Well, after years and years of coming home to boxes from Fastlane, Ebay, AutoParts.com, Foreign parts.com, and whatever, on the front porch, I finally seem to be overcoming my compulsion to repair every used car in our 4 car fleet to "mint condition".
Even now its hard to fight it. To me my 85 300D has to look and run perfect and had to be better than a new car. But you can spend a fortune making these cars totally mint!
What's worse, I would order one gasket and a filter and it would show up in a box the size of a TV set and it was hard to cocnvince my better half that i was just spending 15 or 20 bucks,
It really got bad when I had my 87 300D, where the parts were running $100 a throw. That was one expensive car to own, and on top of it the Head scared the h*** out of me and I kept my 85 vice 87 300D.
After that, I decide to down size my used car fleet and to just concentrate all our driving on two cars with the other two in reserve and never driven except in emergencies.
Finally I made up my mind to just make them run and be safe. Basic maintenance, Brakes, engine and transmission and suspension, but thats it. No more Interior parts or special struts and shocks or trim or Central locking gizmos or nice to have features. No more seats or mirror switches. No more owning a used car museum of unique fun to have cars.

I guess it's just a matter of what you want. Personally, I don't see the point of owning these older cars if I'm not going to attempt to keep them as correct as possible. If I didn't want to deal with it, I'd just buy a new car. If I just wanted cheap basic transportation, I'd buy a Honda or something. I have no interest in running these cars into the ground. IMHO, if I don't keep up with all the little "nice to have features," I'm going down that path. If I ever lose interest to the point where I'm willing to start letting my cars fall apart, I'll just sell them and find a new hobby.

I bought that 300DT on ebay for $1950 last month. POS, though but I couldn't stop myself and started to fix it up. So far I put in a new exhaust front to rear, rebuilt brake calipers all four wheels, new glow plugs, I spent days to fix that electrical system, I just picked it up at the bodyshop ($1500) and dropped it of at the mechanic for repairs/maintenance. After checking the car thoroughly the estimate is at $2300 to fix/service it all. In detail: allmost all moving parts of front suspension have to be replaced, rear stabilizer bar missing (Why would anybody remove it ) Tranny and engine are in pretty good shape for 260000 miles, very little blow by, one major oil leak at the oil filter housing and the second connector IP to fuelline is leaking. Engine mounts and shocks have to be replaced, no problems at all with tranny. By the end of next week I will have paid close to $6500 for a 21 years old car. I sure hope it was worth it...

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'99 S420, 155k
'91 VW Vanagon GL, 150k
'85 VW Vanagon GL, 120k
'82 VW Westy, aircooled, 165k

Quit reading my mind! I suppose it is a road that many of us have followed.

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http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...aman/Fleet.jpg

Peach Parts W124.128 User Group.

80 280SL
85 300SD
87 300TD
92 300D 2.5 Turbo
92 300TE 4Matic

If it's worth it to you, it's worth it.

You don't want to know how many $$$ I'm into my 300D, but that's what I want to drive, so It's worth it. I could never get half my money back, but it's not for sale anyway. Is a new E-series worth $50K? Is a generic Japanese/American/Korean sedan worth $25K? Is a hybrid worth $30K? What are they going to be worth in the year 2030?

I understand it.....I had that comulsion the first year....when I saw a $1,000 credit card bill one month reality struck me and I reassesed what needed done vs what I wanted done....

I've been on the wagon since.....

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

There is a balance..

I understand the desire to keep these cars correct, but that can be balanced with just keeping them going.

Here is an example... My silver paint is shot. The clearcoat is peeling off, its got chips all over, etc. The correct thing to do would be to get it repainted in the original color. I may do that someday, but I can't afford it now, and I don't have a safe place to store the car while the paint cures. So I just touch up the chips to keep them from rusting, and live with it. I'm not making the car 'correct', but I'm also doing what I can to keep 'correctness' and option for the future, for myself, or another owner.

Right now my problem is that every time I do some serious work on the car, I notice a few other things that need to be taken care of. Now, most are totally legit, like brake parts that need rebuilding, and none have been terribly expensive so far, but I'm a little afraid to open the hood these days, because I'm afraid I'll find something new to buy. I'm afraid that my tendency to repair every little thing will magnify and move from calipers and master cylinders to body clips and trim, down to random pieces of carpet and headliner, to gauge needles and whatnot.

When do you stop? For me, its when the car is safe, effective, and not in danger of further damaging itself. Someday, when I have more space to work and more resources, I might allow myself more freedom in that sense.

peace,
sam

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"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

OMG the words "used car museum" that the second time in a week that has been said. When my son and I unveiled the 92 Bimmer Swimmer (Katrina Car) on Saturday the other half mentioned those exact three words.
Incredible - now I have Dr. Pepper all over my keyboard from when I read Carrameow's post

I am guilty of everything that has been written in the above threads - but I love it! Anyone ever get a dash cap from coverlay? The box looks like it could contain a S class body.

