Basically there trying to live a champagne lifestyle on lemonade money I don’t drive a car if I can’t afford the parts one of life’s simple things live with in your money
I’m on my second slk. They’re cheap enough to buy but you need to factor in all the maintenance required - not just servicing but the unexpected faults that crop up when least expected. I’m lucky enough to be able to do all the work on my cars myself and fully respect your attitude to not putting out a vehicle that is unsafe. Love the dry way you present the videos. Great channel.
It must be both disheartening and yes annoying for you guys and of course the customer when you find further issues from those initially reported. What makes you guys stand out from the rest is your professionalism and knowledge as well the way you show so much effort and commitment to give the customer a first class service and advice no matter what the outcome is. This is why i will only trust SPR Autos with our Mercedes and have done for the past 5 years 👌👏
Honestly when we come across extra things wrong during a job it gives me anxiety, because I know it’s going to be a difficult conversation and no one’s fault, we don’t want the customer to pay any more we really don’t. Thanks Antony really kind words.
Hi My e class estate came to you last month for engine service and gear box service. very happy with the work, watching your videos gives me confidence that the work is being carried out at a professional standard 👍 and I think you did the right thing by not carrying out the work unless the required parts are used. keep the content coming. I really enjoy watching. David Rigby
Glad you shared this video. Insightful. Customer can do the rears himself on his drive maybe, not everyone can afford garage rates or even justify it if the car is older.
I think it’s good you posted the vid. It brings reality to the cost of running what were when new premium cars. Not casting any aspersions on the owner because unexpected bills can be a nightmare. It also shows honesty and integrity from you guys.
I know it sucks for the customer but I would've bitten the bullet (I'm a DIY-er myself). Those rear brakes are potentially dangerous and I'm sure they would fail the MoT in their current condition. I hope you made the customer sign a disclaimer stating that you're NOT liable should the worst happen. You've also got it documented on video so I think you're in the clear it it all goes tits-up. If the customer can't afford to maintain an SL in a safe condition he's no business owning one (just my humble opinion). You did the right thing by sticking to your guns. I sympathize with the money situation. I recently had to renew the insurance on my 2009 W204 C200 and it went up by quite a bit. The comparison sites couldn't beat the renewal quote so I had to bite the bullet and renew. The C200 is my 2nd car so I restrict the annual mileage which helps to keep the premuim down.
I always use the same mechanic for mine and my wife's cars. It's a matter of trust. If he calls me and says that there is extra work to be done I accept that and get it done if it's urgent. He may say that it will be ok for a month or so but it's not worth the risk, especially something as crucial as brakes. But I do understand that it's different for everyone. Keep up the good work.
Another really interesting video. All you can do is be honest and professional which you clearly are. It’s hard but these are high-end cars and owners have to be able to afford maintenance. That’s a vehicle that shouldn’t suffer too much depreciation so worth fixing right.
as i have commented before,i wish i had a mercedes specialist near me,i would gladly pay you the main dealer fees and have that little bit extra piece of mind using you and your teams real expertise ,Alex young
Great video, as you say its life, the guy should seriously think about not driving the vehicle until its 100% safe. Im new aroind here and enjoying your content and yes ive got a merc E350 cdi coupe.
Like you say , real life , your business is built on reputation and your standards are your standards Totally appreciate the customers position , been there ,done that myself , I would just not use the vehicle until i could afford to deal with the rear end issues That would be my solution , I have had the same mechanic for 20 odd years , trust him implicitly, his standards are as yours , very high ,
Never drop your standards to get a job done. It will always come back to bite you. Hope the customer sees this video and appreciates how well his money was going to be spent. Never compromise on brakes.
Fully empathise with the financial circumstances of customer, but often, this is why there are defective cars on the roads, no price is too high for safety, I'm afraid.
It was foolish of the customer not to have the rear disks, pads, callipers replaced. Hopefully it fails the MOT for faulty rear brakes which he had the opportunity to have repaired for safety’s sake. But you can do all you can do.
