You're very brave indeed. How many hours do you figure you spent on the job? Back when I used to see a lot of 116 top end work I could do that job start to finish ( including heli-coils and machine work ) in about 40 hrs. This is not a typical DIY job so you should give yourself a pat on the back for seeing it through. Now that you've done it though, do you agree or disagree with the prices you were quoted? As an MB tech with years of experience I'd like to know how it feels for the vehicle owner to have the shoe on the other foot! Also, hats off to the tech who gave you all the help. There's still plenty of us out there ( although some people will disagree ) that are willing to help a client no matter what it takes. Seeya