My Benz dealership is a complete rip. Took my E550 up to the dealership for a vibration after 90 mph. They said my 4 Matic (AWD system) was broke and it was $9000 to fix 😐. Took it to and Indy mechanic and he pulled off the wheel and showed me a bad dent on the inside lip of the rim. I bought a used rim on eBay for $250. Car ran flawlessly. That was 8000 miles ago.
That is the big issue with dealerships. They want you to buy a new plastic car. Where I live there is no Mercedes indy. So I drive it 1000km each year to UK to get proper service.
@@dadgarage7966 no, but I didn’t expect them to lie to me either. They could’ve tested the wheels out on a tire balancer to eliminate that first hand. Or I figured they would have a way to simulate that speed in the shop. It’s not like I was getting freebie. I paid 300$ for a diagnostic. I had zero “check engine lights” or any other “fault indicator “. Car ran fine except at higher speeds it had a pretty bad shudder. I figured they would’ve put the car on a lift and check the wheels and tires firstly.
I took my TBird to the Ford dealership for an AC issue. They quoted me for a complete dash removal and repair for $1200 or more. I declined the repair took it home and took a flashlight under the dash and it was repaired in 10 minutes. It happens. But they gave me the idea where to start.
I soooo feel your pain and frustration with the repair costs of owning a Merc. The "gift that keeps on giving" comment could not hit closer to home. I purchased a 2018 AMG E63s Wagon last year after watching the review you and Yuri did (BEST REVIEW EVER, BTW!). In the first year of ownership I've spent over $20K in repairs and maintenance. The car sat for sale at a dealer for over a year so the first thing it needed was a full engine/drivetrain service to replace all fluids and new rear brake pads and rotors. Shortly after I got hit with the dreaded rear main seal leak. Got all new plugs and coil packs to address a rough idle. Then both oil separators needed to be replaced, since the engine was already taken apart the belts and tensioners and thermostats got renewed. Just recently the transmission control module went bad which was another big hit to the wallet. All the work was done at a local Mercedes dealership so that explains the big bills. An indy shop could of probably done the work MUCH cheaper but this is my first AMG and Mercedes so didn't want to take a chance on having the repairs done at a place that hasn't worked on something this special before. Each time it went in for repair it took several weeks since parts had to be sourced from Germany so having a loaner provided was a big bonus. It's not all bad because now that the wagon is in perfect running condition, it brings the biggest smile and grin to my face every day I drive it. Words can't explain the feeling of driving such an engineering marvel, the ultimate sleeper that can hang with or blow away 90% of the other cars on the road. Apologies for the long comment but wanted to say I can totally relate to how you feel about owning a car that is the best and worst at the same time. Condolences to your bank account and really appreciate you sharing your automotive journey with us!
I bought my '91 SL because of the amazing build quality and timeless design. I sold it 4 years later after non-stop repairs, including re-doing my own headliner (microfiber) and soft top windows...every 1-2 months something else would go wrong. Trust me, cut your ties brother and learn to love your bank account again.
I have owners my 1996sl for 18 years and this year is the first year it has presented me with several large bills. Would never sell. I also own a 1991 s class and again in its 7 years with me it’s needed serving and a new power steering pump. No too bad
When Jakub says, "I know why people go to the dealership" for service, he is spot on. My mother gets the same 5-star treatment (complete with the same translucent fancy fast rising service doors and inexplicable coffee machine....actually, her dealership has a cafe with pretty nice food and smoothies and they paid for all of our lunches once) at her Lexus dealership and despite the absurd quotes they've given her, she REFUSES to take it to an independent shop for a competitive quote. The Lexus dealership does a great job with a packet of detailed info on the work needed, pictures included. It would be sooooo easy to get another quote on the work. And as her son, knowing she's on a very moderate fixed income, it drives me CRAZY. On the other hand she loves her Lexus dealership experiences.
I don't go to the dealers except to pick up parts (unless I can get aftermarket from the same companies that make the OEM ones). People want to go to clean, pretty spaces with nice amenities. If the people are courteous, even better. Plus they feel dealers will fix the cars better than independents (due to great marketing, generally).
I have owned a 1999 320SL for 8 years and have loved it until the last 3 months during which we have fallen out. My gripe is with the soft top, when I bought it I replaced the ECU and its worked faultlessly ever since but in January I went into hospital for a month and the battery went flat. On my discharge from hospital I decided to take the pano roof off for the Spring weather and I charged it using one of those reconditioning units because I knew the electrics were vulnerable. The soft top came up and I decided to test the roll bar that also came up. However both refused to retract! My garage cleared the faults and all seemed fine but the roof has refused to work again! I love the car but it's like living with a time bomb on your drive! I don't use it enough so I have decided to get it repaired and sell it. 8 years of fun now somebody else can enjoy it!
@viewviewview1236 then buy KIA or something , just because you can’t afford something , doesn’t mean that others can’t , buy what you can afford , you can probably afford to drive some nice cars , just not Mercedes
@stanmarcusgtv they are not cheap , my 9 year old Mercedes was as much as new Toyota RAV4 … if you can’t afford 150 bucks oil change once a year , or $600 spark plugs service every few years , don’t buy a Mercedes , get something you can afford
Love the content Jakub, keep it up! I’m just across the border from you in Niagara Falls with a similar garage full of German cars from 1976 to 2006 and my solution to the old German car leaks (to a certain point) is parking them over small tarps to not destroy my floors and accepting it. I spent almost $7k chasing down every single leak on a 1994 E320 and while it may be perfect now, it drives exactly the same as it did before when I was topping up the oil level every so often 😅
We are new to the Mercedes brand. Took my wife's A220 in for an oil change and tire rotation at the dealership to the tune of $300 USD!!! We did get treated like royalty that I haven't experienced at any other car dealership. The service advisor even said they will drop a loaner off 1.5 hours away and drive our A220 back for the next service at no extra charge.
19:18 - jakub, i really appreciate these videos; it reminds me of the allure (trap) of my e38 7-series. beautiful car. BEAUTIFUL. runs beyond perfect when she's perfect, but the ownership experience is just littered with so many niggles, complaints, and repair costs. after three years of running her and getting sidelined on the highway (again), i just found i had neither the heart nor the wallet to keep repairing her. 😢 your videos are a wonderful way for me to relive those days and to remind me of my journey from e38 to w202 to ducati 848 to eventually an nd mx5. completely different experiences, i know, but somehow that's just the point. 9 years of ownership on the mx5 and all i've done outside of routine oil services is change tires and fill up on gas.
Drove my 01 Porsche 996 Twin Turbo for 13 years. Other than standard maintenance, oil, brakes, tires, etc, the only thing I ever replaced was the cracked anti freeze coolant reservoir. Car was bullet proof...
great video and comparison on dealer vs independent. As I drive by fancy German dealerships these days, I always think , "someone has to pay for that fancy building, coffee, staff, loaners etc." Jacob just broke it down for us. This is why finding the value of a good independent mechanic is key when you own an out-of-warranty German car.
Have a 1978 Ferrari 308. Got it back from the mechanic yesterday. Dropped it off in November. Of 2022. Drove it home with fear and loathing, it incident free. Later took it for a spin and winding that V8 out, the sound and thrill, brought tears of joy.
Most dealerships only offer loaner vehicles for warranty work. The fact that this Mercedes dealership did it for you for your 15 y/o AMG is surprising to me.
