There’s a dash cam video of a Mercedes being taken in for something like its 30k service. The owner set the dash cam to record everything. It was in the service bay for just a few minutes, they never opened the hood or put it in the air. Then several techs jumped and they took it out to joy ride and get ice cream together. They brought it back and the service advisor billed the customer over $1000 for doing nothing but “test drive” his car. When he reviewed the dash cam and complained the dealer denied it all until he showed them the video. Dealers have been caught not performing a lot of the things they charge for many times.
eah, Democrats DO that, they think almost everything is some sort of Joke or game or trick to be played or exposed, or something, it's become obvious that they really do not have any real expectation of success in life nor path to reach the heights PROMISED to the 80s Gens, much less to the Now Clowns, but, Things CAN CHANGE, and only WE can change them..... Gen X, it's time to start making the Changes into reality....... ""Blazing Saddles"", it's our base....
I did a 1500 dollar brake job to my S-class Mercedes 2 weeks before my son wrecked the wheel (and some suspension parts) due to black ice and too much speed. It sat for 2 months due to back order on parts and when it got to the service, the dealer said 'he had never seen such horrible brakes and they needed to be replaced'. I emailed him the copy of the bill of replacing the pads, rotors and one caliper just 2 months prior...
I admit that I could feel my pulse go up with a couple of beats when the Mercedes was lowered to the floor so close to the tool bench on wheels. I was worried there for a couple of seconds that we were going to see some paint being scratched...
My 1st car was a ‘63 VW bug - if I didn’t torque the lug bolts evenly (with a torque wrench) the brake drums would warp with pulsations felt via the brake pedal when brakes applied. ALWAYS use a torque wrench on road wheels, cylinder heads, turbine and compressor rotor couplings! (I’m a retired Pratt & Whitney type)
I had a customer once that did something similar. At my shop I bring them out and show them while I explain my recommendations. I showed him his pads were pretty low and took him back up front to give him an estimate for pads and rotors. I told him the price and printed out the estimate. At that point he said he was not interested. I bring his car around and go to bill him out for a brake check and he looks at me and say's he doesn't appreciate me trying to sell him something that he doesn't need. He say's my car has a light that comes on when I need brake work done and keeps rambling on about how we are a shady shop. So he pays and I print a receipt and I give him another estimate. He looks at me and say's what is this estimate for, I say that's how much more it will cost when your service brakes light comes on. He stormed out.
It's sad that many people think that a part only needs to be replaced when it is 100% worn/broken not realizing that 99% of the time that creates more work and cost. They then think your trying to rip them off if you recommend it be replaced before it breaks more stuff.
@@locosiete6839 every one of them that says it will be fine think they know everything and they really isn't a failure... I am glad that I'm not paying for anyone else's car note anymore.
It’s unfortunate that we have to get a second opinion on most things requiring labor these days because of the number of crooks out there trying to steal from their customers. Thankfully there are some honest trades people like you still available. The challenge is finding them.
The way things are going in the Hell basket category I would say if your paying, you should be watching. So many companies rely on people not affording legal fees to file a lawsuit
I work at a Mercedes dealer. We use a brake measuring tool and when they are in the yellow, we recommend brakes. Of course it’s the advisors job to make note of the difference between a recommendation and a necessary repair. I don’t press a brake sell unless it’s in the red. As far as the rear brakes go, they looked like they were wearing unevenly. That’s more than likely the case why they recommended the rear brakes. Those rear brakes are notorious for wearing unevenly. On some models, there’s even a bulletin for it. They should’ve tried to sell those tires more than the brakes though.
If the cause for brake pad change is that brakes are worn unevenly, it will solve nothing, just waste the customer' s money. Mercedes dealer should offer the caliper check or whatever instead. That just shows the regular dealer's attitude. Thank you.
I used that same principle (guide pins) in many applications. Water pumps, helps hold gaskets in place too. Just makes reassemble a much easier task. I made my own by buying an extra long bolt and cutting the head off. I also cut a slot in the end in case I needed to use a screwdrive to get them out.
Many German cars that use lug bolts actually come with a tool like that in the tool kit in the trunk. Frankly, I always found that most of them were hub-centric enough that the wheel stayed put until I gave it a good whack anyway. They are super useful for getting things lined back up tho.
The lug stud with my E-320 CDI worked pretty good but having a home machine shop, I made a couple more and found that with just two mounting studs into the hub, R/R the wheel was perfected.
9:40. I can't believe how close the car coming down the lift was to that tool cart. Reminds me of that scene in Star Trek 3 where Kirk and the crew was stealing the Enterprise and the the ship just barely cleared the space doors
I love your videos , I dont call it meticulous, I call it proper procedure, I love the thoughts that roll thru your head, and talking to yourself, I do that all the time, I just wish someone was listening
This reminds me of when the Subaru dealer tried to convince me I needed new brake pads on my Forester because the pads were supposedly all between 2 and 3 mm of material remaining. I had just recently replaced all the pads myself so I knew they were bullshitting me. Asked them to show me and they made a big fuss about it until I said I had just replaced them and demanded they give my car back. They ended up admitting that they hadn't actually measured them or had the wheels off. Apparently the "official method from Subaru" (yeah right) was to take one of those nice little paperweights that shops have showing a brake pad with 3 different levels of wear; green, yellow, and red; hold that up next to the wheel, and "estimate" the pad wear to the closest one. Needless to say, they always thought they looked like the red one and the "measurements" they wrote down were just "estimates" from the range corresponding to that color on the "tool." Pretty sure that's NOT the proper technique from the service manual nor are those displays "tools" for measuring brake wear.
What BS (from the dealership I mean) a brake measurement tool is like 20 bucks MAYBE, and will have all the nessicary increments to get an accurate measurement.
I noticed they had different brand tires on the front and back. This is an indicator for me that the customer is probably not going to make any repairs unless they absolutely have to and then they are going to shop around for the absolute cheapest price they can find. Even if they have to go to several shops and get "Free" inspections and waste several mechanics' time and labor doing so.
There is no special reason for having same brand/type on both axles. The load (and type of load) is very different. You can even tune characteristics of you your car by using different types of tires.
Make your own wheel stud . Determine the thread size. Buy a 3" bolt , cut the head off and grind 2 flats so you can use pliers or adjustable wrench on it.
@@yeahitskimmel Well, if you do it yourself you will fell pride and joy every time you use them. Also it's it can be a nice pass time/hobby. If you are changing tires yourself then I guess you are not a stranger to DIY.
At the gas station I used to work at, I had a MB come in with similar wheels. The stems were in between the rim "fins". Didn't want to scratch the rim with the air chuck, so I got a plastic valve extension and added air with that on all fours. The owner was very appreciative.
Outboard pads on the rear show discoloration from overheating- the caliper slides are sticking which is why the pad wear is so uneven between the inboard and outboard pads. The pads primary function is friction, the second is heat management which is often overlooked. The ashy discoloration is a tell tale that shouldn't be ignored, and it's also an indication that the binding material is failing.
Jb..... well stealerships aren't working for free or low pay if you see it from a customers point of view. They got that name quickly by ripping off punters where their was no other options - now their is lot of it, so the stealership have turned the tables on small repair center with OEM parts/fixings/software or dealership only repairs. AKA closed the market in their favour !
@@batmansdad3195 If I did, I'd easily retire at a early age - Think about it for a second.... 🙃 I hope that answers your burning question, I hate dealerships with a passion.
As someone who worked at a dealership. We are told that once the pads hit the yellow point on our measure tool then to recommend replacing pads. Which is 8mm. Green has 2 stages 13mm 10mm. Yellow has 3 8mm 7mm 5mm. Red has 2 3mm 1mm.
i've owned a benz and i'm now on my 2nd bmw. none of the dealerships ever tried to sell be a brake job or anything else i didn't need. the one time someone did try to sell junk i didn't need was when i went to an independent shop for an oil change. they tried to tell me to change the brakes, steering fluid and do an engine FLUSH on a car with only 9000 miles on it.... and this place had a 5 star rating on google with 300+ reviews. they saw a young guy with an expensive (90k) car and automatically assumed i'm an idiot. i tried to throw some money at the little guy but f that. from now only going to the dealership and nowhere else. white glove service, free loaners, no up selling and in the end the price wasn't that much different.
Wes, I work at a Honda dealer and in my case I can tell you that recommending brake jobs is not some overly incentivized or pushed service by Honda or the management. If the friction material is over 2/32 in. (which is the bare minimum to pass state inspection where I live) I notate the measurement and the pad or shoes "should be serviced soon". Personally, I actually don't particularly like doing brake jobs. I have done so many through the years I just find them tedious and believe it or not, even at a dealer, they pay fair, but not great. A correctly preformed brake service, machining the rotors on the vehicle, lubricating the hardware and slide pins and replacing the pads takes about 30-40 minutes barring running into that pain in the ass situation like rusted pins. That pays 1.2 hours. In the same time, I can do two "check engine light on" diagnosis that pay 1 hour a piece and typically I can accurately diagnosis the issue without even having to wash my hands afterwards. I actually hate doing brake jobs, they are "grunt labor" jobs. Hell, I pay someone else to do the brakes on my personal vehicles because I don't like doing them. So, just to let you know, not all of us at the dealer are looking forward to selling brake jobs, and that if there is sufficient friction material left, we send it on.