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

I think it's all very much a part of the deal. The way I look at it, you'd have no business owning a car as old as these (approximately 20 years or more)if you didn't at least like to tinker a bit. I would say that describes me pretty well, and the car fits me perfectly. I've found a balance by just taking my time with projects. I'm not in any hurry after all and doing it this way helps keep the $$ burn rate in check. It can be tough on the marital harmony though sometimes. Take last night for example: I was looking at how to plumb for my EGT, just taking my time considering different options, then I pulled the bolt that's apparently there for this purpose only to find that the hole is nowhere near the size I need for my VDO EGT. Then of course, the threads on a 20 year old exhaust manifold need to be cleaned up a bit before reinstalling the bolt and so I'm running the tap through there, hands now as black as coal... and out comes the wife: "what's wrong with your car NOW??" me: "wrong?? nothing at all..I'm just kinda playing out here." Then there was a bunch of stuff about the baby and how she wished she had time to "play",etc... all part of the fun really. I think I found where I'll mount that EGT sensor... NOT in that predrilled hole though.

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1987 300 SDL (200k)

I think 20 and 30 year old Benzes are more attractive than more recent models,
so even after I end up having to throw some big bucks into it,
I hope I will still think that these older cars are a better deal than a new Benz
and far superior to 'lesser' makes.

I don't think I'd enjoy a new Honda this much,
despite my high regard for their reliability.

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'87 300SDL

dieselbenz

I have an '85 with 292K on it, I've had it only since January, but LOVE driving it....I have learned to fix what's necessary, with the help of the forum here; It still needs plenty of work to get it "perfect", but when the time and $$$ are available ;Why not???
I don't think I'll ever fix everything ; but it burns NO oil (except what's in the fuel tank.) & will always be the coolest car on the road...Gotta love that oversized steering wheel, and the way it aeroglides at 80 on the highway !!!!!!!!

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'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

It all depends on what you want. For me the SDL is a hobby, I want it perfect I don't mind paying for that. If I wanted a cheap but presentable car $5k will get me a nice Toyota.

Having said that it is nice to take a break once in awhile. I havn't washed the 300SD or worked on it in weeks and am loving it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

This made me laugh!. I have 5 cars now (down from 7). Two need to be garaged, a 58 MB and a 76 Jag. The cars we use sit in the driveway (including my 300D). After I first bought the 300D I must've bought damn near enough to rebuild the thing to new. I am actually building another garage just to store the parts for all the cars (and maybe another toy). Cellar's already full. Lately I've had my parts shipped to me at work so as to not have to explain why I need more parts. Think I got a shopping disorder :-)

Uh, say honey, got a second?.
..I just wanted to say "I Love You!" and that your diet really looks like its paying off, and you were right about sending our Dog to those Petco classes, I think in another year he'll be able to read and I dont mind if he poops in our bed in the middle of the night..
Uhhh... I just need this uhh.....one favor...
Remember how I said I never will waste money on cars again?
I saw a beautiful 85 300D at lunchtime at the Mall. I just need a Paint Job, and i'll put it on the Credit Card we use for home repairs and vacations, could you gimme it for a few days?
I'll never buy anything again Honey, I swear!!!
The paintjob? Oh it will cost maybe 600 or give and take a few..uhhhnm hundred... bucks, honey.
But remember I fixed the 2 lawnmowers this summer and saved us $600 and I painted the house in 100 heat and saved us another $1000.... I swear honey, this is the LAST THING I will ever do to my car...I mean we can always postpone that vacation we've been dying to take for another year--uhhh --I mean, we've already waited like 8 years, whats another year?
Oh yeah , and I will take the dog out for a walk right now like I PROMISE to do every night in the winter...Could you think it over honey?
Oh yeah,also while I have the Credit Card, I will need some 400 grit sandpaper at Sears, and while I'm there can I pick up another Platinum Series Torque Wrench and I gotta hope on line so I can get that super 2% discount on those Floormats for my Mercedes and a new Stereo--just some, like, essential stuff, you know I promise I wont waste any money---

Come on Fido, daddy loves you....

lmao

i just want my car to look nice and run strong.. all i need is a paint job and new headlight cover things.. not the housings but the 90$ part and maybe some new foglights.. and a new hood relase latch. and a new power antenna and a new cd player for ipod intgration and some new speakers and some grease for the sunroof and fix the door locks so i can lock my toy..