I always take my cars to independent shops. Dealer quality work at 60% less the cost. Only con is that the repairs don't go into carfax (that's why I keep all receipts) but ask me if I give a fuck LOL
I'm in the car trade as a valeter and we know many valeters and mechanics/technicians in the trade and i can tell you Merc garages will rip you off big time and lie big time.We tell each other what goes on and help each other out when things like this happens...it's called loyalty which you don't get further up on the ladder like the sales dept/aftersales.They (further up the ladder) will always look down on us grafters.
There is a need for dealership service departments. If you're car is under warranty then i think you should definitely take your car to the dealer for maintenance. But after that,diy or take it to an inexpensive yet reputable shop.
Dealerships may be expensive but we maintain our Mercedes at Dealerships since new. It is now 7 years old and has 120.000km on the clock and it was worth it because in the car nearly nothing went wrong and we have a mobility warranty as long as we are at a dealer for repairs. That means if we ever break down Mercedes sends a support car to us and we get a loaner instantly. And resale value is higher with a full service history at Mercedes
My dealer wanted $630 to “reseal Thermostat” because it didnt have the “proper seal/gasket” I recently replaced the thermostat and did a coolanr flush for the grand total of $50 (btw the thermostat gasket is like $1.00)
Always have a good rapore with mechanics/technicians as they'll save you money big time....don't forget a car is the 2nd biggest/expensice purchase you'll make.Me personaly i always repay them with gratitude incl valeting their cars so we both keep on good terms and they'll remember that,take note guys n girls.
You are the man. I just bought a 2017 GLE 43 AMG. I love the car. I'm a HVAC Technician from NYC. But the way these Mercedes Benz certified shops charge I think I'm in the wrong business. Watching you work makes me wish I had your skills and that lift. I guess I'm to old to pick up another Trade and try to master it. I wouldn't even know how to schedule it in. But thank for your videos
We had an '08 ML350 in the shop this week, on a road trip his battery failed and the MB dealership in New Rochelle, NY quoted him for blown shocks and a bad tensioner pulley and belt. Upon our request for a second opinion I agreed with the belt, tensioner, as well as a noisy idler pulley. But the shocks were all dry and functioning. His power steering rack however was hemorrhaging steering fluid......
I drive an 18 and 20 year old Mercedes, a C and an E-class, and this guy is so right on with what one can save with some DIY effort. Big stuff goes to an independent mechanic. That said, I'm spending less than $600 a year in maintenance and repairs on both cars.
Very professional production! You speak well, present amazingly clearly, and have the perfect approach. Your camera work and editing was spot on. No apology necessary for the sound as even that was very good. Thanks for the great work. (The snow reminded me of growing up a Chicago son...but I’ve long since fled to warmer climes-Florida-in my older age.)
I've been doing my own work for over 20 years. I've done a couple stints in independent shops as well as dealerships.That experience came in real handy when I bought a 2010 Audi A4 at auction that had failed it's safety inspection for brakes, suspension, and lighting. I replaced the front and rear brake pads, front rotors and pad wear sensor, the upper and lower control arms on both sides in the front as well as lower ball joints, one front headlight ballast, and an Ebay side view mirror ( Which was already black and matched the car.) because the integrated turn signal indicator was busted. all in my driveway. I used Rock Auto for all my parts with the exception of the mirror and all I paid was parts and my time. It was nice buying a car that is now worth $5,000 for $2,500 and for $600 in parts and a few weekends got it up to snuff. If I had a shop do this work, I'd have to remortgage my house.
In other words, if you have the hots for older Ben'z then it's in your best interest to consider learning how to DIY or finding a fair and trustworthy mechanic.
This video was so freaking awesome. I just bought me a 1998 Mercedes C230, for $1200. Over all not bad. Just need new tires since it’s been sitting for a while, new passenger seat belt (it’s loose at the pulley hinges and won’t retract. ) and may need work on the transmission (leaking) I was afraid I paid to much, but then I realize- I didn’t care. It was cheap for me, it runs, and I can learn to fix it on my own. So it’s a good overall experience for me... (first car) wish me luck please. Any tips and tricks or just overall suggestions would be great if y’all have any
Thanks for the breakdown. It's crazy how these dealership shops aren't out of business. I stopped taking my Corvette to the dealer after they refused to honor a warranty that I had paid $2,000 for.
Man I need a lift in the worst way. Done so much of this kind of work on my back with the vehicle on jack stands. By the way love that you have an American flag hanging up in the garage. Thumbs up!
I just picked up a '02 E320. It's clean and mostly just needed rear brakes (one pad got stuck and prematurely wore out) and the AC doesnt work. I did the brake work, then took it to a shop to get an estimate of what was wrong with the AC. They were unsure and even refused to charge me the diagnostic time because they didnt know how to deal with Mercedes. So, I took it to the dealership; AC compressor worn out, only engages at high RPMS, and a leak at the expander valve (really a seal on the line going into the expander valve); Dealer Quote: $3500 + 3 days. After doing some reasearch, I got all the parts for $280; brand new AC compressor, expander valve, and drier + all new o-rings and seals. It's all possible to do, but I'll admit that expander valve is a bit tedious to get to. So, Dealership vs DIY cost difference here was extreme: $3500 vs $280+ cost of refrigerant $60. Disclaimer: AC work can be easy as long as you can follow directions. Also do not vent refrigerant; get a shop to evacuate the AC system for you, should be about $35-$60 for them to do that depending on the shop. The AC manifold can allow you to fill it without problem, or you can just have a shop charge the AC system for you usually around $150 to do that.