A few years ago before I became a mechanic I was always getting sold a clutch replacement all the time with 2 different Mercedes Benz's at the Mercedes dealer
Just took my mustang in and they didn't try to sell me anything. My vehicles was also treated significantly better than independent shops I've gone to before where dirty grease was left in my interior.
@@petero2693 I have 2 head-mangled discarded wheel studs which came from trying to remove them from dealer using impact to tighten. Think I'll cut 1 head off, weld them together.
Harbor freight started carrying the wheel hangers in certain stores. They come with six with the different thread pitches. Worth checking out if you have a local store nearby. Or, as always, check FCP euro.
Every new Mercedes since the 'Fintail' of the 60s comes with a wheel peg like you used in the toolkit. Prior to that (when they had wheelnuts), they came with a hollow 'horshoe' tool which you put through 2 of the bolt holes on the wheel and hung them on the threaded wheel studs. You then simply slid the wheel along the horseshoe and onto the hub. Mercedes are leaps and bounds in front of other manufacturers, even down to the smallest items like these. One other thing I should mention, with that style of key, you don't need to keep it turned to start it, once the starter is engaged, release the key and the car will continue to turn over until it starts. Once started, it automatically disengages the starter motor👍👍
Dealers often send you an email for recommended repairs or replacement, based upon mileage or length of time. That's why the wheel was not removed by the dealer.
The owner could have been seeking a second opinion about the brakes. What we don't know is if they were really told that the brakes were needing replacement.
Owner might have had good instincts. Work around wheels usually shows something: either clean spots or smudges. There's misses and mistakes - those are correctable. Many other problems are not.
I've handled support calls on printer problems where the customer called because the invoices were "printing upside down". Yes, the form letters had been loaded in the wrong orientation. Thank god, or whatever greater power, that has brought me to this day where I no longer do that level of support.
@@frizzlefry1921 I've heard the phrase, "try rebooting it" used as a joke (for PCs), but it often seems to work for my PC... and my television, DVD, WiFi and so on. (Obviously, they've all been already plugged in to require the need to reboot :)
I love Ray's videos because of how honest he is. I wish I could find an honest tech near me, but most places are just in it for the $$$. The thing is, I don't mind paying for the maintenance my car needs if I can trust the mechanic. I haven't had good luck on that front, and it's unfortunate.
Many years ago as a young man working on industrial tractors I fashioned many a 'guide dowel' out of bolts for the re-installation of components like transmission assemblies, axle housing assemblies & the like. Very easy way to avoid the Tool Truck frequently expensive 'tools' therein. Get a bolt of the correct thread pitch, cut off the head, round the end & cut a screwdriver slot into it. Voila!
That's a old trick we used in the farm equipment industry. Mounting loader frames on tractors that holds the loader on a tractor. Can just get a bolt of the appropriate size and grind the head off. Same thing
Maybe they wanted a second opinion. I don't trust shops round me. They tend to always have work to do. From blinker fluid to muffler bearings, it's always something. 😂
Remember this is the same car company that used to use bicycle chains for timing chains and when it failed charged you 13,000 to rebuild the heads and replace the timing chain
Um been using those stud tools since 2011. Nothing new. ALSO been torque wrench wheels for 40 years JUST like you. So you are the only person ever seen to do it right ! Good job !
SUV wheels weigh easily in excess of 60lbs, those guide pins are a back saver! :) Shouldn't be a surprise that they declined, those pads had over 10k left in them.
@@rovers141 I'm sure the dealer did mean to say fronts. That doesn't change the fact that the customer would be confused and may have declined the work due to that confusion. If it were my car, I would have put the two shops in contact with each other to clear up whether I needed fronts or rears.
As a mercedes tech and shop owner since 1971, I find this amusing. I guess I was lucky because I had a steady stream of regulars. Folks only now finding out about that wheel installer from over 20 years ago cracks me up. But yea, there were folks who just didnt care about maintenance. Disc had wear measurements. Uneven wear is the same on all cars, calipers not operating properly.
In those 51 years since 1971 - how is it that thou failed to L00K - Notice and pay attention to the clear and observable fact that the CORPORATE name is MERCEDES BENZ and not mercedes or Mercedes. Evidentially you were programmed to be a ZOMBIE. ZOMBIES have eyes but cannot see - ears and cannot hear. Start paying attention to detail- it is not that difficult once you reprogram the mind with a software update. Consult the Operations Manual. Good luck
@@andrew_koala2974 corporate name is Daimler benz. USA branch is mercedes benz of north america. As to saying the full name shows you have not been around the product long enough. No one in the business says the full name. As for my shop the vehicles would be known by color,model or lic number. Mercedes or benz were rarely mentioned, kinda obvious. Also I assume you always say Chevrolet rather than chevy.
I did the rears on my wifes AMG,when i pulled the rotors off a little clip fell out,took me a week to find out where it went,finally found a video from a german garage that showed what it did and where ot went!
Tire holding tool..made my own..go to hardware store buy a long shafted bolt cut head off round it over.. bring a bolt to check threading. 2 bucks or less. Make a few. Easy.....
The factory used to include one of those guide pins in the spare tire/jack kit... Along with the towing eyebolt... And a pair of gloves. Not sure if they do this on the newer models anymore since so many don't have spare tires these days.
May have been looking for an honest shop for future needs ... I had a dealer charge me $250 dollars for a cvt transmission service and found out all they did was drain 3.6 quarts out of 7.4 quarts total and actually over filled it when adding the fluid. They did not change filters or clean the pan. Just because they're the experts doesn't mean they do it right ... nice to see a mechanic with integrity 👍
This is a prime example why I got rid of my Merc. The dealer would always try to get me to buy something or make a repair even though there was no need. (At one point the said my brakes were rusty and flaky even though they were brand new disks) The straw which broke the camels back was when I took the car in with an engine light on issue and they said they didn't know what was wrong. £4k later and they only managed to fix it when I threatened them with legal action. Destroyed the brand for me.
The stealership probably told them they were gonna die if they didn't replace the pads. You tell them its not that important, just needs to be done soonish. That's probably why they declined.
It's not only stealerships that do that scare you routine. I took my 4 year old truck to a Brake Check ( think they are out of business today) for a simple routine brake flush and they wrote up almost $800 worth of things that needed to be done. And yes, they told me I'd be lucky to make it back home. This was on a almost brand new truck with about 38k miles on it. I told them no thanks and got a 2nd opinion. Noting needed fixing at all.
Yeah that’s right their so bad that’s why I bought a 2012 one & it’s still going strong it’s never let me down & interestingly I work on these every day so I know your talking outta your backside.
Lol what a silly comment. Must be a BMW fan. Bought a C-Class new in 2010 and gifted it to my mom after buying a GLC in 2017. It is still running perfectly. Never had any serious issues with either car. Mercedes is globally successful because of customers being loyal to the brand. They are reliable cars if maintained properly. Obviously they are not reliable when corners are being cut.
Wheel hanging studs: Alternatively, you can make your own by cutting the head off a machine screw. I also mill a pair of flats on the outboard end in case the stud gets binding: I can put a Crescent wrench on it and save my fingers. I use similar homemade studs for changing starters on boats, where often you can only get one hand in. Remove stop screw; install stud, remove bottom screw; starter doesn't fall. Slide new starter over stud, install lower screw, remove stud and install upper screw; and then torque them all.
I made my guide studs for my wifes Jeep Compass, I just bought a couple of long bolts with the correct metric thread and cut the heads off and rounded the cut end and even cut a screw driver cut in the end.
Only time I ever decline work on my truck is when I don't have time to wait and will schedule the repair for another day. Unless it is something with critical safety features like brakes and such.
Easy to check the thickness of the front rotors, it's even stamped on the rotor. I've done Mercedes brakes (and stuff) for 30 years and my guess is by the numbers those front rotors need replacing. When they loose that much steel they also lose ability to dissipate heat, which is more badder if you live in a warm climate, like Florida.
If you live anywhere where you have a speed limit of less than 200 km/h (125 miles per hour) those brakes will do fine anyway. They are designed for idiots going 250 to 280 km/h on the german autobahn which usually like to tailgate others and do emergency brakes at every traffic jam or truck pulling over. When there is a speed limit of 85 mph they will probably never get hot.
A set of plastic brake pad thickness gauges are $8.88 on Amazon. You wouldn't have to guess about pad thickness and you could offer advice with precision. The thinnest yellow ("cautionary"?) gauge is 6mm, not 7. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is still good practice today. So is, "if it ain't close to worn out, don't replace it".
I did that same thing when I was working on volvos. get a bolt of the same thread pitch and cut off the head, then grind down the square edge, so its rounded.
