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Yes, of course I'd want those things sorted, but the way I do it, is 1. If I can fix it myself cheaply and efficiently is do that, If for whatever reason, be that time, money ill-spent, or knowledge I can't do it*, the 2. let some-one who knows what they're doing and who's job it is do do those things, worry about it for me.
What you seem to do, is trying to second guess what's wrong, tell the person (who probably knows more than you do) what you think is wrong, (hint: they don't care overmuch about your opinion, they're just listening out of politeness) and worry some more when they tell you it's not that it's something else, and worry even more up trying to figure out if they're doing it to wind you up, or take money off you. When it's probably none of those things. If the engine mounts need changing, they'll tell you, if they don't think they need doing, they probs won't even mention it and you should stop overthinking it
It takes more effort, more time, and more stress to do it your way...than to do it my way. Plus you never have to think about engine mounts ever again. Life is too short to fill it worrying about inanimate objects that eventually you're going to dispose of...
* Of course it's fun to learn new things, and I do that as well, but ONLY if I'm certain it's within my capacity capability and I have the tools, time, space and equipment to do it, or that learning how to do something new will be worth my time and effort and I can do a good job at it, and it will be something I'll need to do again. If all of those things is going to cost me more time/stress/anxiety or worry...then off to the shop it goes.
Curse you and your nackered engine mounts, johnners!!
So basically, the conversation is now how molgrips shouldn’t be molgrips, because being molgrips is bad? Ok got it!
Never change, Molls. These threads are comedy gold 😀
So you don’t care too much about cars
I care enough that they work as advertised, my garage does a pretty good job of making sure that happens without me ever having to think about engine mounts or dimple-flange mounts and pulleys.
I hate driving Citroen Tant Pis as well, but them's the breaks
In common with 99.9999999999999999999999999% of the population, I’d guess
By my maths that means there'd likely to be only one person in the universe who cares. That then would be me. So I'm special!
I care enough that they work as advertised
Alright - Mercedes are advertised as being smooth and refined, not rough and jerky - yes?
What you seem to do, is trying to second guess what’s wrong
Hang on, first you said that you'd change it yourself if there's something wrong - but how do you know if you don't try and figure out what's wrong yourself? So you are doing the same as me, in fact?
If the engine mounts need changing, they’ll tell you
Ah no, this is the warranty department of a dealer. If the engine mounts do need changing, they'll want to try and persuade me they don't so they don't have to do anything.
you should stop overthinking it
So I should accept something that's not working properly?
And here's the last thing...If it does all go wrong the worst thing ...The absolute very worst thing that will happen is that the car will stop going and you'll end up at the side of the road waiting to be picked up and you'll be inconvenienced for a couple of hours tops, and your CC will take a hit. No one will die there won't be a ball of flames, it'll just a bit annoying...It's not worth the effort of 12 pages of "Things I diagnosed incorrectly about my new car, including (but not limited to) engine mounts and a funny noise coming from [waves hand vaguely at the middle of the car/] here-ish"
I know it's not going to be a dangerous failure.
It’s not worth the effort of 12 pages of “Things I diagnosed incorrectly about my new car, including (but not limited to) engine mounts and a funny noise coming from [waves hand vaguely at the middle of the car/] here-ish”
Why do you assume I'm incorrect?
Why do you think that a funny noise from the engine is not a problem?
I think you just want to argue with me at this point. Starting this thread wasn't 'effort', by the way.
So I should accept something that’s not working properly?
If it's not working, rock up to garage, tell them "It's not working" hand over the keys and do something more useful with your time.
Why do you assume I’m incorrect?
Are you a Mercedes specialist? Do you have an intimate knowledge of their gearboxes? If the answer is NO to either or both of those things, then your worries are over...for there are people that are, and will help you by fixing your car for you
I think you just want to argue with me at this point
It's either this, or [points at computer/] the giant Rota spreadsheet for the clinicians that I really have to get on with...
Put it this way. If you went into a bike shop looking for a decent bike, and you ended up spending 50% more than you wanted on something that should have been great, but instead you find there’s a mysterious grinding sound coming from somewhere and the rebound is always a bit too fast, would you just shrug your shoulders and ignore it?
I'd not have been buying a new bike the day before I was going on holiday because I'd broken a suspension bolt tinkering with my current bike and had debating taking it anyway with only 1 side of the swing arm attached...
