My Project Viano...

[Bladgb]

Hi to all

Just bought a 57 plate Viano - have been idly toying with the idea of having a full size seven seater as a second car for a long while. I travel with my family to the East Coast pretty much every school holiday, and although there are only five people in my family unit, this leaves no space for any mates let alone all the stuff we take with us.

So, I picked up the van on Monday and decided to buy one at less than my total budget to allow both for bringing it up to good mechanical condition and adding any upgrades.

It already seems a high spec one - 3.0 CDI Ambiente e long with factory upgrades of twin electric sliding doors, elec folding mirrors, triple sunroof, comand, heated front seats, aux heating etc.

It's done 97k which is higher than I would have liked but it has a full MBSH.

My first step was to get the brakes and tyres checked - it needed a new tyre due to an egg - brakes otherwise are fine.

Next job is to get it to a MB specialist and get it onto the diagnostics as it has the SRS light coming on ( and off) randomly. The seat belt system warning message appeared today and the rear wiper refuses to self park in a sensible place.

Once the known issues are picked up and dealt with, I am looking refurb the alloys and upgrade the Comand to get a reversing camera fitted.

It has a slight judder at low speed in traffic as if it's in too high a gear as well but until I get it any fault codes I guess I am completely in the dark about what is needed - known unknowns you might say.

I am thinking of going to an Indy rather than MB - the local MB is Bradford, the nearest Indy I can locate from the web is MercSpec in Skipton.

Any thoughts on:

What you think of my strategy - mechanical stuff first, then cosmetics like alloy wheel refurb and the new Comand...

Anyone got experience of MercSpec or any advice on other Indys around Bradford/Bingley area.

Anything else I should be looking for either with the Viano or with my choice of garage?

Thanks

Bladgb

 

[ringway]

Welcome.

There are Vito and Viano owners on MBClub some of whom mod to great effect.
You are lucky to have the sunroof, some of our members have done the modification from scratch! Happy days when it's done though.

 

[Bladgb]

Hi again. Been up to MercSpec in Skipton, guy seemed very genuine and I have booked in for a diagnostic and quote for the work I need doing.

He spotted some rust (darn it - I missed it when looking around the vehicle - must be out of practice) around the licence plate lamp holder. It's starting to bubble up right on the corner of both sides.

So, it might be best to get this fixed by re spraying the entire tailgate.

I was thinking of shoving some cu rust stuff on it for now just til we are out of winter.

He advised against a smart repair as it's in an awkward place.

Is there anywhere else prone to rust? I can't see anywhere else but not really too sure where they go.

 

[Bladgb]

Welcome. There are Vito and Viano owners on MBClub some of whom mod to great effect. You are lucky to have the sunroof, some of our members have done the modification from scratch! Happy days when it's done though.

I once owned a Mitsubishi Colt when I was a student that I repaired from an accident damaged auction lot.

I liked the car but was going camping to France and my mate who worked for Autoglass offered to fit a sunroof - he said the look on my face was one he would never forget as he grabbed an air driven cutter and cut a big hole in the roof!

Fair play to him though it never leaked.

The Viano sunroofs give it a nice airy feel inside, if a little cold on frosty days like today. There a bloomin expensive option on most new cars these days when they were pretty much a standard item on most Japanese cars in the late 90s....

Bladgb

 

[BTB 500]

He spotted some rust (darn it - I missed it when looking around the vehicle - must be out of practice) around the licence plate lamp holder. It's starting to bubble up right on the corner of both sides.

So, it might be best to get this fixed by re spraying the entire tailgate.

I was thinking of shoving some cu rust stuff on it for now just til we are out of winter.

He advised against a smart repair as it's in an awkward place.

Is there anywhere else prone to rust? I can't see anywhere else but not really too sure where they go.

That's about the only 'known' spot, although it's not all that common. IIRC it's something to do with the chrome housing being tightened up too much during assembly and eventually wearing through the paint. Ringway on here had this issue and tried (unsuccessfully) to claim under the bodywork warranty.

In general all the steel panels are galvanised (and the front wings are plastic) so problems are relatively rare, unlike the previous shape (638) and very early 639s (2004-ish) - neither of which were galvanised.

