[Bill Zone]

Hello fellow Benzers, im new to the club. Just picked up a 96 C36. Its pretty much stock except i think its lowered..
I need to get the rims refinished and its badly in need of some new tires.
Control arm bushings, steering shock, some random bulbs, and the fan in the dome light is buzzing so i guess i need that too.

It has an aftermarket deck in it, but no MP3 hookup or ipod option so i need some ideas (or pix) of what i should replace it with.

my mechanic says the head gasket will have to be done within the next year, as they all do supposedly.

man i already love this car alot!:thumbsup:

 

[E55mocha]

welcome!

 

[Benzonline]

You're gonna have your hands full with this car. Welcome.

 

[Bill Zone]

You're gonna have your hands full with this car. Welcome.

OK. you mean i will be working on it alot? Im in the MB parts business so that should help.

 

[hyprr1]

You're gonna have your hands full with this car. Welcome.

....lol
Check engine wiring harness too....
Glad your into MB parts business, because some of that stuff you mentioned above is
fairly expensive ($$$)......Goodluck & welcome to Benzworld.
(former owner of a 1995 C36 AMG)

 

[oups59]

welcome!

:thumbsup:

 

[Bill Zone]

....lol
Check engine wiring harness too....
Glad your into MB parts business, because some of that stuff you mentioned above is
fairly expensive ($$$)......Goodluck & welcome to Benzworld.
(former owner of a 1995 C36 AMG)

thx! yes i have heard about the wiring harness, where and what should i look for? coming from the VW world im used to having to always be working/fixing my car, difference with MB seems to be cost of parts, which i get a good deal on..

gotta say i love the power this 104. AMG'd engine has, but damn i need some new tires quick!

 

[RANDY P]

Owning it is not scary. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, working on this car is easy. The harness problem is overrated especially if you own a 96 and you live in CANADA it's most likely gonna be OK. Hell even in AZ the local wrenches say the 96 and up really don't have that issue.

Forums have a nasty tendency to blowing problems way out of proportion and spreading bad information. If anyone out there says that dealing with a C43 with a destroyed tranny is a cheaper and easier fix than a HG or a wiring harness you're kidding yourself so don't buy into the hype.

1- HG "IF" it's a problem usually goes around 100K, there are cars on the road (I know of two) that still have the original HG and are approaching 150K. Conversely, I know of two C43's that both shit the trannys before 100K- one guy has one of the 2 C36's mentioned above in the same driveway it's owned by his father since new and it's had ZERO issues.

2- harnesses same story, it is known on 93-95 Benz they have issues, but the 96 and up don't exhibit that nearly as much, and by NOW, FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, if it hasn't cooked it probably is OK.

Going back to my original claim, you can fix every one of those problems (well, maybe except the HG) in your driveway over the weekend and for cheap if you have basic skills and understanding, and unless you see the HG drooling, don't worry about it.

If you came from the VW world then you know all about bad electronics and leaks and falling apart- this car as you will find is leaps and bounds better than any VW in terms of quality. Parts fit on this car like they belong there and don't hang off the engine like ornaments on a Christmas tree like your average VW.

Anyhow, enjoy.

rjp

 

[RANDY P]

PS if you are really good you can rip all the repairs out in an afternoon. HG excluded. that will take a day in iteslf.

rjp

 

[Bill Zone]

Owning it is not scary. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, working on this car is easy. The harness problem is overrated especially if you own a 96 and you live in CANADA it's most likely gonna be OK. Hell even in AZ the local wrenches say the 96 and up really don't have that issue.

Forums have a nasty tendency to blowing problems way out of proportion and spreading bad information. If anyone out there says that dealing with a C43 with a destroyed tranny is a cheaper and easier fix than a HG or a wiring harness you're kidding yourself so don't buy into the hype.

1- HG "IF" it's a problem usually goes around 100K, there are cars on the road (I know of two) that still have the original HG and are approaching 150K. Conversely, I know of two C43's that both shit the trannys before 100K- one guy has one of the 2 C36's mentioned above in the same driveway it's owned by his father since new and it's had ZERO issues.

2- harnesses same story, it is known on 93-95 Benz they have issues, but the 96 and up don't exhibit that nearly as much, and by NOW, FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, if it hasn't cooked it probably is OK.

Going back to my original claim, you can fix every one of those problems (well, maybe except the HG) in your driveway over the weekend and for cheap if you have basic skills and understanding, and unless you see the HG drooling, don't worry about it.

If you came from the VW world then you know all about bad electronics and leaks and falling apart- this car as you will find is leaps and bounds better than any VW in terms of quality. Parts fit on this car like they belong there and don't hang off the engine like ornaments on a Christmas tree like your average VW.

