300SD Rear Window Plastic Slide

9 times out of 10 it broke because the original aluminum arm twisted. Save your money and labor and buy a new regulator. They have a steel arm that does not flex.

Gotcha. In my case, "aluminum arm" looks hand-made, a piece of stainless steel cut to fit, solid job. However, it was pop-riveted to the slider insted of, I would imagine, screwed into it. Slider shattered, pop-rivet still in the "arm".

Any way to prop window? I'm the only one driving, spending money on fixing window I never use sounds like a waste of money.

Mia

why did you buy a Mercedes if you don't want to spend money maintaining it.

You can prop it up but it still requires you to remove the door panel... and guide the arm just below the window rail while it is up.

Just get a new slide from MB dealer and put it in yourself... very easy job of drilling out old one... put new one on... support the rivet on back side... do not support plastic or it will crack... and ball peen other end of the rivet.

I think some people can take drivnig a Mercedes a bit too seriously. I think that jamming the window carefully and reliably is not that much worse of an alternative to spending money for MB-certified labor. I agree that buying parts and doing a repair yourself in a prudent, methodical fashion is the only way to go. I already fixed the window with parts from a hardware store. I hear words "automotive labor" and I want to run amok.

Where I come from, these cars are treated with respect, but they are certainly not centers of the drivers' lifes. I bought this 21-year old car to take me to the places I want to go - hopefully never an MB shop. In return I would maintain it, clean it, be proud of it, but not take it to the dealership every time a two-dollar plastic slider snaps and window rocker gets bent.

Rock on, bratva!

Mia

Neat! Unfortunately there is nothing on a Mercedes that costs only two dollars. That plus the frequent need for repairs is why I am getting rid of my C class and will probably never buy another MB (and my wife works for DaimlerChrysler and she agrees that it's the worst piece of junk we have ever owned in 20 years!!). I have finally discovered that the check engine light isn't actually connected to anything except a time delay that automatically turns it on after you have owned the car for about 6 months and there's no way to get it turned off. ;-(

My mother has owned 2, and the last one (an E 320) blew the balancer and it cost her nearly $5k to fix it. MB stonewalled her and hasn't fessed up to the fact that it was a supplier problem yet.

My 1997 Ford Explorer has just over 100,000 miles on it and it still keeps on truckin'.

Mercedes Benz?! Bah, humbug!! Built by Yugo.

Davehd

MB has fessed up to the bad balancer act. Go to the dealer and get the last 3 or

4 pages of recall number 2005020003 and it explains how to get a refund on the labor and most of the parts you paid previously for the repair.

dollars. That plus the

probably never buy

worst piece of junk

engine light isn't

on after you have

cost her nearly $5k to

supplier problem yet.

I'm talking about my 1984 300SD. I just did oil / filter change and replaced both fuel filters for a combined total of $25.00. I know nothing about newer Benzes, neither do I pretend to know that much about my own car, but what I do know is that I love the ability to tear through the car (with help from this group) as if I were a professional mechanic if something [knock on wood] goes wrong.

What's with 3rd parties making chintzy MB parts? Just got driver power window console switch from AutoHaus Arizona, it was so poorly made it didn't even fit into the console.

Cheers!

Benz-Forever-Girl

Nonsense - I just purchased a replacement tire valve cap for only $1.97 US at my local dealer - who says there aren't values to be had at the dealer? And I even got a couple of free butter mints from the sales counter on my way out.

Hint - C class - a fine example of a company totally losing it's grip on their demographics.

I call BS - It's a perfectly simple matter to yank the instrument cluster and turn the light off by removing the bulb. Unfortunately, this makes the "OMYGAWD SERVICE ENGINE NOW" light come on, but you can't have everything.

Uhhmmm MB has fessed up to some bad balancers - are you sure your mom's not covered?

And my 300D has over 300,000 miles - to the moon and partway back. Call me when your Ford Exploder gets there. I'll be waiting - but I'll have a few more miles by then.

I've owned a Yugo - and I don't recall the cardboard interior in my Benz melting if I left the window down and it rained. Of course I also don't remember the window crank snapping off in my Benz, which it did in my Yugo, hence the cardboard interier meltdown.

Shucks - if you like the words "hardware store" you'll love the words "salvage yard". A good one is your friend, even if you have to go on line. And it lets you keep your Benz "Benz", rather than "Home Depot".

Cheers,

Conrad

Kmart sells a whole package of caps for $1.50. Yeah, but were they Werther's candy or the cheap Brach's?

But it STILL is an MB!!

I found an easier way to turn the bulb off. Browning 12 gauge...

Wasn't covered at the time. Dealer wouldn't do anything, neither would MB when I called them. Told her it wasn't their problem.

Uh, sure. You had a head start. By the way, which repair parts did you say you wanted me to bring with me? I know that's why you will be waiting. The Explorer has been places that would make your D would fall into a pile if it even got near to and it will outrun that stinkpot without even trying while pulling a 2.5 ton trailer. Of course, the D, with only 88 horsepower (geeze, my Honda Shadow has more HP than that), I can understand that. How much does it cost to have that wrecker follow you around everywhere? Or do you have a 24 hour membership to road service?

Uh, you have WINDOW CRANKS in the D? Wow! that thing is OLD!

{snip)

Davehd

Undoubtedly the cheapest bulk candy they could get - I think there's a special place in hell for a lot of the MB dealers I've encountered in the U.S.

Has that car passed on? I still think she has a possibility of being re-embursed. Worth a shot anyway.

Stinkpot? Hey, that's gennnyoowine french perfume to us diesel guys. BTW, one of my D's is a Turbo, so thats a smokin' 125 horsepower - on a wet, greasy street, I can almost get the rear tires to break loose in a corner if I really gun it. You can bring a rear window regulator, and figure out why my rear defrost does'nt (not too big an issue in central Florida, but it would be nice) Other than that, no parts necessary. These older Benzes really were built - I share your lack of enthusiasm regarding some of the newer models (My buddy has gone through nine kinds of hell with his ML430), but it's a different company now. I like the old company better. But then, I'm an old fart.

Yep, old and still running - as are four other MB diesels of similar vintage on my block (I utterly cannot explain that convergence - that's an abnormal number of these old beasties congregated in one area). The window cranks ARE unusual on my silver 300D, at least in the U.S. - as are the rear headrests, and a couple of other things - it's a Euro thing - power up front, crank in the rear.

Cheers,

Conrad

Mom's MB is still around and I hear that she just got some sort of letter or something, so she's going to give it a shot. I called the dealership that did the work and they told me that they would look into it and call me right back. "Surprise!! (not)" it's been 4 days and no call. I am about ready to go up there in person and get personal on them. It's unforgivable to take advantage of a 70+ year old lady and stone wall her. :-(

Yeah, the older Benz' were well built. That's how they got the rep. Too bad the old timers that used to be at MB aren't there anymore. They have really fallen.

Cheers! Dave

Actually, the last time I bought a fuse from the dealer for the glow plug relay I thing the price was about $2.00.