You lot were right! next time I'll know

[bluevenetian]

I had a problem with my W124 creaking
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=65071&highlight=creaking
and a number of you said it was classic sign of ball joints, even though an ATS ramp inspection had previously suggested shock absorbers.

"No matter", I thought, I'll take it to a Merc specialist and they can diagnose at their leisure.

The specialist came back and said "shock absorbers and you need new mounts"

"Fine" thinks I, gingerly pearing into my depleted wallet.

Work is done, money changes hands and I drive home -- except 4 miles from garage the creaking is back again

Back the car goes, cut long story short, it WAS the ball joints after all!!!.....So I'm not very happy....I paid a lot for the new shocks and mounts (and very nice they are indeed), but I don't think I really needed them.

I told the garage as such and they said the shocks had been leaking anyway....still as a percentage of the car's worth they cost a lot and its not like there aren't more pressing problems to fix.

Anyway the upshot was that I didn't pay for the ball joints to be replaced... and yes I know that would have been a fraction of the shocks work....but there you go.

The lesson learnt is
One bloke on the Internet saying something = it may be true
Alot of blokes saying the same thing = it probably is true
If its people on this forum = it will be true. Well done guys

As for garages....well we all make mistakes -- shame it cost me

 

[johnsco]

....they said the shocks had been leaking anyway....

oh yeah !! ??

 

[fenns]

Well, once again I find myself being grateful for the expertise on this forum and for people taking the time to post their experiences to assist us all. I had been thinking of trying out Colin Ferns in Richmond as they are close by and a friend also with a E320 convertible uses them. I do, however, recall him mentioning they "seemed a bit pricey". A lovely sepia toned website and a bias towards "the restoration of pagoda SL's" suggests an eye for the cash rich/time poor (or simply overly trusting) MB owners of Surrey - cynical, very cynical

I shall therefore stick with Martin Cheung of Martin's Autos in Wimbledon who is not only scrupulously honest but an MB expert and very reasonably priced. He's also one of the kindest people I have ever met - unreservedly recommended

 

[fenns]

Uum....interesting :

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4023&highlight=colin+ferns

I refer to Mr. Walker's initial impression. I'm a great believer in the ".... you know within the first 30 seconds" axiom

Colin Ferns has a couple of "happy customers" here which one must respect but by way of example for my wariness I use my experience of a local tyre fitters/mechanics here in Chiswick, West London. Many locals on the community website hold them in high regard and mention their "charm" and "helpfulness" and recommend their services to others.These are generally people with little or no mechanical knowledge of their cars who rely on experts as we all do to varying degrees. It's called 'trust'.
The bosses of his outfit have worked out an extremely effective modus operandi - be cheerful, charming chappies (especially to the 'laydeez') who will invariably,for example, find 'big problems' at discounted MOT time. Once the shocked customer has OK'd the work they will call back at the end of the day to say they managed to repair rather than replace/got a mate to supply the part cheaper/ fixed it quicker etc. and the frightening bill is now 20-30% less than they expected. Result
In a world where everything is more than you expected this strategy goes down a storm with the mechanically ignorant......and especially 'the laydeez' who form their main prey .... who then think they found their local white knights for all things mechanical - clever eh?
Not 'a laydee' but a 'retired gent' instead ? Switch to unctuous serf attitude and lots of forelock tugging instead. Crude chameleon stuff but having observed this MO at close quarters on many occassions (until I realised what they were up to) very, very effective.
The consequence is that customers are fooled into paying for unecessary work, paying for low quality pattern parts rather than the OE stuff specified etc. BUT the customer pays up believing they have been well looked after.
Catch 'em at it (as did I with both 201 and MX-5 ) and the facade fades very quckly and things can turn a bit nasty but at least you see them as they truly are.
The moral of my experience is that actions (and what you pay for them) definately speak louder than (smooth) words.

Oh yes, they are called Iverson Tyres, Power Road, Chiswick and they don't like being found out

 

[Sorry Pete]

It is interesting indeed, I detail my experience with them here:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=66081&highlight=months+300d

I know some guys on here use them; if they wanted a return customer, they certainly went about it a funny way.

 

[bluevenetian]

Sorry Pete, I read your thread and I have to admit to also finding the whole CF thing pretty exasperating.
After the ball joints were fixed I decided to test drive the car around the block a few times. I noticed a front wheel was catching on something. I took it back to the garage and they told a mechanic to come with me for a drive. He noticed the noise and got to work -- I think it was a disc pad or something that was rubbing. He fixed it no problem...but I really feel the car should not have been handed over with this noise....I have always assumed garages take cars for a shake-down spin for exactly this reason.
On the plus side the mechanic also detected a rubbing noise from a rear wheel (which had not had any work done on it). He quickly worked out that the wheel had a ominous bulge and advised a new tyre. When the old tyre came off if was plain there had been an old puncture repair and although it had plenty of tread, it was not in a good shape. So I'm grateful the mechanic was able to pick up a potentially dangerous fault.

I went to CF because they are Merc specialists and I think the work they did was well done, but the initial misdiagnosis was annoying.

The lesson I've learnt is to be pay a lot more attention to the advice on this forum.

 

[bluevenetian]

Colin Ferns called me today and ruffled feathers were soothed