E270 W212 SBC Pump Warning - Service Brake

[Pathfinder]

But you will have a newer car / a new toy with a 12 month warranty !

 

[Mic]

The OP's car is a December '03 car.......my SL is a September '03 car.

I have never considered the market value to be relevant......if the expenditure, however unwelcome, of £2k, £3k, £4k or more keeps a good well maintained car on the road for only one more year that is still better value than buying someone else's past car with uncertain short term expenditure and guaranteed increased depreciation associated with a higher market value.

There may, of course, be other reasons for wanting to change cars but if it is the car you wanted yesterday and it is the car you want tomorrow.....get it fixed.......by far and away the most cost effective option.

I have been through high expenditure years in the past but I have always come through with low expenditure years giving balance over the life of ownership.

I do not envisage a circumstance such that I do not consider my SL worth fixing.

Mic

 

[star]

Thank you Malcolm 210 (and to everoyone else for their input) your comment is most helpful and aligns with my thinking. Whilst I appreciate that if I get it fixed - at a cost - the car could go on for years. Alternatively though, it might not given its age and the likelyhood for more things needing to be done. As it is, yesterday, the dealership identified four other things that needed doing and parts alone came to some £400. I could probably get pattern parts for less but I took it as and indication of a general decline. So, from an economic standpoint the 'hit' of sorting the SBC is not a viable proposition given the current 'trade in' value of the car. I am sad because had this not occured I was perfectly happy with the car and hoped to keep it for some time yet. It is a nice motor..................as they say. Thanks again to all for all the advice and guidance throughout this sorry tale.

I would take the items mercedes pointed out with a pinch of salt and get them checked elsewhere. They are known for replacing parts prematurely.

 

[whitenemesis]

Until SBC goes wrong, its the finest braking system around. Don't lose track of that

Something I have been reminded of on a number of occasions, motoring through the Cornish lanes this week. AIRmatic certainly lulls one into driving at speeds one normally wouldn't and the SBC pulled us up safely no matter the road surface, whether on a bend or straight. ABS light flashing furiously, no drama inside the cabin

 

[television]

Something I have been reminded of on a number of occasions, motoring through the Cornish lanes this week. AIRmatic certainly lulls one into driving at speeds one normally wouldn't and the SBC pulled us up safely no matter the road surface, whether on a bend or straight. ABS light flashing furiously, no drama inside the cabin

I have yet to notice any difference to the SBC that I had on my SL to the EBC fitted to my CL500, I used EBC red pads on both and the retardation is amazing on the CL so I notice no difference at all.

But there again I have never driven so that the traction control lit up on the SL in all the 6 years that I owned the car.

 

[st4]

One thing I miss in my 204 is the SBC brakes. There is no finer braking system than SBC. Sadly, its wasted on some.

 

[Pathfinder]

I don't have SBC and have never driven a car with it so interested to know what can be achieved to prevent it being wasted by some?

 

[st4]

Try one with, the system is much more sophisticated than a servo operated system and allows more assistance given the the braking. See when you do an emergency stop from say 110mph on a German autobahn, you realise just how good it is.

 

[Pathfinder]

Hopefully I will get a try at one in the near future.

 

[mej]

But you will have a newer car / a new toy with a 12 month warranty !

And 12 months worth of further depreciation! And you may not like the W212 as much as your old W211; many dont (assuming you swap like for like).

My daily driver is a S211, and I love it, but enjoy an old S124 OM606 which is in fine fettle for hacking round town, tip runs etc. Newer isn't always better IMO.

 

[jasonyw]

One thing I miss in my 204 is the SBC brakes. There is no finer braking system than SBC. Sadly, its wasted on some.

Didn't you got rid of your W211s because of the sbc!

 

[st4]

Rust and that dreadful 7g box that jerks, they all do that though

 

[Carabosse]

that dreadful 7g box that jerks, they all do that though

Mine is the exception - it's as smooth as silk.

Maybe they updated the software.

 

[Developer]

I don't have SBC and have never driven a car with it so interested to know what can be achieved to prevent it being wasted by some?

I've owned a pre facelift SBC E class and a post facelift non SBC E class, one immediately replacing the other.

There is no discernible difference in the braking power - both are immense, controlled, and predictable, exactly as you'd expect.

I do feel, however, for anyone who can't get MB to "sort" their SBC system. There was a time when they did free replacements - I was lucky enough to have one.

 

[Developer]

Mine is the exception - it's as smooth as silk.

Maybe they updated the software.

Mine too.