Started watching you when you got the Delorean. Saw the whole series and loved your content. Videos are straight to the point and realistic expectations with real numbers and breakdown for regular people like us. I am starting today from your very first video and hopefully I’ll be all caught up with your recent ones in a few weeks. Keep up the good work!
Great video. It illustrates the point that I wish there were more brand-specific independent mechanics out there. That would give dealers a run for their money and bring much neededcompetition. I’m talking about people like you that are a former technician for a dealer but will only service one specific brand of car. That ensures much better knowledge on that brand of car.
Alex is like the magician that shows all the trade secrets that used to run on TV. Alex if you go missing we know who got ya! Lastly I approve this message.
Agree with you 100% Dealer asked to fix my wife’s car for $2900 took the car to a local mechanic and did the job for under $1000 parts and labor!!! Go figure!!!
They actually also do make money from car sales, the more luxurious a model is the more they make... you'd be surprised how much profit a dealer makes on selling new cars.
They make money on both sales and service of the cars after they sell them. What you see on the window sticker is not what the dealership pays for the car. The same goes for parts. At the one Ford dealership I worked at, they charged the customer $20 for a headlight bulb that the customer could get at Autozone for $9. While that is a minimal gain compared to the labor they charge to install the part. You'll get whacked for an hour labor to install a headlight because that's what the book says. So you're looking at well over $100 to change out a headlight bulb. Something you could do in the parking lot in 20 minutes for $9.
I have been working on my 2000 ML ever since it went out of dealer warranty. Really not that hard as long as you are mechanical/electrical inclined. I have seen and fixed all the problems as he mentioned DIY. Good thing with ML series is that you can simply crawl under and don't need a lift...
in 2013, my GF bought a 2003 C220d (diesel) very cheaply. It had a huge list of faults reported by the OBD She thought she'd be smart and got the MB dealership to print out the list of "repairs" and then went to a 3rd party repairer - spending about $3500 to get them all done. At the end of the repairs, it still had an enormously long list of faults reported (engine, transmission, etc) and couldn't even GET to 60mph (almost no change from before the job - but because she came in with a list of things to do, the repairer wasn't on the hook for anything) I took it for a run to test things - finding that it wasn't heating up according to the gauge after 25 mins and there was no water pressure (hose squeeze test). OK says I, a water leak. Opened up the reservoir (pressure vessel on these babies) to find it's full - of COLD water. Sure enough, the thermostat was wedged wide open, so I jammed a sheet of cardboard in front of the rad and drove it home - in that period it warmed up a little and some of the alarms went away. Local car wizard changed out the thermostat (Which is a $180 part!!!) and things improved dramatically. Unfortunately it still lacked power - which turned out to be because the turbo control vanes were completely jammed due to excess soot production due to the cold engine upsetting the control system. This cost a few hundred dollars to disassemble clean and test. So, in short, she spent a shedload of unnecessary money (and would have spent even more at the stealership) because Mercedes Benz didn't consider what might happen if the thermostat fails _open_ and failed to have the engine computer detect such a condition. The repairer was happy as he got a large bunch of leftover parts which had nothing wrong with them. And the GF? Well she got rid of the car a couple of weeks later because she'd decided it was unreliable. Someone got a bargain. Be warned!
I believe the the pump that you pointed out that looked like it was leaking was not a power steering pump. That's appeared to be the AC compressor. Notice the clutch on the pully side that engages when air conditioning is turned on.
Surprised, this man knows his shit better then the dealerships very impressed with his knowledge , sure the lad is gonna be successful. Oh. I drive a e420 1995 last year produced w124 cool car is needed for a cool hombre such as I. Believe it
A very busy man you are. It's like this here in the uk. Prices are insane for dealer. Bmw charge around 110 pounds an hour depending where in the country you live. iWork on aircraft for a living and our hourly rate is half that or a car dealer. Different spectrums of work but it makes you think. Keep up the good work and I'll look forward to more videos.
A couple of driving clips would be nice:D hard accelerations etc. It’s always fun to see cars in rather bad condition (this one only from outside though) going full throttle
Check the other videos on this car. I go WOT a few times, haha. I wanted to keep on point for this one. But I do plan on other vidoes with this car especially now that its fixed. Stay tuned. Alex
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. This kind of video always makes me want to go to my garage and work on my car, check the tire pressure at least.
Great video! I try to do as much as possible on my car myself. Till now only a clutch change is something i've never done. Seeing those dealer prices about the same as in europe:(
Why would you recommend not replacing the power steering pump? It has over 150k on it and possibly been run low on fluid. You replace just that seal, and if the pump makes noise a month later the mechanic will have to do the pump for free, and get a bad Google review and lose customer confidence. Doing the bare minimum is not necessarily cheaper, and doesn't necessarily lead to happy customers.
Very good question. Few things. First I didn't replace the pump because it wasn't bad. Second, the dealer did not present it as an option because it may be a good idea with the mileage. They straight up said the pump itself was leaking and needed to be replaced. Last, I didn't include replacing the pump and reservoir in my comparison. So even if it did really need to be replaced it was crazy expensive. Thanks for the good comment, appreciate you watching. Alex
I had a feeling this would be a good channel to subscribe to...I wasn't wrong. There is so much advice here for people who don't want to pay dealer prices, but don't have all the equipment. Keep up the good work!