What a fantastic program ! Jakub, you are informative and upbeat and really funny. Bravo ! I bought a GLB 250 4 years ago: and had no problems. When it needed a 20,000 maintenance service, the dealership quoted me $1,800 plus tax ! I stewed on that for 2 months and finally said, "Forget that. !" I sold it and bought a new Honda CRV Hybrid instead.
@17:00 the sagging hardtop headliner is a known SL500 issue. Don’t bother trying to re-glue it, as it will not hold since the felt lining is ruined and won’t stick. I replaced my headliner in about 4 hours. This is a fun and easy DIY fix. Cheers.
Cars have gotten to the point where they are impossible to fix. It seems like once a car hits 20 years in age just call up the Junkman. I have a 2003 Mercedes ML350 and the immobilizer decided to self-destruct. Of course, being naïve I thought it was a simple matter of replacing the immobilizer, but that didn’t fix the problem. I tried to go to the dealership but the dealership told me they do not sell parts for that model/year car anymore. The parts guy was reading off a service bulletin in his computer that said no parts are available for that car once supply runs out. The supplies ran out years ago. Buying used parts was the only option. The problem is those parts cannot necessarily work interchangeably. Which means that the key, immobilizer, body controller, and Engine computer have to all be bought together and programmed together or the car simply may not run. I have seen videos of people simply changing out these parts and it working perfectly, but I am not so lucky. This car has a date with the Junkman. It’s a shame because my ML made me love SUVs. Now it is going to be hard to live without one for a while. It’s an absolute disgrace how these government bureaucrats and these corporate executives can get on a stage and claim they’re saving the world. What they won’t tell the gullible masses is that millions of their products are going into landfills. They’d rather point their finger at us and say it’s all your fault, You people are destroying the planet. The average Joe and Jane six pack couldn’t destroy the planet if they tried from birth till death unlike these massive corporations who sell millions and billions of products that are essentially disposable and they go into landfills. These products leak toxic fluids and heavy metals into the water and then we drink the water and die. They tell you just to filter the water but independent tests prove that a lot of these contaminants cannot be removed by those filters. So it’s the end of the world as we know it and I don’t feel fine…🤬🤮
I have 2015 S550 and I absolutely love it , every time I drive it it is an experience, it brings me more joy than any other car I ever owned it… it is little more expensive to service and maintain, but it’s part of the game … I have credit card dedicated just for it, and whenever something needs to be done on it , it gets done right away … I also have 2013 GLK 350 , and it is fantastic car … it all depends what you want , if you need a car to get you from point A to point B , buy Toyota or Honda or something , if you want a car to enjoy it and have fun driving it , get a Mercedes or Porsche … you can’t get S class or AMG Mercedes , or 911 and expect it will cost you as much as Toyota to keep it running … before I got my S class I took new Camry and RAV4 for a test drive , and you just can’t compare driving experience to Mercedes , Toyota was like driving a wheelbarrow compared to S class … I’m from Europe , and owned many different Mercedes models , from w116 to w222 , and they never disappoint … Mercedes is not for everyone, I’d love to own Bentley Moulsane , but can’t afford it , so I drive Mercedes , if someone would love to own a Mercedes, but can’t afford it , he’ll just had to get something else … I don’t go to the Mercedes dealer to work on my car , I do oil changes at Valvoline quick oil change place, and mechanical work at my local mechanic shop, I buy most parts on eBay as well … if you want a luxury vehicle , you just have to understand that even if you paid $30K for it used, you’re still maintaining a $130.000K vehicle , it’s not as expensive as some of those exotic cars like Rolls Royce or Bentley , but at the same time , it’s not gonna be as cheap as maintaining an average vehicle like Dodge, Toyota or similar … to each his own … I wouldn’t trade my S class for 5 new Toyotas …
I have had 4 r129s over the years, I still have the one that started it all for me,a 94 sl600,it is truly a love-hate relationship. I have had it about 15 years now,and it is a very well sorted model with 50k miles. I did sell my other long term 98 sl500 last year,I literally debated selling that one for almost 7 years,as it was such a nice car and in many ways more comfortable for long trips than the 600. I do my own work,and when the day comes that I no longer can,well that will be when the 600 goes away. I bought it without an engine so that was my first project along with new harnesses, and throttle bodies. Then, after a few years the trans went out,then all the suspension hydraulics had to be replaced,then all top cylinders along with the soft top,then new visors/mirrors and the overhead console, and then there was the radiator, the rotors and pads all around,the door pocket hinges,the catalytic convertors,the plugs and wires,the refinishing of the amg 5 spoke wheels with new tires,the hood pad,the power antenna, the bose amp, I could go on,but I am suddenly not feeling well for some reason 😢 But having a sorted r129 sl600 is a wonderful experience, I did also ceramic coat it since it has been relegated to the driveway to make room for the " nice cars" but I did buy a good cover for it a few years back. My advice for your 500,keep it as long as you can if you enjoy it,if you sell it just for the money,you will always regret it until you get another one, I am actually looking for another 96-98 500 in need of work,I have the parts from 3 r129s that I have parted out over the years,hoping to find one that is low mileage in need of body over mechanical repair,but I also have a complete m120 and trans looking for a suitable donor.
*Qualified* & *competent* independent shops seem a great resource. But last time I used one it was uncle jim's buddies' shop, whos "the best". Steering rack was put in so incorrectly it wrecked the rack, brand new pump, and front tires (alignment). So I do everything myself and hope to have saved up for a lift by the time I need to do a major service
@1:40 I used to look forward to going to Mercedes dealerships to peruse the lot. I would just lust after all of those beautiful cars, basic models included. Now, I go and it doesn’t do diddly squat for me, nada. It really is sad.
I was estumaging a $3k usd. from dealer. Being that you also got a loaner, id say it wasnt a bad deal. AND you got that sls poster!!! That in itself was priceless. I mean where else would you ve able to find one and for FREE?! Priceless dude. Btw that e55 wagon looks very well maintain excellent example.
I've had some Mercedes the past 7 or 8 years, both old and new, and what i do is get a service plan where I pay a monthly value (e.g. £80) for a year and that includes 2 services. This way I keep service history and includes Mercedes SOS and roadside assistance. I haven't experienced any breakdown or repairs outside yearly service. Cheers, love those AMG
Loaners are the best perk of dealers! Some indy Euro shops offer them too and usually something older and interesting, but don't always have as many available. A solid indy shop is always the better option if you're past the new car warranty.
If you are able to find one. The manufaturer forces standards on the dealerships and even a really bad operating dealership does a decent job, but independent shops are hit or miss.
I wish our Mercedes dealership treated the customers like royalty. This Mercedes is located in a place that have tons of money in the town. My BMW dealership gives us more royalty than Mercedes. I do like Mercedes and hoping to pick up sedan, I might just buy mine at different dealership. Thanks for the video Jakub! Always love watching you content on this channel and your other one with your pal yuri.
thank you! That is my model too. Treat everyone with how you want to be treated. I think the reason why this Mercedes dealership struggles some of there customer don’t treat them well and they are high end customers. So my friends and family take there Mercedes to another town and get treated royalty
I honestly haven’t given it much thought. With how much I paid for it and what I have put into it to make it perfect, it would have to start with a high $2x,xxx. I see much worse ones currently listed for just below $30k
That sounds right. My garage isn't heated but it's very well insulated. So it was near freezing all winter then it got hot outside real quick and was left outside and inside at EA for 2-3 weeks. Dang.