German here: Ive never had a wheel fall of the car when all the bolts have been removed, they usually have a snug fit and some light corrosion hold them on too. Granted, its different lifting wheels back on a higher hoist versus on a lower jack in my driveway. I dont get why some people hate wheel bolts and prefer studs and nuts. With nuts you always have exposed threads on the ends of the wheels studs which will rust eventually, with bolts the threads are sealed in and still look new after years and many tire changes...
Really? I've had it happen multiple times doing tires, usually it happens on VWs. The wheel tips in when the last bolt comes off and then it slides off the hub. I usually just grab a spoke with one hand before I remove the last bolt with the impact.
I owned two 1985 300 SD cars. The studs are easier to line the bolt hole up to the stud. I've broken a stud before. It was no big deal to replace. On the bolted wheels it seemed like it was always a pain to get the wheel lined up with the hole. Especially on the side of a highway in rain, in the dark. It's all dark. I had a similar experience with my Cadillac, no problem with the wheel. Stud is a light color and seeing the bolt hole was no problem. I've never had a problem with the threads rusting on a lug bolt. Even for 1960s cars.
@@madmatt2024 Agreed. My 46 yr old son has a Golf R and same problem on my hoist - wheel comes off and is painful to replace. So I made him a wheel stud like Ray showed - on my lathe. Retired mechanic in Land Down Under.
G’day Ray and greetings from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 it’s always great to watch you working and adding a bit of comedy into it I wish that we could get your car down here I reckon they are bloody nice and the dual wheel set up on the back must be great for the pay load. From an old bloke that used to muck around with cars take care regards John
Keep doin' your thing, it keeps everyone honest. My dealership doesn't tell "you should".. they tell me how many millimeters left. It's almost like they know I could check myself it I really wanted to.
The Wheel Stud. Check the tool kit in the Trunk (boot) Here. beside the Battery . Tow Hook as well, screws into the front bumper square bit. My W211 rear pads I just replaced, 155,000 k.m. They last a long time. Cheers, Adelaide.
Thanks for explaining that. I couldn't figure out why he was using it. I would just hold the wheel up with one hand, and put the first bolt in with my other hand.
Ray I'm from cali all my cars have drilled front and back ,have them cut all the time with no problem. 2000 excu,1998 surb,2000 pont,2005 Volvo, 2000 chevy ,2015 dodge journey, 2014 ram ,all my cars are all wheel drive all my trucks are 3/4 ,4x4 never had a problem turning them.
Drilled - and slotted - rotors can be machined! You just cannot "ape" the job. Make sure the tool tips are *sharp* and aligned with each other. Use the slowest feed rate and take the smallest cut. Several fine passes. *Very lightly* use 240-grit emery paper to smooth out the fine grooves on the rotor surface. Hose it down with that aerosol brake cleaner you love (or use acetone). Done.
That car seems to have same electronic indicators of brake pads wear as my car does. When it's time to change the pads, you will get a notification on your panel. After that you need to replace brake pads AND that sensor. Basically it's just 2 contacts placed at a certain depth inside the brake pad. When rotor reaches it the loop is closed and your get notification on your panel. So your call will tell you when it's time to change the brake pads.
Don't waste money at the tool truck. I just go to my local industrial supplier and buy a bolt with the thread size and pitch I need and cut off the head. Deburr the cut end and your ready to go. Cost about 50 cents each. I have a tool box full of these "alignment tools" They come in really handy. I build robotic assembly lines for the automotive industry. If you've purchased a new car in the last 10 years from any manufacturer chances are you have components assembled by machines I built. Great videos.
I see customer's come in with the hope that we'll say no problem found. They get annoyed when you find something, like.. why'd you come in? I also see people come in and pay an hour diag and then take my diag an just to go straight to Ebay, buy the part and attempt to repair themselves.
Happens every day! Chinese parts, you get what you pay for . Supply me with Amazon parts, I will install with no warranty if they ask nice ! And. I can find the time .
face it..some folks, especially folks like me on fixed incomes, just dont have the $$ to pay the hi rates shop labor is these days...yer still gettin paid to diag...np...I can work far cheaper than you can..I"ll gladly pay for the "knowledge/expertese" and the use of yer $10 grand scan tool..I also know what to tackle and what to leave to u "pros"
@@ronhall9040 Yeah....not complaining, Ron, just stating facts. Thing is, though, more than once has the do-it-yourselfer come back expecting me to fix their mistakes for All-data labor op time. It's a risk, but like you said, sometimes you just can't afford it. Speaking of not being able to afford it, that $10 scanner you're talking about that I bought was quite a bit more than that.
@@1969Kakashi please note I wrote "$10 grand scan", not $10...;-).. i know your equip isnt cheap, and is why I'll gladly pay for thier use. The key to do-it-yourself repairs is like Dirty Harry would say "A man has go to know his limitations"....hahaha
On a side tangent, I absolutely loath lug studs or lug bolts. They make my job so much harder. But that Mercedes dealer there is totally trying to screw people over. That’s crazy.
I made studs like that back in the 60s that are still in my toolbox. I have many different sizes for wheels, transmissions, clutches, heads, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, etc.
Those little lug bolt guides are awesome. We use them to help train all our new guys that have trouble lining up the holes. Yours looks a lot stonger than ours though. Ours have very short and non-defined thread pitches and they are hollow aluminum so they cant hold much weight.
I've got a 2014 C300 Sport, and the dealership told me I needed Brakes also, you want to know what's funny? they never took off the wheels and I had JUST had the brakes done 1 Month Prior, with OEM parts, ( just not services at the dealership) I brought them to a garage like yours.
If you're anywhere in the Northern US that gets snow make sure you check that rear subframe at the very front for rust it's a huge problem. Ive seen the whole multi-link suspension arm detached from the subframe. Also customers will complain that the car pulls to one side when braking. Seen many shops replace calipers and suspension components when it was a rusted-out subframe.
The wheel tool is called a wheel hanger. Most people don't need that whole kit or to spend $56 when they can get a pair of the size they need for $15 or $16. I'm trying to remember which, but one of my cars came with the wheel hanger.
If you put the carpet mats backwards, then the front of the car becomes the rear. That being the case, the rear brakes were good. Now that they have become the front brakes, they no longer need replacing because they are on the back. SEE, THAT WAS EASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got one of those lugs after the first time I rotated my son's VW Jetta wheels. We leave it with his spare tire/jack/tire iron. They make it super easy.
Thank you for the video Ray. What was amazing was all the missing junk, clothing, and other odds and ends that some other cars have in them when they have been dropped off. I may be in the minority but I would never deliver my car in a dirty or untidy state to the garage for repairs or servicing. It is just disrespectful to the garage mechanics.
@@eddieMurphy11111 i was trained in Cape Town by Benz and we never had those pins... The trick is simple just leave one loose and use your knees... Sadly as we get older the n Knees are less and less compliant and bending gets harder. I found this pin while window shopping on those sites... I use it for all sorts of things, handy for shocks, suspension work etc to align holes, often used with Phillips/star screwdrivers 😁 as a guide pin
Could have predicted the outcome ! “most fancy “ car owners drive till they grind ! Supply their own parts, The cheapest customers ! I agree with the rear wheels were likely not removed , or the dealer knows the customer only wants things checked then go for another free inspection. That’s my opinion after 45 yrs. being a shop owner ! They. Never bring calipers. , that’s when you got them ! Maybe !
I wouldnt of changed those brakes yet either, there was plenty of material left. Just be ready next oil change/tyre change to be ready to do them. There is a brake pad warning sensor built into these types of car to let you know when they need done anyway.
@@slowman82k8 , exactly right. Plus, mister 45 years is banging you for calibers half way through the job and probably trying to replace the fetzer valve.
I agree with the customer other than he or she owns a BMW. I change the pads of my GMC 3500 when they are metal on metal. Cost me about $30 busks and 45 min in the driveway. I did change the rotors and pads about 8 years ago. Still going strong.
When it comes to the Cheap MB owners (C250 models)most get the car but when they find out the cost to repair the freak out... Many Times I have had to cut prices to get these people fixed
I hate the cheap Mercedes’ because the people that buy them should realistically be driving mid-size sedans from Chevy, Honda, etc., and it dilutes the brand since these cars go against the ethos of the best or nothing. As far as parts, my S-class wasn't normally any more expensive than a regular car; sure, there were exceptions, it took 8.5 quarts of oil but would also go 10,000 miles between changes when the standard was 3,000.
I dont know if it is because Im still having little experience as mechanic. But seeing how much the outer pads was weared down, I would had checked the caliper, or asked to change the pads. For me the outer pads seems to be uncomfortable low. I guessing it depends on how much you know the customer, or if you know when the next time the car needs to get by for a service Otherwise, by what you had told and shown, Im not sure why the dealer said there was something wrong with the rear brakes. It seems to look normal, beside the pad wear
I think it just dealerships driven to find something to fix regardless. I agree with Ray that the wheels don't even look like they have been removed lately.
@@AT-wl9yq Then why didn't Ray use the mirror and forget about taking the wheels off? I've changed pads before, so I know you can see them without taking the wheels off but not as good.