Anyhow, enjoy.

rjp

hey man thx for the heads up. yeah i know what you mean about people on forums..im in the parts business, worked at mb, vw, and saab so im not to worried about things here and there. i know what you mean in terms of quality this car seems to be in a way higher class than a vw, although i still have a soft spot for the watercooled mk1 and mk2 vw's -1992..

next week im doing the steering shock and control arm bushings, new tires, and alignment. im just wondering if i should put a new drag link in too?

i have access to MB EPC if you need any part #s or schmatics let me know.

cheerz

 

[RANDY P]

hey man thx for the heads up. yeah i know what you mean about people on forums..im in the parts business, worked at mb, vw, and saab so im not to worried about things here and there. i know what you mean in terms of quality this car seems to be in a way higher class than a vw, although i still have a soft spot for the watercooled mk1 and mk2 vw's -1992..

next week im doing the steering shock and control arm bushings, new tires, and alignment. im just wondering if i should put a new drag link in too?

i have access to MB EPC if you need any part #s or schmatics let me know.

cheerz

Thanks-

and ya, the drag link- why not it's cheap. Mine is gonna get taken apart here in several days.. Can't wait.

VW was good until they went to Mexico with MKIII. I used to rock a MKI GTI years ago. Wouldn't mind a MKII GLI right now and a fool around car.

rjp

 

[OzC36]

hey man thx for the heads up. yeah i know what you mean about people on forums..im in the parts business, worked at mb, vw, and saab so im not to worried about things here and there. i know what you mean in terms of quality this car seems to be in a way higher class than a vw, although i still have a soft spot for the watercooled mk1 and mk2 vw's -1992..

next week im doing the steering shock and control arm bushings, new tires, and alignment. im just wondering if i should put a new drag link in too?

i have access to MB EPC if you need any part #s or schmatics let me know.

cheerz

Yes you should and also replace the ball joints at the same time.

 

[Bill Zone]

Thanks-

and ya, the drag link- why not it's cheap. Mine is gonna get taken apart here in several days.. Can't wait.

VW was good until they went to Mexico with MKIII. I used to rock a MKI GTI years ago. Wouldn't mind a MKII GLI right now and a fool around car.

rjp

man great minds think alike, i just took my GTX (canadian GLI) off the road when i bought the C36. Think im gonna sell it cuz i dont really have room for it, minus the BBS two piece rims of course. Heres a pic.

One day i will rebuild a MK1 German GTi and have those rims on it, mark my words!

 

[RANDY P]

man great minds think alike, i just took my GTX (canadian GLI) off the road when i bought the C36. Think im gonna sell it cuz i dont really have room for it, minus the BBS two piece rims of course. Heres a pic.

One day i will rebuild a MK1 German GTi and have those rims on it, mark my words!

Has that car been to Waterwerks in Tacoma WA over the last few years? Nice car.

rjp

 

[Bill Zone]

Has that car been to Waterwerks in Tacoma WA over the last few years? Nice car.

rjp

yeah i took it to waterwerks the last two years. im having a hard time putting it up for sale..its a love hate relationship. lol.

im loving the benz, even though it handles like shit on the highway right now. got all the front end stuff together, just waiting on tire rack to deliver my new tires..

question. i went through a rough bumpy patch of highway on the weekend, in the rain, and i could hear a metal to metal scraping sound coming from the front end..my mechanic says i need control arm bushings bad, would this issue cause a sound like that?

 

[RANDY P]

yeah i took it to waterwerks the last two years. im having a hard time putting it up for sale..its a love hate relationship. lol.

im loving the benz, even though it handles like shit on the highway right now. got all the front end stuff together, just waiting on tire rack to deliver my new tires..

question. i went through a rough bumpy patch of highway on the weekend, in the rain, and i could hear a metal to metal scraping sound coming from the front end..my mechanic says i need control arm bushings bad, would this issue cause a sound like that?

Thought I saw your car there. I notice MKII Jettas- I was working as a vendor / sponsor one year and my buddy judges now and then.

Probably is the bushings. Put the car on a lift and but a big prybar on them and watch what happens. Easiest way to tell.

Get your balljoints too while you're at it.

rjp

 

[Bill Zone]

Thought I saw your car there. I notice MKII Jettas- I was working as a vendor / sponsor one year and my buddy judges now and then.

Probably is the bushings. Put the car on a lift and but a big prybar on them and watch what happens. Easiest way to tell.

Get your balljoints too while you're at it.

rjp

yeah i cant wait to get the front end done. i have never had this kind of power always driven vws..lol, havent really gotten this car going on the highway yet, cant wait.

 

[Bill Zone]

work: starting tonight (over the next week):

rims (refinishing and straightening)
new tires all around
ball joints
drag link
control arm bushings
idler arm bushing
flex disc kit
oil and filter
air filter
cabin filter
new wiper


stoked!
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[pbedrosi]

do you guys know if anyone makes poly bushing kit for C36? swaybar, control arm, etc..i'm assuming its probably shared with other MB.

 

[pbedrosi]

BTW, what do you guys think about a kit like this one on ebay?

Update: never mind, it was for a non-C36 but I feel like I want to rebuild the front end of my C36. But I have a hunch the loosness I feel is just the way it is for an older car with recirculating ball steering. i've been driving too many modern cars. All that said I still love driving my 97 C36.