I Took My $200 Mercedes C43 AMG To The Dealer For An Estimate. Here's How Much They Want To Fix It. 

There is a reason why people call them "stealerships"

A beautiful example of the benefits of DIYing as well as the benefits of finding competent independent shops. Thanks!

My dealer wanted $630 to “reseal Thermostat” because it didnt have the “proper seal/gasket” I recently replaced the thermostat and did a coolanr flush for the grand total of $50 (btw the thermostat gasket is like $1.00)

Great video! Would love to see more DIY stuff on E55 maintenance and repairs. Thanks

Started watching you when you got the Delorean. Saw the whole series and loved your content. Videos are straight to the point and realistic expectations with real numbers and breakdown for regular people like us. I am starting today from your very first video and hopefully I’ll be all caught up with your recent ones in a few weeks. Keep up the good work!

Great video as always!

Cracking video Alex. Really enjoyed it and what an eye opener the savings that can be made with a little elbow grease. 👍

Bravo on a multi-angled repair analysis. Then you fixed it! Amazing work.

You are the man. I just bought a 2017 GLE 43 AMG. I love the car. I'm a HVAC Technician from NYC. But the way these Mercedes Benz certified shops charge I think I'm in the wrong business. Watching you work makes me wish I had your skills and that lift. I guess I'm to old to pick up another Trade and try to master it. I wouldn't even know how to schedule it in. But thank for your videos

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. This kind of video always makes me want to go to my garage and work on my car, check the tire pressure at least.

Awesome video!!! Love these types personally. Keep up the good work!

Good video man👍👍

Alec , excellent video as always. Thank you for creating such An interesting channel. Take care

Very professional production! You speak well, present amazingly clearly, and have the perfect approach. Your camera work and editing was spot on. No apology necessary for the sound as even that was very good. Thanks for the great work. (The snow reminded me of growing up a Chicago son...but I’ve long since fled to warmer climes-Florida-in my older age.)

Highly informative and enjoyable!

I love your channel btw ! Keep up the great work!

I swear if I become a mechanic for my Mercedes and every other one, it’s because of you ! Thanks for your motivation

I've been doing my own work for over 20 years. I've done a couple stints in independent shops as well as dealerships.That experience came in real handy when I bought a 2010 Audi A4 at auction that had failed it's safety inspection for brakes, suspension, and lighting. I replaced the front and rear brake pads, front rotors and pad wear sensor, the upper and lower control arms on both sides in the front as well as lower ball joints, one front headlight ballast, and an Ebay side view mirror ( Which was already black and matched the car.) because the integrated turn signal indicator was busted. all in my driveway. I used Rock Auto for all my parts with the exception of the mirror and all I paid was parts and my time. It was nice buying a car that is now worth $5,000 for $2,500 and for $600 in parts and a few weekends got it up to snuff. If I had a shop do this work, I'd have to remortgage my house.

One of your best vids Alex. Great content, pacing & editing. Straight-up and interesting. You've also got the time-lapse frame rate perfect now. Big ups.

Great video, this channel is going places!

You fix like a boss. I need a lift in my garage too, been checking the prices lately, lift is for sure my next project

as always, great video alex. appreciate all the work u put into the video, i know this is not done easily. great editing, great content, not one boring second in any of your videos. please keep it up. regards from austria

Great informative video! Keep doing your thang man!🐟

subscribed. good stuff mate

Your videos are great man. Thanks 👍🏻

I wish I had your skills, you make it look really easy.

Love your work ... Very Clean ...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Love this channel man

Great video. It illustrates the point that I wish there were more brand-specific independent mechanics out there. That would give dealers a run for their money and bring much neededcompetition. I’m talking about people like you that are a former technician for a dealer but will only service one specific brand of car. That ensures much better knowledge on that brand of car.

Hell yeah keep it coming

Keep going, Love your videos

I had a feeling this would be a good channel to subscribe to...I wasn't wrong. There is so much advice here for people who don't want to pay dealer prices, but don't have all the equipment. Keep up the good work!

Very nice video. Keep up with good work.

Great video! I try to do as much as possible on my car myself. Till now only a clutch change is something i've never done. Seeing those dealer prices about the same as in europe:(

best informative information ever!!

Amazing video !!

Great video very informative

Great video! Post more on this C43 AMG. I'm glad you decided to restore this car.

Thanks for the breakdown. It's crazy how these dealership shops aren't out of business. I stopped taking my Corvette to the dealer after they refused to honor a warranty that I had paid $2,000 for.

