SLK complications

[sean sherry]

Just watched excellent program "Flipping Bangers" Foxtel from UK. A 22 year old Slk Auto with the Electric Hard Top Roof.
The whole Car is complications personified. As I found with sorting Parking Sensors, the Part Numbers of components must be carefully matched with not a coma , difference. Even if everything else looks identical. It was only the Dealer Level Diagnostics that eventually sorted the maze of flagged Faults on the S L K. Obtaining Parts from an identical wreck where all the systems are still working can be a trap. It seems that the whole system must be balanced and matched. I recall a demonstration on a Jaguar, that showed that even a High End after market Diagnostic was not a match for the Factory Diagnostics.. Fortunately I have a Specialist, who has the Factory Diagnostics which identified the exact Parking Sensor which shut all the others off ... Front and Back Bumpers. A C250 is different to E250 Parking Sensors. Why .. who knows.

New subject.... Chinese MGs are beautifully Built . 1.3 Turbo my choice... Forget the all Electric at $40k plus... 250Ks range.
Oil and Gas will see us all into the Grave.

 

[Michel]

A client of mine (wheeler-dealer) bought a BMW X5 a few years ago.
It was the days of repairable write-offs and it came, as well as with a few minor dings here and then, without keys.
Him, thinking he was smarter than the factory, that at the time, wanted $1250 for a key, decided to contact his cousin in Lebanon and ship a column, door and boot lock.
Well, surprise, surprise... they would not work as each car was coded to its matching key/ignition, etc...
He ended up forking out the money to get the key through BMW!

 

[Styria]

An expensive exercise, probably the norm from German, and possibly, other manufacturers. I am a subscriber to an overseas news and opinion cast, on all manner of subjects, by the name of Quora. Don't ask me how I became a subscriber, but all of a sudden it would appear in my Mailbox on a regular basis - usually at least three opinion pieces per day. German cars, in particular BMW and Mercedes, do not fare particularly well in the various surveys. Invariably once the cars near the 80. to 100K. kilometers mark, the gremlins come to the fore. By the way, Audi also falls into that category.
Not so long ago, the local mechanic dealing with a timing chain issue on a X5 removed engine/gearbox/front suspension assembly as one unit in order to replace a SINGLE ROW timing chain that was located at the back of the engine - in other words, next to the firewall. I have also seen engines located right just about underneath the fire wall, rendering access more than difficult and time consuming. To that arrangement, you can also add the Audi 3 litre turbo diesel engine. Some videos have already featured on the AUDI on TK about three months ago. It's all a bit scary if you've got to treat your finances with some care.

 

[Patrick_R]

Sean,
I have recommend 3 MG’s to family members one now at 105k and is running beautifully.
The latest has about 3k, and is one of the 1.3L turbo’s.

They are very well built, quite solid as the plant is all automated.
Similar to the Mini plant in England.
They are all 5 star ANCAP as well.

My nieces new ZS model even has a USB power connector up with the rear view mirror.
No more hiding meters of wires for a dash/safety cam. A terrific idea.
Something I have put forward to Volvo.
Except I have asked for four connectors up the top of the windscreens.

Yes,
As I keep saying.
Old European cars with high mileage and no history are a recipe for disaster.

Not one of my relatives have anything like this, and are enjoying cheap reliable motoring.
My latest purchase for my Great Niece, (Honda Jazz) will add to this happy, healthy fleet.

“Japanese or Korean, NEVER European”

 

[sean sherry]

Thank you all for your Replies My next question was to be.... would you buy a New Mercedes
I think it has been answered. Patrick's insight into the Chinese MGs has now convinced me to buy a MG3 for my Grandson when he goes to UNI at the end of next year. & not a Skoda.
In fact, if I am obliged to get a Hatch Back Car to fit a Walking Aid it will be a Turbo MG.
$30k with all the bells and Whistles and safety...

 

[Patrick_R]

Sean,
I would only own a new European car if it came with full service agreement, and a guaranteed buy back price.
This is I feel the only way to enjoy a beautiful Mercedes Benz, but hand it back and get a new one around the 100k Mark.

One of my colleagues in Queensland had a Skoda wagon for the term of his car allowance. He couldn’t wait to get out of it as the dual clutch transmission was “never quite right” and was for ever in the workshop.
However, I do like the Skoda over some other Europeans.