@@captinbeyond You have to ask him that. You can slip a mirror in, but maybe his camera doesn't fit. And please don't compare me to you. You changed pads before so every one is exactly the same. On some cars, like this one, you can see them perfectly fine. On other cars, you can't see them at all. You're not a tech, so don't pretend to be one.
@@AT-wl9yq If you read my comment, I never pretended to be a tech.......my comment was was about the dealer not doing their job to do a proper brake inspection which involves more than glancing at the pads with a mirror.
Most German cars come with those wheel studs along with a tow hook in the spare tire kit. Some Audi/VW/Porsches come with a little plastic tool to remove those annoying plastic lug stud caps.
With the outside pads wearing down faster than inside, I say check the ABS system! You can tell by how the caliber pistons are at they're most extended by the wear of the outside! Both inside and outside pads should have the same even wear if the ABS is working correctly!
Corrected text: With the outside pads wearing down faster than inside pads - check the ABS system! One can tell by how the caliper pistons are at their most extended by the wear of the outside! Both inside and outside pads should have the same even wear when the ABS is working correctly! Your score Robert 7/10 Read more BOOKS to improve your literacy and English language skills. Good luck
Big O made a big show of torque-wrenching the nuts on my Lexus, but this was after impact-wrenching the hell out of them. The torque wrench never moved them at all---just instant click.
That's a shit job for sure. Tell them to knock that crap off or they don't get your business. That's also a sign the person doing it has no idea what they are doing.
Compare that to the way Discount Tire did the job a few months later; One wheel was bent, and they were all corroded and looked like crap. I bought four new wheels and four new tires. After removing the old wheels, they wire brushed the mounting surface of the hub with a dedicated air tool, snugged the wheels with an impact, and finished it off with a torque wrench. I was a service writer at WalMart for four and a half years. Our shop never wire brushed and we used torque sticks for tightening--not accurate enough, but we did sell pretty good tires.
@@walmartdog1142 yeah discount tire always did decent work for me with proper procedure. Walmart has decent prices for oil and tires. I buy them online and mount them myself.
I use to write service and manage is this business for over 20 years. I do appreciate and welcome second opinions of the places I work at diagnostic inspections. I was honest in my recommendations. However these people that go from shop to shop only to be told the same thing are not saving any money. Everyone does and needed to charge for their time. They think they are saving money by jumping over a dollar hoping to chase a penny. This ends up costing everyone time money and patience.
I wish more places used an actual torque wrench for wheel bolts/nuts. I had several broken studs on my Subaru because they have a fairly low torque and places would just impact them on and crossthread the bolts by overtorqueing them. Was always fun to find. I started keeping spares in the car because almost every time a shop/the dealer would have the wheels off I'd have crossthreaded bolts the next time they came off. Shockingly, when I or a shop used an actual torque wrench there were never any crossthreaded bolts. It's almost like doing it right worked, lol. Keep up the good work Ray.
@@ghostrider-be9ek Yes, I agree. That's why I also don't drive German cars as even the dealerships service charges you extra high rates because it's a "Mercedes". FYI, when I lived in Germany I worked at Mercedes and VW/Audi. Since moving to the US 24+ years ago I had better experience with carefully selected American cars that most times I can easily repair myself.
@@martyh4777 yes! Some american cars are actually well made - its rare but they are out there. The Pontiac GTO from the early 2000s was one example. Simple, brutish, but built tough.
Most people think they have to go to the dealer only when they buy a MB or BMW. They don't realize they are just cars. So they go and pay $$$ when they could save hundreds or even thousands going to an independent shop. I've seen people have to bring in their BMW to have their license plates put on. Baffling!
There’s a dash cam video of a Mercedes being taken in for something like its 30k service. The owner set the dash cam to record everything. It was in the service bay for just a few minutes, they never opened the hood or put it in the air. Then several techs jumped and they took it out to joy ride and get ice cream together. They brought it back and the service advisor billed the customer over $1000 for doing nothing but “test drive” his car. When he reviewed the dash cam and complained the dealer denied it all until he showed them the video. Dealers have been caught not performing a lot of the things they charge for many times.
Bad dealership management, means this kind of stuff happens because of unrealistic performance targets, this behaviour is common under bad management
@@iHelpSolveIt Under LEFTIST Management.....
eah, Democrats DO that, they think almost everything is some sort of Joke or game or trick to be played or exposed, or something, it's become obvious that they really do not have any real expectation of success in life nor path to reach the heights PROMISED to the 80s Gens, much less to the Now Clowns, but, Things CAN CHANGE, and only WE can change them.....
Gen X, it's time to start making the Changes into reality.......
""Blazing Saddles"", it's our base....
Hey if you're dumb enough to buy a Mercedes you're dumb enough to pay a grand for nothing.
I did a 1500 dollar brake job to my S-class Mercedes 2 weeks before my son wrecked the wheel (and some suspension parts) due to black ice and too much speed. It sat for 2 months due to back order on parts and when it got to the service, the dealer said 'he had never seen such horrible brakes and they needed to be replaced'. I emailed him the copy of the bill of replacing the pads, rotors and one caliper just 2 months prior...
I admit that I could feel my pulse go up with a couple of beats when the Mercedes was lowered to the floor so close to the tool bench on wheels. I was worried there for a couple of seconds that we were going to see some paint being scratched...
Yeah I was wondering if that was intentional or just a lucky coincidence.
@@jtjones4727 Yeah, when you put it like that, it suddenly seems like Ray is being very sneaky with us. 😄
yeah--- would have been terrible if he scratched some paint on his push tray cart!
@@brucemadden1626 😆😂😂
Ray knows how to raise our blood pressure as we drink our coffee....
RAY IS NOT ONLY A MECHANIC,, HE'S ALSO A HEART DOCTOR....!!!!!
Incredible! A mechanic that actually uses a torque wrench on lug nuts, and test drives vehicles that come in for brakes.
Click!
Ome of those actions is mostly for professionalism, the other for pleasure. Your bets which is which.
A lot of shops have torque sticks.
I will admit to being a little concerned with the lack of hand threading the lug studs first.
My 1st car was a ‘63 VW bug - if I didn’t torque the lug bolts evenly (with a torque wrench) the brake drums would warp with pulsations felt via the brake pedal when brakes applied. ALWAYS use a torque wrench on road wheels, cylinder heads, turbine and compressor rotor couplings! (I’m a retired Pratt & Whitney type)
I had a customer once that did something similar. At my shop I bring them out and show them while I explain my recommendations. I showed him his pads were pretty low and took him back up front to give him an estimate for pads and rotors. I told him the price and printed out the estimate. At that point he said he was not interested. I bring his car around and go to bill him out for a brake check and he looks at me and say's he doesn't appreciate me trying to sell him something that he doesn't need. He say's my car has a light that comes on when I need brake work done and keeps rambling on about how we are a shady shop. So he pays and I print a receipt and I give him another estimate. He looks at me and say's what is this estimate for, I say that's how much more it will cost when your service brakes light comes on. He stormed out.
LMMFAO
Had a similar experience. But the guy's wife said I was trying to get money out of her husband.
Next week their car caught fire.
Now that was funny, loved it, keep up the good work,
It's sad that many people think that a part only needs to be replaced when it is 100% worn/broken not realizing that 99% of the time that creates more work and cost. They then think your trying to rip them off if you recommend it be replaced before it breaks more stuff.
@@locosiete6839 every one of them that says it will be fine think they know everything and they really isn't a failure... I am glad that I'm not paying for anyone else's car note anymore.
It’s unfortunate that we have to get a second opinion on most things requiring labor these days because of the number of crooks out there trying to steal from their customers. Thankfully there are some honest trades people like you still available. The challenge is finding them.
Especially here in NYC.
The way things are going in the Hell basket category I would say if your paying, you should be watching. So many companies rely on people not affording legal fees to file a lawsuit
What do you mean "these days"? The auto repair industry has had that reputation for many decades now.
Stop trying to "good ol days" this issue.
@@rjmari I said if you're spending money on anything, times has changed. You can't even find an honest politician so go fuc yourself
@@rjmari we're only 10 years away from Sharia law
I work at a Mercedes dealer. We use a brake measuring tool and when they are in the yellow, we recommend brakes. Of course it’s the advisors job to make note of the difference between a recommendation and a necessary repair. I don’t press a brake sell unless it’s in the red.
As far as the rear brakes go, they looked like they were wearing unevenly. That’s more than likely the case why they recommended the rear brakes. Those rear brakes are notorious for wearing unevenly. On some models, there’s even a bulletin for it. They should’ve tried to sell those tires more than the brakes though.
Lol, I noticed the bad tires too.
If the cause for brake pad change is that brakes are worn unevenly, it will solve nothing, just waste the customer' s money. Mercedes dealer should offer the caliper check or whatever instead. That just shows the regular dealer's attitude. Thank you.
I used that same principle (guide pins) in many applications. Water pumps, helps hold gaskets in place too. Just makes reassemble a much easier task. I made my own by buying an extra long bolt and cutting the head off. I also cut a slot in the end in case I needed to use a screwdrive to get them out.
