Servicing advice

[Hotspur]

Driving Auto is a breeze even for those who have never driven one before.

It is simply brake and go pedals, when in traffic hold the brake, then when you want to go just let the brake out and press the go pedal - simples - when crawling the car will crawl itself anyway if not holding the brake and not touching the go pedal - but if you need to go a bit faster just lightly press the pedal - it will come naturally mate...nothing to worry about....let me tell you, my wife drives an X5 which is an auto - and that says it all - you will be fine dude.

 

[Mercfan99]

Cheers Hotspur that's a relief as had visions of me, being a bit heavy footed and ploughing right in the back of someone.Its the 13th today too, so staying in.

 

[Blobcat]

Hi Hotspur,

Cheers for all that and decided i will be buying the car. I like your confidence .

Will be taking it for a test drive tomorrow which will be interesting; as i have never driven an auto before. Bit concerned about how to handle it in slow moving traffic, having no clutch etc. Do you know, if it's just a question of brake then drive etc ? wondering how the speed picks up once i hit gas pedal when in slow traffic ?

Once you've driven a Mercedes Auto, you'll wonder why you were messing about with your left leg.
Just brake to a stop then off the brake and onto the accelerator and away you'll waft. Why anyone wants a manual for the traffic we "enjoy" in this country is beyond me.

 

[EmilysDad]

Hi Hotspur,

......; as i have never driven an auto before. Bit concerned about how to handle it in slow moving traffic, having no clutch etc. Do you know, if it's just a question of brake then drive etc ? wondering how the speed picks up once i hit gas pedal when in slow traffic ?

GO pedal ....STOP pedal ..... it's that simple!
It'll start to creep as you left off the brake and then you swap over to the GO pedal. It's easy. Your left leg will love you .... no more up ... down ... up .... down. After a day or two you'll wonder why you didn't buy an auto years ago.

Tomorrow's lesson ..... left foot braking!

 

[Hotspur]

GO pedal ....STOP pedal ..... it's that simple!
It'll start to creep as you left off the brake and then you swap over to the GO pedal. It's easy. Your left leg will love you .... no more up ... down ... up .... down. After a day or two you'll wonder why you didn't buy an auto years ago.

Tomorrow's lesson ..... left foot braking!

Left foot braking - I do this when driving barefoot or in slippers / flipflops - neither is that often - but when i do, I dont know why but I just find it easier to LFB...

 

[EmilysDad]

Left foot braking - I do this when driving barefoot or in slippers / flipflops - neither is that often - but when i do, I dont know why but I just find it easier to LFB...

I find it easier too when wearing flip flops .... less chance of losing one than if you're moving from throttle to brake. But I always LFB

 

[00slk]

Once you've driven a Mercedes Auto, you'll wonder why you were messing about with your left leg.
Just brake to a stop then off the brake and onto the accelerator and away you'll waft. Why anyone wants a manual for the traffic we "enjoy" in this country is beyond me.

Manuals for racing on the track only Although I have raced an auto on the track it was crap!!!

 

[alexanderfoti]

The car is due a B service which will cover most consumables; engine filter and oil, air filters and cabin filter. At 50k miles I would also recommend; brake fluid change, diesel filter change and transmission fluid change as the car is over 5 yrs old. It will be £800ish to get that lot done at an Independent

Bit less with us, but in the right ballpark. Does look like it may have missed a gearbox oil service, depending on what it's had on the A7

 

[Tony Dyson]

I find it easier too when wearing flip flops .... less chance of losing one than if you're moving from throttle to brake. But I always LFB

Now that's a dangerous thing to do moving straight from using a manual box when your left foot is programmed to push the clutch straight to the floor! That practice nearly sent me through the windscreen on a few occasions in the past, it's something you need to play around with when you're a little more comfortable with an auto box.

 

[EmilysDad]

Now that's a dangerous thing to do moving straight from using a manual box when your left foot is programmed to push the clutch straight to the floor! That practice nearly sent me through the windscreen on a few occasions in the past, it's something you need to play around with when you're a little more comfortable with an auto box.

That's why I was leaving LFB for tomorrow!

 

[Bay Leaf]

That's why I was leaving LFB for tomorrow!

Just keep your left foot away from the pedals and use the right foot for everything. You'l soon get used to it.

 

[Hotspur]

Having had the service done and a lot of extras at the same time inc. Gearbox - the results are like night and day - before whilst the Auto still changed and wasn't bad you could still feel it changing - now after the service it is undetectable between changes, only by watching the rev counter can you tell its changed gear...what sublime quality - my 2 BMW's dont come close, well one is not supposed to, but the point is the Benz is a magic carpet in comparison...

 

[Mercfan99]

Having had the service done and a lot of extras at the same time inc. Gearbox - the results are like night and day - before whilst the Auto still changed and wasn't bad you could still feel it changing - now after the service it is undetectable between changes, only by watching the rev counter can you tell its changed gear...what sublime quality - my 2 BMW's dont come close, well one is not supposed to, but the point is the Benz is a magic carpet in comparison...

Hi Hotspur,

Took car for a 60 mile test drive and drives great! apart from, sounds like i have a bag of spanners in the boot; and a light knocking sound coming from underneath the car. As though someone is hitting rear box with a small hammer. Very strange. These sounds are coming sometimes when driving on smoothe roads and sometimes, not at all going over speed bumps, very intermittent? Warranty says, all 'MAJOR parts' covered for 3 months so hoping, they class suspension in that open ended statement ?

Body work is excellent condition, with small amount of bubbling to passenger side front wheel arch. I know that will eventually start to spread, so unsure as to best way to stop the rot before it does.

Taking it in for a full suspension check tomorrow and thank god i took a warranty out with this car although that! dies look a little fragile in its paper form. Car drives very smoothe with lots of power 140k on clock, full service history but id say that's really debatable. Last full service which totalled just under £500 is nothing more than a printed out word doc filled in by hand. Phoned garage and guy who answered my questions sounded like a real Arthur Daley.

Was great experience driving an auto for the first time, and will be sticking to these from now on. Took a bit of getting use to and only seem to have a little trouble selecting revers gear so far. Otherwise found quite easy. Hard to believe this car drives so smoothe with plenty of pull if you need it on a 140k. I contacted a Mercedes independent other day and conformed they have seen many with 275.000 miles plus in their garage. They also conformed no need to change Cam chain so looks like another stealer ship money spinner to me.

Update after suspension and exhaust check tomorrow.

 

[Mercfan99]

Exhaust ok, suspension ok, brakes ok, only issue that flagged up was ''my windscreen wiper arm" why they looked at that specifically outside of the 3 other checks not sure but quote was for £400. Have read other customers been charged for this and turned out to be a loose screw somewhere on assembly. Think i will be taking a good nose around before i start shelling out.

 

[Mercfan99]

Atf changed once at 37k by MB. hadn't been done since and now nearly at 137k.Gear changes perfectly smooth.

Not been around on here for a while due to health issues.