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a salutary tale

Started by OzBenzHead, 07 December 2005, 01:52 AM

OzBenzHead

Here's a salutary tale.  It's about a W123, but the principle applies to all models (and brands, for that matter).

I was chatting to a woman who served me at Bunnings. She drives a W123 280E.

She complained that her mechanic - whom she'd been patronising for years - was slow and expensive. I recommended mine, who is just around the corner from her work (using her existing mechanic meant either taking the day off work or finding a 40 km lift to work (no buses)).

She took a couple of months getting around to visiting my man, but what drove her there was a horrible, loud rattling and clunking from somewhere below.

She first went to her regular mechanic and he told her she was up for a complete engine rebuild. More than the car (bodily rather battered) was worth - by far.

She went to another local for a second opinion; he reckoned on at least a big-end rebuild - or perhaps a transmission replacement. Again, more than the car was worth.

Both of those mechanics spent about 15 minutes "checking" the car, drove it around the block, listened to the terrible racket, and pronounced sentence.

In desperation (and with much trepidation over whether or not she'd even get there before the car died) the woman took it to my man.

He drove it out to the road from his workshop - a total of about 70 metres - then drove it back and put it up on the hoist.

He reached up under the sump guard, extracted a large rock (the size of a small fist), and took the car for a drive around the block.

No abnormal noises.

No charge.

One ecstatic Benz owner.
[img width=340 height=138][url="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png"]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png[/url][/img]

Mforcer

That is a great story. The only thing better than finding a good mechanic is finding one that is convenient to get to!

I have had my fair share of bad experiences but I hope most of those are now behind me after making many contacts over the past few years and learning what to look for.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200