 

[Marku]

You should claim as it is covered by the 12 year warranty. In my experience it is the dealer who does not want to submit it. They have quotas for warranty work and can be penalised for excess claims. I had to threaten the dealer after I found out that they had taken no action a month after my claim. Even then they were reluctant saying that MB would not accept it - MB did without question. The whole tailgate was stripped back to metal and sandblasted and the body shop told me that if there was actual perforation they were authorised to replace it completely. It was repainted and fitted with new badges. It was also the body shop who told me the cause, which I posted here at the time, that it was over tightening of the license plate lamp unit. Our previous Viano had leaked there and would regularly blow bulbs. When it was re-assembled it was done with spacers. So any way don't take no for an answer it is only that the dealer doesn't want to submit your claim.

 

[Bladgb]

You should claim as it is covered by the 12 year warranty. In my experience it is the dealer who does not want to submit it. They have quotas for warranty work and can be penalised for excess claims. I had to threaten the dealer after I found out that they had taken no action a month after my claim. Even then they were reluctant saying that MB would not accept it - MB did without question. The whole tailgate was stripped back to metal and sandblasted and the body shop told me that if there was actual perforation they were authorised to replace it completely. It was repainted and fitted with new badges. It was also the body shop who told me the cause, which I posted here at the time, that it was over tightening of the license plate lamp unit. Our previous Viano had leaked there and would regularly blow bulbs. When it was re-assembled it was done with spacers. So any way don't take no for an answer it is only that the dealer doesn't want to submit your claim.

Thanks for the info- I had a quick search through the forum and it seems to be eligible I will need both a full MBSH and to have owned the vehicle for six months. I was sold the vehicle with a fully stamped MBSH although I have since noted it does not have the ViN or reg number in the front page - I know MB should be able to check for me on its service history - but I have only owned it for a couple of weeks.

Thus it looks like I either wait six months and approach MB or get it fixed at my own expense in the meantime. The jury is out at the moment, will see how much salt is chucked about this winter before I decide!

Thanks again

 

[Marku]

I don't think that the warranty states any conditions or exclusions. It should be with the service book/user manual etc. However just read it and it states that the warranty is valid service to service as the defect should be noted at a service and rectified and is validup to 12 years from first registration. Also says it covers specifically perforation from inside to out. Although as this is a known problem and I had no trouble other than the dealer you shouldn't have either. It doesn't say so but if it has been repainted they will not accept it. Also there is no period of ownership required as I said it runs from service to service. Any way good luck!

 

[Bladgb]

Just a quick update after a call from the Indy who has my viano in for the various issues noted when I bought it.

The STAR diagnostics came up with only one code related to the drivers seat belt buckle which hopefully will sort the SRS light, only costs £19.

Rear wiper motor faulty, new check strap required drivers door. They recommended change of gearbox oil/filter which is a good idea as it's done 97k.

I asked them to replace the indicators in the mirrors as they are full of water - most expensive thing so far is fixing the intermittent fault with the illumination of the gear selected - the PRND lights don't always work. There are some frayed wires under there.

Alloys gone for refurb, and new bonnet badge ordered.

All other areas checked i.e. Engine gearbox suspension all in good order.

Feel slightly relieved as last time I bought a car out of warranty was when I had a mini mid life crisis and bought a Honda CRX (transtop) which everyone calls a DelSol these days. That was in 2005. Reason I got that was I had bought a brand new one as my first ever brand new car in 1993 when I was young free single and had hair.

Sold it after a couple of years as it was useless with three kids and wife made me demolish our double garage and extend the house. That meant one of the cars would have stay outside, the Honda started to rot so it went.

The things we do....

 

[Marku]

See that you say that the gear selector illumination was successfully repaired. The whole gear selector on my Viano has been replaced twice, both under warranty, for the same problem you quote. It has now gone again and this time I can't persuade MB to cough up. You say it was a few frayed wires. If so how did you repair it? Would much appreciate any tips.

 

[Bladgb]

Sorry just noticed your post.

I haven't got the viano back from the Indy yet, but on the phone he advised me he had found the selector wiring had frayed - he quoted £118 plus VAT for a "new one". I assumed he meant the wiring loom but it may involve a circuit board at that price.

It's the most expensive thing wrong with the car (only bought it a few weeks ago) as the problem I had bought it with turned out to be a faulty seat belt buckle (SRS/seat belt system warning) -which wasn't expensive - sorry I have no more information on exactly what he has done, but I will find out when I collect the car.

