Time for a new family car.

[Leadwing]

At 300,000, it's just nicely broken in

 

[MikeT]

The engine feels like it will easily do 500,000 km.  Burns no measurable oil over 10,000 km intervals.

[MikeT]

The engine mounts have been crap for about two years now - I bought three in 2019, thinking I'd install them myself, but it's a bear of a job.....

 

Then this summer on our road trip the strut ball joint on the passenger side started clunking quite and lot and the front wheels are toeing out as a result.  Confirmed it's super loose when putting winter tires on a month ago.   

 

So I've booked it into the Nanaimo dealer on Thursday for:

• new battery (still has its 14 year old one!)
• new key batteries
• change manual transaxle oil
• change engine mounts
• change lower ball joints on both struts
• change anti-roll bar drop links (they have ball joints - getting rattly)
• change RR caliper and both rear discs and pads
• secure catalyst (original muffler hanger rusted off)

The idea is to make it good for the next 200K km.  Definitely going for the 500K km grille badge.  Electrically the car's been extremely reliable, not like my smarts, both of which were a bit ropey in that department.

[MikeT]

 

Got the car back this evening, after a week extra in the shop due to the unexpected parts being needed.

General condition is very good although it was noted that one of the front struts is going to need replacement in the foreseeable future so that means two, really. Its damping is actually just fine right now and so I'll wait until it's really necessary before queuing that one up. I'll probably do the rear shocks at the same time, whenever that ends up being, assuming the rest of the car is still looking long-lived.

With the replaced ball joint and drop links for the anti-roll bar installed the car feels very tight again and much, much smoother on rough roads.

The biggest improvement in some ways is that with the new engine and transmission mounts, the clutch take up is SO smooth now, just like a new car. Before, the engine was rocking and rolling all over the place and there were extra vibrations in the cabin when the broken mounts had the weight resting on the metal safety cage that surrounds them.

Not an inexpensive series of repairs but better than the alternative of chucking 50 grand I don't have at a new car I don't like or want.

 

Now: onto 320,000 km and beyond!

[MikeT]

Additional work after the November service included a new electric trunk latch to replace a hopelessly corroded one, which was easily changed, and rear wiper motor, which had seized due to salty water ingress into the motor gearbox. After that we had one major road trip to Whistler and then onto Penticton and back. 327,500 km and counting. An exhaust clamp fell off in Squamish on the way to Penticton and on a busy Friday afternoon, Mercedes-Benz North Vancouver fitted us in to put a new one on. The service guys said it's in really great shape for a fifteen year old car with lots of km. 

 

The car is in good shape, particularly with the engine: it still pulls strongly to 6000 RPM, and in the 19,550 km oil change interval, maybe 150mL of oil is consumed (none has ever dripped) - never even close to needing to top up.

 

Weal points are a bit of a growly CV joint on the passenger side (the other shaft was replaced some years back) and the front rotors will need to be replaced soon.

 

I'm quite confident that this car will last us another 10+ years and to 500K km.

[MikeT]

Nice number of km. Car still consumes no appreciable oil in 18,000+ km change interval. Original clutch, no engine work.

[Mjolinor]

Given the make of car I would have been disappointed if it had needed any. My w115 Merc did 450,000 km before it needed an engine rebuild. Also of note, the rebuild was really easy like all jobs on a Merccedes.

 

Proper cars.

 

[MikeT]

I thought so too - this is the last of the proper FWD Mercs that's not sort of half Nissan-Renault or whatever. My Peugeot 405, which did drink a lot of oil despite not blowing blue exhaust, made it to 366,000 km before the head gasket blew and I decided to scrap it die to so much other work being needed. 

 

This one seems much more solid and 500K km is my base target.

[Mjolinor]

+1 on that.

 

Renault are the one make of car I refuse to own or work on. Anyone that designs such that you have to break the taper before you can get the nut off a ball joint needs the little white coated men to give them help.

 

One interesting fact about Renault is that they are the only manufacturer in the world that have the means to make a car from raw materials. Iron ore to car with no bought in bits.

 

They also have their own vineyards that make reasonable wine if you can get hold of it.

 

[MikeT]

Update: about 12 days ago the alternator stopped charging and there was also a "new" noise from the poly-V belt. It snapped, fragmented/shredded on the way to the Nanaimo dealer and the car got hot too: 120°C or more, the temp warning came on. The temperature gauge in modern cars seems to dampen out normal temperature variations so the drivers don't get worried but this dampening meant that the temperature gauge showed 90°C one minute and 120°C the next. I thought I may have cooked it even though I shut the engine off within 10 seconds of the warning light.

 

The smart was ahead of the broken down B200, with my son-in-law driving it...

 

The root cause according to the dealer was the failure of the idler pulleys, which was making the belt slip and eventually overheated it to the point that it died. In the process the tensioner pulley "exploded" according to the work order!

 

In the end the alternator was also damaged so I authorized its replacement  - 340K km is a good innings for an alternator - along with the two idler pulleys as well as the tensioner pulley and belt. $2290 all in with labour. That's three months' payment on a new car, which I'd prefer not to have to buy right now.

 

The engine seems fine after the getting hot episode so on we go towards 400K km.

Edited September 2, 2024 by MikeT
photo link busted.

[MikeT]

200 km later I can say the engine's just fine, thanks.

[MikeT]

Today we crossed the 350,000 km barrier. Next Mercedes grille badge comes at 500,000 so that will be at least a decade off.

[MikeT]

Maybe I should start a new thread.....

 

Edit: Done!

 

 

Edited November 11, 2024 by MikeT
moved to a new thread

[MikeT]

--

Edited November 11, 2024 by MikeT
moved to a new thread

[MikeT]

--

Edited November 11, 2024 by MikeT
moved to a new thread

[MikeT]

--

Edited November 11, 2024 by MikeT
moved to a new thread

[MikeT]

At just under 355,000 km on the B200 odometer, we ordered the 2025 GLC 350e and when we got home in the B200, the car smelled funny. The right rear brake was binding and the wheel was HOT! A couple of buckets of cold water cooled it down. I have to get that puppy freed up because we still need to use this car for the rest of the winter. The smart doesn't see salt. If I can avoid it. So far it's worked.

[smart142]

That Mercedes has treated you well 😉

[MikeT]

Yes it has. I did a caliper service yesterday and the brake is no longer binding. The pad ears were being pinched by corrosion under the stainless steel tracks. Easy repair.

 

It's from the DaimlerChrysler era too! The engine is bulletproof. No oil consumption. The worst part is the brakes.

 

 

[MikeT]

It popped a right rear drop link to the sway bar last Thursday. Diagnosed Saturday - upper bolt had snapped off due to rust - and ordered Monday, part arrived at dealer Tuesday. $28.

[MikeT]

Installed after work today, 10 minute job.

[MikeT]

Today the B200 was sold for $1000 to our nephew from Chilliwack. The car will henceforth be used for a 5 am commute to Coquitlam from Chilliwack, 150 km a day. Should be easy km at off-peak times, so 500K km is a possibility.

 

Here is Cam driving his new car away...

Edited June 14, 2025 by MikeT