I know some Benz use chrysler, mopar, dodge parts. A lot of the time you can buy the mopar part for a lot less then the Mercedes part. But that depends on the car or suv when it was made as at one time Mercedes was owned by chrysler
5 лет назад
I always find the exact part I need and cross reference it. You'll be surprised.
I'm not a Mercedes DIYer.Two questions though: 1) The sum of all the items are, of course more than the car's value. At that point maybe it's time to get rid of it. 2) Knowing how to do each item correctly is another part of this. It may be harder than video clips show. Some DIYer may be afraid to tackle some of these for fear of making it worse, especially when electronics are involved on expensive cars like Mercedes or BMWs.
It’s amazing that they don’t even try to reduce their prices at all. I get an email once a year with a $25 coupon…lol $25. Rotors and brakes at my local mb are $1200-$1400 EACH WHEEL! So multiply that by 4, and then subtract $25.
I have a 2006 sl 500 with ABC. Just did a 4 wheel alignment at dealer. The results for the line that says "Rear axle vehicle level ready for driving". is as follows: Before corection. Target Data. After correction left. 9mm/-0 . 5° - 2 . 2°. + / - 1 . 0 ' 9mm/-0 . 5° right. 5mm/ - 0. 9° 5mm/ - 0. 9° "Front axle vehicle level ready for driving" Before corection. Target Data. After correction left. -13mm/-9. 1° - 8 . 2°. + / - 1 . 6 ' -13mm/-9. 1° right. -13mm/-9. 1° -13mm/-9. 1° The numbers before and after correction for the rear axle are in red which means "measurement is out of tolerance" . The numbers for the front axle are green and all other adjustments (camber, caster & toe) are green and within target data. The rep, not mechanic, told me that the "Rear axle vehicle level ready for driving" cannot be corrected. Only with extensive suspension work and that the "red' results are due to settling and the car being so old. I really don't think he understood what he was looking at. Am I understanding this correct, one side is 4mm lower than the other? Cant the ABC ride hight be calibrated with the STAR diagnostic tool prior to the alignment?Thanks in advance for the response.
Great Video Alex. As a fellow Chicagoan, your videos made me want to get a Mercedes. As a total newb though, I went the safe route and bought a CPO 2013 C300 from the dealer for my first experience. Thanks for the vids!!
One of your best vids Alex. Great content, pacing & editing. Straight-up and interesting. You've also got the time-lapse frame rate perfect now. Big ups.
Thanks, ya the time lapse is a lot easier now that Im not taking a picture every 10 seconds and trying to put it all together, haha. I just bought a few massive sd cards to film long sections. Still takes time to edit but it looks much better. Thanks for noticing Alex
I joined a Mercedes forum, Closest shop recommended was 300 miles away, I said thats too far for service. His response, ask anyone who's had work done there. So far, no one in my area would even consider driving that far for service, go figure.
Thanks Alex, good video. What on earth is wrong with Mercedes, everything on the externals leaks, is like everything all inclusive. Then the engine itself, rear main and oil pan also leaks. I have had three of them, all leakers. They have gotten worse over the years, no progress. The seals suck front to back. Is ridiculous.
I didn't know you bought this car. Great video because I always wondered what rate other people charged. $75 an hour is fair but I usually do package deals. Cool hoopty.
What do you know about a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, automatic trans with 84000 miles in good working condition. Is this a good reliable car or a problem car?
Awesome video. I want to take on more do it yourself projects. The one thing I’m a little concerned about is trouble shooting. I’d love to see an in-depth video on troubleshooting. And knowing problem areas on certain cars. I’m not sure if there’s a good resource for that information like maybe a form.
MyTruckinLife ACE my buddy is a Ford tech. they use flow charts and often call Ford engineers to troubleshoot. I realized that they weren't excellent mechanics, just had resources.
I had a 1999 Mercedes C280 that had a broken driver side mirror glass and the quote I got from the Mercedes dealership was $500. That was just for the glass and not the whole side mirror! Never go to the dealer for anything besides warranty work
No reprogram needed. The conductor plate is a very basic circuit board. No brain to it. A trans adaptation reset is not a bad idea if that particular model has the capability.
What are front rotors you intend to use for replacement? I couldn't find any replacement for expensive OE rotors which are sort of AMG exclusive so no aftermarket ones available?
My neighbor took his 5 yo M-B to the dealer for an oil change. Was told that he needed $6K in repairs and he actually had the work done. Sucker. "Luxury car" dealer wanted me to have a "tune up" to include replacing the Denso iridium plugs that are warranteed for 100K. The car had about 60K on the clock, started easily and ran smoothly. I declined. At 155K the car continues to run well and retains the original plugs, etc. I have pulled a couple of plugs and they are still within spec.
If its under warranty I recommend taking it to the dealer and trying to negotiate a lower price. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get 10-20% off by asking.
LegitStreetCars it's a 2008 MK5. Can independent mechanics have the tools and resources to do these jobs at the same quality level like the dealers? The car is in mint condition and I don't want to fuck up.
Hello, could you give the references of the parts that you have replaced in the gearbox, I have the same leak from that yellow part that enters the gearbox with a cable and leaks oil due to the small dust cover it has. I am not able to locate the part
Could you comment on Mercedes specific tools that a DIY mechanic would not own and would need to purchase for the work you did? When I do my own work I have to factor that in.
