Hello and where's my v8 growl gone?!

[edharris]

Hello fellow Benz owners. New to this site and Merc ownership but looks like there is some very useful info on here so here goes my first post.

I've had a E55 (w210) for a couple of months. Was involved in a shunt a few weeks ago and damaged all my front passenger side suspension, which has now all been replaced. Any way the car has come back from the approved repairer and has a couple of problems.

The V8 deep growl seems to have gone and now the engine sounds alot louder but also very tinny and 'shrieks' rather than gives the deeb bassy growl. Not happy but what do I do? Doesn't seem to be performing any worse but that real male sound has gone.

The BAS and ESP intermitently flashes..any ideas?

The car is pulling badly to the left (the damaged side).

Oerall it drives nothing like what it was before the acciden but then change in engine note is my big concern.

Any suggestions as to what the change could be and why?

Thanks all.

 

[imadoofus]

Are you sure your engine hasn't been swapped ofr a smaller unit? Far-fetched, I know, but not unheard of...

PJ

 

[jaymanek]

im hearing more and more stories about so called insurance approved repairers.

My uncle was shunted a while back in his new a class.

it went to one of the most expensive body shop in the midlands. it came back and i was appauled.. none of the panels lined up and my god was there orange peel... i could have got my 5 your old niece to do better with an aerosol can...

it went back 5 times and although the panels line up, still not happy with the paintwork, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

and then the other day a female friend rang up and asked me to provide an opinion on the repair to her C200 coupe...
the finish was good but again the bonnet did not line up at all... out on both sides... as she's female, doesnt help, they keep fobbing her off and she doesnt know enough to argue... ive suggested she takes it up with the insurance co directly now..

 

[edharris]

Well I'm pretty sure the engine hasnt been replaced but a concern that this kind of thing goes on.

Not sure how I can argue or prove/disprove the engine problem. Any one who knows anything can tell the sound is not quite the same. Do you think that the shunt may have impacted the exhaust to cause this?

Car dries awful and feels like its on ice with no feel at all through the steering and it does seem to waft more than it should.

Really concerned by this.

 

[jaymanek]

it seems as though they havent changed the steering components that may have been affected by the hit.. im guessing you have a bent track rod or maybe the car needs to be alighned on a jig...
you need to take it back..

 

[imadoofus]

you need to take it back..

But as per Jay's first post, you might want to go via your insurance company. If you're lucky, they'll send it somewhere else for rectification.

PJ

 

[KLP 92]

Take it back to the place you had the work carried out.

It probably requires 4 wheel alignement, and the growl may be due to the exhaust leaking/incorrect fitment resulting in the tinny noise up front and lack of rumble. Well just a thought anyway!

 

[edharris]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm absolutely fuming.

The car had 4 brand new pirelli tyres. They changed the passenger front and rear alloys and put on 2 part work different tyres. So now I have 3 different tyres. There is overspray on the rubbertrim. The car handles and drives like stink.

Im at a loss for words at the moment.

 

[glojo]

This is a suggestion thrown into the pot and is something perhaps worthy of debate.

I think your first port of call should be to get the vehicle examined by an expert as going back to the bodyshop and saying the exhaust doesn't sound right, might not be a good idea. Get the vehicle up in the air and examine the exhaust system to see if there is any visual damage. In the good old days there was nothing wrong with quickly blocking off the end pipe just to see if the system had any holes, but with expensive catalytic convertors I have no idea if this is still a good idea.

Don't forget though that it was the insurance company that paid the bills so they are really the folks that should be fighting your corner. Keep them in the loop and put your observations in writing as soon as possible.

There is NO WAY they should put on second-hand tyres or wheels. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE, but you will ned to prove this and you definitely, definitely should not have accepted the car. No way should you have left that workshop with the vehicle

regards
John

 

[edharris]

Thanks John

You are right in that I should not have accepted the car but I did as i just didnt think anything of it, something I regret.

I'll be speaking to the insurance company again on Monday and giving them a good peach of my mind.

 

[glojo]

Thanks John

You are right in that I should not have accepted the car but I did as i just didnt think anything of it, something I regret.

I'll be speaking to the insurance company again on Monday and giving them a good peach of my mind.

Remain cool, show them the receipts for the tyres and have you any proof of mileage? If the tyres or wheels required changing then new tyres, new wheels. When you say they changed the alloys, are you saying they have put new wheels onto your car?

I am shocked that a garage would put on second-hand part worn tyres and no doubt folks will say this is not uncommon, but why on earth didn't they just charge the insurance company for new tyres and either keep the new ones or take your newish tyres off, keep them and fit the new ones?

Keep calm but be adamant over this issue.

regards
John

 

[andy_k]

I'm concerned that you seem to be more worried about the engine sound than the poor/dangerous handling

The BAS and ESP intermitently flashes..any ideas?

The car is pulling badly to the left (the damaged side).

Oerall it drives nothing like what it was before the acciden but then change in engine note is my big concern.

Don't give the insurance company a piece of your mind, you should be very polite with them, outline the handling problems and say that in your opinion something is seriously wrong with the car.

If you go in agressively withthem, they will no doubt point out that you were the one who signed for the car in the first place.

They'll probably recommend that you get it inspected again and do that at a bodyshop you choose even if it means you have to pay for the test

Andy

 

[edharris]

John and Andy

Thanks. I am fuming right now as I feel idiotic for not pointing it out when I collected it.

Yes, the handling is shocking and the pull to the left is very extreme sp a concern also.

I also dont understand why they didnt just change the tyres and charge the insurance company??? Just dont get it. Instead they have put on one part work continental and one part worn walkin or ****il, dark so cant read. One is w rated and the other doesnt have anything. The original pirelli were y rated.

Why can't we just get the service we ask for any more? I paid the rather large excess and have been quite amiable throughout the whole period it took them to fix.

Will remain calm (even if I do feel like driving the thing in to a wall right now!)

Thanks

 

[glojo]

Will remain calm (even if I do feel like driving the thing in to a wall right now!)

Thanks

I feel for you and it is horrible reading messages that have the benefit of hindsight,
Remain cool, polite but firm. Make sure you have the reciepts for the new tyres and don't give them an inch to wriggle with. If the tyres needed replacing then they should be replaced with new tyres but I feel the onus is going to be on you to prove anything untoward has happened.

Were the replaced wheels new and like for like??

Good luck again

 

[fabes]

Ed

Out of interest - are you willing to divulge which Insurance company this is and at a later date - which garage in is the firing line - just in case I was about to move my insurance to them AND should I have any of my (company) cars go near said garage?

Cheers

Fabes

 

[edharris]

Fabes

I wasn't going to but I've noticed coffee mug ring marks on the sunroof and some sort of white plastic residue that has stuck the the sunroof, prob due to putting a hot mug on to a plastic sheet.

RAC and Nationwide crash repair centre, Birmingham.

They made me do this.

 

[edharris]

I feel for you and it is horrible reading messages that have the benefit of hindsight,
Remain cool, polite but firm. Make sure you have the reciepts for the new tyres and don't give them an inch to wriggle with. If the tyres needed replacing then they should be replaced with new tyres but I feel the onus is going to be on you to prove anything untoward has happened.

Were the replaced wheels new and like for like??

Good luck again

Hi John

Yes, new amg wheels (they forgot to take off he bar code stickers). Just dodgy, part worn tyres on each one.

 

[glojo]

Hi John

Yes, new amg wheels (they forgot to take off he bar code stickers). Just dodgy, part worn tyres on each one.

Hopefully there is a possibility they 'forgot' to put the right tyres back onto your new wheels. Fingers crossed there is not a more sinister explanation.

good luck
John