All my Mercs have had the wheel change stud tool included in the wheel change kit that came with the car.
Many German cars that use lug bolts actually come with a tool like that in the tool kit in the trunk. Frankly, I always found that most of them were hub-centric enough that the wheel stayed put until I gave it a good whack anyway. They are super useful for getting things lined back up tho.
interesting. i'm german and never ever seen one of those before :D
The lug stud with my E-320 CDI worked pretty good but having a home machine shop, I made a couple more and found that with just two mounting studs into the hub, R/R the wheel was perfected.
@@MrGGPRI i'd need to find some. would certainly help me
Interesting, but there's plenty of hub showing. Although none of my Kraut-rockets have come with that tool, perhaps it's a newer affectation.
I cut down a bolt to make such wheel aligning/safety tool for my early VWs which used lug bolts.
9:40.
I can't believe how close the car coming down the lift was to that tool cart.
Reminds me of that scene in Star Trek 3 where Kirk and the crew was stealing the Enterprise and the the ship just barely cleared the space doors
I love your videos , I dont call it meticulous, I call it proper procedure, I love the thoughts that roll thru your head, and talking to yourself, I do that all the time, I just wish someone was listening
This reminds me of when the Subaru dealer tried to convince me I needed new brake pads on my Forester because the pads were supposedly all between 2 and 3 mm of material remaining. I had just recently replaced all the pads myself so I knew they were bullshitting me. Asked them to show me and they made a big fuss about it until I said I had just replaced them and demanded they give my car back. They ended up admitting that they hadn't actually measured them or had the wheels off. Apparently the "official method from Subaru" (yeah right) was to take one of those nice little paperweights that shops have showing a brake pad with 3 different levels of wear; green, yellow, and red; hold that up next to the wheel, and "estimate" the pad wear to the closest one. Needless to say, they always thought they looked like the red one and the "measurements" they wrote down were just "estimates" from the range corresponding to that color on the "tool." Pretty sure that's NOT the proper technique from the service manual nor are those displays "tools" for measuring brake wear.
What BS (from the dealership I mean) a brake measurement tool is like 20 bucks MAYBE, and will have all the nessicary increments to get an accurate measurement.
I noticed they had different brand tires on the front and back. This is an indicator for me that the customer is probably not going to make any repairs unless they absolutely have to and then they are going to shop around for the absolute cheapest price they can find. Even if they have to go to several shops and get "Free" inspections and waste several mechanics' time and labor doing so.
Exactly.
Sadly. If it were me even if one tire is bad I’d have 4 matching tires front and rear assuming they were all exactly the same size.
I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed that.
They took the car to the dealership so they will spend money unnecessarily.
There is no special reason for having same brand/type on both axles. The load (and type of load) is very different. You can even tune characteristics of you your car by using different types of tires.
Make your own wheel stud . Determine the thread size. Buy a 3" bolt , cut the head off and grind 2 flats so you can use pliers or adjustable wrench on it.
Eh if that takes me a half hour and Amazon can get me one for $5, I'm not working for myself at $10 an hour.
Plus a 3in bolt will prob cost the same
A wrench for what? You're not torquing the thing in.
You don't understand what the tool is doing. You also think all that work was worth it. New level of stupid right there.
@@NaruSanavai
If it has bad or tight threads you'll want a wrench or pliers. Also makes it easier to screw in and out by hand.
@@yeahitskimmel Well, if you do it yourself you will fell pride and joy every time you use them. Also it's it can be a nice pass time/hobby. If you are changing tires yourself then I guess you are not a stranger to DIY.
At the gas station I used to work at, I had a MB come in with similar wheels. The stems were in between the rim "fins". Didn't want to scratch the rim with the air chuck, so I got a plastic valve extension and added air with that on all fours. The owner was very appreciative.
I wonder how long it took them to realize they were getting into their car backwards because the carpet protection device told them so 🤔
REEEEEEE!
That initial clip was anxiety inducing. Mission accomplished sir 😅
I have never had an issue with turning rotors with cross drilled rotors only the slotted rotors give the lathe an issue. 🤟🏻🇺🇸
I agree, John Martin !
Outboard pads on the rear show discoloration from overheating- the caliper slides are sticking which is why the pad wear is so uneven between the inboard and outboard pads. The pads primary function is friction, the second is heat management which is often overlooked. The ashy discoloration is a tell tale that shouldn't be ignored, and it's also an indication that the binding material is failing.
Love how close the fender came to that table 😂 respect the subtle trolling
Totally triggered my anxiety. LOL
That was the point. Troll much?
@@dragonmaker1541 I know it was, and I appreciated the effort. He did well.
@@dragonmaker1541 So it's ok when Ray trolls, but no on else can?
I LIKED A SHIT SEEING THAT, TH-cam CHANNEL - DANIEL MCKENZIE
A stealership trying to rip someone off, I’m shocked.
Jb..... well stealerships aren't working for free or low pay if you see it from a customers point of view. They got that name quickly by ripping off punters where their was no other options - now their is lot of it, so the stealership have turned the tables on small repair center with OEM parts/fixings/software or dealership only repairs. AKA closed the market in their favour !
@@gettogo0159 this post went way over your head on the level of sarcasm being pushed through the internet. Do you work for a dealer?
@@batmansdad3195 If I did, I'd easily retire at a early age - Think about it for a second.... 🙃 I hope that answers your burning question, I hate dealerships with a passion.
@@gettogo0159 Naw there's no burn, but hemorrhoids burn from what I've been told.
Now you know for the next life that you need a dealership
How is this a stealership? Ray tells them the same thing as the dealer, it's recommended, not required.
As someone who worked at a dealership. We are told that once the pads hit the yellow point on our measure tool then to recommend replacing pads. Which is 8mm. Green has 2 stages 13mm 10mm. Yellow has 3 8mm 7mm 5mm. Red has 2 3mm 1mm.
The next time a dealership doesn't try to sell a brake job will be the first time...
i've owned a benz and i'm now on my 2nd bmw. none of the dealerships ever tried to sell be a brake job or anything else i didn't need. the one time someone did try to sell junk i didn't need was when i went to an independent shop for an oil change. they tried to tell me to change the brakes, steering fluid and do an engine FLUSH on a car with only 9000 miles on it.... and this place had a 5 star rating on google with 300+ reviews. they saw a young guy with an expensive (90k) car and automatically assumed i'm an idiot. i tried to throw some money at the little guy but f that. from now only going to the dealership and nowhere else. white glove service, free loaners, no up selling and in the end the price wasn't that much different.
Wes, I work at a Honda dealer and in my case I can tell you that recommending brake jobs is not some overly incentivized or pushed service by Honda or the management. If the friction material is over 2/32 in. (which is the bare minimum to pass state inspection where I live) I notate the measurement and the pad or shoes "should be serviced soon". Personally, I actually don't particularly like doing brake jobs. I have done so many through the years I just find them tedious and believe it or not, even at a dealer, they pay fair, but not great. A correctly preformed brake service, machining the rotors on the vehicle, lubricating the hardware and slide pins and replacing the pads takes about 30-40 minutes barring running into that pain in the ass situation like rusted pins. That pays 1.2 hours. In the same time, I can do two "check engine light on" diagnosis that pay 1 hour a piece and typically I can accurately diagnosis the issue without even having to wash my hands afterwards. I actually hate doing brake jobs, they are "grunt labor" jobs. Hell, I pay someone else to do the brakes on my personal vehicles because I don't like doing them. So, just to let you know, not all of us at the dealer are looking forward to selling brake jobs, and that if there is sufficient friction material left, we send it on.
A few years ago before I became a mechanic I was always getting sold a clutch replacement all the time with 2 different Mercedes Benz's at the Mercedes dealer
Just took my mustang in and they didn't try to sell me anything. My vehicles was also treated significantly better than independent shops I've gone to before where dirty grease was left in my interior.
@@christopherhylton8462 You trust the "other guy" to work on the most important job on any vehicle and
YOU are a professional mechanic? hahahaaaaa
The wheel stud tool is also in the tool kit of Mercedes going back to the 80's, at least, so keep an eye peeled at the junkyard.
Just make your own...bolts are at hardware store.. like 1 buck.
@@petero2693 I have 2 head-mangled discarded wheel studs which came from trying to remove them from dealer using impact to tighten. Think I'll cut 1 head off, weld them together.
Harbor freight started carrying the wheel hangers in certain stores. They come with six with the different thread pitches. Worth checking out if you have a local store nearby. Or, as always, check FCP euro.
Thanks and just found them!
I bought that set some time ago and it is great. It cost me less then the ones I found on Amazon and I think they are better
That is a genius product that should not be so darned obscure!
Heck, there ought to be one included with the spare in cars with lug bolts.
@@MonkeyJedi99 I think some do. I'll have to check if our Volkswagen does. Even if it has one, extras are always nice.
Every new Mercedes since the 'Fintail' of the 60s comes with a wheel peg like you used in the toolkit.