Hey Jeremiah, For these specific jobs the only Mercedes tools need were for the fan clutch. It requires a tool that holds the fan and a large thin wrench to spin the clutch off. Here is a nice set on Amazon that covers Mercedes, BMW and other Makes as well. Only $50!! www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Clutch-Water-Profile-Wrench/dp/B010VOH6UG/ref=pd_day0_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B010VOH6UG&pd_rd_r=GQNVN60GWFWVFGVHC4AF&pd_rd_w=3cyti&pd_rd_wg=Wx19A&psc=1&refRID=GQNVN60GWFWVFGVHC4AF Thanks for watching Alex
big issue to is the dealers insist on or are forced to using official parts whereas independents will use lemforder etc. same parts really just less money
Turbo LS guy, ey. Well definitely check back next week. I just finished the tune on my Turbo LS and it goes on the dyno for numbers on Tuesday. Thanks for watching. Alex
Great content, keep up the good work! I selfishly wish that this was on the E55 though and fought to keep my Chipotle's down everytime I saw the body. You're brave meng.
after wrenching on my e46 for years i have found these older euro cars are not too bad to work on and the parts a cheap. Also life is a lot easier with a lift !!!!!! Also , was that E55 originally white? if it is , what a waste of a rare colored e55
What’s not being said, if you go to the Dealership, you’re getting the absolute best service possible for the vehicle, and oftentimes the dealership will go above and beyond what a garage mechanic will do.
I did my 722.6 cunductor plate and when I pulled the wiring harness out, I noticed that the second outer o ring was missing. I didn't understand why it would be missing until I went to put the new harness in. For the life of me I could not get the plug to screw in with the o ring on, I tried with the o ring on and off. With it off, it bolted in with a little force. But with it on, it would not screw in no matter how hard I tried. I spent almost a full hour and a half struggling with it until out of frustration I just screwed it in without the outer o ring. I know I'm just asking for problems down the road, but it was 102 degrees here in Texas and I was just frustrated. It still has the inner o ring on the plug though. My question, has anyone else had problems getting the plug to screw in with both o rings? The plastic yellow hand-lock engaged, but it seemed like the outer o ring just pushed the whole plug out too far for the inner screw to actually screw in.
as always, great video alex. appreciate all the work u put into the video, i know this is not done easily. great editing, great content, not one boring second in any of your videos. please keep it up. regards from austria
A beautiful example of the benefits of DIYing as well as the benefits of finding competent independent shops. Thanks!
I always take my cars to independent shops. Dealer quality work at 60% less the cost. Only con is that the repairs don't go into carfax (that's why I keep all receipts) but ask me if I give a fuck LOL
Keep the receipts, good idea. Carfax, it's far from perfect and shouldn't be relied upon when purchasing a car IMO.
There is a reason why people call them "stealerships"
I'm in the car trade as a valeter and we know many valeters and mechanics/technicians in the trade and i can tell you Merc garages will rip you off big time and lie big time.We tell each other what goes on and help each other out when things like this happens...it's called loyalty which you don't get further up on the ladder like the sales dept/aftersales.They (further up the ladder) will always look down on us grafters.
You get what you pay for.
There is a need for dealership service departments. If you're car is under warranty then i think you should definitely take your car to the dealer for maintenance. But after that,diy or take it to an inexpensive yet reputable shop.
Bradley Preston nailed it
Dealerships may be expensive but we maintain our Mercedes at Dealerships since new. It is now 7 years old and has 120.000km on the clock and it was worth it because in the car nearly nothing went wrong and we have a mobility warranty as long as we are at a dealer for repairs. That means if we ever break down Mercedes sends a support car to us and we get a loaner instantly. And resale value is higher with a full service history at Mercedes
My dealer wanted $630 to “reseal Thermostat” because it didnt have the “proper seal/gasket”
I recently replaced the thermostat and did a coolanr flush for the grand total of $50 (btw the thermostat gasket is like $1.00)
Haha thats great.
Alex
Always have a good rapore with mechanics/technicians as they'll save you money big time....don't forget a car is the 2nd biggest/expensice purchase you'll make.Me personaly i always repay them with gratitude incl valeting their cars so we both keep on good terms and they'll remember that,take note guys n girls.
this car has an o'ring not a gasket so the shade tree "gasket in a tube" won't work
Wish I had a garage with a lift :(
Stalin I wish i had a garage!
Hell yeah! Imagine the money you could save and the money you could make fixing other people's cars ;)
Lifts are over rated. I've swapped whole rear ends on my back in my uncovered driveway. Where's your sense of adventure?
04Interc3ptorP71 sense of wanting to get crushed
You are the man. I just bought a 2017 GLE 43 AMG. I love the car. I'm a HVAC Technician from NYC. But the way these Mercedes Benz certified shops charge I think I'm in the wrong business. Watching you work makes me wish I had your skills and that lift. I guess I'm to old to pick up another Trade and try to master it. I wouldn't even know how to schedule it in. But thank for your videos
Great video! Would love to see more DIY stuff on E55 maintenance and repairs. Thanks
I swear if I become a mechanic for my Mercedes and every other one, it’s because of you ! Thanks for your motivation
We had an '08 ML350 in the shop this week, on a road trip his battery failed and the MB dealership in New Rochelle, NY quoted him for blown shocks and a bad tensioner pulley and belt. Upon our request for a second opinion I agreed with the belt, tensioner, as well as a noisy idler pulley. But the shocks were all dry and functioning. His power steering rack however was hemorrhaging steering fluid......
I drive an 18 and 20 year old Mercedes, a C and an E-class, and this guy is so right on with what one can save with some DIY effort. Big stuff goes to an independent mechanic. That said, I'm spending less than $600 a year in maintenance and repairs on both cars.