That's unbelievable, lifetime warranty

Subbed! Love the videos man, keep em coming

This video was so freaking awesome. I just bought me a 1998 Mercedes C230, for $1200. Over all not bad. Just need new tires since it’s been sitting for a while, new passenger seat belt (it’s loose at the pulley hinges and won’t retract. ) and may need work on the transmission (leaking) I was afraid I paid to much, but then I realize- I didn’t care. It was cheap for me, it runs, and I can learn to fix it on my own. So it’s a good overall experience for me... (first car) wish me luck please. Any tips and tricks or just overall suggestions would be great if y’all have any

Wish I had a garage with a lift :(

Man I need a lift in the worst way. Done so much of this kind of work on my back with the vehicle on jack stands. By the way love that you have an American flag hanging up in the garage. Thumbs up!

Great video!

Alex is like the magician that shows all the trade secrets that used to run on TV. Alex if you go missing we know who got ya! Lastly I approve this message.

i like alex and his work!!

Love your channel Alex and your instagram page! Cheers

Great Video Alex. As a fellow Chicagoan, your videos made me want to get a Mercedes. As a total newb though, I went the safe route and bought a CPO 2013 C300 from the dealer for my first experience. Thanks for the vids!!

Great content, keep up the good work! I selfishly wish that this was on the E55 though and fought to keep my Chipotle's down everytime I saw the body. You're brave meng.

Please make a video to show us basic and special tools required/you use to work on your mercs. Your videos have inspired me to DIY repair my mercs.

in 2013, my GF bought a 2003 C220d (diesel) very cheaply. It had a huge list of faults reported by the OBD She thought she'd be smart and got the MB dealership to print out the list of "repairs" and then went to a 3rd party repairer - spending about $3500 to get them all done. At the end of the repairs, it still had an enormously long list of faults reported (engine, transmission, etc) and couldn't even GET to 60mph (almost no change from before the job - but because she came in with a list of things to do, the repairer wasn't on the hook for anything) I took it for a run to test things - finding that it wasn't heating up according to the gauge after 25 mins and there was no water pressure (hose squeeze test). OK says I, a water leak. Opened up the reservoir (pressure vessel on these babies) to find it's full - of COLD water. Sure enough, the thermostat was wedged wide open, so I jammed a sheet of cardboard in front of the rad and drove it home - in that period it warmed up a little and some of the alarms went away. Local car wizard changed out the thermostat (Which is a $180 part!!!) and things improved dramatically. Unfortunately it still lacked power - which turned out to be because the turbo control vanes were completely jammed due to excess soot production due to the cold engine upsetting the control system. This cost a few hundred dollars to disassemble clean and test. So, in short, she spent a shedload of unnecessary money (and would have spent even more at the stealership) because Mercedes Benz didn't consider what might happen if the thermostat fails _open_ and failed to have the engine computer detect such a condition. The repairer was happy as he got a large bunch of leftover parts which had nothing wrong with them. And the GF? Well she got rid of the car a couple of weeks later because she'd decided it was unreliable. Someone got a bargain. Be warned!

Nice work!!!

Great video, thank you!

I will not be surprised to see him become one of the bigger car RU-vidrs this year !!! Awesome video!!

I just picked up a '02 E320. It's clean and mostly just needed rear brakes (one pad got stuck and prematurely wore out) and the AC doesnt work. I did the brake work, then took it to a shop to get an estimate of what was wrong with the AC. They were unsure and even refused to charge me the diagnostic time because they didnt know how to deal with Mercedes. So, I took it to the dealership; AC compressor worn out, only engages at high RPMS, and a leak at the expander valve (really a seal on the line going into the expander valve); Dealer Quote: $3500 + 3 days. After doing some reasearch, I got all the parts for $280; brand new AC compressor, expander valve, and drier + all new o-rings and seals. It's all possible to do, but I'll admit that expander valve is a bit tedious to get to. So, Dealership vs DIY cost difference here was extreme: $3500 vs $280+ cost of refrigerant $60. Disclaimer: AC work can be easy as long as you can follow directions. Also do not vent refrigerant; get a shop to evacuate the AC system for you, should be about $35-$60 for them to do that depending on the shop. The AC manifold can allow you to fill it without problem, or you can just have a shop charge the AC system for you usually around $150 to do that.

We had an '08 ML350 in the shop this week, on a road trip his battery failed and the MB dealership in New Rochelle, NY quoted him for blown shocks and a bad tensioner pulley and belt. Upon our request for a second opinion I agreed with the belt, tensioner, as well as a noisy idler pulley. But the shocks were all dry and functioning. His power steering rack however was hemorrhaging steering fluid......