Great video thanks for sharing 👏 just a question why are you fitting main dealer parts? And not motor factor’s… I’m in the motor trade and as you know you don’t get much of a discount from the main dealers unless you have an arrangement with them.
Thanks buddy, We only fit genuine brakes as the price difference there is hardly anything in it and I’ve had nothing but trouble with none genuine discs warping, squeaking pads etc. abs sensor nothing but trouble if not using genuine, plus there cheap enough, back plate and ring were cheap items. Happy to get reconditioned callipers or aftermarket.
I own a premium brand car. It's not new anymore, but I want it to be in the best possible condition. I have a little piggy bank for maintenance. Some years there's nothing, and others there are. No fun in having a nice car, that doesn't drive well.
I fill you. been MB Tech four 25 years, In south California , now I am running my own shop in north Africa (Algeria) I am having hard time just to tell client when you bring car for repair or service does not mean you going to get your car back brand new.. peace.
There is something wrong with uk law here. If the car is found to be unsafe during servicing then i think the garage should be able to revoke temporarily mot to cover themselves as otherwise car could go on and kill someone. Analogous to a gas fitter condemning an unsafe boiler. Shame garage loses profit after diagnosing all the faults. Mechanic is first class a potential life saver.
I think you have a duty to change the caliper the vehicle is not roadworthy with that caliper and there's a danger to the operator and to other road users. I wouldn't release the vehicle without the canoper being changed I would tell them. Yeah I've got a problem with my ESP just come up the other day not sure if it's a wheel sensor don't have a scan tool it's a r170 as you probably know! Are there the same sensors and sensoring? And if not are the easy to get hold of for the r170 who do you buy aftermarket? That's not the right way to do it I was taught at courage tightening the roller bearings wheel bearing I was told you you need to tighten it as hard as you can then release it quarter of a turn. Of course you know it can't be tight. I need to get one thoughs Electric impact wrench i see u got the Milwaukee what is the maximum torque why did you choose that?
If it was my SLK I'd definitely bite the bullet and have the work done. Hoping that the rear calipers on my 2015 SLK are not as corroded as those. Thanks for posting. Good to see you take pride in doing the job properly.
Don’t by a car if you can’t afford the repairs. Makes sense to everyone. Thanks for posting this dilemma. According to my country mot this car would not leave the garage as it fails that test. 😊
You may have bought it before labour and parts costs rocketed . Even independent motor factors are not far behind main stealers when it comes to discs and pads and other consumables these days
Great video especially as a R171 owner. I would have the work done as the car is relatively cheap to buy. As with all older vehicles they require a little more maintenance to keep in good order. Love the honest down to earth approach. You have a new subscriber.
I myself would just do all the work myself for £400 of parts. The labour is the killer. Not that I'm suggesting there is anything wrong with your prices, just it's a big problem with keeping old cars going esp one like that that looks like its suffering from winter salt and I guess why so many people just go for lease payments on new cars.
I had the same problem with my CLK, he should have just taken it on the chin. I know it’s easy for me but, knackered caliper’s must be a priority. Shame I live in Coventry, I would love you guys as my go to garage.
My sincere apologies to SPR concerning my post. I didn't realise the customer refused the recommended work. Readers pleae ignore my previous comments. No slight was or is intended.
I have a 2002 SLK32 and use a Mercedes specialist like yourselves. They charge £65 per hour which is very reasonable. Mercs are great cars as long as they are running well but can be a nightmare if things go wrong, I can understand the customer having a wobble at the prospect of paying a £2k+ bill but that comes with the territory on a car like this and it is work that needs urgent attention. If he had taken it to a Mercedes dealership the bill would be at least double and they would also produce a long list of other jobs which needed doing! Great video.
One more example of the customer wanting to say" I own a merc ", but not prepared to pay the necessay price to keep it serviced and maintained correctly and to a safe and road worthy level. That broken caliper could be really dangerous to the driver and other road users. Amazing channel,was introduced to you via Matt and High Peak Autos. I now gonig through your older videos to catch up. Great stuff ,I`m enjoying it so much. Thanks Sam and SPR.
