My R230 irritations, help !

[Blobcat]

Comfy chair required

 

[John Laidlaw]

Sigh............

 

[wrightkarl]

Update. Oil leak found, larger of the two expansion plugs at rear of engine, ordered merc part for £10 and will fit in 5 minutes.

Car is booked in for 4 wheel alignment to be checked Monday, I'm using a very well trusted local company who've done me well with other complex cars i've owned. So at least I'll know my starting postion.

just to clarify, the SAM was replaced because STAR couldn't communicate with it. Once done there were no fault codes for the suspension system. They gave me the print outs for all the work done. They are a very well respected indie (I just don't want to name names, that unfair incase I'm the idiot)

I've not had a cam position fault code appear again since, so can't do much on that one. My OBD scanner tool isn't the best but good for the basics........ Now I wait for a torrent of abuse !

 

[John Laidlaw]

No abuse from me!
One of the many issues my 230 had was lack of communication from left front SAM, so replaced it.same time I had a corroded fuse box in the same area which caused many gremlins
I invested in an icarsoft MB diagnostic which helped a lot ( kept the repairs for a year below 10k, reckon it saved me 1.5/2k)
Wise move on the alignment and worth checking also if the front and rear tyres are the same brand- we’ve had cases of ‘exciting’ handling caused by tread patterns working against each other- no seriously !!

 

[flowrider]

No abuse from me!
One of the many issues my 230 had was lack of communication from left front SAM, so replaced it.same time I had a corroded fuse box in the same area which caused many gremlins
I invested in an icarsoft MB diagnostic which helped a lot ( kept the repairs for a year below 10k, reckon it saved me 1.5/2k)
Wise move on the alignment and worth checking also if the front and rear tyres are the same brand- we’ve had cases of ‘exciting’ handling caused by tread patterns working against each other- no seriously !!

Good thought on the tyres. I had this issue on my daughters car, when she bought it all 4 tyres were a different brand.

 

[wrightkarl]

Tyres were one of first thoughts. Its got near new P Zeros all round, that was one of my concerns when the MOT advisory stated excessive wear on NSR inner edge. As has already been said, I don't know when the MOT was done vs the tyres being replaced, either were pretty recent.

 

[peterws1957]

Sigh............

Yours must have held some sort of record John, despite it's origins. I get the impression that there are a disproportionate number of really bad Sl500's around, compared to say SL55's, presumably down to previous poor maintenance on a relatively cheap model and owners being prepared to spend more on an AMG without much complaint.

 

[LostKiwi]

I think that they've become so cheap people are buying them not realising the running costs then neglecting them when the go wrong. Not a car that accepts neglect.

 

[flowrider]

Hopefully more R230's will succumb to poor maintenance resulting in lower surviving numbers and an associated increase in resell values

That sounds a bit mean though doesn't it.

 

[wrightkarl]

Oh well, thats forums for you

 

[Blobcat]

Considering the number of new members who take an R230 on as a first dip into Mercedes ownership I think it will be awhile before numbers drop.

 

[flowrider]

Considering the number of new members who take an R230 on as a first dip into Mercedes ownership I think it will be awhile before numbers drop.

Could be good news though as it shows demand is still there for the best designed SL, so high demand and low numbers .

 

[LostKiwi]

Could be good news though as it shows demand is still there for the best designed SL, so high demand and low numbers .

Best designed maybe not. Most revolutionary most definitely.

 

[flowrider]

Best designed maybe not. Most revolutionary most definitely.

I knew you wouldn't let that one slip by.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Yours must have held some sort of record John, despite it's origins. I get the impression that there are a disproportionate number of really bad Sl500's around, compared to say SL55's, presumably down to previous poor maintenance on a relatively cheap model and owners being prepared to spend more on an AMG without much complaint.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head - the problems with that car predated Malcolm and fell under 3 previous owners , 2 of whom did nothing to the car proactively and they’re not accepting of that sort of treatment !

 

[flowrider]

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head - the problems with that car predated Malcolm and fell under 3 previous owners , 2 of whom did nothing to the car proactively and they’re not accepting of that sort of treatment !

When an R230 needs something doing then it's best to get it done else problems can build up.