Very professional production! You speak well, present amazingly clearly, and have the perfect approach. Your camera work and editing was spot on. No apology necessary for the sound as even that was very good. Thanks for the great work. (The snow reminded me of growing up a Chicago son...but I’ve long since fled to warmer climes-Florida-in my older age.)
Thanks John, appreciate the kind words. See you next video.
Alex
Bravo on a multi-angled repair analysis. Then you fixed it! Amazing work.
I've been doing my own work for over 20 years. I've done a couple stints in independent shops as well as dealerships.That experience came in real handy when I bought a 2010 Audi A4 at auction that had failed it's safety inspection for brakes, suspension, and lighting. I replaced the front and rear brake pads, front rotors and pad wear sensor, the upper and lower control arms on both sides in the front as well as lower ball joints, one front headlight ballast, and an Ebay side view mirror ( Which was already black and matched the car.) because the integrated turn signal indicator was busted. all in my driveway. I used Rock Auto for all my parts with the exception of the mirror and all I paid was parts and my time. It was nice buying a car that is now worth $5,000 for $2,500 and for $600 in parts and a few weekends got it up to snuff. If I had a shop do this work, I'd have to remortgage my house.
That's unbelievable, lifetime warranty
In other words, if you have the hots for older Ben'z then it's in your best interest to consider learning how to DIY or finding a fair and trustworthy mechanic.
This video was so freaking awesome. I just bought me a 1998 Mercedes C230, for $1200.
Over all not bad. Just need new tires since it’s been sitting for a while, new passenger seat belt (it’s loose at the pulley hinges and won’t retract. ) and may need work on the transmission (leaking)
I was afraid I paid to much, but then I realize- I didn’t care. It was cheap for me, it runs, and I can learn to fix it on my own. So it’s a good overall experience for me... (first car) wish me luck please.
Any tips and tricks or just overall suggestions would be great if y’all have any
Thanks for the breakdown. It's crazy how these dealership shops aren't out of business. I stopped taking my Corvette to the dealer after they refused to honor a warranty that I had paid $2,000 for.
Man I need a lift in the worst way. Done so much of this kind of work on my back with the vehicle on jack stands. By the way love that you have an American flag hanging up in the garage. Thumbs up!
Yea been there too. The lift is the best tool I've bought.
Oh you know I have to have my flag in there.
Thanks for watching
Alex
Yup although I despise trump and his delusional supporters it's like supporting Hitler and is actually very similar in tactics
I just picked up a '02 E320. It's clean and mostly just needed rear brakes (one pad got stuck and prematurely wore out) and the AC doesnt work. I did the brake work, then took it to a shop to get an estimate of what was wrong with the AC. They were unsure and even refused to charge me the diagnostic time because they didnt know how to deal with Mercedes. So, I took it to the dealership; AC compressor worn out, only engages at high RPMS, and a leak at the expander valve (really a seal on the line going into the expander valve); Dealer Quote: $3500 + 3 days.
After doing some reasearch, I got all the parts for $280; brand new AC compressor, expander valve, and drier + all new o-rings and seals. It's all possible to do, but I'll admit that expander valve is a bit tedious to get to. So, Dealership vs DIY cost difference here was extreme: $3500 vs $280+ cost of refrigerant $60.
Disclaimer: AC work can be easy as long as you can follow directions. Also do not vent refrigerant; get a shop to evacuate the AC system for you, should be about $35-$60 for them to do that depending on the shop. The AC manifold can allow you to fill it without problem, or you can just have a shop charge the AC system for you usually around $150 to do that.
Started watching you when you got the Delorean. Saw the whole series and loved your content. Videos are straight to the point and realistic expectations with real numbers and breakdown for regular people like us. I am starting today from your very first video and hopefully I’ll be all caught up with your recent ones in a few weeks. Keep up the good work!
Great video. It illustrates the point that I wish there were more brand-specific independent mechanics out there. That would give dealers a run for their money and bring much neededcompetition. I’m talking about people like you that are a former technician for a dealer but will only service one specific brand of car. That ensures much better knowledge on that brand of car.
There’s a plethora of Mercedes specialist…
I wish I had your skills, you make it look really easy.
My life would be so much happier if I had a knowledgeable friend like you.
We can be friends. Email me if you have a question about automotive service. I'll help you out.
Thanks for watching.
Alex
Alex is like the magician that shows all the trade secrets that used to run on TV. Alex if you go missing we know who got ya! Lastly I approve this message.
Haha this is awesome.
Alex
You fix like a boss. I need a lift in my garage too, been checking the prices lately, lift is for sure my next project
Agree with you 100% Dealer asked to fix my wife’s car for $2900 took the car to a local mechanic and did the job for under $1000 parts and labor!!!
Go figure!!!
Fuel intake cleaning $500
Brake fluid flush $250
Power steering flush $200
Rear axle fluid $250
Automatic trans flush $400
Engine flush $150
Coolant Flush $260
Coolant hose replacement $1350
alignment $300
Please restore this car and make videos on you DIY'ing on it
Dealerships aren't making their money off car sales.
They actually also do make money from car sales, the more luxurious a model is the more they make... you'd be surprised how much profit a dealer makes on selling new cars.
They make PLENTY of money from car sales. Sheesh.