I do think there is some truth that you're looking for faults. You've bought a second hand car from a supermarket, it won't be perfect, and that'll be emphasised even more as you seem to have an almost mythical view as to how a Merc should feel.
My (wife's) car makes all kind of strange noises, but I don't have the energy, knowledge or skills to worry about them so if it sounds bad the garage fixes it, if it doesn't I turn the radio up.
Serious question molgrips how many Mercs have you been in? They are no where near as good as they used to be ( or maybe the other brands have pulled up their socks).
My neighbour has just got a brand new one and I can tell by the clunk it makes the hand brake is sticking he knows it too. They are not the premium car I remember. Also things get worn out very quickly it appears on modern cars plastic parts ect.
It will NEVER be as good as you want it to be as that's how the brain works. Spannering on it yourself will be horrible compared to the VW.
Bite the bullet and get to dealers for a full service/inspection as I suspect your not taking it back now
Good luck
If it’s not working, rock up to garage, tell them “It’s not working” hand over the keys and do something more useful with your time.
They said 'yeah it is'.
how many Mercs have you been in?
Quite a few, lots of taxis in Scandinavia and Europe as well as the UK. I don't remember noticing hesitant or jerky shifting in any of them. Lots of VAG DSGs too. The only car I noticed anything like that was an A5 taxi in Sweden, it had a bit of hesitation on shifting like my Passat does. I've driven a fancy Jag, that was crisp and smooth as anything, likewise BMW.
You're right, my expectations could be too high which was the original point of the thread.
TCW said it needed a software update so they said take it to MB at their expense, which is decent of them. If MB agree it's normal then it's definitely me that's wrong. They're not likely to say 'yeah Mercs aren't that good any more'.
or [points at computer/] the giant Rota spreadsheet for the clinicians that I really have to get on with
Would this be the only rota in health care that's not a "copy 'n paste", mate favouring, illogical grouping of badly allocated resources, then? 🙂
Thing is, as I think molgrips alludes to, once you are more mechanically aware than just knowing which is the front and back of a car, you end up trying to at least get an idea of the problem before you throw your wallet at a main dealer.
It has been known for rascals to tell customers that the fault is in the dingle-flange compressor pully strap when it's actually in the much cheaper tickle nipple flapper blaster.
So I should accept something that’s not working properly?
No obviously not. You should do something about it. I thought the main issue was the sunglasses holder and that had been sorted, but I haven't really been following the thread that closely. There are other problems too?
There are other problems too?
Of course there are other other problems, this is Mol's car, it will have problems* until the heat death of the Sun
*well, apart from the lack of a proper receptacle for sun glasses there's nothing wrong with it per se...but you know....Engine mounts!
It has been known for rascals to tell customers that the fault is in the dingle-flange compressor pully strap when it’s actually in the much cheaper tickle nipple flapper blaster.
I did think of that, but then they offered me the keys to the mighty Tant Pis and all my worries melted away...
I am a bit confused now, because I thought you said you'd taken it to an independent Mercedes specialist and they said there was nothing wrong with it?
I'd defend Mols right to be an anxious fault finder, sign of a perfectionist that is, not sure it's being particularly productive at the minute but it's not uncommon to obsess a bit with car noises.
The engine mount has me confused a bit, there would be a warning light for that surely? and the engine would be visibly moving excessively on start up? easy to check I would have thought, perhaps good advice is check before posting on the forum?
Only thing I know about engine mounts(Audi) is when I last needed one the symptom was not what you would expect(for me anyway) when stopping at traffic lights the engine would drop revs and almost stall then pick up again, no idea what the connection to the engine mount was but it showed on the computer thing and my trusty mechanic fixed it for not much.
Twodogs
Full Member
I am a bit confused now, because I thought you said you’d taken it to an independent Mercedes specialist and they said there was nothing wrong with it?
Tsssk, you are NOT paying attention.
Moly has since diagnosed a high probability of engine mountitis to go with sans sun glasses holder and grindy/wonky DMF/gearbox etc.
I want to know when the full disassembly is scheduled for as I enjoyed that episode in the life of the mighty Passat.
People need to remember Moly is that unfortunate combo of worrier/perfectionist/tight arse/DIYer which means he'll always be wound up by this sort of thing.
