDI Avantgarde Estate which has been terribly unreliable. The latest fault was the engine stopping when put into drive or reverse. Low a behold it is the torque converter and gearbox. To replace all this gubbins will cost "over £5,000". The car is leased and after input from Daimler Chrysler in Milton Keynes, the dealer and DC have decided to settle the lease on my behalf and do a mouthwatering deal on a new car. Thought you'd all like to hear this little story. Comments would be gratefully recieved.
Regards
Claire

 

[television]

Most gearbox recon companies charge £1k to £1.5k for a box including fitting.and a 12 month guarantee
Why not try and buy it at £5k under bottem book trade price and you will have a very cheap car, and one that you love or hate.

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

All I can say is congratulations.
Presumably you've had it a couple of years and on a lease, would have been looking at changing soon anyway. This way you get a great deal on the new one now, rather than fending off silly trade in values for your old one, so you should be quids in.

There were quality / manufacturing issues in 02 and some issues drifted into 03. It was a new model and they simply didn't test it properly. It sounds like yours had all the faults in one place. Sometimes a car is just a duffer. No rhyme or reason, it just is. The ones on the line before and after were probably perfectly ok! My late 04 270CDI seems ok, certainly no problems as yet, and they have allegedly improved year on year so a brand new one with the smoother and faster 280CDI V6 engine should be a vast improvement.
I'd certainly go for it.

 

[Rory]

Wonder where the car will end up - Mercedes Direct, perhaps?

 

[Bolide]

Where will it end up?

Wonder where the car will end up - Mercedes Direct, perhaps?

Just what I was wondering. Unless Mercedes Germany take them back and crush them (which I believe is a policy with some manufacturers) it may end up in a car auction like Manheim with some lucky trader buying it

It'll then spend a couple of months being passed through the trade like a hot potato (I only want a drink, mate, not my kind of motor. Straight from Mercedes...) before it gets unloaded on a Billy (Billy Bunter) for a couple of bags (bags of sand) under book with a new history and a tail-light warranty

Or am I being cynical?


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[television]

Just what I was wondering. Unless Mercedes Germany take them back and crush them (which I believe is a policy with some manufacturers) it may end up in a car auction like Manheim with some lucky trader buying it

It'll then spend a couple of months being passed through the trade like a hot potato (I only want a drink, mate, not my kind of motor. Straight from Mercedes...) before it gets unloaded on a Billy (Billy Bunter) for a couple of bags (bags of sand) under book with a new history and a tail-light warranty

Or am I being cynical?


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk[/QUOTEI
I think it will just end up sold off to a trade buyer or auctioned off, sold as is, no warrenty. I used to get some good buys with cars like this. Get the thing running then over the next few months use it, fixing things as you find them, and selling on for a good proffit after six months. Many of the exotic cars that I have owned have been bought this way.

Malcolm

 

[Dr Claire]

Really interesting comments. Thanks.
The dealer told me that they would sell it as it still has one year of the MB Warranty left. I agree some poor unfortunate is going to pay £25K for a load of trouble. Just by way of interest it has had one fuel leak, two oil leaks, new gearbox, new torque converter, two new towbars plus dealer had to respray due to scratching the bumper, new aircon, new diverter valve in heater, rear seat mechamism failed on fold down, countless software and break upgrades and the ashtray fell out. This is all I can remember but I'm sure there is more. Put another way the car has been off the road for 9% of its life. Maybe the moral is that if you buy second hand from a dealer then ask for the details of the previous owner and give him a bell. Data Protection probably will not allow but a quick peak at the Reg documents may help. At least MB took the car back.
Regards
Claire