Older mercedes carry such a distint sense of elegance. As someone who only experienced old toyotas & hondas, I often wonder owning older "reliable/bulletproof" mercedes because the definition of those words seems slightly different for japanese cars...as evidenced by your car. I still absolutely love your wagon, that gen E class is my favorite. I dream about owning a 560SEC AMG one day, it's my favorite of all
I bought arguably 2 of the most reliable and bulletproof old Mercedes. They’ve honestly been pretty good and I could have done nothing and driven them as is. My mistake is trying to make them perfect, especially with the SL
Having an R129 and an AMG wagon in the same garage? That's a beautiful site, and a painful one at the same time. I've got a '95 SL500 and a W210 E55. I feel your wallet pain. But they still give me a lot of joy every time I'm behind the wheel.
I own an 08 Mercedes e350. Beautiful, bulletproof car. Still running smooth. And i do enjoy going to the dealer to get its maintenance services done. I enjoy all of their amenities, snacks and my dealer also has fancy bread! 😂 other dealership hardly even give you a bottle of water. Lol.
nothing is more expensive than a cheap mercedes, cant say I was impressed with them. Wifes new '22 lease came covered in rail rust, no tint (which we paid for) and they neglected to tell us the remote start when we asked only works via phone... not fob. POS ran with the CEL on all the time and Mercedes dealship could never make time to look at it, handed it back in afew a few months.
Nice SL.... I had 2000 SL that I had to let go.. Top stop working and I was quoted $5K to repair... I got married in that car, so my wife was a little upset. But I replaced it with Jag XK conv. We love it! Sometime you have to say goodbye.... To get new toys :) Enjoyed the Video!
211 and 129 are easy to fix. Transmission is a bit of time consuming job, took me one Saturday to r&r a rear main seal leak, not too bad tbh. I found mechanically those 90-00s Mercedes are very easy to DIY, simple design and no tricky bolt (hell lot of engineering work involved to make it that way). My Lexus sometimes have more stupid design than those mbs
After my last experience at the Toyota dealership, I will never go to a dealership again. They quoted me over $4000. To fix my Tacoma saying I need. To basically rip open my engine and fix internal parts.I took it to an independent mechannick.He replaced the VVT And the truck runs perfect. By the way, the Toyota dealership mechanic, what's trying to buy my truck for me, which I think was very unprofessional.
My driveway has all BMWs so i kinda understand..im lucky to have a family member who does the work for way less..Never ever bring ur car to the dealer unless u have a warranty ,a recall or hard to diagnose issue
You forgot to mention that the dealers also charge $150.00 just to diagnose the problem. Or they do in San Diego. Also yes the dealers chargeg $200.00 an hour for anything and sometimes the company allows them a lot more time than is actually needed. That also is a little unfair. I always hated that when I would take a car to a delaer and found out that 4/5s of the bill was labor.
When you go to the upholstery shop to fix the headliner make sure to share your experience! A lot of seats with the MB-Tex synthetic leather also tear. It would be nice to have trusted shop to go to to fix material issues.
I own a w140 with biodegradable engine harness. One day car started to run rough. I popped the upper cap with Benz logo and saw all the wires just laying together. No insulation on them at all, about 10 wires were lying together. At that point I surprised that car even can run at all. But it started perfect, just a bit rough. I took it out insulated all them with a tape(should have used shrink, but I was young:) and when I put it back on the car it ran like never before. Really. It became more responsive and almost all error codes went away.
That was a great era for MB. The r129 sl is my grail car. Newer models may way out perform it, but there are so many more electronic things to break. Prices on the r129s look to have bottomed and are now rising. Id keep it for the long run.
Rented a GLB-250 and agree it felt like a cheap car. Rough ride, loud cabin, uncomfortable seats. Infotainment not user friendly. Interesting the C class felt more luxury. I Like your content!
But in class if you read/watch reviews, the GLB is actually a surprisingly good product. Most likely you just aren't in the market for anything resembling a compact crossover, which is totally fine.
@@kevin9c1 I have 2 compact crossovers and one suv. The GLB has great acceleration and looks nice but everything else was meh. We out here actually driving them, not just watching reviews.
I own a 2003 R230 with the AMG trim package. I simply LOVE this car! The power and poise are amazing. However, it is a ticking time bomb in my bank account.
@@itsreallyjakub Vehicle Master Inquiry. It is a report that details everything ever done to the car; recalls, repairs, servicing, everything. For some reason service departments are usually very very protective over these reports. Obtaining one really helps to understand the car’s history.
@@S.Madman in my situation that wouldn’t make a difference. I’m only driving ~5,000mi a year and a second car would mean a second parking spot that costs as much as a used car. I’ll also go with two cars in the future, but it’s going to be a pretty idiotic decision…where’s the shock there
I have a 2008 E550 and it had a fuel smell which I think was the same charcoal canister, but I had it fixed about 6 years ago when it was still under the 15 year fuel system warranty, I think they replaced the whole fuel tank too, warranty covered it all.
I own 2 BMWs and a 90’s Toyota Pickup truck. The Toyota is the parts runner and daily. Why.m because it always works and repairs are minimal and cheap. Still love my BMW’s but years ago learned to do all repairs myself. I do not go to the shops or dealers other than for state inspections or tires (discount tire).
The second you get rid of it you’re gonna miss it. Yes it may be expensive to fix. But it’s still way more reliable than the newer Mercedes with all the electronics in there. This at least has a small mix of analog and digital. And for the most part these are one time fixes. I love these older cars. We gotta hold on to them because these newer cars are gonna continue to become more complicated and costly to repair
While I agree with you about the dealerships being filled with SUV's and hardly any cars, I also disagree. I had a C300 and ended up trading it for a GLC as putting my 3 year old in and out of the sedan was too bothersome. The GLC is on a completely different level as far as build quality and refinement over its sedan brother. Shocking actually. Plus it carries more, rides better on the beat up Canadian roads and still feels decently fun to drive. Crossovers / SUVs are what people want. So dealers give it to them.
I was in the market for a safe suv several years ago I was going to buy a Mercedes but after much research I didn't I bought a new traverse ltz awd never one issue we still have it today
Damn, that price difference is crazy, almost half the price. I do enjoy my dealer servicing, but you can save a lot else where (after warranty of course).
You might not even be able to take the SL to a dealership. These days many are refusing to work on cars pre-2000. That refusal is with Mercedes blessing, although I think some of them still want to service the older cars for owners.
I talked to a master tech at a different Mercedes dealership. He told me the same thing. He was basically the only one there that has even worked on an R129 SL. He said all the other techs know is the new stuff and EV’s. Very sad
I am interested in a used E350 sedan. However, I cannot find any (ANY) source of info on projected maintenance & repair cost (we all know RepairPal figures are way too low). It's the absence of any information that is keeping me from pulling the trigger.
I agree and go one step further, those GLB's are death traps in my opinion! The blind spots in the rear are HORRIBLE and the driving position is bad. Interior was beautiful though and the driving dynamics themseves weren't bad(Had plenty of power for a loaner, was comfortable despite being firm, brakes worked decent). However, it was such a bad driving experience that I brought it back instantly and took back my 2005 CLK 55 AMG(M113 and I have 182k+ miles on her!) lol.
The GLB is a death trap due to a blind spot issue? 😅 If this is the measuring stick you're using to evaluate a vehicle, all SUVs are death traps. All SUVs suffer from terrible blind spots. If you want to experience a real blind spot, try backing a 2011 E550 convertible down a narrow laneway with the top up! My wife hated SUVs, and yet she is happy with the GLB. One of the reasons is that she claims it has great outward visibility. One person's death trap is another's happy place!
