Too good to be true?

[Wighty]

Can't help thinking buying anything like this from a dealer with some form of warranty would possible cushion you from some immediate ABC horrors .

 

[Flyinspanner]

Worst case - pump fails soon... MB now do a refurb for £500 2yr warranty.

I think lots of people still think that they (ABC) are mega expensive, and it frightens them unnecessarily.
(In the grand scheme of things)

 

[LostKiwi]

Worst case - pump fails soon... MB now do a refurb for £500 2yr warranty.

I think lots of people still think that they (ABC) are mega expensive, and it frightens them unnecessarily.
(In the grand scheme of things)

The problem with ABC is that unless you can do the work yourself it can get very expensive very quickly.
As mentioned previously a pump replacement should always include a flush and filter change to try and avoid metallic particles floating round the system damaging other seals and components. If that isn't done the £500 soon gets joined by a strut or two, valve blocks and so on. I've seen one site recommend removing and cleaning both valve blocks, all 4 gas spheres, and replacing all struts after a pump failure (though personally I think that's possibly being a bit over cautious).
Several members here have been through sequential failures : John Laidlaw, Craig and Peter being the first to come to mind.

 

[gramey]

The problem with ABC is that unless you can do the work yourself it can get very expensive very quickly.
As mentioned previously a pump replacement should always include a flush and filter change to try and avoid metallic particles floating round the system damaging other seals and components. If that isn't done the £500 soon gets joined by a strut or two, valve blocks and so on. I've seen one site recommend removing and cleaning both valve blocks, all 4 gas spheres, and replacing all struts after a pump failure (though personally I think that's possibly being a bit over cautious).
Several members here have been through sequential failures : John Laidlaw, Craig and Peter being the first to come to mind.

Which is a concern with the red car as the fluid and filter were not changed which makes you seriously think why somebody is selling it so soon after replacing the pump and only 4 months after buying it.
As suspected, too good to be true.

 

[ajlsl600]

Well I'm just tying up my limited edition Usain Bolt spikes on. I contacted the indy who fitted the ABC pump and they advised me this was sourced by their customer and fitted by them.
The system was not flushed or the filter replaced it was only topped up to replace the fluid. I'm assuming as the customer supplied the pump it was second hand although I've yet to get confirmation of that.
So someone has replaced the pump sold it a month later and the person who bought it is selling it three months later.
However much I like the colour that doesn't fill you me with confidence.

red lights coming on here.

 

[SH0X]

red lights coming on here.

LED ones dont forget on the SL

Agreed does sound fishy. More probing of the seller required - why the sale... Who gets into an SL in winter & gets out in spring summer? Ok everyones circumstances are different but youll have to decide if you like the answer.

I didnt realise Merc did the ABC recon for £500. Good to know.

I saw this SL55 on ebay & hes changed to Coilovers (I heard about this but never fully knew if it was possible)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes...247948?hash=item4b5fd3910c:g:tKcAAOSwRaFcaB2e

 

[Andy.M]

LED ones dont forget on the SL

Agreed does sound fishy. More probing of the seller required - why the sale... Who gets into an SL in winter & gets out in spring summer? Ok everyones circumstances are different but youll have to decide if you like the answer.

I didnt realise Merc did the ABC recon for £500. Good to know.

I saw this SL55 on ebay & hes changed to Coilovers (I heard about this but never fully knew if it was possible)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes...247948?hash=item4b5fd3910c:g:tKcAAOSwRaFcaB2e

That car is only round the corner from me. I've never had the inkling for an SL...........................until now!!!

 

[gramey]

LED ones dont forget on the SL

Agreed does sound fishy. More probing of the seller required - why the sale... Who gets into an SL in winter & gets out in spring summer? Ok everyones circumstances are different but youll have to decide if you like the answer.

I didnt realise Merc did the ABC recon for £500. Good to know.

