PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - 1996 E320/ How Much More Should I Put Up With!!!???

G-Benz · #2 10-16-2007, 03:01 PM

Are you keeping the car for nostalgic reasons (i.e. dad's car?)

Despite MB's penchant for achieving high miles, only the ones that recieve the strictest forms of fastiduous maintenance achieve such with few issues..that is, the smallest "tick", "clunk" or drop of fluid on the ground warrants immediate remedy.

That said, if you've read threads here long enough, you'd know that there are a myriad of things that can potentially fail...and you can bet they will do so in "threes" (as the saying goes).

I LOVE my W124, but I've had to live with some issues until I have the means to fix. I have a spare tranny in the garage, as the current one shows signs of giving up the ghost. THe top end has been rebuilt and I'm in the midst of replacing the emissions-related components. So I can only surmise that I have probably more than twice in the car just this year than it's even worth!

Just remember, the cost of owning and maintaining an older Benz may defy logic as you have already experienced. Only you can decide when enough is enough. After all, there are always beautiful examples listed on eBay and Craigslist every day...and you can bet many aren't for sale because the previous owner thought the car was "too reliable" or "too inexpensive to maintain".