Prior to that (when they had wheelnuts), they came with a hollow 'horshoe' tool which you put through 2 of the bolt holes on the wheel and hung them on the threaded wheel studs. You then simply slid the wheel along the horseshoe and onto the hub.
Mercedes are leaps and bounds in front of other manufacturers, even down to the smallest items like these.
One other thing I should mention, with that style of key, you don't need to keep it turned to start it, once the starter is engaged, release the key and the car will continue to turn over until it starts. Once started, it automatically disengages the starter motor👍👍
Dealers often send you an email for recommended repairs or replacement, based upon mileage or length of time. That's why the wheel was not removed by the dealer.
Yup I have a 20 year old dodge truck with only 70k miles on it and the dealership keeps emailing me for the 300k mile service. Lol
"WARNING do not let this audio system distract you from driving" while it flashes through different screens and beeps incessantly
The owner could have been seeking a second opinion about the brakes. What we don't know is if they were really told that the brakes were needing replacement.
Owner might have had good instincts. Work around wheels usually shows something: either clean spots or smudges. There's misses and mistakes - those are correctable. Many other problems are not.
Exactly.
I've handled support calls on printer problems where the customer called because the invoices were "printing upside down". Yes, the form letters had been loaded in the wrong orientation. Thank god, or whatever greater power, that has brought me to this day where I no longer do that level of support.
1st question to them when it doesn’t work “is it plugged in?” They wouldn’t believe it if we told them how many people skip that step.
@@frizzlefry1921 I've heard the phrase, "try rebooting it" used as a joke (for PCs), but it often seems to work for my PC... and my television, DVD, WiFi and so on. (Obviously, they've all been already plugged in to require the need to reboot :)
I love Ray's videos because of how honest he is. I wish I could find an honest tech near me, but most places are just in it for the $$$. The thing is, I don't mind paying for the maintenance my car needs if I can trust the mechanic. I haven't had good luck on that front, and it's unfortunate.
Many years ago as a young man working on industrial tractors I fashioned many a 'guide dowel' out of bolts for the re-installation of components like transmission assemblies, axle housing assemblies & the like. Very easy way to avoid the Tool Truck frequently expensive 'tools' therein. Get a bolt of the correct thread pitch, cut off the head, round the end & cut a screwdriver slot into it. Voila!
That's a old trick we used in the farm equipment industry. Mounting loader frames on tractors that holds the loader on a tractor. Can just get a bolt of the appropriate size and grind the head off.
Same thing
Maybe they wanted a second opinion. I don't trust shops round me. They tend to always have work to do. From blinker fluid to muffler bearings, it's always something. 😂
I got a new stainless steel muffler bearing, they gave me a lifetime warranty on it
Gotta find some way to pay for their pipe stretchers, metric crescent wrenches, and left handed screwdrivers!
Remember this is the same car company that used to use bicycle chains for timing chains and when it failed charged you 13,000 to rebuild the heads and replace the timing chain
Um been using those stud tools since 2011. Nothing new. ALSO been torque wrench wheels for 40 years JUST like you. So you are the only person ever seen to do it right ! Good job !
SUV wheels weigh easily in excess of 60lbs, those guide pins are a back saver! :)
Shouldn't be a surprise that they declined, those pads had over 10k left in them.
An invaluable tool on my ML with the AMG 20x10 wheels. And I have damaged my back, so vital to use one. Even use a wheel lifter.
Plus the customer is probably confused as to why the dealer said rears and Ray said fronts.
@@bills6093 or it could have been the dealer meant to say fronts but told them rears instead. All kinds of miscommunication could have happened here.
@@rovers141 I'm sure the dealer did mean to say fronts. That doesn't change the fact that the customer would be confused and may have declined the work due to that confusion. If it were my car, I would have put the two shops in contact with each other to clear up whether I needed fronts or rears.
@@bills6093 two shops communicating over this? Never going to happen.
As a mercedes tech and shop owner since 1971, I find this amusing. I guess I was lucky because I had a steady stream of regulars. Folks only now finding out about that wheel installer from over 20 years ago cracks me up. But yea, there were folks who just didnt care about maintenance. Disc had wear measurements. Uneven wear is the same on all cars, calipers not operating properly.
In those 51 years since 1971 - how is it that thou failed to L00K - Notice
and pay attention to the clear and observable fact that the CORPORATE
name is MERCEDES BENZ and not mercedes or Mercedes.
Evidentially you were programmed to be a ZOMBIE.
ZOMBIES have eyes but cannot see - ears and cannot hear.
Start paying attention to detail- it is not that difficult once you reprogram
the mind with a software update.
Consult the Operations Manual.
Good luck
@@andrew_koala2974 corporate name is Daimler benz. USA branch is mercedes benz of north america. As to saying the full name shows you have not been around the product long enough. No one in the business says the full name. As for my shop the vehicles would be known by color,model or lic number. Mercedes or benz were rarely mentioned, kinda obvious. Also I assume you always say Chevrolet rather than chevy.
I did the rears on my wifes AMG,when i pulled the rotors off a little clip fell out,took me a week to find out where it went,finally found a video from a german garage that showed what it did and where ot went!
Tire holding tool..made my own..go to hardware store buy a long shafted bolt cut head off round it over.. bring a bolt to check threading. 2 bucks or less. Make a few. Easy.....
The factory used to include one of those guide pins in the spare tire/jack kit... Along with the towing eyebolt... And a pair of gloves. Not sure if they do this on the newer models anymore since so many don't have spare tires these days.
I believe I have that towing eyebolt but no gloves
@@lechatbotte. Mine has all of them.
I'm about to look inside mine. If not I'm gonna get one!
Its the same with BMW's
@@lilmoeszyslak4810 I looked and actually got an aluminum one with the tow bolt and jack. 👍
Wow. That cart was close. Eagle eye Ray. Good job.
May have been looking for an honest shop for future needs ... I had a dealer charge me $250 dollars for a cvt transmission service and found out all they did was drain 3.6 quarts out of 7.4 quarts total and actually over filled it when adding the fluid. They did not change filters or clean the pan. Just because they're the experts doesn't mean they do it right ... nice to see a mechanic with integrity 👍
This is a prime example why I got rid of my Merc.
The dealer would always try to get me to buy something or make a repair even though there was no need. (At one point the said my brakes were rusty and flaky even though they were brand new disks)
The straw which broke the camels back was when I took the car in with an engine light on issue and they said they didn't know what was wrong.
£4k later and they only managed to fix it when I threatened them with legal action.
Destroyed the brand for me.
Why didn't you just take it to an independent? Everyone knows not to go to the dealer for service unless you're under warranty.
The stealership probably told them they were gonna die if they didn't replace the pads. You tell them its not that important, just needs to be done soonish. That's probably why they declined.
It's not only stealerships that do that scare you routine. I took my 4 year old truck to a Brake Check ( think they are out of business today) for a simple routine brake flush and they wrote up almost $800 worth of things that needed to be done. And yes, they told me I'd be lucky to make it back home. This was on a almost brand new truck with about 38k miles on it. I told them no thanks and got a 2nd opinion. Noting needed fixing at all.
I'm impressed that a 2013 Mercedes is still running. And no SES light on.
im gonna take a guess you don't come across a whole lot of mercedes. They'll last quite a while if you bother to take care of them.
Yeah that’s right their so bad that’s why I bought a 2012 one & it’s still going strong it’s never let me down & interestingly I work on these every day so I know your talking outta your backside.
Lol what a silly comment. Must be a BMW fan. Bought a C-Class new in 2010 and gifted it to my mom after buying a GLC in 2017. It is still running perfectly. Never had any serious issues with either car. Mercedes is globally successful because of customers being loyal to the brand. They are reliable cars if maintained properly. Obviously they are not reliable when corners are being cut.
Wheel hanging studs: Alternatively, you can make your own by cutting the head off a machine screw. I also mill a pair of flats on the outboard end in case the stud gets binding: I can put a Crescent wrench on it and save my fingers.
I use similar homemade studs for changing starters on boats, where often you can only get one hand in. Remove stop screw; install stud, remove bottom screw; starter doesn't fall. Slide new starter over stud, install lower screw, remove stud and install upper screw; and then torque them all.
I made my guide studs for my wifes Jeep Compass, I just bought a couple of long bolts with the correct metric thread and cut the heads off and rounded the cut end and even cut a screw driver cut in the end.
Only time I ever decline work on my truck is when I don't have time to wait and will schedule the repair for another day. Unless it is something with critical safety features like brakes and such.
Easy to check the thickness of the front rotors, it's even stamped on the rotor. I've done Mercedes brakes (and stuff) for 30 years and my guess is by the numbers those front rotors need replacing. When they loose that much steel they also lose ability to dissipate heat, which is more badder if you live in a warm climate, like Florida.
I would of replaced them if they were mine. I would of recommended it. But money would not been an issue for me. Maybe it was for them.
"...more badder..."???
@@svenulfskjaldbjorn5401 Just wanted to see if anyone would read it. 😉
@@bettymaverick1098 ...would of??...