I saw this SL55 on ebay & hes changed to Coilovers (I heard about this but never fully knew if it was possible)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes...247948?hash=item4b5fd3910c:g:tKcAAOSwRaFcaB2e

I saw that advertised and thought it looks very nice. The coil over conversion is for those with deep pockets or access to a four post lift. A guy in America, Tavaresh on YouTube, bought the cheapest SL55 he could find and then did this but he has a four post lift at home.

 

[Flyinspanner]

..... and most roads in the USA are straight lines....

 

[ajlsl600]

i had heard that there were issues getting anti roll bars to fit correctly on r230 coil overs, has that been solved and some were NOT fitting them !! , i know for similar reasons its not, or was not an option for r230 600.

 

[LostKiwi]

I believe ARBs aren't an issue on the 500.

 

[flowrider]

LED ones dont forget on the SL

Agreed does sound fishy. More probing of the seller required - why the sale... Who gets into an SL in winter & gets out in spring summer? Ok everyones circumstances are different but youll have to decide if you like the answer.

I didnt realise Merc did the ABC recon for £500. Good to know.

I saw this SL55 on ebay & hes changed to Coilovers (I heard about this but never fully knew if it was possible)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes...247948?hash=item4b5fd3910c:g:tKcAAOSwRaFcaB2e

That SL55 was a cat D in 2005! How much damage can a £100k car take to be an insurance right off within 2 years.

 

[gramey]

i had heard that there were issues getting anti roll bars to fit correctly on r230 coil overs, has that been solved and some were NOT fitting them !! , i know for similar reasons its not, or was not an option for r230 600.

I'm not sure where you source them here in the UK, but I like watching this guys videos although he clearly has the benefit of a four post lift and presumably sponsorship -

A bit of lengthy watch but you can skip through it and then watch this, ok their roads are different to ours but presumably with a little trial and error you could find a set up that suits you -

 

[gramey]

I know the purists will say you're ruining a perfectly good car and detracting from the purpose of the ABC system whilst making it harder to sell when the time comes. But if you plan on keeping the car for a long time then I can understand why someone, somebody such as myself if I ever bought one, would shy away from the minefield of ABC. It may be cheaper to repair that it was but they still don't seem to be the epitome of reliability.

 

[flowrider]

Bear in mind that no one comes on a forum to tell you how great and reliable their ABC is performing.

 

[LostKiwi]

Bear in mind that no one comes on a forum to tell you how great and reliable their ABC is performing.

Indeed.
Malcolm's car has had 4 struts in 100k miles (and there is uncertainty if they were all needed as at least one may have been ok). Pump is original as far as I'm aware as are valve blocks.

 

[McDonald]

The ABC is an important part of the ride. These are complex machines but beautifully balanced. If you buy a £100,000 car as it slips towards dotage, you may have some associated costs. Get a good one and you'll always wonder why you didn't buy one sooner. I do.

 

[ajlsl600]

to an extent i aggree, but as an example, what "nut" of a designer puts the ABC oil filter on the rtn line! on a system SO sensitive to impurities so now any crud or light debris goes thru the pump and valves BEFORE it gets filtered... on a car which could have cost near 100,000 new. and has no fail safe to get you home when a pump or strut fails or blows a pipe, other than a relay vehicle to get you home ! again nuts. same for design that drops wheels onto wheel arches at system failure....
i accept the ride from all this is one of the best there is. but we all KNOW it can and does fail. and because of what i mention above i wont be buying another such equipped car of any make. its just NOT conducive to long ,relaxing trans european drives in what may otherwise be a well maintained car, in an attempt to mitigate this i have changed my fluid 2x and filters 3x during less than 6.5k miles in 5 yrs, and one very slightly oil stained ABC pipe, simply because the alternative would ruin yr week

 

[Flyinspanner]

Has anyone ever investigated installing a second inline filter?
Maybe in the supply after the pump, it could ‘save’ all the valve blocks and struts?

 

[LostKiwi]

Has anyone ever investigated installing a second inline filter?
Maybe in the supply after the pump, it could ‘save’ all the valve blocks and struts?

Interesting idea but it would have to capable of withstanding very high pressure (operating pressure is 200 bar).