 

[Stevitee]

Being as I started this thread, that has become quite long now, I seem to have created quite a discussion. I have noted one earlier comment that I should hang on to the car and stump up the £2k because it would keep an otherwise (perhaps) good car on the road. That writer mentioned that they'd pay anything to keep their SL going. I suppose that I would - for an SL - but my trusty E270 has been a great workhorse including many trips to Cornwall, loaded to the top with all manner of household stuff including a washing machine and fridge on one trip. It's done many miles. It is a working car and a daily driver so it has to be reliable and there are lots of them out there. One comment suggested that I'd lose £2k in depreciation as soon as I took away another car. Well, that's a maybe but I think that the car I am 'eyeing up' is at a below market price already and the trade in I've been offered is as good as it could get having looked at the current forecourt and private sale prices of an '03- E270'. So, I a\m not sure that I'd 'lose' that much. I am also aware that I may be buying somebody else's 'troubles' but it is a 2008 car and 80k mileage. Yes, there will be wear but it's not 10 years old and the things that have started happening on my present car shouldn't manifest themselves yet. This brings me to a question that has been troubling me. I have looked at Developer 215's E320 - that's a cracking car. Oddly enough, on the outside it looks exactly the same as the one I am thinking about - same wheels, same tinted glass but that's where the similarities end. 'My one' isn't a Barabus and isn't loaded with goodies. However, Developer 215 describes it as a S211. I presume that's because it is an Estate (as opposed to a W211) and that's where I am puzzled. I did a VIN check (courtesy of this forum - thank you) and that shows that car to be a 'Model E320 CDI T Model' - I have always known the Estates to be 'T' models. So, why is it S211? Could someone enlighted me. Thanks

 

[mersum1es]

Some discussion:
http://www.mbca.org/forum/mercedes-chassis-letter-designation-mystery

 

[star]

Being as I started this thread, that has become quite long now, I seem to have created quite a discussion. I have noted one earlier comment that I should hang on to the car and stump up the £2k because it would keep an otherwise (perhaps) good car on the road. That writer mentioned that they'd pay anything to keep their SL going. I suppose that I would - for an SL - but my trusty E270 has been a great workhorse including many trips to Cornwall, loaded to the top with all manner of household stuff including a washing machine and fridge on one trip. It's done many miles. It is a working car and a daily driver so it has to be reliable and there are lots of them out there. One comment suggested that I'd lose £2k in depreciation as soon as I took away another car. Well, that's a maybe but I think that the car I am 'eyeing up' is at a below market price already and the trade in I've been offered is as good as it could get having looked at the current forecourt and private sale prices of an '03- E270'. So, I a\m not sure that I'd 'lose' that much. I am also aware that I may be buying somebody else's 'troubles' but it is a 2008 car and 80k mileage. Yes, there will be wear but it's not 10 years old and the things that have started happening on my present car shouldn't manifest themselves yet. This brings me to a question that has been troubling me. I have looked at Developer 215's E320 - that's a cracking car. Oddly enough, on the outside it looks exactly the same as the one I am thinking about - same wheels, same tinted glass but that's where the similarities end. 'My one' isn't a Barabus and isn't loaded with goodies. However, Developer 215 describes it as a S211. I presume that's because it is an Estate (as opposed to a W211) and that's where I am puzzled. I did a VIN check (courtesy of this forum - thank you) and that shows that car to be a 'Model E320 CDI T Model' - I have always known the Estates to be 'T' models. So, why is it S211? Could someone enlighted me. Thanks

Things fail at different times and mileages, being newer and less miles is no guarantee of problem free motoring. How often do you see brand new cars or nearly new cars stuck on the road side. The devil you know and all that. But a new car is nice!

 

[Developer]

. This brings me to a question that has been troubling me. I have looked at Developer 215's E320 - that's a cracking car. Oddly enough, on the outside it looks exactly the same as the one I am thinking about - same wheels, same tinted glass but that's where the similarities end. 'My one' isn't a Barabus and isn't loaded with goodies. However, Developer 215 describes it as a S211.

Thanks for the compliment - it's been a great car.

Mine is a UK spec E320 Sport with a Brabus chip added by the supplying dealer, which they claim, adds 48bhp (though I'm not convinced).

It's not from the Brabus factory - the original owner ordered the car through a UK dealer, and selected the Brabus parts he wanted fitted, in this case, the chip, engine cover, door pins and badges.

I like it because it's just a bit different.

 

[television]

The nice thing about Johns car is there is no bling with it,,it looks good, it looks right, the wheels are spot on and do not detract from the rest of the car.

It is discreetly badged and always clean