The brief
Alexander brought his E200 in for a safety check-up. It's a W210 E-Class, the one with the iconic oval headlamps, and despite the age the owner keeps the old girl in good order. A safety check with a service is exactly the right thing for a car of this vintage, going over the brakes, the suspension and the fluids to make sure nothing's quietly past its best. A proper safety check and service runs through the lot: oil and filter, air and cabin filters, fluids, a thorough look at the brakes, suspension, steering and underbody, a battery test, and a check of the lights. Anything found gets reported and sorted. On an older car like this it's about keeping it solid and safe, and catching the wear before it becomes a problem.
The diagnosis
The safety check went through everything. The engine oil and filter were due, a couple of fluids wanting topping, and the inspection flagged two things: the front brakes were worn, the pads near the end and the discs scored, and the front anti-roll bar drop links had worn ball joints with play, which would explain a knock over bumps. The rest of the suspension, the underbody and the lights checked out, the battery tested fine. So it was a service plus a front brake axle set plus a drop link pair: the wear items refreshed, the brakes and the suspension joints renewed.
The work
The engine oil and filter were changed and the fluids topped. On the brakes, both front discs and the worn pads were removed, the calipers and slide pins cleaned and greased, and a new genuine Mercedes-spec set of front discs and pads fitted and bedded in. Both front anti-roll bar drop links were replaced with a new genuine pair, every fastener torqued to the manual figures. A road test confirmed quiet, even, progressive front braking with a firm pedal, no knock from the front, and a clean, steady run.
The outcome
A clean bill of health on the E200, fresh oil and filters, sharp quiet front braking on a new axle set, the front suspension knock gone, and the safety checks all clear. The old girl went home solid and safe. A safety check with a service is what keeps a classic Mercedes the way the owner wants it, and catching the worn brakes and drop links while it was in kept them from becoming roadside problems.