I recognise the attributes as I'm one too 😕
but it’s not uncommon to obsess a bit with car noises.
I think that we should all chip in and buy Molls something French. Maybe a twelve year old Renault Megane (if there are any left that haven’t fallen apart) then sit back and watch him go out of his mind 😂
Has it still not been returned ?
The paranoia exhibited suggests you should rent with warrenty
when stopping at traffic lights the engine would drop revs and almost stall then pick up again
Interesting. The rattle I get is like when you brake to a stop in a manual car and don't put the clutch in early enough.
My 2003 volvo had active engine mounts
Mybe mols mb also has this technical wizardry. Up to 1500 rpm they mounts are soft, then by magic they go hard all on their own. Its the work of the devil i tell ye.
Ok, so its got 245k on it and the top moumt needed a rebuild with silicone sealant but the active lowrs still work
What TR said. Just lease a car and save your energy for something else
I think that we should all chip in and buy Molls something French. Maybe a twelve year old Renault Megane (if there are any left that haven’t fallen apart) then sit back and watch him go out of his mind 😂
I think rather than French, I think he should have to spend a month with an Austin Allegro, he won't need to take his sun glasses off ever, or the fake beard and the rest of the disguise.
Interesting. The rattle I get is like when you brake to a stop in a manual car and don’t put the clutch in early enough.
When do you get the rattle? as far as I know you will only notice an engine mount when you make the engine move, ie. start and stop.
It happens when the start/stop works too, and when the revs drop like just before the tranny declutches.
It happens when the start/stop works too, and when the revs drop like just before the tranny declutches.
Sounds like it could be an engine mount but it could also be a heat shield with 3 rotted screws rattling(every car gets one sooner or later) or an exhaust bracket or whatever.
does the car shake slightly when it does it? this would indicate the weight of the engine moving on the mounts.
I think what you do is get someone to start the car while you watch the engine, do it a few times and see if you can locate where the noise is coming from, there should be a bit of movement but not excessive or rattles, I did this once years ago after a persistent rattle and found a screwdriver that had fallen into the engine bay.
I really don't follow this logic, Mols. You're one of the sensible ones.
You had a shit car that the entire forum aside from you has known was shit and has been telling you was shit for at least the last five years.
You finally replaced it with another shit car.
And yet you didn't replace it, you still kept the old shit car?!
How much has this laudable attempt at frugality actually cost you so far in parts, labour, stress, worry and your own time, and what could you have bought with the money you've spunked up the wall in the interim instead? You've had more "what's wrong with my car" threads than the rest of the forum put together. It's a false economy mate, it's just not worth it.
If I were you I'd cut your losses, sell the pair of them, buy something less shit with the proceeds plus the £500(+VAT?) you were going to spend on buying new wheels for a shit car, and go enjoy spending some time with your family rather than under the bonnet covered in engine oil.
Tedious in extremis.
I ran an E320 estate for 13 years and eventually got rid last year as I wasn't going to run two German luxo-barges having acquired an A8; top tip, based on that ownership and experience, is...find a good indy specialist - they will save you more than you spend with them.
Let them do the thinking for you as they have *a little* more experience than you
Is Merc paranoia a recognised medical condition? If yes, you have it; if no, it should be.
Mate, in the face of so much sound advice in multiple posts why are you insistent on trying to shovel shit uphill?
Make up your mind about what you want to do - then JFDI.
Your very good with the spanning
Why not try and tighten them up?
F T plus 1/2 turn works for pretty much all car bolts, esp the stretch ones.
Just buy a new car.
As in brand new. That way you get to make some poor after sales team really miserable by bombarding them with your automotive paranoia.
What about the old Passat? Are you going to try and sort that? Might take your mind off the Merc.
How much has this laudable attempt at frugality
I know you mean well mate but you haven't really understood this episode or in fact any of the stories, it seems.
I don't really feel like explaining it again because then it turns into a long 'isnt Molgrips stupid*' thread when really every decision along the way has been pretty rationally made and weighed up.
I get a bit tired of constantly defending myself against people who've made incorrect assumptions based on threads I start simply asking questions about cars.
* That sometimes turn into 'poor foolish molgrips we're only trying to help' which isn't much better tbh.