They make money on both sales and service of the cars after they sell them. What you see on the window sticker is not what the dealership pays for the car. The same goes for parts. At the one Ford dealership I worked at, they charged the customer $20 for a headlight bulb that the customer could get at Autozone for $9. While that is a minimal gain compared to the labor they charge to install the part. You'll get whacked for an hour labor to install a headlight because that's what the book says. So you're looking at well over $100 to change out a headlight bulb. Something you could do in the parking lot in 20 minutes for $9.
I have been working on my 2000 ML ever since it went out of dealer warranty. Really not that hard as long as you are mechanical/electrical inclined. I have seen and fixed all the problems as he mentioned DIY. Good thing with ML series is that you can simply crawl under and don't need a lift...
in 2013, my GF bought a 2003 C220d (diesel) very cheaply. It had a huge list of faults reported by the OBD
She thought she'd be smart and got the MB dealership to print out the list of "repairs" and then went to a 3rd party repairer - spending about $3500 to get them all done. At the end of the repairs, it still had an enormously long list of faults reported (engine, transmission, etc) and couldn't even GET to 60mph (almost no change from before the job - but because she came in with a list of things to do, the repairer wasn't on the hook for anything)
I took it for a run to test things - finding that it wasn't heating up according to the gauge after 25 mins and there was no water pressure (hose squeeze test). OK says I, a water leak. Opened up the reservoir (pressure vessel on these babies) to find it's full - of COLD water.
Sure enough, the thermostat was wedged wide open, so I jammed a sheet of cardboard in front of the rad and drove it home - in that period it warmed up a little and some of the alarms went away.
Local car wizard changed out the thermostat (Which is a $180 part!!!) and things improved dramatically. Unfortunately it still lacked power - which turned out to be because the turbo control vanes were completely jammed due to excess soot production due to the cold engine upsetting the control system. This cost a few hundred dollars to disassemble clean and test.
So, in short, she spent a shedload of unnecessary money (and would have spent even more at the stealership) because Mercedes Benz didn't consider what might happen if the thermostat fails _open_ and failed to have the engine computer detect such a condition. The repairer was happy as he got a large bunch of leftover parts which had nothing wrong with them.
And the GF? Well she got rid of the car a couple of weeks later because she'd decided it was unreliable. Someone got a bargain.
Be warned!
I believe the the pump that you pointed out that looked like it was leaking was not a power steering pump. That's appeared to be the AC compressor. Notice the clutch on the pully side that engages when air conditioning is turned on.
Please make a video to show us basic and special tools required/you use to work on your mercs. Your videos have inspired me to DIY repair my mercs.
My first car was a W202 Mercedes.
As a young guy in HS with a side job at the local WalMart, it was a requirement i learned diy to even own it.
This guy needs more subs. He could be the resident RUclips AMG diy resource!
Surprised, this man knows his shit better then the dealerships very impressed with his knowledge , sure the lad is gonna be successful. Oh. I drive a e420 1995 last year produced w124 cool car is needed for a cool hombre such as I. Believe it
You need to upload more
Great video! Post more on this C43 AMG. I'm glad you decided to restore this car.
Well Im not really restoring it. Just fixing all the mechanical for future racing.
A very busy man you are. It's like this here in the uk. Prices are insane for dealer. Bmw charge around 110 pounds an hour depending where in the country you live. iWork on aircraft for a living and our hourly rate is half that or a car dealer. Different spectrums of work but it makes you think.
Keep up the good work and I'll look forward to more videos.
A couple of driving clips would be nice:D hard accelerations etc. It’s always fun to see cars in rather bad condition (this one only from outside though) going full throttle
Check the other videos on this car. I go WOT a few times, haha. I wanted to keep on point for this one. But I do plan on other vidoes with this car especially now that its fixed. Stay tuned.
Alex
This video makes me want to buy just a Toyota or Honda.
I will not be surprised to see him become one of the bigger car RUclipsrs this year !!! Awesome video!!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. This kind of video always makes me want to go to my garage and work on my car, check the tire pressure at least.
Great video!
I try to do as much as possible on my car myself. Till now only a clutch change is something i've never done. Seeing those dealer prices about the same as in europe:(
Why would you recommend not replacing the power steering pump? It has over 150k on it and possibly been run low on fluid. You replace just that seal, and if the pump makes noise a month later the mechanic will have to do the pump for free, and get a bad Google review and lose customer confidence. Doing the bare minimum is not necessarily cheaper, and doesn't necessarily lead to happy customers.
Very good question. Few things. First I didn't replace the pump because it wasn't bad.
Second, the dealer did not present it as an option because it may be a good idea with the mileage. They straight up said the pump itself was leaking and needed to be replaced.
Last, I didn't include replacing the pump and reservoir in my comparison. So even if it did really need to be replaced it was crazy expensive.
Thanks for the good comment, appreciate you watching.
Alex
I had a feeling this would be a good channel to subscribe to...I wasn't wrong.
There is so much advice here for people who don't want to pay dealer prices, but don't have all the equipment.
Keep up the good work!
I know some Benz use chrysler, mopar, dodge parts. A lot of the time you can buy the mopar part for a lot less then the Mercedes part. But that depends on the car or suv when it was made as at one time Mercedes was owned by chrysler
I always find the exact part I need and cross reference it. You'll be surprised.
This is GREAT! Thank you. We just spent $10,000 for a full restoration on a 1988 260E doing it your way (independent shops)
Awesome!!! For a full resto with paint and really any amount of metal work, engine, trans, interior, thats an amazing deal!
Alex
What a waste of 10,000.