Also people forget that a car which costs £70k when new will have repairs and costs associated. The fact that you can buy the car now for £10k is irrelevant.
Any customer that blatantly ignores brake problems to this extent has his brains in his but, happily driving this car that could fail and kill someone else on the road.
The worst thing that Daimler Benz ever did was to buy Chrysler. They asked “How do you make a car like the Neon that has leather seats, a 2.0 engine, electric drivers seat, electric fold-in door mirrors, cruise, CD player, fake wood etc, AND it retails for £13k brand new”. Answer: “Make em’ look really cool and have all the bells & whistles on-but is essentially shite 💩that will be totally broken in 6-7 years”
any idea why my SLKs roof doesnt work, but also the seat heaters, and hazards fail, yet the indicators do work. The fuses are ok, all checked, and garage says the fuse relay is ok. They say its mechanical or a computer issue. All the above were working sporadically last week, but now nothing. Theres nothing mechanical or physical wrong with the roof. Is it the EDC?
A true pro ! Could do you with you here in Brisbane ! Did the guy not even want the pads and discs done in the front mate ? Or had you just ordered it all in ?
You did the right thing, for sure. You can’t replace the rear discs and pads as a garage and allow the car to leave with a seized piston and a caliper which might fail next to the slide pin. It also begs the question as to who fitted the previous undersized discs on the rear. I have recently replaced the pads, discs and sensors on my SLC200 and my MB dealer was hugely helpful - there’s no risks of fitting the wrong size discs as the dealer’s parts’ team has the specification of the car on their computer when choosing the parts. Surprisingly, the dealer supplied the discs at a price slightly cheaper than some of the online suppliers. Anyway, keep up the good work as we are all learning by watching your videos. Thanks!
I complete agree, we always fit genuine brakes there the best quality by far Ive tried and tested them all and there was always issues, and most importantly there going to fit correctly! And as you say the price difference there isn’t much in it and we’ll worth it. I really felt for the owner as as you could see the fronts and rears were not done that long ago, front warped, rears incorrect and to top it off he was a really nice feller couldn’t of asked for a better customer tbh. Thanks for the support David
@@sprautosI bought a Bentley at auction (yeah I know). When I took it to a Bentley specialist for a check over, the rear parking brake pads were fitted the wrong way round. That explained why the handbrake wasn't very effective.
I'm curious as to what those rear discs are actually meant for? How can you get that stuff wrong? Offer up the replacement part to the one you just removed? Appreciate it's a lot of money to throw at a 1.8.
Glad you've published this video. Awesome that you're keeping it real, it was pretty educational. Post 2008 SLK 350 is my affordable dream car, had to settle for SLK 320 and have no regrets. When doing the front bearings on it a while ago I didn't think of buying back plates ... so few months later I got to do it all over again, yaaay.
Great video great workmanship. Audi Old Trafford send a video when something like this happens customer gets the message and work is completed to a satisfactory result . 10 /10
Great video. ...he owes you a big thank you for noticing the damage to the brake caliper, could end badly... I would have definitley replaced the complete thing, all around. Also lots of corrosion, how does the rest of that SLK look like? Maintenance is important... and simply needs to be factored in.
It is a shame that people don’t rate safety high enough, okay understand unexpected cost, but his brakes are not operating correctly, what happens if he drives out of you workshop and kills someone in a car accident caused by the brakes not operation efficiently. How would he feel then. Somethings are to important to ignore.
From a customer’s point of view, you can’t just take your car to a garage and issue them a blank check. If you’ve budgeted a grand for repairs and are then told it’s going to be double , you are between a rock and a hard place.Is the vehicle worth spending the extra on or are you better off dumping it and using the repair money to buy something less problematic ?
i dont think people come here to see different parts use your brains as everyone dont want to see different parts they want to see how you fix faults etc
do you tell the customer only or do you send him a video or pics of the issues? Sometimes seeing how dangerous things are can persuade a customer to see sense.