 

[Marku]

Thanks for that - MB want to replace the whole unit at about £350 if I remember right. If there is a cheaper way I would very much like to know.

 

[Bladgb]

Just picked the van back in the dark so haven't had time to have a good look around at what the Indy has done - alloys have been done and they showed me all the parts they had to replace - interesting to see a broken bracket from the gearbox and some cracking in the drive belts, anyway all done.

Car ran smoother - must be the gearbox oil change!

As regards the gearshift problem I kept the old part (A6395450532) which you can see has frayed/burnt the ribbon cable by interference from the gear shift lever.

This part in its entirety is billed to me at £158+vat. Of course there will be labour but my bill isn't broken down into how much that is for this part of the work they did.

Hope that's of use.

Bladgb

 

[Bladgb]

Some update pics on the work done so far on my Viano, mostly by MercSpec Indy based in Skipton, some of it by yours truly!

Alloys refurbed

Tailgate rust fixed (just for Ringway )

Mirror indicators replaced

Some other stuff done, reverse camera, dab.

General shots

Still to do is the fixing of the scratches on the rear tailgate glass caused by the previous owners wiper blade (or lack of it), and a good clean up of the engine - both jobs scare me in case I so more damage!

 

[BTB 500]

Looking good! Could do with a set of chrome indicator bulbs though

 

[Bladgb]

Looking good! Could do with a set of chrome indicator bulbs though

Hey what are those??

 

[BTB 500]

Hey what are those??

They are indicator bulbs that look chrome but flash orange in the normal way. Avoids the 'fried egg' look you get with orange bulbs showing through clear indicator lenses. I have them front & back in the Vito and C Class and at the front of the SL.

Any dealer should sell them, I've used these guys on eBay many times and would recommend them (they are the parts dept. of an M-B commercial dealership and you get a proper M-B invoice with anything you order):

21w 12v Chrome looking Orange flashing Indicator bulbs | eBay

They sell quite a few 639 bits at a good discount and are very helpful if you give them a call.

 

[Alex]

Planet Rock? Dab? How?

 

[Bladgb]

They are indicator bulbs that look chrome but flash orange in the normal way. Avoids the 'fried egg' look you get with orange bulbs showing through clear indicator lenses. I have them front & back in the Vito and C Class and at the front of the SL. Any dealer should sell them, I've used these guys on eBay many times and would recommend them (they are the parts dept. of an M-B commercial dealership and you get a proper M-B invoice with anything you order): 21w 12v Chrome looking Orange flashing Indicator bulbs | eBay They sell quite a few 639 bits at a good discount and are very helpful if you give them a call.

Thanks for that, will add to my list - yes I bought a ton of stuff from these guys on ebay - I searched their shop for Vito/Viano so missed the bulbs - good spot.

I got the chrome trim for the tailgate/ bonnet, mats, B pillar decals from them. Pricey gear even with discount but top quality MB parts, and comes with the invoice as you say so will have usual MB warranty.

I can see me having to take the rear cluster off again soon.....!

 

[Bladgb]

Planet Rock? Dab? How?

I originally wanted to retrofit Comand and include built in DAB as per Zenman and others on here but couldn't stretch to the costs/commitments to visit a specialist like Alfie down South.

The original MB add on DAB also is quite pricey from my research and uses the CD changer input to Comand. I like my CD changer (I like the quality - if only it could play vinyl) and so went for the cheapy fix.

http://www.dabmotion.co.uk

This is just a little box that comes with an aerial that you fix to the windscreen, hook up to the cig lighter and then it broadcasts DAB to FM which you tune into on to Comand. Of course the purists will slate it as it has the FM "weak link" for sound quality but I find FM adequate especially over the roar of the V6 or the kids scrapping in the back....anyway I just like listening to a few stations you cannot get on FM such as Planet Rock, Smooth etc etc.

There is a little remote control to operate it - you will see this on the pic velcroed to the ashtray - also you will see Comand displaying FM9 which is the preset I have used to tune into the DAB Motion unit. A neat touch is the ability to see the station name and track details which appear on Comand using RDS. This also appears on the LCD display on the dash.

Costs just under £200.