Bill:
I didn't say that indies were cheap, cheaper perhaps! Also a specific
issue with older models like ours, dealer mechs are less interested in
problem solving the intricacies of late 80s electronics and vacuum
systems. MBs are quite complex cars, likely more than they need to be.
With a good indie, you get to see what's up, discuss repair options and
the like.
Many parts are cheaper through jobbers - they're made by the same
companies that made the original parts for MB, but not in MB boxes.
Martin
Bill Pearce wrote:
>
> MBs are not cheap to repair (both labour and parts).
> Never owned one myself, thanks to my parents experience.
>
> General advice in North America is to avoid dealers like the plague and use
> competent independents.
> Oddly, here it was just the opposite. The "top" local independant was higher
> in price than just about anything short of air expressing the car to the
> factory. Being German, he held slavishly to the factory recommended services
> for each interval or repair. That meant that when you got your oil changed,
> you also got your seat tracks greased. I knew someone that had the
> windshield washer pump fail. The MB part was (in the seventies) over $125.
> The very same part, identical in every way including label, but packed in a
> VW box? $25! This guy refused to install it, and he knew damn well what was
> going on.
>
> In his defence, he retired early and well.
>
> Bill Pearce
>
>
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