Is is worth it?

[Vmironov]

Happy new year everyone.
3 months ago bought my first car and after a lot of comparing the Benz stole the honor from Bmw.
CLK 320 W209 (2003) 100K Miles
During these months it has emerged that none of the previous owners (6 of them) had actually done any meaningful servicing apart from fitting bloody lowered springs.

• Transmission oil inlet still had a factory cap on
  Old fuel filter, old oil filter, looked like both were never changed
  Original factory spark plugs were still on duty, as expected

Everything is replaced, flushed and refilled now and lessons learned about importance of service history. But still there is no peace of mind whether I should expect some major problems in the near future because of such ignorance of previous owners. Are there any checks that should be done firsthand to assess any damage made? This engine and transmission were selected after hearing a lot of good things about them M112 3.2 / 722.618
But maybe this was a lot of abuse for them? Or is it just me being inexperienced and not giving enough credit to the wagen?

Thanks

 

[grober]

Although there is no service record it would be surprising if the car had never been serviced in its life. I could see the transmission fluid being original. Engine Oil and oil filter --original---- I doubt it ---but may have been changed infrequently. Likewise brake pads unlikely to have lasted 100,000 miles? No service history doesn't imply no servicing has been done as much of it might be DIY. A Brake fluid change is a frequently omitted item even on well serviced cars.

 

[Vmironov]

Thank you.
The fuel filter harness had corroded so badly, it came off with the filter, good thing it did not happen on the move. Brakes are to be replaced soon, but my main concern is the powertrain. is there any investigative/preventative maintenance i should focus on, having inherited such unclear service history?

I am just seeking a peace of mind, which i guess will come after few more months if nothing happens.

 

[grober]

Thank you.
The fuel filter harness had corroded so badly, it came off with the filter, good thing it did not happen on the move. Brakes are to be replaced soon, but my main concern is the powertrain. is there any investigative/preventative maintenance i should focus on, having inherited such unclear service history?

I am just seeking a peace of mind, which i guess will come after few more months if nothing happens.

With the powertrain if you have changed all the fluids and filters then these are all good precautionary measures. If the engine idles smoothly when warmed up and exhibits no signs of hesitation or misfire when warmed up and oil pressure looks good then things are likely to be fine. Likewise with transmission- no hesitation when selecting drive or reverse no signs of flaring [ slippage] on up changes- no jerking when engaging a lower gear then again things will be OK. Coolant wise ---no signs of leaks--- or overheating--- no scum or oil in the header tank then things OK--- If you have no coolant change record then a coolant sample can be tested for its freezing point------- brakes should quietly pull the car up evenly with a firm pedal and show no signs of efficiency drop off with several repeated hard stops from speed. After that its really a question of keeping an eye on things and changing stuff as and when---- AND start keeping an accurate service record yourself .

 

[Vmironov]

Great.. all the symptoms you've mentioned seem fine, I'll keep monitoring but in a less paranoid manner.
It was so depressing finding all these things, then getting scammed by a garage who claimed they've serviced the gearbox, then 2 months later another garage found a multiplug leak and upon further works presented me with a can of my muddy worn out transmission oil which could not have gone so bad in just 2 months since 1st garage refilled it. And there was another garage that fitted a new SAM unit but did not program it properly and have put in a weaker battery. So it was a quick and disappointing learning curve until a good garage was found. The engine and transmission work quiet and seamless, but past experience still leads to suspicion ,waiting for something to happen.

This is why I cannot thank you enough for helping a beginner in distress, it really helps to shift the mood to a more positive flow. Something may still fail but at least i will enjoy the ride until then.

 

[brucemillar]

If you let people know where you are located and ask for a good recommended Independent Garage/Mechanic in your area that will go along way to giving you peace of mind.

Just open a thread on here and title it. Recommendations for a good indie in area xx

 

[Vmironov]

Thank you!
I actually found my current garage in a similar thread here already started by someone else. This forum is priceless!

 

[E55BOF]

It is most unlikely that the servicing was neglected completely, at least during the warranty period. Go to your local main dealer with the registration doc and evidence of your identity, and ask them for a printout of the service history. Unless by chance the car has been serviced there at some point, they will not be able to give you any details on what has been done, but the MB central computerised record will at least show you when it has had something done within the dealer network.