Quote:
I would not be too worried about getting an orphan on parts; the 3.0l MB diesel is used in the Mercedes Sedands, SUVs and the 2nd generation Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter Cargo Van.
The market target for a high $40K to $50K SUV is not the kind of individual who would buy their own parts from an MB dealer, then hire someone to diagnose, repair and install these non-warranty parts on a new SUV. That's assuming they don't get sticker shock when they see the MB prices and that the MB dealers will sell them to non MB retail buyers.
For example, one MB tech I knew told me that when a transmission failed in an E320, Daimler insisted that the original transmission be shipped back to them in Germany, untouched and they furnished a reman'd tranny - total time was 3 weeks. His claim was that Daimler Germany didn't want US techs touching that transmission and issued instructions that the transmission was not to be opened up. Whether this was an isolated incident or not, I don't know. It may have been because the vehicle was only a few months old, but the point is that MB has their own way of handling parts/repair work.
That's the issue facing Jeep buyers purchasing a vehicle that has a potential population of 200 - 500 vehicles. Too few to build good dealer diagnosis support and warrantied parts. Look at the delay some of the 11,000 CRD owners faced getting parts as simple as glow plugs, egr valves and torque converters, even before Jeep dropped the CRD option. With the distinct possibility that Chrysler may not be able to get the MB V6 CDI in large numbers, and having just been "kicked to curb" by Daimler, how much motivation is there at Chrysler to invest their limited resources in parts and training on the MB V6 CDI engine?
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
