The Car Edition Gang is inspecting a Mercedes C-Class saloon. Sounds simple, right? German engineering—bulletproof. Well… yes and no. Reliability really comes down to two things: manufacturer claims versus regular owner maintenance.

Most people aren’t particularly knowledgeable about maintaining their cars, and the owner of this particular C-Class isn’t exactly careful. The front bumper is damaged or cracked in several places, with filler showing, the bumper hanging off, and paint peeling.

The job was supposed to be a simple timing chain replacement. However, further inspection revealed that the oil hadn’t been changed since a turbo replacement, the coolant was dirty, and there were several other issues. In the end, the Car Edition Gang refused to do the timing chain replacement.

The customer was advised that additional work needed to be completed before tackling the chain. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the funds for the extra work, so the gang turned down the job. It happens.