Stanley Kwak bugger off loser
I'm not a Mercedes DIYer.Two questions though: 1) The sum of all the items are, of course more than the car's value. At that point maybe it's time to get rid of it. 2) Knowing how to do each item correctly is another part of this. It may be harder than video clips show. Some DIYer may be afraid to tackle some of these for fear of making it worse, especially when electronics are involved on expensive cars like Mercedes or BMWs.
Cracking video Alex. Really enjoyed it and what an eye opener the savings that can be made with a little elbow grease. 👍
This is why people hate dealerships. Good video Alex.
ur a freakin BOSS
You're *
Yes he is
It’s amazing that they don’t even try to reduce their prices at all. I get an email once a year with a $25 coupon…lol $25. Rotors and brakes at my local mb are $1200-$1400 EACH WHEEL! So multiply that by 4, and then subtract $25.
that car is super easy to work on. I also got a 2001 S600 that has all Walmart Supertech fluids in it. Mine's not so easy to work on.
I have a 2006 sl 500 with ABC. Just did a 4 wheel alignment at dealer. The results for the line that says
"Rear axle vehicle level ready for driving". is as follows:
Before corection. Target Data. After correction
left. 9mm/-0 . 5° - 2 . 2°. + / - 1 . 0 ' 9mm/-0 . 5°
right. 5mm/ - 0. 9° 5mm/ - 0. 9°
"Front axle vehicle level ready for driving"
Before corection. Target Data. After correction
left. -13mm/-9. 1° - 8 . 2°. + / - 1 . 6 ' -13mm/-9. 1°
right. -13mm/-9. 1° -13mm/-9. 1°
The numbers before and after correction for the rear axle are in red which means "measurement is out of tolerance" . The numbers for the front axle are green and all other adjustments (camber, caster & toe) are green and within target data. The rep, not mechanic, told me that the "Rear axle vehicle level ready for driving" cannot be corrected. Only with extensive suspension work and that the "red' results are due to settling and the car being so old. I really don't think he understood what he was looking at. Am I understanding this correct, one side is 4mm lower than the other? Cant the ABC ride hight be calibrated with the STAR diagnostic tool prior to the alignment?Thanks in advance for the response.
Great Video Alex. As a fellow Chicagoan, your videos made me want to get a Mercedes. As a total newb though, I went the safe route and bought a CPO 2013 C300 from the dealer for my first experience. Thanks for the vids!!
Thanks! Nothing wrong with a CPO. A good friend of mine just went with a 15 CPO C300. Great warranty.
Alex
One of your best vids Alex. Great content, pacing & editing. Straight-up and interesting. You've also got the time-lapse frame rate perfect now. Big ups.
Thanks, ya the time lapse is a lot easier now that Im not taking a picture every 10 seconds and trying to put it all together, haha. I just bought a few massive sd cards to film long sections. Still takes time to edit but it looks much better. Thanks for noticing
Alex
I joined a Mercedes forum, Closest shop recommended was 300 miles away, I said thats too far for service. His response, ask anyone who's had work done there. So far, no one in my area would even consider driving that far for service, go figure.
Wonderful to know alternative when owning high end cars.
Maybe a garage paint job and material,labor cost? Would be cool but a pain.
Thanks Alex, good video. What on earth is wrong with Mercedes, everything on the externals leaks, is like everything all inclusive. Then the engine itself, rear main and oil pan also leaks. I have had three of them, all leakers. They have gotten worse over the years, no progress. The seals suck front to back. Is ridiculous.
The costs on cash - side job does not include the parts replacements, should you add the DIY cost to it, to have the total?
Alex this is an awesome video thanks. It did confirm one thing that I had wondered, that you are in fact a former Mercedes tech.
Yep, 9 years as a master tech for Mercedes. Learned a lot but I've been out for about 6 years now as I moved on to run a large fleet shop.
Thanks
Alex
I didn't know you bought this car. Great video because I always wondered what rate other people charged. $75 an hour is fair but I usually do package deals. Cool hoopty.
What do you know about a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, automatic trans with 84000 miles in good working condition. Is this a good reliable car or a problem car?
Awesome video. I want to take on more do it yourself projects. The one thing I’m a little concerned about is trouble shooting. I’d love to see an in-depth video on troubleshooting. And knowing problem areas on certain cars. I’m not sure if there’s a good resource for that information like maybe a form.
MyTruckinLife ACE great idea 👍
Phil McCabe thanks
MyTruckinLife ACE my buddy is a Ford tech. they use flow charts and often call Ford engineers to troubleshoot. I realized that they weren't excellent mechanics, just had resources.
If you look online you can find books that help with trouble shooting with you vehicle.
Eric Teeter thanks
one of the most legit youtubers
I had a 1999 Mercedes C280 that had a broken driver side mirror glass and the quote I got from the Mercedes dealership was $500. That was just for the glass and not the whole side mirror! Never go to the dealer for anything besides warranty work
Great video as always!
don't you have to reprogram the TCU when replacing the conductor plate or else it will go into limp home mode?? correct me if im wrong
No reprogram needed. The conductor plate is a very basic circuit board. No brain to it. A trans adaptation reset is not a bad idea if that particular model has the capability.
question when you did the work on the trans did you replace the mount at the same time because you were right there just to have that piece of mind??
What are front rotors you intend to use for replacement? I couldn't find any replacement for expensive OE rotors which are sort of AMG exclusive so no aftermarket ones available?
Actually Mister, I like your videos and clearly you know your stuff.
Thanks David! Appreciate that.