If you live anywhere where you have a speed limit of less than 200 km/h (125 miles per hour) those brakes will do fine anyway. They are designed for idiots going 250 to 280 km/h on the german autobahn which usually like to tailgate others and do emergency brakes at every traffic jam or truck pulling over. When there is a speed limit of 85 mph they will probably never get hot.
A set of plastic brake pad thickness gauges are $8.88 on Amazon. You wouldn't have to guess about pad thickness and you could offer advice with precision. The thinnest yellow ("cautionary"?) gauge is 6mm, not 7. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is still good practice today. So is, "if it ain't close to worn out, don't replace it".
I did that same thing when I was working on volvos. get a bolt of the same thread pitch and cut off the head, then grind down the square edge, so its rounded.
German here: Ive never had a wheel fall of the car when all the bolts have been removed, they usually have a snug fit and some light corrosion hold them on too. Granted, its different lifting wheels back on a higher hoist versus on a lower jack in my driveway. I dont get why some people hate wheel bolts and prefer studs and nuts. With nuts you always have exposed threads on the ends of the wheels studs which will rust eventually, with bolts the threads are sealed in and still look new after years and many tire changes...
have you hears of studs with closed nuts?
Really? I've had it happen multiple times doing tires, usually it happens on VWs. The wheel tips in when the last bolt comes off and then it slides off the hub. I usually just grab a spoke with one hand before I remove the last bolt with the impact.
You know they have capped lug nuts on most cars correct? No exposed studs.
I owned two 1985 300 SD cars. The studs are easier to line the bolt hole up to the stud. I've broken a stud before. It was no big deal to replace. On the bolted wheels it seemed like it was always a pain to get the wheel lined up with the hole. Especially on the side of a highway in rain, in the dark. It's all dark. I had a similar experience with my Cadillac, no problem with the wheel. Stud is a light color and seeing the bolt hole was no problem. I've never had a problem with the threads rusting on a lug bolt. Even for 1960s cars.
@@madmatt2024 Agreed. My 46 yr old son has a Golf R and same problem on my hoist - wheel comes off and is painful to replace. So I made him a wheel stud like Ray showed - on my lathe. Retired mechanic in Land Down Under.
G’day Ray and greetings from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 it’s always great to watch you working and adding a bit of comedy into it I wish that we could get your car down here I reckon they are bloody nice and the dual wheel set up on the back must be great for the pay load. From an old bloke that used to muck around with cars take care regards John
Keep doin' your thing, it keeps everyone honest. My dealership doesn't tell "you should".. they tell me how many millimeters left. It's almost like they know I could check myself it I really wanted to.
The Wheel Stud. Check the tool kit in the Trunk (boot) Here. beside the Battery . Tow Hook as well, screws into the front bumper square bit. My W211 rear pads I just replaced, 155,000 k.m. They last a long time. Cheers, Adelaide.
The bolt replacement tool, is most useful when putting the wheels back on. B/c it makes it much easier to align the bolt holes.
Thanks for explaining that. I couldn't figure out why he was using it. I would just hold the wheel up with one hand, and put the first bolt in with my other hand.
"You're scratching the wheels!" 😭 Yeah, well, scratch deese bolts. The wheel isn't as fragile as Mercedes owners seem to be.
Would he do that with a 20k Lambo wheel though? would he stab those lug nuts in so recklessly? I would be mad if he did that stuff to my wheels.
@@mitchio83 I doubt you can even change a tire let alone brakes
Ray I'm from cali all my cars have drilled front and back ,have them cut all the time with no problem. 2000 excu,1998 surb,2000 pont,2005 Volvo, 2000 chevy ,2015 dodge journey, 2014 ram ,all my cars are all wheel drive all my trucks are 3/4 ,4x4 never had a problem turning them.
Drilled - and slotted - rotors can be machined! You just cannot "ape" the job. Make sure the tool tips are *sharp* and aligned with each other. Use the slowest feed rate and take the smallest cut. Several fine passes. *Very lightly* use 240-grit emery paper to smooth out the fine grooves on the rotor surface. Hose it down with that aerosol brake cleaner you love (or use acetone). Done.
That couldn't have been much closer to a multi thousand dollar paint job. 🤣
Paint jobs on tool carts do not cost thousands of $$!!
@@svenulfskjaldbjorn5401 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@svenulfskjaldbjorn5401 🤣
i know for fact from watching VGG brakes are optional
That car seems to have same electronic indicators of brake pads wear as my car does. When it's time to change the pads, you will get a notification on your panel. After that you need to replace brake pads AND that sensor. Basically it's just 2 contacts placed at a certain depth inside the brake pad. When rotor reaches it the loop is closed and your get notification on your panel. So your call will tell you when it's time to change the brake pads.
Don't waste money at the tool truck. I just go to my local industrial supplier and buy a bolt with the thread size and pitch I need and cut off the head. Deburr the cut end and your ready to go. Cost about 50 cents each. I have a tool box full of these "alignment tools" They come in really handy. I build robotic assembly lines for the automotive industry. If you've purchased a new car in the last 10 years from any manufacturer chances are you have components assembled by machines I built. Great videos.
I see customer's come in with the hope that we'll say no problem found. They get annoyed when you find something, like.. why'd you come in? I also see people come in and pay an hour diag and then take my diag an just to go straight to Ebay, buy the part and attempt to repair themselves.
Happens every day! Chinese parts, you get what you pay for . Supply me with Amazon parts, I will install with no warranty if they ask nice ! And. I can find the time .
face it..some folks, especially folks like me on fixed incomes, just dont have the $$ to pay the hi rates shop labor is these days...yer still gettin paid to diag...np...I can work far cheaper than you can..I"ll gladly pay for the "knowledge/expertese" and the use of yer $10 grand scan tool..I also know what to tackle and what to leave to u "pros"
@@ronhall9040 Yeah....not complaining, Ron, just stating facts. Thing is, though, more than once has the do-it-yourselfer come back expecting me to fix their mistakes for All-data labor op time. It's a risk, but like you said, sometimes you just can't afford it. Speaking of not being able to afford it, that $10 scanner you're talking about that I bought was quite a bit more than that.
@@1969Kakashi please note I wrote "$10 grand scan", not $10...;-).. i know your equip isnt cheap, and is why I'll gladly pay for thier use. The key to do-it-yourself repairs is like Dirty Harry would say "A man has go to know his limitations"....hahaha
@@ronhall9040 fair enough, and so you did
On a side tangent, I absolutely loath lug studs or lug bolts. They make my job so much harder.
But that Mercedes dealer there is totally trying to screw people over. That’s crazy.
As a tire fitter...i absolutely agree.
Ditto
It's why they call it a stealership.
@@rayives7758 yep. At the dealer I work at, we only recommend things if they’re really bad and need replacement ASAP.
Or the owner simply got over front and rear brakes. All we know is what Ray did. Rest is speculation.
I made studs like that back in the 60s that are still in my toolbox. I have many different sizes for wheels, transmissions, clutches, heads, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, etc.
Love that nifty tool, just as handy as a pocket on a shirt. Keep’m coming
Those little lug bolt guides are awesome. We use them to help train all our new guys that have trouble lining up the holes. Yours looks a lot stonger than ours though. Ours have very short and non-defined thread pitches and they are hollow aluminum so they cant hold much weight.
I've got a 2014 C300 Sport, and the dealership told me I needed Brakes also, you want to know what's funny? they never took off the wheels and I had JUST had the brakes done 1 Month Prior, with OEM parts, ( just not services at the dealership) I brought them to a garage like yours.
the ol stealership pulling the quick lube scam
They go by milage. Why bother looking to see if it really needs doing?
If you're anywhere in the Northern US that gets snow make sure you check that rear subframe at the very front for rust it's a huge problem. Ive seen the whole multi-link suspension arm detached from the subframe.
Also customers will complain that the car pulls to one side when braking. Seen many shops replace calipers and suspension components when it was a rusted-out subframe.
The wheel tool is called a wheel hanger. Most people don't need that whole kit or to spend $56 when they can get a pair of the size they need for $15 or $16. I'm trying to remember which, but one of my cars came with the wheel hanger.
That wheel stud tool is normally included with the jack & tool kit that came with the vehicle, along with the tow eyelet bolt.
Watching the Mercedes lower almost touching the red table gave me PTSD.
Fun fact: pro cut states that drilled and slotted rotors are machinable just as regulars are. We train for the pro cut on car lathes at my college
Hygge torque. That comforting feeling you get when you know you've done the job right
If you put the carpet mats backwards, then the front of the car becomes the rear. That being the case, the rear brakes were good. Now that they have become the front brakes, they no longer need replacing because they are on the back. SEE, THAT WAS EASY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the laugh!
Well put! Have a great day !
Expensive MB SUV with cheap Korean tires. Makes sense to me.
It's a cheap(line-up wise) Mercedes sedan with middling tires unless you put Michelin Sport Cups on every car you own.
@@mumulester PIRELLI P7 on one and Michelin Pilot Sport All Season on the other.
