w140 evaporator

The evaporator seems to tbe the most expensive consistent problem for the 140 body cars....

The evaporator seems to tbe the most expensive consistent problem for the 140 body cars. I have read on the forums that it can be replaced with an upgrade that should remain trouble free. I doubt that 100k miles is a magic number.

Mercedes=Car Warranty
Just get a warranty that will cover the evaporator and don't worry about it. The model evaporator was supposedly changed around the 95 model year. There is no shorcut around the repair. You will sleep better if you have a warranty on your MB.

Has anyone had the evaporator unit replaced in their w140? How long till it goes out again? Is it possible to do a redesign during the repair so that it is more accessible, thereby avoiding having to tear the engine apart to get to it? I"ve seen some great deals on s500 and s600's but have held back because of this particularly expensive repair. All the ones I have looked at have never had the evaporator replaced, and all owners/dealers claim if they go past 100k miles, it's not likely they'll go out any time soon. I'm deeply suspicious of this claim bec none of them agreed to put it in writing. I'm asking for all comments.

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I spoke with my independent Mercedes technician yesterday and asked him the same questio...

I spoke with my independent Mercedes technician yesterday and asked him the same question.

He said he has been replacing evaporators on W140's for the last 7 years, and not one has come back yet with a leak again.

I have also read many comments from technicians on other forums about an afermarket evaporator that is better than an original one made by ACM, which are made of aluminum. The original evaporators were made of aluminum/copper. Because of the dissimilar metals, corrosion occurs, and they eat away from the inside out due to moisture or air in the system. This is our theory , Mercedes will never admit any problems concerning evaporators, or even their wiring harness' for that matter. Dont expect Mercedes to say they screwed up cause it will never happen.

evaporator

thanks for taking the time to find out, suginami. i feel better about buying one now. i think the w140 series is the most luxurious car Mercedes has ever produced, and i would have bought one long ago were it not for the maintainance issues

Stick to '97-'99 W-140s

I looked very hard at this issue, and you will see a number of my previous posts in various discussions about this issue as I was preparing to buy what turned out to be a '97 S-500. The earliest you should ever buy is a '96, but to be safe and 100% sure stick to '97-'99. You can buy a '95 that has had the job done, and I looked at one in particular in Indianapolis, but the cost difference between a '95 and '97 is marginal and the value difference is, in my judgement, substantial. You will love your new W-140 and never regret buying the finest practical luxury passenger sedan ever made.

evaporator

thanks for the tip, david. I've pretty much settled on getting a w140 s600, preferably a euro with executive option. it took lexus for mercedes to build an american-defined luxury car.

I bought a 1995 S600 Coupe from my partner in Belgium and had it converted. What a wond...

I bought a 1995 S600 Coupe from my partner in Belgium and had it converted. What a wonderful car! You'll love it.

what was the cost of conversion? taxes? import duties? giving this serious thought
...

what was the cost of conversion? taxes? import duties? giving this serious thought

The cost to ship was about $700. Conversion to EPA and Dot was about $6500. Import dut...

The cost to ship was about $700. Conversion to EPA and Dot was about $6500. Import duty and taxes were about $800 I think. An older car might be more because of emissions. Jonathan at JK Motorcars can give you better pricing info.

140 Evaporator

My 92 500SEL developed a leak in 2001, at 60,000 MI, I had the dealer do all the work. They seem to be quite accustomed to this repair which requires the removal of the dash and underhood work. There were many parts absorbed by the factory since this is a very common problem, but my final cost was still in the $1200 US.
They replaced the evaporator, hoses, the dryer and various other items, I would definately ask for factory assistance at MB Dealer

answer to question

i have seen them go in 30 k
i have seen them go in 120 k
there is no modifacation or easier way to do it
buy the car from a dealer with a starmark warrenty
get the extended total cost is like $2200
good anywhere in USA, real good deal
why would a dealer put it in writing?
starmark warrentys are good till 100k
odds are it will need replace by then
goodluck

evaporator

I'm still see-sawing. It looks like the extended warranty is my best bet. Does anyone know what the failure rate is post 1997?

Evaporater repalcement.

The part about 100,000 miles is not true. I replaced mine at 102,111. Look at a newer model like the 97 thru 98. Price does not seem to be that big of a deal.