Alex
My neighbor took his 5 yo M-B to the dealer for an oil change. Was told that he needed $6K in repairs and he actually had the work done. Sucker. "Luxury car" dealer wanted me to have a "tune up" to include replacing the Denso iridium plugs that are warranteed for 100K. The car had about 60K on the clock, started easily and ran smoothly. I declined. At 155K the car continues to run well and retains the original plugs, etc. I have pulled a couple of plugs and they are still within spec.
Great video!
could you make a video showing all your tools, what brands do you prefer, what tools are must have and so on?
Yes I have a few garage/tool videos planned for the winter. Right now I have a few projects to finish like my E55 and some on the Trans AM
Man that repair cost is astronomical!!! Sad thing is some sucker would pay that.
Good video man👍👍
Subscribed. My question: should I take my VW DSG to the dealer for transmission oil change or DIY? They charge $774. Thanks.
If its under warranty I recommend taking it to the dealer and trying to negotiate a lower price. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get 10-20% off by asking.
LegitStreetCars it's a 2008 MK5. Can independent mechanics have the tools and resources to do these jobs at the same quality level like the dealers? The car is in mint condition and I don't want to fuck up.
Hello, could you give the references of the parts that you have replaced in the gearbox, I have the same leak from that yellow part that enters the gearbox with a cable and leaks oil due to the small dust cover it has. I am not able to locate the part
How much did the PPI cost? What is a typical price of a PPI?
Pretty rare car here in Australia. There are only 41. Prices start here at $29k :)
Could you comment on Mercedes specific tools that a DIY mechanic would not own and would need to purchase for the work you did? When I do my own work I have to factor that in.
Hey Jeremiah,
For these specific jobs the only Mercedes tools need were for the fan clutch. It requires a tool that holds the fan and a large thin wrench to spin the clutch off. Here is a nice set on Amazon that covers Mercedes, BMW and other Makes as well. Only $50!!
www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Clutch-Water-Profile-Wrench/dp/B010VOH6UG/ref=pd_day0_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B010VOH6UG&pd_rd_r=GQNVN60GWFWVFGVHC4AF&pd_rd_w=3cyti&pd_rd_wg=Wx19A&psc=1&refRID=GQNVN60GWFWVFGVHC4AF
Thanks for watching
Alex
I was right about the dealerships of Mercedes like always
Great video, this channel is going places!
Quick question. What would you charge a customer for the same work if you owned a Mercedes benz dealership?
Panagiotis Perentes 5k, and I wouldn't have recommended the power steering pump and reservoir.
big issue to is the dealers insist on or are forced to using official parts whereas independents will use lemforder etc. same parts really just less money
Really enjoying the videos. I'm not even a Mercedes guy but I am a turbo LS guys.
Turbo LS guy, ey. Well definitely check back next week. I just finished the tune on my Turbo LS and it goes on the dyno for numbers on Tuesday. Thanks for watching.
Alex
Great content, keep up the good work! I selfishly wish that this was on the E55 though and fought to keep my Chipotle's down everytime I saw the body. You're brave meng.
Haha, the E55 will be back for another video very soon. Just received another box of performance parts.
Alex
Watching this while I wait for your next video. Ad pops up - Dealership commercial!
Haha, that's great
I get most of my parts from FCP Euro. As long they are available. Good prices
Alec , excellent video as always. Thank you for creating such
An interesting channel. Take care
Alex, do you do side work? Do you feel like putting new head bolts in my m156 w211? Then we could race e55 vs e63. Would make a great vid!
Nick Carlson Sorry Nick I just don't have the time. But I'll still race ya!
Alex
after wrenching on my e46 for years i have found these older euro cars are not too bad to work on and the parts a cheap. Also life is a lot easier with a lift !!!!!! Also , was that E55 originally white? if it is , what a waste of a rare colored e55
My E55 was not white. If it was it would still be white, haha. Mine is the obsidian black color, pretty cool color.
Good job, and I worked at a shop for years.
Wish I could fix cars that fast!
What’s not being said, if you go to the Dealership, you’re getting the absolute best service possible for the vehicle, and oftentimes the dealership will go above and beyond what a garage mechanic will do.
Another excellent video, Alex. I've said it before and I'll say it again: My favourite automotive RUclipsr. 👍
Ill say it again too, thanks so much for all the support. Really appreciate you watching the videos.
Alex
Awesome video! Would absolutely love to see this done with BMW. I have saved so much money by being just SLIGHTLY capable.
i like alex and his work!!
I am buying 2003 W211. That is E220 Benz CDI diesel for 4000 dollers is it worth
Can be maintained? Please advise
I did my 722.6 cunductor plate and when I pulled the wiring harness out, I noticed that the second outer o ring was missing. I didn't understand why it would be missing until I went to put the new harness in. For the life of me I could not get the plug to screw in with the o ring on, I tried with the o ring on and off. With it off, it bolted in with a little force. But with it on, it would not screw in no matter how hard I tried. I spent almost a full hour and a half struggling with it until out of frustration I just screwed it in without the outer o ring. I know I'm just asking for problems down the road, but it was 102 degrees here in Texas and I was just frustrated. It still has the inner o ring on the plug though. My question, has anyone else had problems getting the plug to screw in with both o rings? The plastic yellow hand-lock engaged, but it seemed like the outer o ring just pushed the whole plug out too far for the inner screw to actually screw in.
as always, great video alex. appreciate all the work u put into the video, i know this is not done easily. great editing, great content, not one boring second in any of your videos. please keep it up.
regards from austria
Thanks Mike so glad you enjoyed this one.
Alex