What Have You Done To Your Merc Today?

[Droverunner]

Then what I thought a simple little task where I only just snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

The dash vent and its thumbwheel to the left of the aircon controls were pushed in about 5mm compared to the right side... I reckon someone had braced themselves on the dash during a hard stop to do that. I guessed it would all be plastic clips and easy to resolve but I couldn't find any procedure to remove that central upper dash section but assumed like the radio the first thing was to prise away the trim surround after releasing the two screws just inside the shallow top storage tray. Big big mistake. Actually the facia trim and all the vent flap/links should come out as one by releasing two screws each side behind the vents by putting a torx driver through the vent blades. But by prising the trim front away I unpopped all the clips that hold the flap assy together and as the facia came away every single vent vane and link etc fell down behind the dash.

I then found the torx screws I should have removed and pulled away the back part of the assy and worked out how to re-assemble all the vent components... except I was missing two of the vent vanes. It took an hour and the removal of the gear lever surround and lower storage pocket before I eventually found these vanes had fallen all the way down and were under the tunnel carpet.

Thankfully I hadn't broken anything and it all went back OK albeit it a super fiddly process.... I do hate trim removal jobs.

I have put the image of it all finished first so there is more logic to my explanation.

 

[mrix]

Simple job.... well I thought it would be, anyway I got some cheap Mercedes wheel cap emblems off Ebay for my W204 C350 to replace my old scratched and faded originals, so attempted fitting them today to find two basically fit fine and two never fitted at all, I guess its a case of buy cheap buy twice!

 

[Droverunner]

That's a pain re the centre caps. Perhaps I got lucky but the set from the guys below I bought a week ago were as well made as a Mercedes set. Great fit, great finish.

Ahh well went back to my order to paste the link in and the listing has been cancelled by Ebay.... oops.

 

[daibevan]

Had a very slow leak for quite a while. Thought it could be valve or bead seal. Went to the tyre shop, no bubbles anywhere when wheel put in the water tank. Anyway, tyre off, some slight corrosion spots on the lip. A good wire brushing with an air line , new valve & all seems well 2 days later.

 

[s5tuart]

Out for a drive after suffering the indignity of being in my friends little car with no Airmatic.
I used it for a while while I was looking for my SB and never really thought it was that bad, but being in it again after a while made me realise how spoiled I am with mine!
Feeling a little smug right now!

 

[Blobcat]

Fixed the air con…

Top down driving is so much nicer with the AC on as well.

Quite an easy fix… it had been turned off on the recent service and I’d not noticed the red LED wasn’t on until this morning…

 

[Yetie]

Simple job really, but the first on my E350 Replaced the 2 shiny trim bits on the steering wheel.

 

[00slk]

Fixed the air con…

Top down driving is so much nicer with the AC on as well.

Quite an easy fix… it had been turned off on the recent service and I’d not noticed the red LED wasn’t on until this morning…

Wish ours was as easy, it's a regas for the SLK and SL

 

[Blobcat]

Wish ours was as easy, it's a regas for the SLK and SL

I was going to go down the Groupon ATS re-gas route ~£38
I then noticed the light wasn't on...

 

[00slk]

I was going to go down the Groupon ATS re-gas route ~£38
I then noticed the light wasn't on...

SLK has the light on but no cold air, it's been slowly losing its cooling ability over the years although the air is switched on all year round.
The SL works the opposite, light on to show its switched off
It's nice when you have a cheap fix Rus

 

[Blobcat]

SLK has the light on but no cold air, it's been slowly losing its cooling ability over the years although the air is switched on all year round.
The SL works the opposite, light on to show its switched off
It's nice when you have a cheap fix Rus

I preferred the previous Mercedes light on = AC off
To me a red light is a warning that somethings not working as it should

 

[Deon Kleinhans]

I fitted a boot spoiler and new rims and tyres

 

[A.J.]

I fitted a boot spoiler and new rims and tyres

Hi Deon, welcome to the forum, where are you based ?

