We at CK Auto Exclusive have worked on Santa Rosa Mercedes Benz models of all types, both old and new. Many of our clients ask us how their maintenance schedules should differ between maintaining old cars and new. It's not uncommon for Benz fanatics to keep a classic Mercedes in the garage and the latest model in the driveway. In this article we'll discuss how to best maintain your classic car and how that differs from how to maintain your brand-new speed machine.
DIFFERENT MALADIES REQUIRE DIFFERENT TREATMENTS
One common misconception about vehicle maintenance is that you treat all old cars the same and you treat all news cars the same. Using the same logic, you treat all semi-old cars the same. We at CK Auto Exclusive prefer to use a different philosophy to care for these Mercedes Benz California beauties.
We advise maintenance schedules based on how often the car in question gets driven. An antique Mercedes that gets driven daily will require a different maintenance schedule than a brand new EQC that's collecting dust in the garage. The plan would change, too, if the antique was the car less driven. Our master mechanic, Paul Duckworth, can work with you to develop a custom-maintenance plan that will address the needs of your exact model and year.
DO NEW CARS REQUIRE THE MOST MERCEDES MAINTENANCE?
As a general rule of thumb, brand-new vehicles will not have seen the same wear and tear associated with classic or antique vehicles. In fact, the natural wear on some older engines will require care that a new engine will not need for many years if maintained properly.
One reason older engines may need more care is due to the snowball effect. The tiniest defect or malformation of engine parts may not pose an immediate problem to the driver, but if left unchecked, a tiny problem can be the root cause of other more serious vehicle issues.
Additionally, older engines tend to have increased blow-by gases. Blow-by gases get created as small quantities of continuous gas (combustion gases, air and unburned fuel) escape the combustion chamber passing into the crankcase. This allows pressure to build inside the crankcase.
As time passes, the efficiency of fuel and oil filters also degrades. Consequently, fuel injection systems can suffer.
CK Auto Exclusive recommends Mercedes Factory Service for new Mercedes vehicles during the first year. If you believe that your driving behavior is different than average, let us know and we'll suggest a custom-maintenance plan. For your antique or classic Santa Rosa Benz, we recommend that you stop by our shop to discuss how often you drive the car, any preexisting issues, and how we can best maintain the vehicle moving forward. Schedule your appointment today!