I'm not sure the labels of frugal or tight-arse are fair given he's spent 13k on a Merc and also just got a new EV!
Good luck getting it sorted 👍
when really every decision along the way has been pretty rationally made
Molly, in all the years you've been posting here about all the hassle you have with them (much of it self-inflicted) the idea that you make rational decisions about cars is risable.
Acceptance is the first step.
I think that we can settle this with a little straw poll....
Would you buy a used car off Molls?
😀
Molly, in all the years you’ve been posting here about all the hassle you have with them (much of it self-inflicted) the idea that you make rational decisions about cars is risable.
Well STW would have had me buy a new car and then probably castigated me for getting into the debt that would have required. You lot seem to think everyone has unlimited funds. All that messing with the old Passat was because I couldn't afford to pay anyone to fix it and I couldn't afford to even borrow money for a new one. I actually did try to pay people to fix it at first, following the usual advice of going to an indy, and he ended up ****ing it up completely and then going out of business.
I have no desire to **** about with cars endlessly, I just did what I had to do. You lot don't know the while story because you don't know the state of my finances through it all.
But let's stop talking about me shall we?
Would you buy a used car off Molls?
Mate the mockery is beginning to feel a bit less than pleasant at this point.
Sorry Molls. I'm not mocking. I'm just being my usual flippant self. You know I love you mate. I just wouldn't buy a car off you. 😉
For what its worth, I'm still driving the same Octavia vRS estate I bought new in 2005 (now with 140,000 miles on the clock and still going strong). Cars aren't something I give an awful lot of thought to. I'm the same as NickC... buy it, put petrol in it, drive it, have it serviced and maintained by a good, reliable local garage, not spend any time worrying about it.
The vehicles you own do seem to end up owning you
I don’t really feel like explaining it again because then it turns into a long ‘isnt Molgrips stupid*’ thread
And that wasn't what I was implying at all. Rather, I feel for you, I've been there myself, and it's painful watching someone else go through it.
I don't know the state of your finances but however you slice it, you've got two cars. One is seemingly in bits more than it's on the road, the other you don't like and are on about throwing a ton of cash at it to hopefully make it slightly less dislikeable. Whatever their value, one car for the price of two is going to be an improvement.
It the VW SORNed or are you paying insurance, tax, MOT on two cars as well? What's that lot costing you?
Don't worry Mols I taught Mr Wolf how to deal with situations.
1. the Passat just needs 2 washers, put 3 on, each nut, this will give you a secure fixing and an mot.
2. take the Merc to a decent local garage, tell them you have a rattle, can they look at it.
3. sell one of them and spread the cash out on the floor then lie on it, just for kicks.
I don't know why I'm responding but..
One is seemingly in bits more than it’s on the road,
No, it's done 160k miles in 15 years and is in excellent mechanical condition, because I have changed loads of stuff on it and kept it running nicely. It has the stripped bolt and that's an easy fix. I'm just not going to do it myself.
the other you don’t like and are on about throwing a ton of cash at it to hopefully make it slightly less dislikeable.
I like it now. This was stated in the thread, and clearly if I didn't I wouldn't be bothering. As for a ton of cash - I *might* chuck £250 at it if I decide it's worth it. I might also get new wheels, but I'd easily make my money back on that later and it's definitely going to improve it.
The vehicles you own do seem to end up owning you
I take an interest in everything I do. If something's wrong, I fix it, or get it fixed.
What you all have to remember is that just because I am thinking about something doesn't mean that it's a problem that I want someone to solve. I usually just post asking a specific question, and then you all pile in telling me what to do. This is actually far more stressful than anything the car actually does.
I usually just post asking a specific question, and then you all pile in telling me what to do. This is actually far more stressful than anything the car actually does.
On one hand, some of the ribbing that's taking place is becoming unpleasant, I agree with you. On the other hand, this forum has always had a sarcastic edge to it and the nature of forums is that people are going to insert their opinion (like this one).
No, it’s done 160k miles in 15 years and is in excellent mechanical condition, because I have changed loads of stuff on it and kept it running nicely. It has the stripped bolt and that’s an easy fix. I’m just not going to do it myself.
Why did you need the Merc then?
I like it now. This was stated in the thread,
I missed that, apologies. Why do you still need the Passat then? Is it your intention to move to being a two-car family?