MOT fail / big service repair bill

[DavidG58]

Motorhome failed MOT 2 weeks ago, centre prop shaft bearing ?

Booked in for service following week at Mertrux so rang them asked to add to job and get part ordered

Took down, got a call back to say they have found serious issues / work needed

Brake discs and pads, not surprised as noted on this and previous MOT I had told them if they looked bad to change them

Whole exhaust system is hanging off and needs replacing all the brackets have failed

Brake pipes all showing heavy corrosion all need changing which means removing fuel tank

Track rod too much play on one side suggest changing both

Diff oil seal leaking but might as well change while prop shaft off for prop shaft bearing

This is all by phone call, we are away visiting Bevs mum in hospital after having stroke so while he talked I was adding up in my head

I am not good at this bit service was quoted at £500

I guessed £500 to add front discs

Thought maybe £1000 absolute max for exhaust

Brake pipes no idea

Propshaft guessed £200 no idea what that was based on though

So when he said quote was up to £6500 + VAT I nearly got into hospital bed with MIL

So I asked him to give me a bit more breakdown

Turns out exhaust is over £3K for bits brake pipes fairly modest £1200 including fitting

Bev had said how she was looking forward to getting away it was what we needed with mum being poorly

I knew I had just moved sone money around ready for some work in the house and by chance alone had enough to cover this so agreed to go ahead as we wanted it back

I will continue in another post below it’s bringing tears to my eyes just retelling

 

[Silver-Fox]

Out of interest is it a pvc or a class.

 

[paddymcc]

Really sorry to hear that David - both Bev's mum and the MOT. But yes sometimes you just have to bite the bullet however painful.

 

[Lenny HB]

Never rains just pours with your van David.

I take it that is Merc main dealer prices.
You could save a few grand shopping about a decent exhaust centre would be a lot cheaper, find a small garage to do the brake pipes, I don't see why they would need to drop the fuel tank, just re-route the pipes.

 

[bigtree]

I would find an independant garage, I've just had similar. Took my VW T5 for an MOT at a different garage than my usual, it failed and they quoted £995. I took it to my old garage ,same work was £820. EuroTrotters will maybe tell you of his experience with Mertrux.

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[L' Hobo]

For 3grand, I would have thought you could get a Stainless Steel exhaust system from a S/S specialist.
Mine has no Cat or DPF but only cost £600 about 5yrs ago.

 

[DavidG58]

I rang Weds this week to check progress to find there are problems getting some of the parts, in particular the ‘expensive’ bit of the exhaust

I felt I had been told it all came as one piece and all needed changing , I am both technically useless and naive

So I asked to come down and have a look before they did any more

Saw MH from inspection pit, there is a lot of corrosion , top still looks lovely and had just been valeted , but it’s a 2005 sprinter chassis only registered in 2009 but nearly 20 years old

The exhaust is not hanging off I now have a much better understanding of how this fits the brackets hang in rubber mountings Which are all good. The exhaust itself has u shaped loops welded to the pipe. It is the welds that have failed, but the exhaust is still very secure sitting in the brackets , you only know it’s loose if you lift it

Mercedes say there is no way it could have passed an MOT, I ask why, it’s not blowing or in danger of falling off as I had thought from their description

Then I get to the expensive bit, DPF ? Very secure why change that I ask

Merc service chap says its best to change everything

But this is working, stainless steel so no rust or rot and secure, with an obvious bolted connection behind it to connect the next section

Return to office

I know I said get on with it but I am now not happy and do not want this DPF bit changing

But we have special ordered it

Well special cancel it, not needed , I do agree to change the two end sections which do look ready

A technician appears , ‘did you miss the hairline crack in the weld on the DPF bracket’

Yes, but I still don’t want it changing, I will get it welded, if it breaks and the DPF is still working

So now hoping for around £4K which oddly now sounds quite cheap

Hopefully 2 more years of trouble free motorhoming , not sure we can afford the diesel though

 

[Just smiffy]

Utter rip off…..

 

[DavidG58]

Out of interest is it a pvc or a class.

A class but working underneath for once shouldn’t make much difference

 

[pappajohn]

Whole exhaust system is hanging off and needs replacing all the brackets have failed

Brake pipes all showing heavy corrosion all need changing which means removing fuel tank

Track rod too much play on one side suggest changing both

Funny, all these items are MOT fails yet no mention at time of MOT.
I would take it elsewhere to see what another garage says.

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[DavidG58]

Funny, all these items are MOT fails yet no mention at time of MOT.
I would take it elsewhere to see what another garage says.

Trouble is it’s failed MOT now and will have no tax from Weds

Being unable to do things myself and despite my physical bulk I am quite a push over due to my lack of knowledge

In fairness Mertrux have served us very well over the years, resolving the Turbo issues at a very fair rate and generally we are happy with them , the older the van gets the less it seems good value though

Maybe more that now I am retired I can’t put the bill through my business

 

[TheBig1]

Highlights the madness of just giving a main dealer to do whatever they think needs doing. An independent will charge half the price and only do what absolutely has to be done. Would have saved more than enough to get somebody to sort and treat the corrosion underneath

 

[jumartoo]

My brother has a garage and MOT testing place at Stanfree. Unfortunately, he's on holiday in Thailand atm, but if you still need work doing later, I can give you his number. A chat with him costs nothing.

 

[EuroTrotters]

For 3grand, I would have thought you could get a Stainless Steel exhaust system from a S/S specialist.
Mine has no Cat or DPF but only cost £600 about 5yrs ago.

I Have just bought a S/S Exhaust system for my 2000 2.8 Fiat £160

Getting it fitted is another matter

 

[L' Hobo]

In the UK, as your vehicle is 2005, I wouldn't have thought the DPF was original fitting as the emission regulations didn't come into force until 2008.

You say it wasn't registered until 2009 though, was it in Germany or somewhere?

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[DavidG58]

In the UK, as your vehicle is 2005, I wouldn't have thought the DPF was original fitting as the emission regulations didn't come into force until 2008.

You say it wasn't registered until 2009 though, was it in Germany or somewhere?

I only know the dates from the paperwork , chassis 05, built by Hymer 06 arrived U.K. 2007

 

[L' Hobo]

I Have just bought a S/S Exhaust system for my 2000 2.8 Fiat £160

Getting it fitted is another matter

I had mine made up and fitted by a small Stainless Steel workshop near Stonham Barns but similar companies around the country.

 

[DavidG58]

I am just sharing, it’s not going to change our lives just caught me a bit below the belt

Thursday I had a biopsy which has confirmed I have Cancer

Friday cat curled up and died on the settee

But MIL now home and improving quickly

 

[bigtree]

Similar with the exhaust on my merc Frankia, the mechanic mentioned that it would need replaced soon. It fell off on our next trip going along the N125 on the Algarve, was told of an exhaust shop so took it there, he fabricated the back section for €95.

 

[chaser]

I know you have a very different van than me but seriously I would be thinking of buying another for that sort of money, it would just finish me off paying that sort of money to a repair place.
All the stuff you mention , I have a family member to put it right for next to nothing.

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[nicholsong]

These people do not think of what is the easiest and cheapest solution.

I wonder if in these main dealers the workshop staff are on some sort of cut of the work they find 'necessary'?

My commercial garage boss thinks about the minimal worked needed, but won't hesitate to suggest changing/repairing something if it might cost more in the long run.

 

[EuroTrotters]

The idiots at Mercedes Enza Trafford Park (now Estar (was Roanza))

Complete morons. Technician kept telling the receptionist that my exhaust was not a Mercedes factory one on my Frankia.

The result was damage to pipes and I had to order one from our local Mercedes Car Garage and fit it myself.

 

[scousebird]

Sorry to hear of your woes David, it's not a cheap hobby this motorhoming lark is it.

Thursday I had a biopsy which has confirmed I have Cancer

Friday cat curled up and died on the settee

Also very sorry to hear this

 

[EuroTrotters]

I am just sharing, it’s not going to change our lives just caught me a bit below the belt

Thursday I had a biopsy which has confirmed I have Cancer

Friday cat curled up and died on the settee

But MIL now home and improving quickly

I hope your year improves.

 

[pappajohn]

Trouble is it’s failed MOT now and will have no tax from Weds

Yes, it's failed but only on one point.....the prop shaft bearing.
All the other alleged faults invented by the main dealer should also be listed on the failure sheet.....by law.
At the very least they should be advisories.

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[bigtree]

The idiots at Mercedes Enza Trafford Park (now Estar (was Roanza))

Complete morons. Technician kept telling the receptionist that my exhaust was not a Mercedes factory one on my Frankia.

The result was damage to pipes and I had to order one from our local Mercedes Car Garage and fit it myself.
View attachment 859280View attachment 859281View attachment 859282View attachment 859283View attachment 859284

That's the bit that fell off mine Trev, it initially got jammed on the prop shaft and made a hell of a noise getting dragged along the road. I had to reverse to free it, I was on my own as Mrs bigtree had buggered off along the road on her motorbike to the next campsite.

 

[DavidG58]

Yes, it's failed but only on one point.....the prop shaft bearing.
All the other alleged faults invented by the main dealer should also be listed on the failure sheet.....by law.
At the very least they should be advisories.

Failed MOT at our local MOT garage who have done the last 8 MOT’s on MH

They don’t do repairs

Then drove it to Mertrux for prebooked service and added prop shaft repair as the MOT failure item

 

[ShiftZZ]

Sorry to hear the bad news, fingers crossed for Bevs mum and you.

The exhaust, I had a similar problem and the garage I used suggested they could go to a local company and have one made cheaper.

 

[EuroTrotters]

That's the bit that fell off mine Trev, it initially got jammed on the prop shaft and made a hell of a noise getting dragged along the road. I had to reverse to free it, I was on my own as Mrs bigtree had buggered off along the road on her motorbike.

The Joys of Mercedes ownership.

 

[bigtree]

The Joys of Mercedes ownership.

No longer as I've jumped out of the frying pan and into the Fiat, I mean fire.

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