OP, don’t you know any MB owners in your area? If not, you might ask for a recommendation at an auto parts store. Especially if you can find an employee that has been working that job for a considerable length of time, 10+ years.
A few years ago I had to find a landscaping company to do some work. I had no experience with landscaping companies, so I phoned up one with good name reputation but out of the area. I asked for their recommendations for similar companies in my area. Might try something like that. Phone an inde MB repair place in Sacramento, ask for their SF shop recommendations. Whateveryou do, don’t choose a shop at random from the yellow pages or adverts without any prior recommendation.
George:
This community has been good with recomendations. So here goes.I finally took my car to the dealer shop. Here is what they have come up with which I dont believe . I see engine hesitation not transmission slip. Plus the quote is way out of what I wish to spend on a 150K mile car. CLIENT STATES VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND HEISATATES WHEN GOING UP HILL. NO ENGINE LGITH., PLEASE CHECK AND REPORT
$6,960.00
Transmission: SLIPPAGE ON NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION CUSTOMERS COMPLAINT UPHILL NOT ACCELERATE AND HESITATES RECOMMEND TANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WITH TORQUE CONVERTER
A transmission flush is a process that makes it possible to clear the old transmission fluid from the vehicle’s transmission. This process also helps to remove residue of older transmission fluid from the converters, coolers, and cooler lines that often are part of the design for the transmission.
Plus I have a question what does it cost to replace front and rear brakes (pads, rotors) on this car.
You have been saying “hesitates” a lot… Do you mean slipping?? Like engine RPMs go up (more than normal) but vehicle not speeding up as is used to??
An engine hesitation is more of a stumble, bogging, give it gas and engine does nothing…
The dealer is saying that you give it gas and the engine revs up but vehicle doesn’t move as it should…
Just pickup your phone and call a few places near you ( as we have no idea where you are ) . Your location and what shop use use will determine the price.
It hesitates on throttle but then moves fine and speeds great. I have been driving with this issue for over a month now. So I dont see the case of RPMs going up and vehicle standing still. I know the power of this motor and hence I have been dissatisfied with the initial hesitation on throttle but then driving fine. Most often with this car if you put the pedal to the metal it jumps out and pushes the driver backwards but that was not happening. It would hesitate a bit but then speed up. I would have noticed tx slip. I did not come out and say it but I dont trust this diagnosis. I have asked the service mgr for OBD.
Inform the shop about your spending limit , then they’ll be able to advise you — given that constraint – their recommendation for the best path forward. Ask them if they’d advise to get a “general inspection” service before doing anything else. If so, they’ll look over the car from top to bottom, and provide you a list of what needs doing, in order of priority. You may decide at that point your best path forward is so part ways with this car, and buy another car instead. I’m sort of leaning in that direction myself, given what you say.
The engine hesitates and when I give it gas it feels like its choking, there is no RPM rev on the tachmoeter. The shop is something that I have not noticed. Hence I dont feel like getting it repaired with these guys. I want a second opinion with OBD codes. I dont wish to pay 7K and find I reparired a non existing issue. On the brakes - they are chargin gme 1000 bucks for front and another 900 for the back . . I think its on the high side. Its for pads, rotors, what do you think?
I presume they are only changing the pads. The parts cost for the pads I’d expect to be around $100 per set. So figure $200 for both front and rear parts cost, and about 2 1/2 hours labor for both front and rear. If they charged $200 per hours, that would be $500 labor + $200 parts = $700 for both front and rear. So yes, $1900 seems a little steep for a basic front/rear pad swap job. .
There’s potentially significant extra cost if the work involves more than just a pad swap, for example if it involves calipers, rotors, hoses, parking brakes, cables, etc.
He said the quote was for brake pads and rotors. Some people believe brake rotors must be replaced during each brake pad replacement, what about on an 18 year old car?
He said pads and rotors plus it is a Mercedes .
I would never suggest to decide what brake parts to replace by the age of the car. Brakes being a safety feature. But back to the cost estimate, given your Mercedes repair experience, assuming all four rotors are replaced at the same time as the pads, how much more add’l parts and labor fees should OP expect beyond a simple pad swap?
Front brakes have 3 different braking system depending on chassis number, all Akebono Brake pads are around $120.00 list, some include the pad wear sensor(s) some don’t, sensors are under $15.00 list each…
Front rotors are around $80.00 to $195.00 list each depending on braking type and size of rotor (312mm/330mm) and quality…
Rear pads around $100.00 list for Akebono Brake pads, rear pad wear sensor(s) same as fronts cost wise
Rear rotors are either vented or solid and around $60.00 to $100.00 list each depending on type and quality…
Brake Disc Rotor labor: (have to remove the pads in order to remove the rotors)
Front both = 1.6 hours labor rate
Rear both = 2.8 hours labor rate
All list prices are in the Nashville area using Napa Auto Parts and without parts markup…
To put an upper limit on the parts and labor fee estimate, say all parts are the most expensive version
2 front pads at $120 per set = $120
2 front rotors at $200 each = $400
2 rear pads at $100 per set = $100
2 rear rotors at $100 each = $200
Total parts cost, front + rear: $820, say it comes to a total of $900 with extra gizmos.
Labor, front + rear, 4.4 hours. I think OP is located in a high-labor-rate area, so assume labor fee is 4.4 hours at $200 per hour, or $880.
Grand total parts & labor, front + rear, = $900 parts + 880 labor = $1780.
Given the unknowns, OP’s shop quote of $1900 total doesn’t seem out of line.
I’m a liittle surprised this job would take 4.4 hours though. If replacing the pads front/rear takes 2.5 hours, what accounts for the other 1.9h to replace the 4 rotors? Maybe there’s some complications with installing new rotors on this vehicle. Or maybe the time problem is removing the old rotors, could be rust-stuck and timing consuming to remove?