Recommended LA area mechanics?

[Kenetic]

Hi,

I just purchased my 1992 500E yesterday.

I was wondering if anyone can suggest any knowledgable mechanics in the LA area - I'm in the San Gabriel area. The previous owner took it to Jacks Tri Star Motors in Glendale.

There are a number of things that need to get done, but here are some of the major items:

- Replace Power Steering Pump (not sure if the entire pump or just the hose needs to be replaced - it's leaking somewhere)
- Change engine mounts
- Change rotors/break pads (I could do this myself, but i figured i might as well ask the mechanic to do it if it's already in the shop)
- New Spark Plugs / O2 Sensor (exhaust has a strong fuel smell)
- New Turn Signal stalk assembly / relay
- Check on Transmission Mounts
- Check on Upper/Lower wiring Harness

I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance!

 

[gsxr]

FYI:

1) If you have new engine mounts installed, plan on having the transmission mount replaced at the same time. The tranny mount is easy & cheap.

2) You can determine the age of your upper wiring harness by checking the date code, as shown in this thread.

For the work described above, I'd expect a repair bill in the neighborhood of $2000 including parts & labor. I'm curious what the estimate & actual amounts turn out to be. Sorry, can't help with a shop recommendation, but there are several forum members in SoCal who may be able to help out.

 

[gerryvz]

$2,000 for that load of work is conservative. Add 50%+ to that number, as they're going to find some other important issues that will need to be addressed.

A lot of folks like Mr. MB which is just off the 101 in Tarzana, at Reseda Blvd. Enrique is the owner and he's very definitely familiar with these cars. I realize it's in the Valley and a fair bit away from you, but may be worth considering. Of course folks closer to your area I'm sure will chime in here.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[Kenetic]

Thank you Gerry and Dave. What you described is in line with some of the other estimates I've received from verbally describing the work to different shops. I'll update this thread when the work gets done with the result. It'll be interesting to hear what the actual problems were (e.g. if the strong fuel smell from the exhaust is due to the fuel pressure regulator, etc).

Thanks for the tip re: the Tarzana shop!

 

[szvook]

I'll chime in on Mr. MB Motors. Enrique has been taking care of my 500E for the past 6 years and I can't be happier with his work. One of the best shops around and decently priced.

 

[Hi-Power]

I live one hour away from Mr. MB Motors and it is the only shop I know will do a good, reliable and affordable job. Enrique has worked in my cars for the last 12 years. I use another shop in the Southbay area for easy and minor maintenance service, but Mr. MB is always my first choice if I have the time to drive there.

 

[Kenetic]

Hi, Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I ended up taking the car back to the same mechanic that the previous owner used - Jacks Tri Star Motors in Glendale. He did a great job (I'll have to write another post to cover everything that was fixed). I basically told him to fix anything and everything that needed it - all OEM parts. I've put about 600 miles on the car so far with no issues!

If/when anyone in LA would like to meet up, just let me know!

 

[tanger]

I'm going to try and make it to German Day at the Palos Verdes Coffee&Cars June 2 (haven't been, but white it is put on the the PV seniors, it gets a diverse and nice turnout of cars and ages)

http://www.pvseniors.org/pdfs/2012 06 C and C German.pdf

If/when anyone in LA would like to meet up, just let me know!

 

[h228]

I also recommend Enrique's shop. I like the fact that he oversees the service of every car that rolls into his garage.

Another mechanic worth visiting is Nelson in Van Nuys. His shop's Boulevard Auto Repair, and located at the northeast corner of Kester and Burbank. He never worked on my car, but he provided me with some information that proved to be very helpful. It appeared to me that he also closely supervises the work performed at his garage. I know he is highly recommended by many other Mercedes owners as well.

 

[bdesign]

Just resurrecting this thread to see if anyone else can provide other recommendations in the Westside/Santa Monica area.

 

[szvook]

Just resurrecting this thread to see if anyone else can provide other recommendations in the Westside/Santa Monica area.

I thought you were heading to Mr. MB Motors?

I personally don't know of any place on the West side...although, I keep driving past G&N Motors daily on my way to work and that shop seems to get a lot of traffic with all types of models including new, old, and much older. I have yet to see an .036 there, but then again, I'm just driving past an intersection and looking to right or waiting at the light and seeing just what's parked outside. The shop is around Century City on Santa Monica Blvd. www.gnnmotors.com

I actually thought about trying G&N Motors, since their location is perfect for me, but I have been spoiled by Mr. MB Motors over the years and he has/had more than just a few .036's in his care now. Plus, the ride there gives me change to open up the car on the freeway on a Saturday morning without too much traffic.

 

[gerryvz]

How about the MB Classic Center?

 

[Glen]

Another vote for Mr MB Motors. I have always heard good things about Enrique over the years and recommended him to family members in the L.A. area. He's always done good work for them and now for me. The head gasket in my wife's '95 wagon failed recently and I didn't have the time to deal with it so I called some local shops and couldn't get a straight answer. I then called Enrique and he gave me a reasonable ballpark number that included rebuilding the head. (prudent with 294K miles on the engine)

I dropped the car off last Saturday and picked it up Thursday morning...it would have been done on Wednesday but the machine shop was held up due to the holiday on Monday. He found a couple unrelated minor things and promptly called to get the ok from me. So far, I'm really happy with the outcome. Best of all, I didn't have to do it

I don't want to specifically list the price but the entire job included rebuilding the head with new guides and seals, new valve cover gasket, head gasket, spark plugs, coolant, and fresh oil. He also replaced the oil level sender, a heater hose, and I asked him to tighten up the steering box a smidge. Cost was well under $2K, which I thought was very fair.

Incidently, the original factory headgasket lasted 120K miles, the recplacement to that lasted 174K miles.

 

[gerryvz]

120-125K is about right for the original gasket. That's exactly how long my current '95's head gasket lasted. Good that you had the head re-done - very appropriate. Was the machine shop portion of that job around $400 or so?

I remember about 10-11 years ago when my 1992 wagon's head gasket needed to be replaced. (M103 motor). I had MBI Motors in Portland do that job and IIRC it was around $1,600 at that time. That included cleaning out the HVAC and cooling system of oil that had polluted the coolant, which is usually the symptom (what I call a "chocolate milkshake" in the coolant overflow tank) on the M103s. The oil had actually eaten a radiator hose and caused a huge coolant leak under the car when we were eating dinner one night in a restaurant. I was able to get it home by filling up the cooling system with water, but took it in for the head gasket job the next day.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[Glen]

Yep, a little under $400 for the machine shop.

 

[gerryvz]

Yep, a little under $400 for the machine shop.

Good, yep right in the ballpark. It was around $550-600 here in Houston to do the two heads on my M117 (guides, seals, etc.).

 

[tanger]

Resurrecting this thread- who are the latest go-to mechanics in the Los Angeles area? Leistung has moved to east coast, Mr MB has changed ownership?, so not sure where to go. I have a indie on my corner (Dynamic Performance, Dynamic Performance | Automotive Repair | Manhattan Beach, CA) and they are fine but looking for another Leistung type shop (might be impossible I know).

 

[gerryvz]

The @szvook in the LA area can probably clue you in on where to go, as well as @captruff in the OC. Not sure about the San Fernando Valley side of things, but I'm sure someone will chime in.

 

[thebrinksman]

Pre-Purchase inspection on my E500 was done at Boulevard here in Van Nuys by Nelson's guys 2 years ago. Very thorough, I was pleased and returned a number of times once I'd purchased the car. It's only a block from my house. I'd read some great reviews on another guy right around the corner....Steve at CircleStar on Oxnard. I went by and the guy just fixed my passenger side mirror while we were chatting about other things...no charge. Mensch of a guy and lower pricing than most. Lost his shop of many years during COVID, LL sold building...so he took his clientele around the corner to RPM Motorcars...fancy dealership, Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo anything that's car-nerd-worthy. Steve is rock solid but no longer his own boss...so the shop rate isn't what it used to be. Most recently I checked out the new owner of MrB's...Maz...longtime service head for Mercedes before taking the business over. Very fair pricing...still employs the longtime wrench-monkeys that had been there under Enrique. Lots of communication, solved a few problems (door rattle) that the previous guys just didn't care to chase down or forgot...or couldn't see making real money solving...but Maz just did it...got after it. I like all 3 honestly...and my bouncing around has been about who's available for whatever the next obsessive ridiculous thing it is that I'm wanting to have done or looked into! Might check out Shant Barseghian at Beverly Laurel Automotive sometime...seems like a very reputable Benz specialist.

 

[szvook]

I’ve been using Malibu Motors Services for a while now. They are in Santa Monica. Family owned business since 1979 that knows older cars. Mercedes Benz Independent Service- Santa Monica | Benz A & B Services - Repairs

 

[tanger]

Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[LWB250]

German Motor Car Services in Santa Monica at 310.828.0068

Herbert is the man!

Dan

 

[TerryA]

How about someone in Orange County. Matt Stockwell / Leistung Autohaus was only about 4 miles from me but he had to pull up stakes and move east. He was the best on E500Es and 190E 16 Valves.

I’ve used Johnson Motors in Orange in the past but not in a long time.

 

[Jlaa]

How about someone in Orange County. Matt Stockwell / Leistung Autohaus was only about 4 miles from me but he had to pull up stakes and move east. He was the best on E500Es and 190E 16 Valves.

I’ve used Johnson Motors in Orange in the past but not in a long time.

Argh! Do you know if he is open in the East? Why did he move out of Orange County?

 

[gerryvz]

Argh! Do you know if he is open in the East? Why did he move out of Orange County?

He is in rural Virginia (Danville, VA ... on the VA/NC state line), I believe. From my last dinner/drinks with Captruff and 600Eric, a few months ago, he had moved and opened up shop out here on the East Coast, yes.

Another one of the hundreds upon hundreds of good businesses leaving California and heading for the Southern states.

 

[BigWhimsy]

I can vouch for Ara at MBZ Auto Service in Glendale.

Extremely professional and thorough.