Given what I have paid for and gotten for my money over the years, you did OK on this one. You should read some of the other stories. It also sounds like they turned the job around quickly, so you got you car back promptly.

Remember, shops charge by the labor hour, which is different from the time spent. It takes into account the skills and equipment needed. So I doubt if they spent two hours on your car, but they did a two-hour job, if that makes any sense.

And welcome to the world of Mercedes. It's not like a Ford or Toyota where lots of places work on them and there is real competition. You are also perceived as able to pay, since you can afford to drive one.

So get used to this. As your 124 ages, you are probably going to encounter a variety of problems, especially with the climate control and injection and suspension. If I were you I would budget a couple of hundred bucks a month for maintenance and repair.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe