You Probably Will Need To Fix That

"Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
02/09/2015 at 20:20 • Filed to: Mercedes Benz

I saw this, the only Mercedes Benz GL in town with its front suspension totally collapsed. You could see the truck literally bouncing its way off with the tires hitting the wheel arches whilst the owner drove it without a care in the world. I don't ever think it will get fixed though, as the nearest Mercedes Benz dealership is a good 6 hours away (In a highway full of Mercedes-hungry criminals) and you can bet it will cost to repair more than a kindergarten jungle gym.

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DISCUSSION (20)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Vicente Esteve
02/09/2015 at 20:23

Nah, he's just stanced it bro!

jkm7680 > Vicente Esteve
02/09/2015 at 20:24

STANCE YO.

Vicente Esteve > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
02/09/2015 at 20:30

Kinja'd!!!

NOPE!

Vicente Esteve > jkm7680
02/09/2015 at 20:31

Please no!

Kinja'd!!!

Steve in Manhattan > Vicente Esteve
02/09/2015 at 20:36

If the warranty is up, that's going to be north of 5 grand, I'm guessing.

Vicente Esteve > Steve in Manhattan
02/09/2015 at 20:39

The warranty must be up, and I think your quote is bang on.

Steve in Manhattan > Vicente Esteve
02/09/2015 at 20:58

I have said many times before, and in this space, that if you don't need AWD, don't get it. It adds expense, weight, and complication. I'm guessing this repair on, say, an E-class, would be ... half the cost? Certainly the labor would be less.

Vicente Esteve > Steve in Manhattan
02/09/2015 at 21:14

Exactly! All of this!

RallyWrench > Vicente Esteve
02/10/2015 at 00:21

Air suspension is not magic. Though I deeply dislike GLs, this is not a hard fix. Probably lost the bag, but Arnott makes improved air struts. They can be had for much less than dealer list, and take no more than a couple hours a side. Any reasonably equipped independent can do it. The question is, will the compressor survive? If leaking bags are ignored, it runs the pump excessively and overheats it. Those can be spendy.

Also, fuck Kinja mobile. It is the bad air strut of commenting platforms.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Steve in Manhattan
02/10/2015 at 00:42

I'm going with $3500-4000, at the most. It will vary from shop to shop, and maybe it will only need one side.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Steve in Manhattan
02/10/2015 at 00:47

Actually AWD has nothing to do with this. It doesn't make it any harder to do at all. It's just a failed bellow on one or both from struts. The parts are where the biggest part of the cost comes in. Right around $1k each. I don't remember off the too of my head exactly, but I don't think this pays more than three hours per corner. Cost would be very similar on a RWD E-class if it needed front struts.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Vicente Esteve
02/10/2015 at 00:49

Lol silly people.

Steve in Manhattan > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
02/10/2015 at 00:51

I don't know, but is there more stuff to be disassembled with AWD?

And I always love the Southern Californians I know who insist on AWD to drive in the desert.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Steve in Manhattan
02/10/2015 at 01:01

For some jobs yes, but this is not one of them.

Now that I don't agree with. Hardly anyone in SoCal needs AWD. Certainly not to drive in the desert. RWD is just fine for that. I'm a big proponent of AWD, but only for those who actually need it and only if they know its limitations.

Steve in Manhattan > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
02/10/2015 at 01:07

No - you misunderstood me - few in SoCal need AWD. Two wheels need to be driven, not all four. And I mean the whole thing is a desert. Los Angeles should not be there. There's no water.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Steve in Manhattan
02/10/2015 at 01:24

I think we're on the same page here, I just worded my response a little funny. I meant to agree with you, and disagree with the Californians who insist on needing AWD.

And now I'm trying to picture how awesome California would be if LA wasn't there. So much open space and beautiful unmolested coast lines.

Steve in Manhattan > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
02/10/2015 at 01:37

There's a 90s documentary called Cadillac Desert , about how LA essentially stole the Columbia (?) River for itself, and it's very good. The movie version is Chinatown . An interesting story.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Steve in Manhattan
02/10/2015 at 01:45

That does sound interesting.

Vicente Esteve > RallyWrench
02/10/2015 at 07:30

Thanks for sharing such detail in this fix, which I doubt will happen anyway. You see, here we do not have the "culture" that the US has with good independent shops that specializes in premium cars. Its either the dealership or some piece of crap mechanic. I live in Mexico, and I just know the dealership will charge a lot more than what its worth, and the owner doesn't seem to care either as I have seen this ver GL driven for months like this.

Vicente Esteve > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
02/10/2015 at 07:31

I could see their smiling faces:

"Yeah, check us out in our Merc. We are so better than anyone else."