He now drives a Toyota Kluger.

My opinion is that Audi is the biggest over rated shit box made in Germany.
Horrible cars.

One of my nieces car is the MG3 and it has been going great.
She bought the very base model, for $16,990.00 on road.
She gets around 5L/100km without even trying.
It had one issue where the lift up rear parcel tray/hatch load cover broke a clip on the hatch door.
She forgot to tell them when she put it in for it’s first service, but they found it and fixed it anyway.y

Michel mentioned that MG is a cheap car using the old MG name, and has nothing to do with Morris Garage as in days of old.
This is true, however I do feel they want to do the name, and brand proud.
Let’s not talk about resale value, as we know exactly how that goes when talking about European cars.

Some of the old MG’s I’ve worked on in the past were pretty ordinary, but so were a lot of British cars from the 60’s onwards.
The decline of the British motoring industry unfortunately.

Mini is another good example.
A great name, brought into the future, and are very good cars.

 

[BenzBoy]

I took the Phantom V to Peats Ridge yesterday for the Club's Drive and Be Driven Day and I have to advise that the MG just does not cut the mustard by comparison.
57 years after the PV was built I can buy spares off the shelf. I challenge you to do that with the MG if it were even to last that long - and do please remember, the PV competed in the Paris to Peking Rally so it has not had an easy life.

Regards,
Brian

 

[sean sherry]

Point taken Brian.... but.. but how much downside can there be on a Sub $20,000 MG say after 5 years with little costs along the way... 5 year Warranty I think ?? Even if it drops like a stone, not many $$s
Most Cars will loose that much driving them out of the Dealers new.
The West has a lot to be thankful for .... that's us ....China funds our Life Style buying our Resources
The least we can do is to buy from them, or Korea, these excellent products. A two way Street......

 

[sean sherry]

And the good news is that Julian at ECU Repairs in Brookvale now offer a repair Service to most electronic Items on Mercedes. The area that may condemn older Cars to the Scrap heap..
our 12 year old C Class W204s. As older cars mostly never go to a Dealer I wonder if their Spares are now reasonably priced to clear old stock ?? Wishful thinking !!!

 

[BenzBoy]

"Point taken Brian.... but.. but how much downside can there be on a Sub $20,000 MG say after 5 years with little costs along the way... 5 year Warranty I think ?? Even if it drops like a stone, not many $$s
Most Cars will loose that much driving them out of the Dealers new.
The West has a lot to be thankful for .... that's us ....China funds our Life Style buying our Resources
The least we can do is to buy from them, or Korea, these excellent products. A two way Street......"
I do agree - but you can't fly the Royal Pennant on an MG.

 

[Patrick_R]

I took the Phantom V to Peats Ridge yesterday for the Club's Drive and Be Driven Day and I have to advise that the MG just does not cut the mustard by comparison.

57 years after the PV was built I can buy spares off the shelf. I challenge you to do that with the MG if it were even to last that long - and do please remember, the PV competed in the Paris to Peking Rally so it has not had an easy life.

Regards,
Brian

I totally agree with you here Brian, Rolls-Royce is a different ball game
No other car, or car make can match or do what Rolls-Royce have done, and continue to do.

A Rolls-Royce was never designed or built with recycling as part of the design brief.
All of the Asian market cars have been. They really are a disposable asset.
Rolls-Royce was designed for longevity as part of the design brief.

 

[sean sherry]

Is Rolls Royce just a Kit Car.... Bits bought in from everywhere like everybody else ?

 

[Patrick_R]

Today with cars made in Goodwood, the bare aluminium superstructure (which I like to call it) comes fully complete from Germany.
The new twin turbo V12 also comes from Germany fully built ready for install.
Other specialists from the UK and Germany make other small parts for shipping to Goodwood.
Everything else is in house.
Pretty much the furthest thing from a kit car you could imagine, however very similar in other ways.
Each Rolls-Royce is custom made to order.
Weather it be a dealer order for a showroom, or a customer order.
Sean,
No car today, is fully made in house.
They are a conglomeration of parts made by specialist outside suppliers, shipped to the production line in what is now called “just in time” manufacture.

This means that the parts for a car ordered by the customer, is made and ordered to suit that car.
So, there is not 1000 windscreens waiting in storage, or 1000 engines etc etc..
Everything is now made to order and shipped to the production line “just in time” for the build to happen.