ML350 gearbox/transfer box oil leak advice

[Natiris27]

Hi All,

Im new to the forum, I’m looking to buy a ML350 and after looking for quite some time I have found one which has the spec I’m after and in mint condition with low Milage.

I am close to negotiating a deal with the dealership but I am now hesitant, after running some vehicle checks online every thing checks out, service history, mileage etc but I have noticed on the last two MOT,s the vehicle has had an advisory for a fluid leak around the gearbox/transfer area. It is noted that it is it excessive and passed both tests despite of it.

I am going to bring this up with the dealers tomorrow but my question is to you guys as experienced MB owners, should I walk away? Should I insist this leak is repaired? What might this cost me further down the line?

Your views greatly appreciated

 

[KennyN]

I wouldn`t let on that you have potentially discovered an issue , this will give them a chance to tidy the underside of the car prior to your next viewing ,if they are that sort of garage.

I would pop in and just ask to have a "casual" look under the car preferably on the ramp and see what is what.

The leak could be something minor like a poorly sealing drain / fill plug , a seal that just needs replaced or something i bit more £££.

With the internal mechanics of any transfer case they dont lend themselves to running low on oil.

K

 

[Natiris27]

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for the advice, only problem I have is I’m around 80 miles from the dealership so a casual drop in is a a 3 1/2 hour trip.

However I am prepared to travel for the right car and this particular example ticks all the boxes for what I have been looking for and is at a fair price and the dealership seems reputable at face value.

If I do call in and get the car up on the ramp and see evidence of a leak, where do I go from there?

What if they play it down, what if they offer to repair, do I then ask for a guarantee on the repair work?

thanks

 

[KennyN]

What if they play it down, what if they offer to repair, do I then ask for a guarantee on the repair work?

It all depends on the dealer and how decent they are , some will give it a clean and tell you it has been fixed , some will actually fix it properly , some will clean it and tell you it was repaired by the previous owner and ignore your calls until the three month used car warranty expires.

Tricky one , if you are not able to pop in then i would make it perfectly clear to the dealer (via e-mail) that you know of the potential leak and would like it addressed and guaranteed prior to picking the car up if you still decide to go ahead with the purchase.

When i noticed a few issues with my recently purchased Cayenne the dealer picked the car up , took it back to their workshop (500m round trip) , left me an A7 , replaced the discs + pads , exhaust temp sensor , leaking EGR valve , door mounted alarm LED , so there are some decent used car dealers out there.

K

 

[W1ghty]

Might be oil cooler seals leaking from the top back of the engine , common fault on the om642 engine . Up to 1k to fix ?

 

[W1ghty]

It all depends on the dealer and how decent they are , some will give it a clean and tell you it has been fixed , some will actually fix it properly , some will clean it and tell you it was repaired by the previous owner and ignore your calls until the three month used car warranty expires.

Tricky one , if you are not able to pop in then i would make it perfectly clear to the dealer (via e-mail) that you know of the potential leak and would like it addressed and guaranteed prior to picking the car up if you still decide to go ahead with the purchase.

When i noticed a few issues with my recently purchased Cayenne the dealer picked the car up , took it back to their workshop (500m round trip) , left me an A7 , replaced the discs + pads , exhaust temp sensor , leaking EGR valve , door mounted alarm LED , so there are some decent used car dealers out there.

K

Good thing you didn’t have to pay for that lot at a Porsche dealer !

 

[Major774]

Rear main seal leak?

 

[KennyN]

Good thing you didn’t have to pay for that lot at a Porsche dealer !

Too right , just been dipping my toe into Porsche main dealer parts pricing recently.

Carrying out some routine maintenance to the pano roof :

Dry slide lube for the rear sliders - £20
Krynox for the seals - £35
Genuine grease for the runners - £40

So £95 just for slippy stuff , did the maint last week and it hasn`t stopped pi$$ing it down since , so the roof has remained closed.

Fancied the centre analogue clock for the dash , that will be £500+ please sir plus £100 for the new trim. The trim piece was purchased and a matching aftermarket clock sourced from a UK supplier , half an hour on the lathe and a stainless adaptor made to accommodate the new £40 clock , it matches the colours on the original instruments and , unlike the genuine clock , the hands shouldn`t fall off.

20200712_075501 by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

K

 

[Natiris27]

Appreciate the advice guys,

I have been back in touch with the rep at the dealership today and asked for a bit more info on a few things including the latest MOT certificate.

The rep responded with word for word what I had read on the advisory notes including the oil leak in question. I asked if he knew if it had been repaired or not and he has gone away to seek clarity on that I suspect with the technicians.

I’m comforted in a way that they were honest and didn’t neglect to mention the advisory notes. I guess now it’s just a waiting game to see what comes back.