Friedel’s Service

I’ve taken two mercedes to Friedel’s (67 200 & a 72 280se), no one knows these old mercedes like Friedel’s. Getting parts for these old cars takes time, but Friedel’s had some parts from a parts car onsite and kept us informed on everything else. Reasonable cost and expertise.

There is nothing worse than running late and then your car doesn’t start. I called Wayne and Friedel’s and he immediately called my nerves. He explained clearly (and correctly it turned out) what the problem was. Knowledgeable, friendly, and calm. I would recommend them to anyone!

If there was a Friedel’s for every kind of business, this planet would be a much awesomer place.
I’ve been taking my cars to Friedel’s for about 20 years now. Couldn’t ask for a more decent set of folks. They keep it simple and straight. I will remain a customer for life. Great service. Great people. Who could ask for anything more?

Great service from the time I made the phone call to the time I picked up my car! Tammy was really nice and was able to get me in right away to have a mechanic take a look at my VW Passat. They found the problem and got it fixed in a couple of days, just in time for our week long road trip. Price was really fair. I would recommend anyone take their car to Friedel’s!

I drive a c43 amg which there are only 1500 of made so parts are hard to come by. When I was having a few mechanical issues I looked online and saw that Friedel’s has very high marks and now I understand why they deserve it and more. Not only did they spend 2 days looking to try to find a used part for my car they were very good at keeping me in the loop on the time it was going to take, overall cost, different options, and when my car was going to be done. Usually these are issues that you have to hound them about but they were really excellent.
Their longstanding experience with Mercedes and German cars in general made it an easy decision for me they have earned my business for life.

A friend of mine had a squeek that seemed to be related to the brakes, she was going to go to Les Schwab and I told her to let me check with Unilocal first. This was the highest rated place in Renton, so she went here. She was thrilled with the service she recieved as well as the price. She got out of there with new pads, sensor etc. for less than $ 200. So happy to know that there are fair and honest mechanics out there!

I have been taking my E320 wagon and 300CE to Friedel’s for years. I’m very particular about my cars and Ted is very exacting with his work which satisfies my anal-​retentive nature. His prices are very reasonable and his service is top notch. In the years he’s been servicing my cars, I have never had to return for the same repair as its done right the first time. I would trust my beloved cars to no one else!

Anyone who owns a vintage Mercedes knows that a good mechanic is of utmost importance. While you could certainly take your Benz to the dealer, it is unlikely that any of the young technicians working there have actually worked on an older Mercedes engine. These cars were ridiculously over-​engineered, and diagnosing and repairing them can often belie logic. It is important that your mechanic actually possess practical experience, as there is no onboard computer to assist in the diagnosis. Friedel’s will not disappoint in this regard. I must admit that I was leery when I made the call to schedule a pre-​purchase inspection for a 420SEL I was interested in purchasing. To be frank, the staff do not particularly exhibit a friendly attitude over the phone. They are not rude by any measure, but seem hurried and very straightforward, although this is probably a result of their workload. You shouldn’t allow this to turn you off though, as they are very friendly in person. The mechanic (And proprietor) allowed me to observe as he embarked on a very thorough inspection. The speed at which he could disassemble and reassemble components is a testament to his familiarity with these vehicles. During the inspection, he would also alert me to potential areas of interest or concern, based on his experience with the model. I was particularly impressed by his knowledge of nearly every obscure issue associated with the model, most of which were familiar only due to my extensive research within the MBZ newsgroups and forums. Needless to say, his 20+ years of experience shows. While the veritable graveyard of old Benzs outside the shop may suggest that they work on nothing else, I believe they also repair other German makes such as VW and BMW.

Friedel’s is awesome and they’ve treated me well for my Volkswagen cars since the late 1980s, both aircooled VWs and watercooled cars. While they are principally focused on German cars, and specifically Mercedes Benz, they are capable of repairing other marques too.
I like the fact that they have had the same guys working on the cars for the past 20+ years and they know what they’re talking about.