@@robgray1605 When I can't see out of the rear quarter windows at all because of the rear headrest no matter how you position yourself, you have a problem. I could not see anything and I've owned 3 Grand Cherokees, a Toyota 4 Runner, Ford Expeditions.. it's rare to have an SUV be this bad so not all SUV's suffer from blind spots. The GLB is a death trap.. forward visibility is great I will give it that. All you have to rely on for rearward visibility is the backup camera and the dinky window in the rear. I feel bad for you sir but if your wife likes it that's all that matters! We look at the good with the bad, she might see the good(Which there is quite a bit of, the Interiors are amazing.)
Well as a long time owner of Mercedes cars since probably 1974. I can Shirley tell you that I have never ever spent money on repairs for a transmission or a pump of any kind a charcoal filter never and I. Would never be stupid enough to ever go back to a Mercedes dealer once the car is out of warranty? Because you will pay from 2 to 4 times more than. It should cost because they are insane on their pricing. They're parts can be bought for half and sometimes 65% off of their price at other parts. Houses like Pelican parts in Florida that handles Mercedes in Porsche parts. There are much cheaper and there original stuff they're not from China they are German parts... The other thing on the you're a hoodle your rough liner take the top off go out in your yard put a big blanket down flip the top. UberGO to a upholstery place have them sell you the at? Hes of and there are many good at hes lives. It will last forever and you buy a sometimes they have the parts they're you buy a big surrenge you feel that maybe 50ML syringe with. The glue you go around that liner and you go about every 5 inches and squirt maybe 1 or 2M malls of the liquid in there. If you have to refill your surrenge maybe 3 or 4 times that sounds about right? Then you press that down just press it down. Make sure that you don't get a wrinkle. They smoothed out very well and that shouldn't cost. You but probably 75 bucks and take my word for it. You can do it and it won't cost you a cent to have to pay somebody else. So please remember what I said stay away from a dealership. You don't understand that you're just paying big money for something that's not even necessary?
One thing about the german cars is they really dont seem to like sitting (or cold climates lol). Mercedes uses a lot of silicone to seal stuff and they used to use not the best orings that wouldnt last all that long etc so they like to leak it seems.
Great video Jakub! Funny story, I just recently saw you driving in the e55 on the 401 while I was my way to Waterloo for a work trip! As soon as I spotted the e55 i was sure it was you lol, super cool to see it out on the road!
While I do agree with you, it depends on the car and age of it. I talked to a master tech at another Mercedes dealership and he said he is the only one there to ever work on an R129 SL. All the other techs are trained on the new stuff so they have no idea what to do when dealing with an older car that doesn’t have the same diagnostics port which tells them the exact problem to fix. So even though older cars have less electronics and are easier to work on, it’s getting harder to find the people that know what they’re doing on older cars
My pops played for the Cowboys when they won back to back inm 92/93 or some shit. All the top players had the sl500. Why do I know dudes face ? i like him for now. Until he makes my daughter smile. Im watching you Jakub 👁👄👁
Knew I recognized the dealership! Love the new porsche dealership next door. I keep taking my rs5 to audi while on CPO but I am dreading my future brake job...so ill be checking out EA or Foreign Automotive.
Thanks Brad - Great Guy - 3yr 60,000 km is coming up soon on my vehicle, dealership called and offered warranty, Is it worth getting or roll the dice ? - I've had ZERO issues currently at 50,000 k
@@itsreallyjakub they will also leak eventually. “German” cars are more complex and advanced (odd) designed and that’s a contributing factor to premature leaks, too.,.
Mb service dept. and dealer management drove me away from the brand. Imo part of luxury experience means not knowing everything about your service advisor and the service department. As much as I would love to be in a new AMG. I still get flashbacks of my past horrible experiences.
My Benz dealership is a complete rip. Took my E550 up to the dealership for a vibration after 90 mph. They said my 4 Matic (AWD system) was broke and it was $9000 to fix 😐. Took it to and Indy mechanic and he pulled off the wheel and showed me a bad dent on the inside lip of the rim. I bought a used rim on eBay for $250. Car ran flawlessly. That was 8000 miles ago.
Wild!!
That is the big issue with dealerships. They want you to buy a new plastic car.
Where I live there is no Mercedes indy. So I drive it 1000km each year to UK to get proper service.
Did you expect a tech to drive your E550 at more than 90 mph to verify your concern?
@@dadgarage7966 no, but I didn’t expect them to lie to me either. They could’ve tested the wheels out on a tire balancer to eliminate that first hand. Or I figured they would have a way to simulate that speed in the shop. It’s not like I was getting freebie. I paid 300$ for a diagnostic. I had zero “check engine lights” or any other “fault indicator “. Car ran fine except at higher speeds it had a pretty bad shudder. I figured they would’ve put the car on a lift and check the wheels and tires firstly.
I took my TBird to the Ford dealership for an AC issue. They quoted me for a complete dash removal and repair for $1200 or more. I declined the repair took it home and took a flashlight under the dash and it was repaired in 10 minutes. It happens. But they gave me the idea where to start.
I soooo feel your pain and frustration with the repair costs of owning a Merc. The "gift that keeps on giving" comment could not hit closer to home. I purchased a 2018 AMG E63s Wagon last year after watching the review you and Yuri did (BEST REVIEW EVER, BTW!). In the first year of ownership I've spent over $20K in repairs and maintenance. The car sat for sale at a dealer for over a year so the first thing it needed was a full engine/drivetrain service to replace all fluids and new rear brake pads and rotors. Shortly after I got hit with the dreaded rear main seal leak. Got all new plugs and coil packs to address a rough idle. Then both oil separators needed to be replaced, since the engine was already taken apart the belts and tensioners and thermostats got renewed. Just recently the transmission control module went bad which was another big hit to the wallet.
All the work was done at a local Mercedes dealership so that explains the big bills. An indy shop could of probably done the work MUCH cheaper but this is my first AMG and Mercedes so didn't want to take a chance on having the repairs done at a place that hasn't worked on something this special before. Each time it went in for repair it took several weeks since parts had to be sourced from Germany so having a loaner provided was a big bonus.
It's not all bad because now that the wagon is in perfect running condition, it brings the biggest smile and grin to my face every day I drive it. Words can't explain the feeling of driving such an engineering marvel, the ultimate sleeper that can hang with or blow away 90% of the other cars on the road.
Apologies for the long comment but wanted to say I can totally relate to how you feel about owning a car that is the best and worst at the same time. Condolences to your bank account and really appreciate you sharing your automotive journey with us!
That’s wild to hear all the problems with a fairly new car. German cars are German cars regardless of the year lol. Glad you still love it though
you have to be rich to purchase one and rich to maintain one.
I bought my '91 SL because of the amazing build quality and timeless design. I sold it 4 years later after non-stop repairs, including re-doing my own headliner (microfiber) and soft top windows...every 1-2 months something else would go wrong. Trust me, cut your ties brother and learn to love your bank account again.
That's exactly the comment I needed!
I have owners my 1996sl for 18 years and this year is the first year it has presented me with several large bills. Would never sell.
I also own a 1991 s class and again in its 7 years with me it’s needed serving and a new power steering pump.
No too bad
Not to mention how hard the parts are to find these days.
