A45 build quality rears its head!
Discussion
Oh dear!
Well, I can pass on some 'useful' advise from an IVA examiner (you think traffic police are kings are dry sarcasm - think again lol) about cable ties......
I had cable tied some coolant hoses in place, and it was a fail, when I asked him why he said the secret was in the name:
CABLE ties!
I said "no no, they are zip ties" and he gave me a look that must have taken years to perfect, and still failed the Ultima.
Oh, and it is difficult to fault the manufacturers, they spend a lot of time and effort designing just right (or so we hope). If they designed a car that could take sump deep water then they would call it an SUV....
Don't get me wrong, I have had more fights with MB than most, but usually about their crap service and BS.
Like:
MB "Sir you need new £2400 front discs because they are cracked!"
ME "Oh, that is surely a warranty issue?"
....after a lot of arguing....
MB "Erm, actually, Sir, your discs are fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I kid you not!
Well, I can pass on some 'useful' advise from an IVA examiner (you think traffic police are kings are dry sarcasm - think again lol) about cable ties......
I had cable tied some coolant hoses in place, and it was a fail, when I asked him why he said the secret was in the name:
CABLE ties!
I said "no no, they are zip ties" and he gave me a look that must have taken years to perfect, and still failed the Ultima.
Oh, and it is difficult to fault the manufacturers, they spend a lot of time and effort designing just right (or so we hope). If they designed a car that could take sump deep water then they would call it an SUV....
Don't get me wrong, I have had more fights with MB than most, but usually about their crap service and BS.
Like:
MB "Sir you need new £2400 front discs because they are cracked!"
ME "Oh, that is surely a warranty issue?"
....after a lot of arguing....
MB "Erm, actually, Sir, your discs are fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I kid you not!
I cam see the print in the handbook and they probably have me banged to rights. I can still have a moan about it though!!
Odd thing is, ive asked a couple of guys on the A45 forums if their ducts are cable tied on and so far the few that have looked appear to have cars that's ducts are bolted on. So, mine is apparently different! I'll need to investigate further. Might have been a change in build that mine didnt get.
Odd thing is, ive asked a couple of guys on the A45 forums if their ducts are cable tied on and so far the few that have looked appear to have cars that's ducts are bolted on. So, mine is apparently different! I'll need to investigate further. Might have been a change in build that mine didnt get.
SilverPhoenix said:
The felt/fibre used for the undertray has been widely used by many manufactures for several years as a replacement material for plastic splashguards etc.
I think the wheel arch liners on my C63 were of a felt/fibre construction.I'm shocked to hear of Eddies cable tied parts. I'm presuming you're the first owner of the car Eddie?
chris333 said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with using cable ties to attach things. This is a picture of a communications satellite. All the little blue bits...cable ties. They survive being strapped on top of 500 tons of rocket and blasted into space.
As far as I can see, the main message from this thread is don't drive your car through a flood when you are p***ed off.
Again, ignoring everything else and taking this in isolation, how much force do you think they experience during take off?As far as I can see, the main message from this thread is don't drive your car through a flood when you are p***ed off.
Grandfondo said:
ecain63 said:
Grandfondo said:
gaz1234 said:
Part ex it
But take your own lube! 
A family friends wife just took delivery of her new C Class company car a few weeks ago. A few days after it was delivered all the warning lights came on but the car still drove, dealer didn't find anything did a reset and gave the car back. A few days after that the car would not start at all everything was dead, dealer recovered it and last I heard were arguing that the main wiring loom has been tampered with as there are cut wires and electrical tape everywhere - last I heard car was still there while they decide what to do next.
Eddie slightly O/T but did the original reg of your C63 start with SD60? One has just appeared locally that looks exactly like yours; pre facelift, red, carbon bits and black wheels.
Eddie slightly O/T but did the original reg of your C63 start with SD60? One has just appeared locally that looks exactly like yours; pre facelift, red, carbon bits and black wheels.
Remagel2507 said:
A family friends wife just took delivery of her new C Class company car a few weeks ago. A few days after it was delivered all the warning lights came on but the car still drove, dealer didn't find anything did a reset and gave the car back. A few days after that the car would not start at all everything was dead, dealer recovered it and last I heard were arguing that the main wiring loom has been tampered with as there are cut wires and electrical tape everywhere - last I heard car was still there while they decide what to do next.
Eddie slightly O/T but did the original reg of your C63 start with SD60? One has just appeared locally that looks exactly like yours; pre facelift, red, carbon bits and black wheels.
Yeah, sd60ysk. In Yorkshire? Eddie slightly O/T but did the original reg of your C63 start with SD60? One has just appeared locally that looks exactly like yours; pre facelift, red, carbon bits and black wheels.
Edited by ecain63 on Friday 14th November 07:17
ecain63 said:
Why is a £50k car....
tbh, i think this is part of your problem, the perception that you have purchased a £50k car! It's really a ~£20k car with some bells and whistles.Addionally, adding the cost of optional extras doesn't increase the build quality or the percieved value of the car, i wouldn't refer to an RS6 as a £100k car evcen though they are often spec'd up to that.
Just my thoughts
As a motoring nut who has been in the fortunate position of owning a lot of high end cars from new, including Ferrari's and Astons, Porche, AMG and others, I can confidently report that build quality is generally improving, but materials used is a mixed bag (Aston in particular) and I wonder if Mercedes will ever get back to where they were 20 years ago. The worst dealers I've experienced for service are Lexus and Land/Range Rover (brake discs and pads every time) and the worst for sales is undoubtedly Audi. In terms of warranty work/customer service Porsche and Mercedes take the mantle of caring just a little bit less than anyone else. So to summarise, I have yet to find a happy place with any of them, although my experience of BMW is limited but I suspect they're no different.
I now have no problem with driving them all into the ground on price, forget any notion of a long-term relationship with dealer or manufacturer (they don't care), sell before warranty expires and let them service but go to a trusted independent for brakes, tyres and bodywork.
I now have no problem with driving them all into the ground on price, forget any notion of a long-term relationship with dealer or manufacturer (they don't care), sell before warranty expires and let them service but go to a trusted independent for brakes, tyres and bodywork.
ecain63 said:
Yeah, sd60ysk. In Yorkshire?
Yep that was the one, came past me in Bradford I knew I had only ever seen one C63 like that but I couldn't remember till I came on here. Was it standard when you sold it? It sounded a little different to the last one I heardEdited by ecain63 on Friday 14th November 07:17
Remagel2507 said:
ecain63 said:
Yeah, sd60ysk. In Yorkshire?
Yep that was the one, came past me in Bradford I knew I had only ever seen one C63 like that but I couldn't remember till I came on here. Was it standard when you sold it? It sounded a little different to the last one I heardEdited by ecain63 on Friday 14th November 07:17
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