Unfaithful thoughts!

[Mike Arman]

>  Unfaithful thoughts!

>
> that really is UNBELIEVABLE. good to know, i occasionally troll craigs for
> good amg deals.
>
>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: dgraber460 at aol.com
>>
>> An experience I had some years ago convinced me that I will not own another
>> MB, was when the dealership told me the passenger side window lift (450 SE)
>> was stamped into the door. The only repair method was to unskin the door,
>> re-weld it including body and paint work. That was the pinnacle of several
>> almost unbelievable manufacturing approaches.
>> Superior German engineering indeed.
>> It was obvious I was a bother to them (at the dealership), so my old simple
>> minded self won't bother them again.



Ignorance abounds . . . dealerships specialize in it, especially if it is to their advantage.


In this case, I'm betting they are wrong. I looked at a 97 300E, all the "consumer sites" were 
screaming about the rear windows falling down and costing $500+ each to fix. A little further 
research showed that a repair kit cost some $50 if you even needed it - the real problem was the 
three aluminum rivets that hold the window mechanism onto the door (which fail) and can easily be 
replaced with small bolts and nylock nuts. End of problem. Take off the door upholstery from the 
INSIDE, just like on our Audis, no paint or sheetmetal work needed at all.


I have also heard that to replace the front shocks on type 44 Audi it is necessary to remove the 
struts, cut them apart with a saw, replace the cartridge, and re-weld the struts shut. I must be 
getting old, I somehow don't remember doing it that way on any of my 5 cylinder type 44s or my V8Q.


Reagan said "trust but verify". When we are talking about car dealers, "always assume they are 
outright lying, verify this yourself, then fix your own car".

Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90 V8Q, other type 44s (Cody has them - mostly . . . )