CLK320 MOT Failure Question

[David320]

Hi Everyone!

My CLK320 on a 53 plate has just failed the MOT on a few things.
That's as to be expected for a car of this age, but the garage who tested it quoted me £850 to get it through the MOT.

Would anyone mind giving their opinion on what it costs to fix the following failure points as I think £850 is a 'little' high??

001 Rear parking brake recording little or no effort Offside (3.7.B.6a)
002 Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement Nearside Front (2.4.G.2)
003 Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement Offside Front (2.4.G.2)
004 Exhaust system not adequately supported Central (7.1.1)
005 Brake pipe excessively corroded (front to rear [over fuel tank]) (3.6.B.2c)
006 Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Offside Front Upper (2.4.G.2)
007 Parking brake efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

If it is really going to be what they quoted then I will have to scrap the car, which is a shame as I absolutely love my CLK!!

Many thanks for taking the time to help!

David

 

[John Laidlaw]

Hi I wouldn't doubt the level of work and cost needed to keep an SLK on the road and I think what's being mentioned is probably feasible but the cost......????

 

[EmilysDad]

You could always get a quote from elsewhere. Then find a MOT station that doesn't do repairs

 

[Marty Y]

There's always the option of pattern parts, i had some fitted to my clk w208 a few years ago and not had a problem with them, though most of that bill could be labour?

as mentioned earlier definitely worth getting a quote elsewhere before you consider the drastic option of getting rid of the car if you still like it,

best of luck mate.

 

[rf065]

Front to rear brake pipes cost me over £400 alone as it involves dropping the rear subframe & tank to route the new pipes, the rest of the faults could probably be fixed at a reasonable cost, but the brake pipes require a lot of labour.

 

[kid-jensen]

Have to say that the price quoted doesn't seem unreasonable considering you won't have to get your hands dirty.

That being said, go to another MOT station, as mentioned, one that doesn't do repairs and see if there's less things to "fix" next time..

 

[Rory]

Front to rear brake pipes cost me over £400 alone as it involves dropping the rear subframe & tank to route the new pipes, the rest of the faults could probably be fixed at a reasonable cost, but the brake pipes require a lot of labour.

I think it was you who got it done at a dealer for that price? I'm assuming it's a similar job on mine, dealer quoted £1200 and a couple of indie's indicated £5-600. So the pricing indicated to the OP for all the work seems pretty good.

 

[towat]

Just because the repair cost may be more than the car is worth doesn't automatically mean it should be scrapped imo, you would have to fund a replacement vehicle which may have unknown problems, at least you know your car and once repaired it should give years of service, I have spent far more on my w208 than it is worth but was happy to as I like the car and plan to keep it for many years.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

I would say £850 for that is pretty reasonable...

The only way to do those brake pipes properly is to lower the tank and the subframe, which is 4-5 hours work right there.

TCA bushes are 2 hours work. The ARB link can be done at the same time.

New set of rear brakes 1.0 hours work.

Clean and weld the exhaust 1/2-1.0 hours work.

SO you have a good 8-10 hours solid work there. Parts costs will be roughly £120 so when its broken down, £850 is very reasonable. I would charge you somewhere in the same ball park if you had come to my workshop.

 

[John Laidlaw]

^ as said it would be a shame to scrap it -£850 and hopefully some years of trouble free motoring .
Buy something else and you'd lose that in depreciation at least almost immediately!

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Fair point well made there John.