Some years ago, colleagues and I had an informal discussion about what would be the perfect car from an automotive journalist's perspective. It would have to be a wagon, because we all appreciate utility combined with carlike maneuverability. A diesel engine made the requirements list for superior fuel economy. And it would also need a manual transmission, because we all liked the engagement of driving stick. Well, our dream car is made real in the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI. Volkswagen's Jetta Sportwagen TDI holds a rare place in the U.S. BMW claims the other spot with its new 328d Sports Wagon. The Jetta Sportwagen shows similar lines to the Jetta sedan update Volkwagen launched in 2011. Headlights nicely bookend a narrow grille, and the hood drops low toward the front in a graceful curve from the windshield. A large graphic holds the side windows in a continuous flow all the way back to the cargo area, and the hatchback complements the front with the same, fluid curves. The stance is low, as the Jetta Sportwagen is not trying to be a crossover. It is an attractive and modern body design.
Most Mercedes Benzs have certain areas that need to be inspected regularly, and prospective owners should always have a pre-purchase inspection done to verify the condition of these items. In these lists, you will find items that should have been replaced or at least inspected by 75k-100k miles. Some are model specific, and will be noted as such. These are common symptoms of cracked or torn lower control arm bushings. This is usually fixed by replacing the bushing. Some owners may want to change the bushings with M3 or poly-urethane bushings for increased performance with little change in ride comfort. This is usually a sign of bad tie rod ends. The boots have a tendency to tear resulting in improper lubrication of the tie rod ball joint. This leads to long term tie rod end failure. Factory Mercedes Benz shocks work great for about 30k. By 60k they are completely shot.
Most folks who have been driving their cars since new hardly notice the deterioration as it is gradual. Symptoms include:Diving under braking and acceleration, excessive lean and suspension compression during cornering. Bouncy and uncomfortable ride. Shocks and struts may visibly leak shock oil. When replacing shocks and struts, keep in mind it is a great time to install lowering springs or freshen up other areas of the suspension. You will be amazed at the difference a good set of shocks can make in both comfort and performance! This is usually a sign of a faulty Mass Airflow Meter. It calculates the mass of the air entering the cylinders and then tells the computer how much fuel to inject to ensure proper combustion. If the sensor is reading faulty then the end result is a bad mixture of air/fuel. This also sometimes triggers a check engine light. A Flex Disc will result in a perceivable 'drive-train elasticity.' Acceleration will be preceded with a loud clunk as the flex disc bolts bind together. On older Mercedes Benz vehicles the door locks are actuated by vacuum.
If the system has a vacuum leak then the door locks will fail to work automatically and must be locked by hand. It is very common for these vacuum lines to be pulled off during an oil change on a diesel due to the location of the oil filter. Fortunately this is an in-expensive fix. You drive to the store, and go in, come out and the car cranks, but will not start. You let the car sit for a while and the car starts up. This could very well be your Crankshaft position sensor. This is usually bad ignition coils. Unlike many domestic vehicles, Mercedes Benz utilizes an ignition coil per cylinder system rather then a distributor. If one or more coil goes bad it causes rough running conditions. Usually ignition coils go bad due to faulty valve cover gaskets. The rubber fuel lines from your fuel pump to your fuel filter commonly dry rot.