Unfortunate but I can appreciate both sides of the dilemma. You have a responsibility to your concience, your work ethics and road safety. The customer needs to buy Xmas pressies and wasn't expecting extra expense. Driving older vehicles unfortunately incurs cost. I come from a generation where parts were expensive and labour not so much so people did what was necessary and only that. Today things are the opposite so it makes sense to get everything done at the same time. Obviously someone at some time had fitted the wrong diameter discs on the car. Not everything listed online as genuine, is genuine. That backing plate had serious ferrous caries. Nice to see that you checked and repacked the bearings while you were in there. This is now an older video so I hope the customer has seen it and authorised the necessary work.
Mercs can be cheap to buy, but they are very expensive to repair. In my experience you have to use Mercedes parts, but compare the price of a Mercedes MAF sensor to a Bosch one. I had the rear ended of my 2001 CLK completely rebuilt at a Mercedes dealership in Italy. Labour rates were a third of that charged in the UK. Car had new rear discs and pads, new rear calipers, new rear shocks and springs, plus there were three sides of A4 parts such as suspension arms, various seals, joints etc. My total bill was €2800. I sold the car three years later for £2200. No wonder not many of these cars survive. Because it was registered after March 2001 ( in July), annual VED for it is now £750 for a 200 Kompressor automatic. Being an auto, pushed it up into a higher VED band!
Totally agree with your process. You HAVE to maintain your quality control from an engineering perspective or your reputation is worth nothing. Well done. That SLK looked really badly maintained TBH.
Congrats for posting the video anyway. So often new owners of older MBs get quickly overwhelmed at the needed repairs and the expense of parts. I’m curious if the customer reconsidered his decision to forego the necessary repairs.
I love my SLK280, and they're often really good value second hand. But while they go for Fiesta money, they do require Mercedes levels of maintenance and servicing. Which just can't be skimped on. We'll not if you value safety and reliability. I really enjoy your videos and really rate the level of knowledge you have for the marque and the attention to detail you take when working on cars.
Just found ur channel and it should be entertaining and helpfull as i presently have a 2008, CLK. I do all the jobs myself and buy parts from Autodoc so keeps the expense down !! I will now check out ur other vids !! Is ur hourly rate over £100 ?? I need to up mine i think from £20 when working on friends and neighbours cars 😂
I have a 2006 slk350 and had the rear discs supplied wrong, wasnt until i were fitting the pads i noticed the size difference and thankfully i hadnt started on the fronts which were also wrong, mine apparently has the amg brake package on and comfort suspension. The backing plates are a joke, the primer must have been salt water based. Good to see a real garage and real issywe have to cope with iv seen a lot in the 38 years of doing it.
Thanks Robert, we’re are going to keep this channel real and not shy away from uploading videos that haven’t gone our way. People don’t know the half of what we deal with do they. Thanks for supporting
Just subscribed to your channel, which is absolutely superb I found it by watching Highpeak autos which is another great RU-vid channel to watch. I myself have an old SLK and just recently changed all the disk done. The hub bearings all the filters, all the oil, which on an older car is in evitable it will need to be replaced. Hoped the owner of the SLK reconsidered when you’re dealing with brakes cost does not come into it or steering or tires, but we all have different priorities in life . Excellent video. I’ve been into watching the C63 three ones at the moment considering purchasing one. Do you sell cars by any chance specifically to C63 . Gary
I can understand the customer not wanting to throw a couple of thousand on a car that's not worth much more than that. Its a difficult one at this time of year.
I’m really interested to know your opinion on the most reliable, relatively easiest Mercedes engine to work on. I’m looking to buy a vehicle, something like the ML Matt bought as a keeper that I can work on myself as much as possible (I’m an older guy). You are restoring trust in vehicle repair mechanics, thank you!