 

[daveenty]

Renewed the insurance on the coupe. Seems a waste of money in this current climate as it's barely moved, but it needed doing so it got done.

One consolation is that it's come down considerably since last year, though that's probably due to the value of the car decreasing by around the same percentage due to a scary amount of depreciation.

Ah well, the other car's low running costs compensate for this one I suppose...

 

[JBell]

I was going to go down the Groupon ATS re-gas route ~£38
I then noticed the light wasn't on...

Just booked mine for Sat with Anti-bac, not getting cold anymore so probably time to have it all refreshed

 

[Ron240]

One consolation is that it's come down considerably since last year, though that's probably due to the value of the car decreasing by around the same percentage due to a scary amount of depreciation.

A lot of people think it is significant, but ultimately a vehicles market value plays a relatively minor part in calculating its insurance premium. There are many other factors which influence the price much more such as the claim statistics for the model and the proposers driving history and location.
Car insurance prices in general have reduced this year due to less claims having been made in the past year because of less miles being driven due to the pandemic.
I have just renewed mine and it was £50 cheaper than last year.
One thing that always seems to increase year on year for the motorist is road tax (VED), and I need to renew mine in the next 2 weeks.

 

[A.J.]

A lot of people think it is significant, but ultimately a vehicles market value plays a relatively minor part in calculating its insurance premium. There are many other factors which influence the price much more such as the claim statistics for the model and the proposers driving history and location.
Car nsurance prices in general have reduced this year due to less claims having been made in the past year because of less miles being driven due to the pandemic.
I have just renewed mine and it was £50 cheaper than last year.
One thing that never gets cheaper year on year is road tax (VED) and I need to renew mine in the next 2 weeks.

Mine was about £10 more despite my conversation with the prospective insurer and pointing out that I have never had an own fault claim in my life. I changed from Tesco because they claimed that they had fallen out with the underwriter they had used for last years insurance. LVE were much more approachable but still wouldn't budge from the final figure.

 

[Ron240]

Mine was about £10 more despite my conversation with the prospective insurer and pointing out that I have never had an own fault claim in my life. I changed from Tesco because they claimed that they had fallen out with the underwriter they had used for last years insurance. LVE were much more approachable but still wouldn't budge from the final figure.

Yes insurance can be a funny old game...
Those of us that shop around every year will probably not see the same potential discounts going forward due to companies being banned from charging different prices for new and existing customers.
We all know how it has worked in the past....entice somebody in with a cheap quote then hike it up the following year.

 

[Oldspanners]

Wheel painting. Got two front ones done in two days, problem was I was not prepared for the condition of the inside as they were encrusted with years of brake dust and dirt. Over two hours just to clean the back of the spokes to an acceptable level and another hour to get through the lacquer and paint on the front. Then the problems really started as the temperature hit 30C and the paint primer was turning nearly to dust before hitting the wheel, so I had to show great dedication to the cause and get painting at 7am!
Was it worth it? Can't say until next summer at least but they look better than before as the man said "perfection is the enemy of good enough". The colour is less silvery than before but nearer the body colour as the photos show for those interested. Need a rest to work up enthusiasm to do the back two after I get new front discs etc fitted.

 

[Wighty]

Wheel painting. Got two front ones done in two days, problem was I was not prepared for the condition of the inside as they were encrusted with years of brake dust and dirt. Over two hours just to clean the back of the spokes to an acceptable level and another hour to get through the lacquer and paint on the front. Then the problems really started as the temperature hit 30C and the paint primer was turning nearly to dust before hitting the wheel, so I had to show great dedication to the cause and get painting at 7am!
Was it worth it? Can't say until next summer at least but they look better than before as the man said "perfection is the enemy of good enough". The colour is less silvery than before but nearer the body colour as the photos show for those interested. Need a rest to work up enthusiasm to do the back two after I get new front discs etc fitted.
View attachment 68873 View attachment 68874 View attachment 68875 View attachment 68876

Very nice OS , your usual high standards