I shouldn’t tell you this, because the last thing I want is to have to wait longer to get my car into a repair shop, but Friedel’s is fabulous — honest, unpretentious, innovative, and friendly.
After donating my beloved Saab to chop-​shop anonymous last year, I got a 1964 Mercedes. Now, I don’t see myself as a classic car owner and don’t dig being a Mercedes owner (Q: What’s the difference between a Saab driver and a Mercedes driver? A: Both wave, but the Mercedes driver only uses one finger.), but the Finny is a gorgeous car and I bought it for love. It does have one issue: it’s old. Old things deteriorate.
But that’s not really the problem. Owning a Saab warps your idea of what car repair should cost and how often it should happen. By comparison, the Finny is a simple car and a relatively cheap repair. The hitch is finding a mechanic to do it.
The first challenge is finding a mechanic who will work on old Mercs (there are about three hereabouts). The second is finding a mechanic in that subset who will talk to you (that’s two). The third is finding a mechanic in that smaller subset who will make sense to you (that just leaves Friedel’s).
I should note that I’ve done a ton of research on the Finny and I can grasp simple mechanics. Tell me my snockerbozzle is improperly coupled with my fladderblaggen, and I get that — unless you actually use the word snockerbozzle; in which case, I might have a couple of questions. Tell me it costs $ 800 to fix it, and I’ll have a couple more. If you’re a mechanic and you don’t go ballistic at that point, I might love you for life. I’m just that easy.
But I didn’t start with Friedel. I started with Benz Friendz. They’re a little inconvenient, but friendly enough and full of suggestions. And they specialize in old Mercs. Unfortunately, for all that, they couldn’t diagnose or fix my car’s overheating. The first thing they did was replace the head gasket for $ 800. I asked if they’d like to try replacing the thermostat first (a $ 20 part). No, they liked the head gasket, because, they said, the radiator fluid had bubbles in it. They said they test drove it afterwords and it was fine. They must be very cool guys, because the car overheated for me on the way home.
I took the car back. They seemed a little defensive, but replaced the thermostat for free. They drove it around and said it was fine. For me, it overheated on the way home.
I read a bunch of newsgroups. Found out about block testers — a $ 50 diagnostic could save you $ 800. Found out about infrared thermometers (also a cheap diagnostic, but harder to come by). Read about failing water pumps, citric-​acid flushes, and radiator recores.
I looked at my radiator fluid. It had bubbles. I called Benz Friendz and noted the car still overheating. They were dubious (like maybe I had automotive Munchhausen’s and just wanted some attention). I said there were bubbles in my radiator. They said, «so?» I reminded them that bubbles were their rationale for replacing my head gasket. They said, «What are you getting at?» I rephrased. They said, «I can’t see where you’re going with this line of questions,» and they reminded me that they’d never actually seen the car overheat.
I retacked: maybe it was a radiator problem. They didn’t think so. Well maybe it was a plugged hose or something. No, they said, impossible. How about the water pump? No, no, no. «Citric acid flush?» I tried timidly. Their disdain was palpable. But they’d look at the car again. If I wanted.
In desperation, I turned to Unilocal and found Tod’s review (below…or above). And Friedel’s — remember Friedel’s? this is a review about Friedel’s — said, «Put your hand on the radiator when the car is warm. If the radiator’s not hot, you probably have a blockage.» So simple. I did, and it wasn’t. I made an appointment.
But…anyone could’ve done that diagnostic. I know it can be hard to diagnose mechanical failures, but the Friendz had hands, didn’t they? Surely, the sizzle test should’ve preceded a head gasket replacement. Come to think of it, so should have a thermostat replacement. And a block test. I mean, cheap diagnostics first, right?
So, I took the car to Friedel’s and they confirmed, quickly and sadly, that I had a radiator blockage. Sadly? I was thrilled. My god, a diagnosis. They fixed the radiator, checked a bunch of other stuff, updated me regularly. During that process, I asked if they could also install a set of shoulder belts. One day they asked me to come down for a fitting. A fitting! Because they wanted to make sure it was right. I’m practically weeping now, just thinking about it.
In fact, the only downside to the whole Friedel’s experience was that Friedel himself machined the bolts to attach my shoulder belt. …Actually, that part was a little awesome. (Who makes bolts?) But, consequently, he didn’t get my bolts from the fantastically named Tacoma Screw. I always wanted to buy something from Tacoma Screw.

If you have an old Mercedes, and you are anywhere close to Renton, you need to take it to Friedel when ever you need work. Friedel is an older German fellow who seems to own a dozen or more old Mercedes, himself. When you become a regular customer there, it is as though you are joining a social club for aging Mercedes and the repairs are just a sideline. They have an extremely loyal customer following.