"It's almost as though our cars were an experiment that MB found didn't work very well"

Yea, after all its only 32 years old. Look how long the pyramids lasted.

If they had used motors like most other manufacturers, they would have been a lot more money and they would have been lucky to last a decade.

The vacuum elements aren't going to work with a single line type system and will have to be replaced anyway as they are whats leaking. Do you think that 126 pump has more life than your engine (your vacuum source).

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician