CLK 230K noisy ALternator

[longjonty]

I bought a 1998 CLK 230K in September 2002. After a few months a noise developed that started once the engine was warmed up from a cold start. Once the engine was warm the noise persisted even after switching off and restarting. The noise is best described as a "clicking" sound the rate of which increased when the speed of the car / engine speed increased. (rather like the noise a stick makes when placed on the spokes of a push bike wheel).
At first the M/B dealer garage thought it was the Kompressor causing the problem, and so kindly replaced it. All was well for a few weeks and then the noise returned again. Another trip to the garage was required, this time the Alternator was suspected, and replaced.
To date this seems to have cured the problem, and I'm happy to say that all the work was carried out under the Signiture Warranty and didnt cost me a penny (courtesy car provided as well!).
So big thumbs up for the garage in question (I'll supply it if anybody wants to know) and to "Signiture Warranty".

 

[sheffmax]

Reassuring news, for a change, about a merc dealer. Whereabouts in the midlands is this dealer? I've posted in here about a reputable dealer near Sheffield w/o replies.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

I liked the MB dealer at Wheler Road at Coventry. Perhaps its this one.

 

[Spike]

Reassuring news, for a change, about a merc dealer. Whereabouts in the midlands is this dealer? I've posted in here about a reputable dealer near Sheffield w/o replies.

Really?? You like the way the dealer misdiagnosed the original problem and had to replace two very exbenzive parts instead of one?

OK it was under warranty but it is still a waste of valuable time having to go back to the dealer for the same fault and what then when the warranty runs out? Would you be so happy shelling out ....I dunno a grand or whatever for the compressor when you didnt actually need it.

If you ask me, this is shoddy service at its very worst - In my mind, these people are fitters, not mechanics as it appears they fix things by trial and error and not by checking the suspect part to see if it is within tollerences. Besides which, surely a mechanics stethoscope would have tracked down the source of the noise accurately in the first place?

.....and you're paying up to £90 per hour for these fitters too :x

 

[longjonty]

I think it all depends on your point of view, yes it shouldnt have gone wrong in the first place, yes the garage should have diagnosed it first time, and yes if it had not been covered by warranty I would have had to have forked out a substantial sum (but not with out an argument first!).

I do agree that now a days garage "Mechanics" seem to be more like fitters, but I also think that I would rather have a new part fitted to my car than have someone tinker with a suspect part and hope that everything is OK. (the likelyhood of a return trip to the garage is higher I would have thought with a "repaired" part).

This particular garage was very accommodating (I had a restriction on the time the car could be in the garage), and they explained everything that they had found and corrected, and were courteous at the same time, this is what I found refreshing.

I have read some many times that garages (especially high end franchises) can be dismissive, rude, and have the attitude of " You only drive the car, we "own" it, just you feel lucky we let you have one"!!

Like I say I think it depends on your point of view.

Thank you for your interest.

longjonty