When Jakub says, "I know why people go to the dealership" for service, he is spot on. My mother gets the same 5-star treatment (complete with the same translucent fancy fast rising service doors and inexplicable coffee machine....actually, her dealership has a cafe with pretty nice food and smoothies and they paid for all of our lunches once) at her Lexus dealership and despite the absurd quotes they've given her, she REFUSES to take it to an independent shop for a competitive quote. The Lexus dealership does a great job with a packet of detailed info on the work needed, pictures included. It would be sooooo easy to get another quote on the work. And as her son, knowing she's on a very moderate fixed income, it drives me CRAZY. On the other hand she loves her Lexus dealership experiences.
Haha I totally understand where she’s coming from now
… bud there are mechanics in this world find a good one (if you know what it takes) and stop letting your mother get F LOL
@@GBKICKS1 lol
I don't go to the dealers except to pick up parts (unless I can get aftermarket from the same companies that make the OEM ones). People want to go to clean, pretty spaces with nice amenities. If the people are courteous, even better. Plus they feel dealers will fix the cars better than independents (due to great marketing, generally).
To get ripped off and have a nice coffee?
I have owned a 1999 320SL for 8 years and have loved it until the last 3 months during which we have fallen out. My gripe is with the soft top, when I bought it I replaced the ECU and its worked faultlessly ever since but in January I went into hospital for a month and the battery went flat. On my discharge from hospital I decided to take the pano roof off for the Spring weather and I charged it using one of those reconditioning units because I knew the electrics were vulnerable. The soft top came up and I decided to test the roll bar that also came up. However both refused to retract! My garage cleared the faults and all seemed fine but the roof has refused to work again! I love the car but it's like living with a time bomb on your drive! I don't use it enough so I have decided to get it repaired and sell it. 8 years of fun now somebody else can enjoy it!
Oh boy!!
Remember, buying a used Benz + maintenance is STILL cheaper than buying a new one. You're no longer paying for depreciation.
Damn straight
remember a used Merc is so cheap because they cost so much to keep going
@viewviewview1236 then buy KIA or something , just because you can’t afford something , doesn’t mean that others can’t , buy what you can afford , you can probably afford to drive some nice cars , just not Mercedes
@stanmarcusgtv they are not cheap , my 9 year old Mercedes was as much as new Toyota RAV4 … if you can’t afford 150 bucks oil change once a year , or $600 spark plugs service every few years , don’t buy a Mercedes , get something you can afford
@@damirzanne who said anything about being able to afford it, just saying they may seem cheap but they are not
Love the content Jakub, keep it up! I’m just across the border from you in Niagara Falls with a similar garage full of German cars from 1976 to 2006 and my solution to the old German car leaks (to a certain point) is parking them over small tarps to not destroy my floors and accepting it. I spent almost $7k chasing down every single leak on a 1994 E320 and while it may be perfect now, it drives exactly the same as it did before when I was topping up the oil level every so often 😅
Haha that’s what I’m seeing as the common answer
We are new to the Mercedes brand. Took my wife's A220 in for an oil change and tire rotation at the dealership to the tune of $300 USD!!! We did get treated like royalty that I haven't experienced at any other car dealership. The service advisor even said they will drop a loaner off 1.5 hours away and drive our A220 back for the next service at no extra charge.
19:18 - jakub, i really appreciate these videos; it reminds me of the allure (trap) of my e38 7-series.
beautiful car. BEAUTIFUL. runs beyond perfect when she's perfect, but the ownership experience is just littered with so many niggles, complaints, and repair costs. after three years of running her and getting sidelined on the highway (again), i just found i had neither the heart nor the wallet to keep repairing her. 😢
your videos are a wonderful way for me to relive those days and to remind me of my journey from e38 to w202 to ducati 848 to eventually an nd mx5. completely different experiences, i know, but somehow that's just the point. 9 years of ownership on the mx5 and all i've done outside of routine oil services is change tires and fill up on gas.
Haha I’ve owned enough Japanese cars prior to my current garage to know just how good it can be in terms of little to no maintenance.
Drove my 01 Porsche 996 Twin Turbo for 13 years.
Other than standard maintenance, oil, brakes, tires, etc, the only thing I ever replaced was the cracked anti freeze coolant reservoir.
Car was bullet proof...
At least an old Mercedes is special enough to be worth fixing. Beautiful cars!
Yup these are definitely worth fixing. Still painful sometimes
@@itsreallyjakub also, no pan under my C140 but there is some scrap cardboard.
Yup, I'm currently restoring my 24 y/o ML55 AMG and it's been very rewarding so far.
great video and comparison on dealer vs independent. As I drive by fancy German dealerships these days, I always think , "someone has to pay for that fancy building, coffee, staff, loaners etc." Jacob just broke it down for us. This is why finding the value of a good independent mechanic is key when you own an out-of-warranty German car.
Have a 1978 Ferrari 308. Got it back from the mechanic yesterday. Dropped it off in November. Of 2022. Drove it home with fear and loathing, it incident free. Later took it for a spin and winding that V8 out, the sound and thrill, brought tears of joy.
Haha that sounds about right
Most dealerships only offer loaner vehicles for warranty work. The fact that this Mercedes dealership did it for you for your 15 y/o AMG is surprising to me.
Must know he’s a U tube guy
What a fantastic program ! Jakub, you are informative and upbeat and really funny. Bravo ! I bought a GLB 250 4 years ago: and had no problems. When it needed a 20,000 maintenance service, the dealership quoted me $1,800 plus tax ! I stewed on that for 2 months and finally said, "Forget that. !" I sold it and bought a new Honda CRV Hybrid instead.
Hahah amazing
@17:00 the sagging hardtop headliner is a known SL500 issue. Don’t bother trying to re-glue it, as it will not hold since the felt lining is ruined and won’t stick. I replaced my headliner in about 4 hours. This is a fun and easy DIY fix. Cheers.
Our idea of fun is different haha. But I think I’m going to attempt to do it myself
If service is what you want, go to the indy, take the extra money and go to a weekend spa, and still have money left over!
Now that's service.
Cars have gotten to the point where they are impossible to fix. It seems like once a car hits 20 years in age just call up the Junkman. I have a 2003 Mercedes ML350 and the immobilizer decided to self-destruct. Of course, being naïve I thought it was a simple matter of replacing the immobilizer, but that didn’t fix the problem. I tried to go to the dealership but the dealership told me they do not sell parts for that model/year car anymore. The parts guy was reading off a service bulletin in his computer that said no parts are available for that car once supply runs out. The supplies ran out years ago. Buying used parts was the only option. The problem is those parts cannot necessarily work interchangeably. Which means that the key, immobilizer, body controller, and Engine computer have to all be bought together and programmed together or the car simply may not run. I have seen videos of people simply changing out these parts and it working perfectly, but I am not so lucky. This car has a date with the Junkman. It’s a shame because my ML made me love SUVs. Now it is going to be hard to live without one for a while. It’s an absolute disgrace how these government bureaucrats and these corporate executives can get on a stage and claim they’re saving the world. What they won’t tell the gullible masses is that millions of their products are going into landfills. They’d rather point their finger at us and say it’s all your fault, You people are destroying the planet. The average Joe and Jane six pack couldn’t destroy the planet if they tried from birth till death unlike these massive corporations who sell millions and billions of products that are essentially disposable and they go into landfills. These products leak toxic fluids and heavy metals into the water and then we drink the water and die. They tell you just to filter the water but independent tests prove that a lot of these contaminants cannot be removed by those filters. So it’s the end of the world as we know it and I don’t feel fine…🤬🤮
My 2001 BMW Z3 cost more than that, and one of the parts was used because it was no longer in production.
