Originally Posted by satyr

I'd take my hat off (if I had one on) to those who took the plunge on replacing their heater core on a w201. After years of fogging windows, odd intermittent odors of coolant, slightly damp carpets, and etc., I picked up all of the parts (don't forget those o-rings!), downloaded all schematics and diagrams, printed posts from other members about the job, and moved the lawnmower, the snowblower, the motorcycle, the wife's car, and everything else I could to make enough room to move around the car with both doors open...

And then... Temps dropped to 20 degress and it started to snow. I moved more stuff around so I could get the garage door closed. Then I went and got a garage heater, and a good halogen light. I pulled the pad on the steering wheel to remove it, and saw that the giant allen-type head of the bolt had been stripped round- as if someone used an impact wrench on it. I tried everything, and eventually gave up on the job and enlisted the professional services of an MB guru here on the board.

I enjoy working on my cars, and I'm proud of what I've been able to do, but I have no regrets at all about handing that particular repair off to someone who has done "probably hundreds" of them. Every time I turn the temp knob and flick the fan switch to warm the cabin, (it's a euro model) when it's sub-freezing temps outside, I am grateful because it works beautifully, doesn't leak, clears the windshield and makes my current 2 hour commute less awful.

Seriously, I think on the w201, a replaced heater core should add $1000 to the resale value...