W123 300TD Do I let her go? I'm TORN! :(

[Peyton300TD]

I'm torn within trying to decide whether or not I can let my beloved wagon go. I grew up in her as a little boy. She was my first car. I've pampered her, babied her, coddled her. I've given her upgrades and polished her day in and day out. She's my baby.

As many of you already know she was crunched in a hit and run here in Santa Monica. Insurance paid out $7,400 for her and offered to sell her back for $1,100. Repairs are estimated between $6,000 and $9,000. There is minimal to no frame damage. I bought a 1993 300E 3.2 for $5,000 because i needed transportation.

Intially I didn't think it would by wise to fix her. It's NOT economical. But my heart is so attached to her at the same time. The bottom line though is that I can't afford to get her fixed. I'm at the junior level in my job, living in an expensive city, barely getting by as it is.

Please help me decide - fix her? or send her on her way?

[Peyton300TD]

1993 300E 3.2
grandma driven, very nice.
i bought it for $5,000

[engatwork]

Anyway you could keep it in storage until you are more finacially able to repair it? I would try my best to keep it if at all possible. If not try to buy it back and sell it to someone that can repair it to it's former condition.

[BrierS]

Though I have been a forum member and proud MB owner for a relatively short time, seeing your car and reading your posts have been an inspiration. It has always been easy to see the pride you take in your friend. I would hate to see you give up on her. If at all possible moth ball for another time. Other than the monetary investment you clearly have much more in sweat and love for her. I hope you figure out a way NOT to send her on her way.

[whunter]

All damage looks superficial, fenders, lights and hood.
You could get those parts from a member’s parts car or local salvage yard, have them painted off the car, and install them yourself.
Is there damage to the radiator or condenser?
Could we get a picture under the hood? LEASE:
Have a great day.

[The Warden]

FWIW, selling her would be the smart thing to do, financially.

That said, given what the car means to you and what you've put into her, I think that you will wind up regretting selling her, probably for the rest of your life.

If you can find a place to store her until you're in better shape financially, I would highly recommend going that route.

I understand the position you're in. I've had nightmares about going through something similar to what you experienced, with my truck. Sometimes there are simply things more important than $$...

Just my $.02...

[MTUpower]

I passed on a '85 TD that had a new OEM engine with 48K and 138K on the body. Had damage very much like yours and the price ended up to be $1400. I bid $900. Looked like loads of frame stretching and lots of unseen damage could have made me upside down in $$$ terms quick. Don't know if that was the case however because I don't know who bought it and could not follow the repairs. I think you'd be better off (in $$ terms) buying 1/2 decent wagon and moving your nice parts over- you CAN transplant the soul.

[84300DT]

sounds like the insurance payout was good. you were able to get a pretty nice looking ride for $5k.
the buyback price is a little steep i think.
the ins. co. will never get near that in a zillion years. i would try to talk them way down on the buyback price in the first instance .. ya never know. that may sway your decision if you are successful.
it's tough saying goodbye to an old friend i know...

[diesel don]

I think the difficulty here is the LEVEL to which you'd be tempted to restore the car to. You do things well and that is going to cost you more in the end than meets the eye. If you were able to live with some compromise in her 'intermediate' condition, you'd get two cars for one and be ahead. However, if she is going to shine like she has in the past...... $$

I've had one rear end collision and one deer accident and am learning to keep the cars in good shape mechanically but to compromise on the body. Otherwise you go crazy cuz the driving resembles a demolition derby at times.

Don

[Brian Carlton]

I agree with both Jim and Roy.

You have a lot of heart and soul in that vehicle and I believe that you will regret letting it go. If you can hold onto it for awhile, and obtain the parts to fix it yourself, I think you will be a happier man in the end. As Roy mentioned above, the damage appears to be superficial and certainly does not look like anywhere near $7,000 in parts.

[Hatterasguy]

Peyton300TD if I were in your situation I would do this: Buy your car back and store it until you can fix it. You probably could stick in it a warehouse somewhere pretty cheap and forget about her for a few years. Then when you have time and money bring her back to life. Your car is really nice, way to nice to be parted out.

[engatwork]

We just rebuilt this one:

'83 300SD body/frame question

I did the engine work and another fella did the body work.

Took us about 6 months and the owner spent probably around $6k including a complete engine rebuild. I did the parallel flow condenser conversion this week and converted to r134. Car runs/drives and looks real good now.

Buy her back for $1100, then at least you have the car back in your possesion, and that way you can try and attempt to put it back together. If things don't work out right for you, you can still probally part the car out, and make more than the $1100 you would purchase it back for...

[whunter]

Get your ducks in a row.
First find a front clip, get a price.
Add buy back cost.
Ask around at body shops, price is lower for panels painted off the car.
Add all the cost and make the final decision.
Don't agonize over it, be decisive, it hurts, but indecision is a waste once you have all the data.

As said by many before me, if you have the means
to buy your baby back and store it for some time until
you are a little more stable.

As some extra money becomes available you can start
buying the parts, one part at a time.

This place here is not that far from you and sells used parts
and if not mistaken their prices are fair.

http://www.mercedesdismantlers.com/

And if you are willing to learn some metal working skills
and buy some special tools, you can straiten out the fender
and hood yourself.
Just read the whole website here, including the articles about
his other projects.
You'll see that it is possible, just a lot of work.

http://www.msdra.com/benzwagon.htm

Louis.