I have 2015 S550 and I absolutely love it , every time I drive it it is an experience, it brings me more joy than any other car I ever owned it… it is little more expensive to service and maintain, but it’s part of the game … I have credit card dedicated just for it, and whenever something needs to be done on it , it gets done right away … I also have 2013 GLK 350 , and it is fantastic car … it all depends what you want , if you need a car to get you from point A to point B , buy Toyota or Honda or something , if you want a car to enjoy it and have fun driving it , get a Mercedes or Porsche … you can’t get S class or AMG Mercedes , or 911 and expect it will cost you as much as Toyota to keep it running … before I got my S class I took new Camry and RAV4 for a test drive , and you just can’t compare driving experience to Mercedes , Toyota was like driving a wheelbarrow compared to S class … I’m from Europe , and owned many different Mercedes models , from w116 to w222 , and they never disappoint … Mercedes is not for everyone, I’d love to own Bentley Moulsane , but can’t afford it , so I drive Mercedes , if someone would love to own a Mercedes, but can’t afford it , he’ll just had to get something else … I don’t go to the Mercedes dealer to work on my car , I do oil changes at Valvoline quick oil change place, and mechanical work at my local mechanic shop, I buy most parts on eBay as well … if you want a luxury vehicle , you just have to understand that even if you paid $30K for it used, you’re still maintaining a $130.000K vehicle , it’s not as expensive as some of those exotic cars like Rolls Royce or Bentley , but at the same time , it’s not gonna be as cheap as maintaining an average vehicle like Dodge, Toyota or similar … to each his own … I wouldn’t trade my S class for 5 new Toyotas …
Ive put more money into my 944 than what its worth. Sometimes its not about the cost but the love for the older cars.
True
1700$ is a lot of cash for a very simple fix, but good job by that dealer..
I have had 4 r129s over the years, I still have the one that started it all for me,a 94 sl600,it is truly a love-hate relationship.
I have had it about 15 years now,and it is a very well sorted model with 50k miles.
I did sell my other long term 98 sl500 last year,I literally debated selling that one for almost 7 years,as it was such a nice car and in many ways more comfortable for long trips than the 600.
I do my own work,and when the day comes that I no longer can,well that will be when the 600 goes away.
I bought it without an engine so that was my first project along with new harnesses, and throttle bodies.
Then, after a few years the trans went out,then all the suspension hydraulics had to be replaced,then all top cylinders along with the soft top,then new visors/mirrors and the overhead console, and then there was the radiator, the rotors and pads all around,the door pocket hinges,the catalytic convertors,the plugs and wires,the refinishing of the amg 5 spoke wheels with new tires,the hood pad,the power antenna, the bose amp, I could go on,but I am suddenly not feeling well for some reason 😢
But having a sorted r129 sl600 is a wonderful experience, I did also ceramic coat it since it has been relegated to the driveway to make room for the " nice cars" but I did buy a good cover for it a few years back.
My advice for your 500,keep it as long as you can if you enjoy it,if you sell it just for the money,you will always regret it until you get another one, I am actually looking for another 96-98 500 in need of work,I have the parts from 3 r129s that I have parted out over the years,hoping to find one that is low mileage in need of body over mechanical repair,but I also have a complete m120 and trans looking for a suitable donor.
All of that sounds both terrifying and relatable 😂 thank you
Is the cure to male loneliness a SLS AMG poster?
Depends what you’re into
"Forget chicks, car parts are guaranteed."
*Qualified* & *competent* independent shops seem a great resource.
But last time I used one it was uncle jim's buddies' shop, whos "the best". Steering rack was put in so incorrectly it wrecked the rack, brand new pump, and front tires (alignment).
So I do everything myself and hope to have saved up for a lift by the time I need to do a major service
Yeah always have to watch out
@1:40 I used to look forward to going to Mercedes dealerships to peruse the lot. I would just lust after all of those beautiful cars, basic models included. Now, I go and it doesn’t do diddly squat for me, nada. It really is sad.
I was estumaging a $3k usd. from dealer. Being that you also got a loaner, id say it wasnt a bad deal. AND you got that sls poster!!! That in itself was priceless. I mean where else would you ve able to find one and for FREE?! Priceless dude. Btw that e55 wagon looks very well maintain excellent example.
Thanks very much!
For motorcycles, I take mine to the dealer for issues i cant handle because the techs there are some of the best in the business
I've had some Mercedes the past 7 or 8 years, both old and new, and what i do is get a service plan where I pay a monthly value (e.g. £80) for a year and that includes 2 services. This way I keep service history and includes Mercedes SOS and roadside assistance. I haven't experienced any breakdown or repairs outside yearly service. Cheers, love those AMG
Interesting!
Loaners are the best perk of dealers! Some indy Euro shops offer them too and usually something older and interesting, but don't always have as many available. A solid indy shop is always the better option if you're past the new car warranty.
If you are able to find one. The manufaturer forces standards on the dealerships and even a really bad operating dealership does a decent job, but independent shops are hit or miss.
I wish our Mercedes dealership treated the customers like royalty. This Mercedes is located in a place that have tons of money in the town. My BMW dealership gives us more royalty than Mercedes. I do like Mercedes and hoping to pick up sedan, I might just buy mine at different dealership. Thanks for the video Jakub! Always love watching you content on this channel and your other one with your pal yuri.
Remember, they’ll treat you the same as they treat you now. So if you don’t like it, definitely check out a different dealer. Thanks!
thank you! That is my model too. Treat everyone with how you want to be treated. I think the reason why this Mercedes dealership struggles some of there customer don’t treat them well and they are high end customers. So my friends and family take there Mercedes to another town and get treated royalty
For the SL convertible. Name your price. Very Serious. I am in Caledon.
I honestly haven’t given it much thought. With how much I paid for it and what I have put into it to make it perfect, it would have to start with a high $2x,xxx. I see much worse ones currently listed for just below $30k
I got one just like it 99 78k miles. Asking 18k if anyone interested. California
Wow man the e55 is so clean. Worth fixing it up
Most definitely!
Hey bro, thanks for the video! Straight pipes got me into Audi's. No regrets s3, s5, rs3. Solid cars
RS3 😍
in regards to the headliner. If you have a warm garage and then it was stored in a cold wet parking lot. It probably was the humidity change.
That sounds right. My garage isn't heated but it's very well insulated. So it was near freezing all winter then it got hot outside real quick and was left outside and inside at EA for 2-3 weeks. Dang.
Older mercedes carry such a distint sense of elegance. As someone who only experienced old toyotas & hondas, I often wonder owning older "reliable/bulletproof" mercedes because the definition of those words seems slightly different for japanese cars...as evidenced by your car. I still absolutely love your wagon, that gen E class is my favorite. I dream about owning a 560SEC AMG one day, it's my favorite of all
I bought arguably 2 of the most reliable and bulletproof old Mercedes. They’ve honestly been pretty good and I could have done nothing and driven them as is. My mistake is trying to make them perfect, especially with the SL
It was a lot of money .... a few hoses and a canister.
Having an R129 and an AMG wagon in the same garage? That's a beautiful site, and a painful one at the same time. I've got a '95 SL500 and a W210 E55. I feel your wallet pain. But they still give me a lot of joy every time I'm behind the wheel.
Very cool!
Brad at EA is the best! Got the patience of a saint and is always awesome to deal with! Buy that man a beer!
Saw the Ontario plates on the loaner GLB... any mechanics you recommend in the GTA? Been tough finding a decent one for my 204. Thanks.