I am a new subscriber , good videos man keep it up.....

Love this channel

Thanks for the link to FCP. Great video, as aleays, Alex

Bro you fucking rock!!!!!! Fell upon one of your vids and i cant stop watching!! Love your E55

Amazing and inspiring project btw!

This guy needs more subs. He could be the resident RU-vid AMG diy resource!

Great channel! Followed you on the social media! Keep it up!

I drive an 18 and 20 year old Mercedes, a C and an E-class, and this guy is so right on with what one can save with some DIY effort. Big stuff goes to an independent mechanic. That said, I'm spending less than $600 a year in maintenance and repairs on both cars.

Agree with you 100% Dealer asked to fix my wife’s car for $2900 took the car to a local mechanic and did the job for under $1000 parts and labor!!! Go figure!!!

just found your channel today your vids are awesome i subscribed

Good job brother ! 👍👍👍

love all your videos. I would love too see if those rims on the c43 fit a mercedez c250 2012

Watching this while I wait for your next video. Ad pops up - Dealership commercial!

In other words, if you have the hots for older Ben'z then it's in your best interest to consider learning how to DIY or finding a fair and trustworthy mechanic.

My life would be so much happier if I had a knowledgeable friend like you.

Alex this is an awesome video thanks. It did confirm one thing that I had wondered, that you are in fact a former Mercedes tech.

I like your videos you have a new sub :)

Channel rocks

question when you did the work on the trans did you replace the mount at the same time because you were right there just to have that piece of mind??

Great videos you have, started with the one regarding Focus RS gasket problems, cannot stop watching :) I have kind of an OCD, so I could not drive such car, unless I have it completely fixed up, the rust and the differential, the wiring would drive me nuts, I know it will stand the stress probably, but I do not like to be waiting till something fails :) Due to this so far I have bought 2 brand new cars, as it would drive me nuts to have a used car that has something not working correctly, and mainly being afraid what is hidden underneath to blow to my face...

A very busy man you are. It's like this here in the uk. Prices are insane for dealer. Bmw charge around 110 pounds an hour depending where in the country you live. iWork on aircraft for a living and our hourly rate is half that or a car dealer. Different spectrums of work but it makes you think. Keep up the good work and I'll look forward to more videos.

My first car was a W202 Mercedes. As a young guy in HS with a side job at the local WalMart, it was a requirement i learned diy to even own it.

Excellent and very well done. I need to replace the brake booster hose for my 1998 MBZ E320, I took out the old hose end from the booster side, but I cannot take the old hose end from the intake side. Please help. Very much obligated.

Great video! could you make a video showing all your tools, what brands do you prefer, what tools are must have and so on?

Really enjoying the videos. I'm not even a Mercedes guy but I am a turbo LS guys.

Excellent video

Good job, and I worked at a shop for years.

I believe the the pump that you pointed out that looked like it was leaking was not a power steering pump. That's appeared to be the AC compressor. Notice the clutch on the pully side that engages when air conditioning is turned on.

Surprised, this man knows his shit better then the dealerships very impressed with his knowledge , sure the lad is gonna be successful. Oh. I drive a e420 1995 last year produced w124 cool car is needed for a cool hombre such as I. Believe it

one of the most legit youtubers

Dude! Fantastic video!! :)

Another excellent video, Alex. I've said it before and I'll say it again: My favourite automotive RU-vidr. 👍

What are front rotors you intend to use for replacement? I couldn't find any replacement for expensive OE rotors which are sort of AMG exclusive so no aftermarket ones available?

A couple of driving clips would be nice:D hard accelerations etc. It’s always fun to see cars in rather bad condition (this one only from outside though) going full throttle

I didn't know you bought this car. Great video because I always wondered what rate other people charged. $75 an hour is fair but I usually do package deals. Cool hoopty.

Awesome video! Would absolutely love to see this done with BMW. I have saved so much money by being just SLIGHTLY capable.

Eres el mejor. Thank you

fantastic video...

I have been working on my 2000 ML ever since it went out of dealer warranty. Really not that hard as long as you are mechanical/electrical inclined. I have seen and fixed all the problems as he mentioned DIY. Good thing with ML series is that you can simply crawl under and don't need a lift...

This is why people hate dealerships. Good video Alex.

Thanks for the reply

You need to upload more

Actually Mister, I like your videos and clearly you know your stuff.