[dwill91]

Hey all,

Looking for a reliable mechanic who is experienced in R107's / classic Mercedes / etc. I've been taking my 1981 380SL to Beverly Laurel Automotive and although they are usually great, the last couple of times I've seen them it feels as if they're too busy to pinpoint any issues. I've been seeing them for this battery problem that I've had for months now, where if I go more than 40 hours without starting my car I come to find it completely dead. Somewhere...something is drawing power. It's frustrating for many reasons but especially because the car runs just so good and I'm so tired of jump starting it any time I want to drive. BLA has seemingly chalked it up to "faulty batteries" so they keep giving me new ones but obviously the issue persists.

For what it's worth – I would be interested in any DIY garages / mechanics who could possibly share some of their experience with me.

Thanks all!

 

[larryinSeattle]

Hey all,

Looking for a reliable mechanic who is experienced in R107's / classic Mercedes / etc. I've been taking my 1981 380SL to Beverly Laurel Automotive and although they are usually great, the last couple of times I've seen them it feels as if they're too busy to pinpoint any issues. I've been seeing them for this battery problem that I've had for months now, where if I go more than 40 hours without starting my car I come to find it completely dead. Somewhere...something is drawing power. It's frustrating for many reasons but especially because the car runs just so good and I'm so tired of jump starting it any time I want to drive. BLA has seemingly chalked it up to "faulty batteries" so they keep giving me new ones but obviously the issue persists.

For what it's worth – I would be interested in any DIY garages / mechanics who could possibly share some of their experience with me.

Thanks all!

I hear you. I’ve been having a similar problem in Seattle. I’ve found another Indie nearby who specializes in classic cars. Although his labor rate is higher, the work he has done for me has been solid. He believes in trouble shooting for the source of the problem rather than just buying new parts. Good luck on your search.

 

[dwill91]

I hear you. I’ve been having a similar problem in Seattle. I’ve found another Indie nearby who specializes in classic cars. Although his labor rate is higher, the work he has done for me has been solid. He believes in trouble shooting for the source of the problem rather than just buying new parts. Good luck on your search.

Absolutely - I too would happily pay an indie a higher labor rate for a job well done. I actually bought this car in Seattle, wish I would’ve known / brought it to him before getting it to SoCal! Ha.

 

[larryinSeattle]

Absolutely - I too would happily pay an indie a higher labor rate for a job well done. I actually bought this car in Seattle, wish I would’ve known / brought it to him before getting it to SoCal! Ha.

Too funny😊!!! I bought my 1980 450 SL in California ( actually in my home town of Paso Robles ) and had it shipped to Seattle. It was a California car and I have done quite a bit to improve her mechanical condition starting with complete 90,000 mile service and then suspension work as it is a daily driver except when it rains. As part of suspension work I started by replacing all the rubber and/or parts with rubber. Good luck!!!

 

[Seemed like a good idea]

My brother-in-law used to work at Northwest Muscle cars and taught me this on electrical drains. Remove the negative clamp off the battery, connect a regular test light between the removed negative terminal and the negative post on the battery, if you have a drain, the light will illuminate. Then you can remove a fuse one at a time, replacing it if the light doesn't go out. When you pull out the fuse where the drain is the light will go out. This will tell you which circuit has the drain and narrow down where to search for a problem. But I feel your pain, where I live I don't think we are overrun with classic car repair shops, and wrecking yards with parts for old MB's are non-existent.

 

[larryinSeattle]

My brother-in-law used to work at Northwest Muscle cars and taught me this on electrical drains. Remove the negative clamp off the battery, connect a regular test light between the removed negative terminal and the negative post on the battery, if you have a drain, the light will illuminate. Then you can remove a fuse one at a time, replacing it if the light doesn't go out. When you pull out the fuse where the drain is the light will go out. This will tell you which circuit has the drain and narrow down where to search for a problem. But I feel your pain, where I live I don't think we are overrun with classic car repair shops, and wrecking yards with parts for old MB's are non-existent.

Prova Motorsports Prova Motorsports does Muscle Cars too but seems to specialize in classics.

 

[Futurewave]

I go to George at MBZ Motors in Winnetka. He’s really knowledgeable and super nice. The downside is that the shop is crazy busy and parking is brutal.

 

[Mirv]

There's a guy that has a shop across the street from the W. I. Simonson Mercedes Service Center, in Santa Monica. I've heard he's good.

 

[Ronsurf]

There's a guy that has a shop across the street from the W. I. Simonson Mercedes Service Center, in Santa Monica. I've heard he's good.

I think you mean Malibu Motors on Colorado. He always has 107s in the parking lot. He couldn’t help me with my busted seatbelt retractor, but he sent me to a place that could.

 

[Turbo510]

Remove the negative clamp off the battery, connect a regular test light between the removed negative terminal and the negative post on the battery, if you have a drain, the light will illuminate....When you pull out the fuse where the drain is the light will go out.

That's a common technique to home-in on the offending circuit. Sometimes the problem turns out to be the trunk light staying on, for instance. One situation where the fuse-pulling won't help is a defective alternator diode.

 

[Seemed like a good idea]

That's a common technique to home-in on the offending circuit. Sometimes the problem turns out to be the trunk light staying on, for instance. One situation where the fuse-pulling won't help is a defective alternator diode.

I had a dome light, of all things, on a Camry be the culprit once, it wasn't even on and still was the cause of the drain.