Check out European Automotive lol
@@itsreallyjakub good point haha
The saggy headliner is a blessing from the content gods
Do people want to see saggy headliner repair content? Lol
I own an 08 Mercedes e350. Beautiful, bulletproof car. Still running smooth. And i do enjoy going to the dealer to get its maintenance services done. I enjoy all of their amenities, snacks and my dealer also has fancy bread! 😂 other dealership hardly even give you a bottle of water. Lol.
nothing is more expensive than a cheap mercedes, cant say I was impressed with them. Wifes new '22 lease came covered in rail rust, no tint (which we paid for) and they neglected to tell us the remote start when we asked only works via phone... not fob. POS ran with the CEL on all the time and Mercedes dealship could never make time to look at it, handed it back in afew a few months.
Nice SL.... I had 2000 SL that I had to let go.. Top stop working and I was quoted $5K to repair... I got married in that car, so my wife was a little upset. But I replaced it with Jag XK conv. We love it! Sometime you have to say goodbye.... To get new toys :) Enjoyed the Video!
Nice replacement!
When you whipped out the free poster in the car 😂😂😂, you got a new sub dude. I scooped an E500 wagon up yesterday, poor man’s version of your E55 😃
Hell yeah congrats still have a v8 🫡
the poster was the best part 😂
211 and 129 are easy to fix. Transmission is a bit of time consuming job, took me one Saturday to r&r a rear main seal leak, not too bad tbh. I found mechanically those 90-00s Mercedes are very easy to DIY, simple design and no tricky bolt (hell lot of engineering work involved to make it that way). My Lexus sometimes have more stupid design than those mbs
After my last experience at the Toyota dealership, I will never go to a dealership again. They quoted me over $4000. To fix my Tacoma saying I need. To basically rip open my engine and fix internal parts.I took it to an independent mechannick.He replaced the VVT And the truck runs perfect.
By the way, the Toyota dealership mechanic, what's trying to buy my truck for me, which I think was very unprofessional.
My driveway has all BMWs so i kinda understand..im lucky to have a family member who does the work for way less..Never ever bring ur car to the dealer unless u have a warranty ,a recall or hard to diagnose issue
You forgot to mention that the dealers also charge $150.00 just to diagnose the problem. Or they do in San Diego. Also yes the dealers chargeg $200.00 an hour for anything and sometimes the company allows them a lot more time than is actually needed. That also is a little unfair. I always hated that when I would take a car to a delaer and found out that 4/5s of the bill was labor.
When you go to the upholstery shop to fix the headliner make sure to share your experience! A lot of seats with the MB-Tex synthetic leather also tear. It would be nice to have trusted shop to go to to fix material issues.
I own a w140 with biodegradable engine harness. One day car started to run rough. I popped the upper cap with Benz logo and saw all the wires just laying together. No insulation on them at all, about 10 wires were lying together. At that point I surprised that car even can run at all. But it started perfect, just a bit rough.
I took it out insulated all them with a tape(should have used shrink, but I was young:) and when I put it back on the car it ran like never before. Really. It became more responsive and almost all error codes went away.
Haha awesome
That was a great era for MB. The r129 sl is my grail car. Newer models may way out perform it, but there are so many more electronic things to break. Prices on the r129s look to have bottomed and are now rising. Id keep it for the long run.
There’s nothing else I’ve driven that feels as solid and looks as good
Rented a GLB-250 and agree it felt like a cheap car. Rough ride, loud cabin, uncomfortable seats. Infotainment not user friendly. Interesting the C class felt more luxury. I Like your content!
But in class if you read/watch reviews, the GLB is actually a surprisingly good product. Most likely you just aren't in the market for anything resembling a compact crossover, which is totally fine.
@@kevin9c1 I have 2 compact crossovers and one suv. The GLB has great acceleration and looks nice but everything else was meh. We out here actually driving them, not just watching reviews.
An SL is a very special driving experience. I've had my R230 for 9 years now and it's here to stay.
I own a 2003 R230 with the AMG trim package. I simply LOVE this car! The power and poise are amazing. However, it is a ticking time bomb in my bank account.
So funny, I did the exact same thing with my E55 before I took it to an indie. At least I was able to trick them into giving me the VMI!
What’s VMI?
@@itsreallyjakub Vehicle Master Inquiry. It is a report that details everything ever done to the car; recalls, repairs, servicing, everything. For some reason service departments are usually very very protective over these reports. Obtaining one really helps to understand the car’s history.
Ngl, those prices didn’t seem bad at all. I expect to pay ~$1,000 USD per year on service
That is why my V8 twin turbo only gets driven once a week, and the rest of the days I drive a Kona N.
@@S.Madman in my situation that wouldn’t make a difference. I’m only driving ~5,000mi a year and a second car would mean a second parking spot that costs as much as a used car. I’ll also go with two cars in the future, but it’s going to be a pretty idiotic decision…where’s the shock there
You pay for the shipping of the parts because, Mercedes, doesn’t have any facilities to keep parts in stock outside of Germany.
I have a 2008 E550 and it had a fuel smell which I think was the same charcoal canister, but I had it fixed about 6 years ago when it was still under the 15 year fuel system warranty, I think they replaced the whole fuel tank too, warranty covered it all.
Yes they replace the entire fuel tank if it was that problem under warranty
@@johnconelly9139 I don't know, I got notified of a 15 year warranty on the fuel tank and fuel system for the W211.
I own 2 BMWs and a 90’s Toyota Pickup truck. The Toyota is the parts runner and daily. Why.m because it always works and repairs are minimal and cheap. Still love my BMW’s but years ago learned to do all repairs myself. I do not go to the shops or dealers other than for state inspections or tires (discount tire).
The second you get rid of it you’re gonna miss it. Yes it may be expensive to fix. But it’s still way more reliable than the newer Mercedes with all the electronics in there. This at least has a small mix of analog and digital. And for the most part these are one time fixes. I love these older cars. We gotta hold on to them because these newer cars are gonna continue to become more complicated and costly to repair
Yeah I’m not letting go of my used cars. If I do, it’ll be for another used car anyways lol
While I agree with you about the dealerships being filled with SUV's and hardly any cars, I also disagree. I had a C300 and ended up trading it for a GLC as putting my 3 year old in and out of the sedan was too bothersome. The GLC is on a completely different level as far as build quality and refinement over its sedan brother. Shocking actually. Plus it carries more, rides better on the beat up Canadian roads and still feels decently fun to drive. Crossovers / SUVs are what people want. So dealers give it to them.
I was in the market for a safe suv several years ago I was going to buy a Mercedes but after much research I didn't I bought a new traverse ltz awd never one issue we still have it today
How to deal with the leaks? Do what Vinny does; put a piece of astroturf under it and let it leak. Keep an eye on it, drive and enjoy it.
It’s hard for me to adopt this mentality. None of my current American or older Japanese cars leaked. But apparently this is the way for German cars
The 14:00 section is giving off some Hoovie/Wizard vibes
Damn, that price difference is crazy, almost half the price. I do enjoy my dealer servicing, but you can save a lot else where (after warranty of course).
Brad and the guys at EA are amazing and super friendly
Erm the SL is nearly 30 years old! I bet that’s the original gasket so not too shabby
I love that eclass looks so clean
You might not even be able to take the SL to a dealership. These days many are refusing to work on cars pre-2000. That refusal is with Mercedes blessing, although I think some of them still want to service the older cars for owners.