I got one of those lugs after the first time I rotated my son's VW Jetta wheels. We leave it with his spare tire/jack/tire iron. They make it super easy.
Thank you for the video Ray. What was amazing was all the missing junk, clothing, and other odds and ends that some other cars have in them when they have been dropped off. I may be in the minority but I would never deliver my car in a dirty or untidy state to the garage for repairs or servicing. It is just disrespectful to the garage mechanics.
there are lots of "garages" that like to waste money, those wheel helpers are great I would like 1 and will look to get one
thanks for the video
Sold on eBay and Amazon
@@iHelpSolveIt thank you
@@eddieMurphy11111 i was trained in Cape Town by Benz and we never had those pins... The trick is simple just leave one loose and use your knees... Sadly as we get older the n
Knees are less and less compliant and bending gets harder. I found this pin while window shopping on those sites... I use it for all sorts of things, handy for shocks, suspension work etc to align holes, often used with Phillips/star screwdrivers 😁 as a guide pin
@@iHelpSolveIt with my knees one is shot and the other is a 4 year old new knee which does not work very well i usually get the son in law around
@@eddieMurphy11111 yep, exactly. Happiness is having replaceable knee guards that fit in your work or home trousers 😁🥃
Could have predicted the outcome ! “most fancy “ car owners drive till they grind ! Supply their own parts, The cheapest customers ! I agree with the rear wheels were likely not removed , or the dealer knows the customer only wants things checked then go for another free inspection. That’s my opinion after 45 yrs. being a shop owner ! They. Never bring calipers. , that’s when you got them ! Maybe !
Totally true for the 2nd/3rd/4th owners and "entry/ low cost" fancy cars. We rarely come across a 1st owner with over 40k miles on these fancy cars.
I wouldnt of changed those brakes yet either, there was plenty of material left. Just be ready next oil change/tyre change to be ready to do them. There is a brake pad warning sensor built into these types of car to let you know when they need done anyway.
I demand the tech show me a caliper reading
@@slowman82k8 , exactly right. Plus, mister 45 years is banging you for calibers half way through the job and probably trying to replace the fetzer valve.
I agree with the customer other than he or she owns a BMW. I change the pads of my GMC 3500 when they are metal on metal. Cost me about $30 busks and 45 min in the driveway. I did change the rotors and pads about 8 years ago. Still going strong.
I always made a wheel mount tool. Just cut off a bolt of the proper thread.
I cross drilled the shaft so they fit onto a pegboard.
When it comes to the Cheap MB owners (C250 models)most get the car but when they find out the cost to repair the freak out... Many Times I have had to cut prices to get these people fixed
Would you recommend at used 2005 C230 or240 ? 4 cly or 6 cly ? Thanks !
Factory oem rotors, the metal is very soft, hence lip on edge.
Always upgrade to a better aftermarket rotor.
Nope. I'd stay away from used import cars.
Unless you like spending loads of money fixing them. Check out. Wizards repairs TH-cam. He'll clue you in
I hate the cheap Mercedes’ because the people that buy them should realistically be driving mid-size sedans from Chevy, Honda, etc., and it dilutes the brand since these cars go against the ethos of the best or nothing.
As far as parts, my S-class wasn't normally any more expensive than a regular car; sure, there were exceptions, it took 8.5 quarts of oil but would also go 10,000 miles between changes when the standard was 3,000.
Happy Easter bro! Keep up the amazing videos ☺️
The wheel stud tool is provided in the tool kit of every Mercedes it's as you say super handy .
A set of 6 or 8 of those wheel hanger studs can be found at Harbor Frieght for under 30$
I dont know if it is because Im still having little experience as mechanic. But seeing how much the outer pads was weared down, I would had checked the caliper, or asked to change the pads. For me the outer pads seems to be uncomfortable low. I guessing it depends on how much you know the customer, or if you know when the next time the car needs to get by for a service
Otherwise, by what you had told and shown, Im not sure why the dealer said there was something wrong with the rear brakes. It seems to look normal, beside the pad wear
I think it just dealerships driven to find something to fix regardless. I agree with Ray that the wheels don't even look like they have been removed lately.
@@captinbeyond You can slip a mirror in over the top of the caliper and see the pads clearly.
@@AT-wl9yq Then why didn't Ray use the mirror and forget about taking the wheels off? I've changed pads before, so I know you can see them without taking the wheels off but not as good.
@@captinbeyond You have to ask him that. You can slip a mirror in, but maybe his camera doesn't fit. And please don't compare me to you. You changed pads before so every one is exactly the same. On some cars, like this one, you can see them perfectly fine. On other cars, you can't see them at all. You're not a tech, so don't pretend to be one.
@@AT-wl9yq If you read my comment, I never pretended to be a tech.......my comment was was about the dealer not doing their job to do a proper brake inspection which involves more than glancing at the pads with a mirror.
They declined the service? I’m shocked.
What a considerate and cool viewer to send you that stud tool!
Most German cars come with those wheel studs along with a tow hook in the spare tire kit. Some Audi/VW/Porsches come with a little plastic tool to remove those annoying plastic lug stud caps.
With the outside pads wearing down faster than inside, I say check the ABS system! You can tell by how the caliber pistons are at they're most extended by the wear of the outside!
Both inside and outside pads should have the same even wear if the ABS is working correctly!
Nope... Just the pins in need of the special lube paste 🤣
Corrected text:
With the outside pads wearing down faster than inside pads - check the
ABS system! One can tell by how the caliper pistons are at their most
extended by the wear of the outside!
Both inside and outside pads should have the same even wear when the
ABS is working correctly!
Your score Robert 7/10
Read more BOOKS to improve your literacy and English language skills.
Good luck
This happens in spite of the abs... Not because.
Big O made a big show of torque-wrenching the nuts on my Lexus, but this was after impact-wrenching the hell out of them. The torque wrench never moved them at all---just instant click.
That is very bad! Final torque MUST be moving.
That's a shit job for sure. Tell them to knock that crap off or they don't get your business.
That's also a sign the person doing it has no idea what they are doing.
Or they just don't care.
Compare that to the way Discount Tire did the job a few months later; One wheel was bent, and they were all corroded and looked like crap. I bought four new wheels and four new tires. After removing the old wheels, they wire brushed the mounting surface of the hub with a dedicated air tool, snugged the wheels with an impact, and finished it off with a torque wrench. I was a service writer at WalMart for four and a half years. Our shop never wire brushed and we used torque sticks for tightening--not accurate enough, but we did sell pretty good tires.
@@walmartdog1142 yeah discount tire always did decent work for me with proper procedure.
Walmart has decent prices for oil and tires. I buy them online and mount them myself.
For Mercedes Sedans, the tolerance on rotor lips are about 1.7mm or 0.0669 inches. So if it has a lip, it is basically ready for a new rotor
I changed my 211 E320CDI front rotor after 270000km, from pads were changed once. I drove it mainly on highway, so dont need to apply brakes often.
notification squad, happy easter!🔥🔥🔥
Happy Easter! CLICK!
@@johndough4745 thank you!!😎👍🏻🐇🥚🥚🥚
Happy Easter Everyone 🐣
@@JonnyHolms thank you!!!👍🏻😎🐇🥚🥚🥚
happy Easter people …. Easter CLICK!!
Keep up the great videos Ray 📹 👍 👌👌👌
I use to write service and manage is this business for over 20 years. I do appreciate and welcome second opinions of the places I work at diagnostic inspections. I was honest in my recommendations. However these people that go from shop to shop only to be told the same thing are not saving any money. Everyone does and needed to charge for their time. They think they are saving money by jumping over a dollar hoping to chase a penny. This ends up costing everyone time money and patience.
I wish more places used an actual torque wrench for wheel bolts/nuts. I had several broken studs on my Subaru because they have a fairly low torque and places would just impact them on and crossthread the bolts by overtorqueing them. Was always fun to find. I started keeping spares in the car because almost every time a shop/the dealer would have the wheels off I'd have crossthreaded bolts the next time they came off. Shockingly, when I or a shop used an actual torque wrench there were never any crossthreaded bolts. It's almost like doing it right worked, lol. Keep up the good work Ray.
If the Mercedes Benz dealer recommended rear brakes repair, why didn't they do it? Oh, did the customer think this was just BS?
prob because, like so many customers - they are tired of dealership BS and suspicious of their quotes
@@ghostrider-be9ek Yes, I agree. That's why I also don't drive German cars as even the dealerships service charges you extra high rates because it's a "Mercedes".
FYI, when I lived in Germany I worked at Mercedes and VW/Audi. Since moving to the US 24+ years ago I had better experience with carefully selected American cars that most times I can easily repair myself.
@@martyh4777 yes! Some american cars are actually well made - its rare but they are out there. The Pontiac GTO from the early 2000s was one example. Simple, brutish, but built tough.
Most people think they have to go to the dealer only when they buy a MB or BMW. They don't realize they are just cars. So they go and pay $$$ when they could save hundreds or even thousands going to an independent shop. I've seen people have to bring in their BMW to have their license plates put on. Baffling!