300e a few issues...

[richard300]

just placed this post on the Car mechanic forum, and thought i would put a link here incase anyone is able to offer any advice too...

http://www.kelsey-forums.co.uk/cgi-bin/cmm/YaBB.pl?num=1201463441/0

many thanks

Rich

 

[grober]

Whatever happens it will probably involve spending money. Its probably pointless taking the car back to a garage that is either "economic with the truth" or merely incompetent. I would get a good mercedes specialist to assess the car and armed with his findings then go back to the garage you purchased the car from and discuss what they propose to do?? If necessary mention the trades description act, trading standards officers, adverse local publicity etc. but stay calm.
Your problems probably are easily solved with new timing case seals and the brake calipers/pads overhauled replaced. However the oil leak and hesitation when cold may possibly be signs of head gasket failure--a £500-600 repair. So get it checked by a 3rd party.

 

[Dieselman]

Just contact the dealer and ask them to either refund the monies you paid or to fix the faults.

 

[DR1VER]

As a car dealer myself I have been in this situation before (but from the other side). There is a good chance the car was sold in good faith by the dealership and if any faults are pointed out then they will be only too happy to help. As grober states, the brakes, although in need of attention, are not you're biggest concern. If you're car is a 24v model they are quite prone to head gasket failure. If it is a 12v then it is not uncommen for the valve stem oil seals to go. Neither are terribly expensive jobs but as you have bought the car so recently the garage should rectify the fault.

As for the odo fault, this again is another common w124 problem. The only real solution is to get Mercedes to replace and document a speedo head change.

Good luck and keep calm!

 

[300E Mike]

Cold starting/ poor braking could be ovp relay (if abs light is on.) Squealing brakes- most likely pattern part pads have been fitted or anti squeal shims ommitted when brakes rebuilt. I agree with graeme (grober) Re. timing case seals or distibutor oil seal (which would also part fill the dizzy with oil- links to misfire and poor starting possibly?) Speedo on mine had packed in from standing so long (almost 3yr lay up). I used a motorbike cable oiler on the speedo cable and freed thing up a little- problem sorted! Have a compression test done to check head gasket.
I would politely but firmly fequest the garage offer a refund or repairs as appropriate. none of the work I have detailed is difficult but it is time consuming and hence can be expensive in labour charges

 

[Ade B]

(As above) Cold start could be OVP relay - is the ABS light on?

The head gasket on mine went last year at about 58k and I had it replaced by an MB specialist from memory for about £800... the engine still weeps oil from somewhere but its never noticable from inside the car.

I had OE discs and pads done at the same time which were pricey at around £400 (most of which was parts), they weren't making the noises you described though.

My speedo is wobbly up to about 40 mph.

Its a pity, as the car looks in great nick from the photos - hope it gets sorted.



Ade

 

[richard300]

thank you everyone for your imput..... after being able to find a little time to look over the car more today at work, and having it parked on the flat (i live on a very slight (but to steep for me to trust the manufacturers jack) hill, i jacked up the car to have a look at the bakes (i am no mechanic, but would be able to spot if the pads were worn out) the pads do seem ok (wear wise) but more alarmingly i noticed a not to unsubtanial puddle of oil, that i could see dripping from the car (rear of engine/front of gearbox) and the car had only ben parked for 40mins!!! and that excludes the small front of engine leak!!!

Got my brother to run a HPI check (as someone mentioned the odometer/tripometer could be a sign of clocking) it turned out to not show any signs of indescrepincy (although it was not a full whistle and bells HPI check) so i am keping an open mind regarding that (although having a flick through my 'FULL SERVICE HISTORY BOOK' it shows nothing from 1993 to 1998 (in which time the mileage had only risen by 7500miles and then nothing from 1999 to 2007 in which time the mileage is showing to have risen only an average of 2500 miles a year, the only other thing the HPI chech told was that the car used to be on quite a cool number plate 'TOY 99'

P.S. the actuall speedo works, its just the tripometer and odometer that have stopped working, and the ABS light is not on when the car is started.

so, to sum up..... the car does not start from cold properly, does not start from hot properly, the brakes grumble and squeal in town and dont stop the car at speed, there is a small oil leak from the front of the engine and a large one from the back and the tripometer and odometer have stopped working, all so shortly after buying the car and within less than 200 miles of ownership

 

[300E Mike]

Hmm, drip at back of engine could be crankshaft oil seal too. Starting problems- I am going thru all this with mine at the moment (only cold starting though) although this is most likely due to mine being laid up for so long that something has degraded. Best bet is to very firmly insist that the garage you bought it at sorts it out for you or offers some reasonable sum of recompense on the sale price for you to sort it out and then take it to an independant specialist to cure the problems you mention. Bodywork looks really classy though........ Best of luck!