I talked to a master tech at a different Mercedes dealership. He told me the same thing. He was basically the only one there that has even worked on an R129 SL. He said all the other techs know is the new stuff and EV’s. Very sad
Have to add in the experience of that complicated coffee machine, the coffee and poster. Maybe 820 😂
True but EA is getting their own fancy coffee bar soon too hahah
@@itsreallyjakub moving on up. Maybe they will keep the instruction manual out next to it. Who am I kidding we are guys, we won't read it.
AMGs have a premium on service. brakes on my GLC 63s are $6500 vs 3500 on my previous c 43
I am interested in a used E350 sedan. However, I cannot find any (ANY) source of info on projected maintenance & repair cost (we all know RepairPal figures are way too low). It's the absence of any information that is keeping me from pulling the trigger.
I agree and go one step further, those GLB's are death traps in my opinion! The blind spots in the rear are HORRIBLE and the driving position is bad. Interior was beautiful though and the driving dynamics themseves weren't bad(Had plenty of power for a loaner, was comfortable despite being firm, brakes worked decent). However, it was such a bad driving experience that I brought it back instantly and took back my 2005 CLK 55 AMG(M113 and I have 182k+ miles on her!) lol.
Hahah yeah these new base models don’t compare to our old AMG’s
The GLB is a death trap due to a blind spot issue? 😅
If this is the measuring stick you're using to evaluate a vehicle, all SUVs are death traps. All SUVs suffer from terrible blind spots. If you want to experience a real blind spot, try backing a 2011 E550 convertible down a narrow laneway with the top up!
My wife hated SUVs, and yet she is happy with the GLB. One of the reasons is that she claims it has great outward visibility. One person's death trap is another's happy place!
@@robgray1605 When I can't see out of the rear quarter windows at all because of the rear headrest no matter how you position yourself, you have a problem. I could not see anything and I've owned 3 Grand Cherokees, a Toyota 4 Runner, Ford Expeditions.. it's rare to have an SUV be this bad so not all SUV's suffer from blind spots. The GLB is a death trap.. forward visibility is great I will give it that. All you have to rely on for rearward visibility is the backup camera and the dinky window in the rear. I feel bad for you sir but if your wife likes it that's all that matters! We look at the good with the bad, she might see the good(Which there is quite a bit of, the Interiors are amazing.)
you should get the direct competitor to the SL500……… the BMW 850! V12 power! 90s glory! manual transmissions!
I’m specifically avoiding old German V12’s because I’m trying to avoid bankruptcy
Should've kept the ISF or bought a GSF lol
But then you’d get no content. Day 10,969 - changed my oil, nothing broke
@@itsreallyjakub my man 😂
Glad you got it figured out and its not oil !!!
I thought the dealer would’ve been more actually. Prices aren’t terrible at the indie shop, but don’t cheat on them again.
I love your uploads more and more bro! You’ll get them subs!
I appreciate it!
Well as a long time owner of Mercedes cars since probably 1974.
I can Shirley tell you that I have never ever spent money on repairs for a transmission or a pump of any kind a charcoal filter never and I. Would never be stupid enough to ever go back to a Mercedes dealer once the car is out of warranty?
Because you will pay from 2 to 4 times more than. It should cost because they are insane on their pricing.
They're parts can be bought for half and sometimes 65% off of their price at other parts. Houses like Pelican parts in Florida that handles Mercedes in Porsche parts. There are much cheaper and there original stuff they're not from China they are German parts... The other thing on the you're a hoodle your rough liner take the top off go out in your yard put a big blanket down flip the top. UberGO to a upholstery place have them sell you the at? Hes of and there are many good at hes lives. It will last forever and you buy a sometimes they have the parts they're you buy a big surrenge you feel that maybe 50ML syringe with. The glue you go around that liner and you go about every 5 inches and squirt maybe 1 or 2M malls of the liquid in there. If you have to refill your surrenge maybe 3 or 4 times that sounds about right? Then you press that down just press it down. Make sure that you don't get a wrinkle. They smoothed out very well and that shouldn't cost. You but probably 75 bucks and take my word for it. You can do it and it won't cost you a cent to have to pay somebody else. So please remember what I said stay away from a dealership. You don't understand that you're just paying big money for something that's not even necessary?
What kinda wheels are on your wagon?
Alphard. Watch my previous video
Charcoal canister has a US$139 list price and at my local dealer's website it is $92.
Yeah these are Canadian prices
One thing about the german cars is they really dont seem to like sitting (or cold climates lol). Mercedes uses a lot of silicone to seal stuff and they used to use not the best orings that wouldnt last all that long etc so they like to leak it seems.
Great video Jakub! Funny story, I just recently saw you driving in the e55 on the 401 while I was my way to Waterloo for a work trip! As soon as I spotted the e55 i was sure it was you lol, super cool to see it out on the road!
Haha right on
This is way more fun than the straight pipes
I’m having fun everywhere 👍
so what was the hourly rate for the stealership vs the independent?
$200 vs $150
Another great video Jakob! Very informative as usual.
Glad you enjoyed it!
the pleasure of fixing it yourself would've been immense
I used to do that
I always go to dealership… yea it might a bit pricey than independent car shop but I know the person in trained specifically in that brand cars
While I do agree with you, it depends on the car and age of it. I talked to a master tech at another Mercedes dealership and he said he is the only one there to ever work on an R129 SL. All the other techs are trained on the new stuff so they have no idea what to do when dealing with an older car that doesn’t have the same diagnostics port which tells them the exact problem to fix. So even though older cars have less electronics and are easier to work on, it’s getting harder to find the people that know what they’re doing on older cars
@@itsreallyjakub that’s the trade off for have old/classic cars. But when you look at them you see yourself smiling, it will be worth it
§1700 that’s why I use an independent Mercedes garage here in Scotland
Cork above the headliner on my bmw. I used a staple gun to fix the sag
My pops played for the Cowboys when they won back to back inm 92/93 or some shit. All the top players had the sl500. Why do I know dudes face ? i like him for now. Until he makes my daughter smile. Im watching you Jakub 👁👄👁
being a JDM import, i didn't think you would've qualified for any of the Canada extended warranties anyways?
I think you’re right but I’m also hoping for some goodwill budget from their dealership discretionary fund 😂
The many winces of pain throughout this video were delicious. If I had to rank them, I'd say noticing the sagging headliner was #1.
That one honestly drove me the craziest because I thought it was all done. Can’t make this stuff up
Are those m5 concave rims on the e55?...they look dope!
They’re SL wheels
Knew I recognized the dealership! Love the new porsche dealership next door.
I keep taking my rs5 to audi while on CPO but I am dreading my future brake job...so ill be checking out EA or Foreign Automotive.
Thanks Brad - Great Guy - 3yr 60,000 km is coming up soon on my vehicle, dealership called and offered warranty, Is it worth getting or roll the dice ? - I've had ZERO issues currently at 50,000 k
The SL is gorgeous. But it’s not going to get better. There will always be another thing to be fixed.
I’ve already replaced basically every gasket on the engine and now transmission. Control arms, bushings, etc. I think it’s good to go??? 😂😭
“German cars and leaking gaskets”? Remember your cars are old and especially the SL not driven for extended periods, will eventually leak due to that.
Yes. But I also have a 1987 Mustang and 2006 Corvette
@@itsreallyjakub they will also leak eventually. “German” cars are more complex and advanced (odd) designed and that’s a contributing factor to premature leaks, too.,.
Mb service dept. and dealer management drove me away from the brand. Imo part of luxury experience means not knowing everything about your service advisor and the service department. As much as I would love to be in a new AMG. I still get flashbacks of my past horrible experiences.
Sorry to hear that