That should be in there. Check with Fast Lane in the Buy Parts section at the top of this page, You should be able to get a good price on anything you need.

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1983 300SD
200000miles

There's another issue you need to think about in my opinion. A $900 MB can turn into a very expensive car in short order if you don't do your own work.(as you're learning) I see only two choices: Fork out the money to a mechanic or learn to do a lot of maintenance work yourself. Now is the time to make the decision before you start putting money into it. Is the car worth the $$ or the learning effort you will need to expend.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Could you quote the FSM verbatim?

My rotors have been resurfaced twice and they are still well above minimum thickness. And they are original with 149k miles.

As already stated if the brake fluid has not been changed then the calipers may need replacing. Calipers are the most expensive part of the brake system. He won't know how many need replacing till he starts the job (in my opinion).

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Jim

You don't have to take it to an MB specialist. A Goodyear or other place can do just as well.

Also, troll the less upscale areas, I'm talking places where American citizens who have lived here their whole lives, still do not yet speak proper English. Their MB specialists could probably do ok on a simple job.

You never need just one. So the correct answer will be 0, 2 or 4. And from the sound of things, we can probably eliminate zero.

In my opinion, a chain tire store is that last place you want to go for anything.

Yup, I would go to the goodyear place to buy goodyear tires, but that's about it.

Yes, chapter 9.

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83 SD

84 CD

What about Midas??

you know, trust the midas touch?

In response to your initial post the price can be either a bargain or a rip-off but without knowing exactly what they are proposing to do it is impossible to say which. Dealers are known to charge well in excess of $1000 just for pads and rotors on 4 wheels, so assuming that's all he is quoting for it is a rip-off. As others have said, the parts are cheap (relatively) and if all you need is pads and rotors the whole job can be done for $200 or so in parts plus your time. The tech doesn't know what needs to be done until he starts doing it so your $1000 quote could easily be $2000 or even more once he determines you need 4 rotors and brake hoses or hard lines replaced as well.

Yes, there is nothing more costly than a cheap Mercedes...hear these words. If you can't or don't want to work on the car yourself, then either be prepared to have it cost you more than driving a new car or sell it and buy a Toyota.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

first, do you have decent tools?
this is fixable yourself fairly simply, but you need floor jack, jack stands, impact wrench, impact sockets, and impact allen sockets.
parts are a small part of the equation, as are diagnostic skills to know what NEEDS to be replaced, and what you can get by with.
brake shoes are a given, you may need calipers, master cylinder, rotor, bearings, flexible and hard brake lines, etc. unless you live near mountains, you can probably get by with just new pads, and fresh fluid.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

If you have worked on cars before, then there is nothing particularly special about the MB that we can't talk you through doing yourself.

However, if you really need someone to do this work for you, then you need to talk to more places and get another quote for the work. $1000 is too high. Even when you consider that $1000 today is worth about what $500 was five years ago (in terms of importing Euro parts).

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

For what its worth...
I recently approached $700 for brakes on my 82. Now, I too had no real experience with brakes on these cars. However, I had the old family mechanic who does know what he's doing perform the job with me at his side, sort of teaching me as he went along. No chain car care center or otherwise will let you in the shop, let alone, teach you as they go. A manual is no match for a human imparting experience. Now I know what to do and will save $$$ next time. Oh, btw, I replaced the pads, rotors, calipers, and hoses in the rear. Fronts were good for now. I think $1K for pads, rotors, and calipers all around with labor is in the ball park. All the parts for my rear job approached $500 (all OEM name brand stuff- don't skimp on brake parts!)

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1969 220D "Berta" RIP
1982 300D turbo 250K

Its an old car, you shouldn't buy these cars if you cannot do the work yourself. Especialy this kind of work, brakes are cake.


It probably needs, new rotors and pads all around. Maybe new front or rear calipers, if not both. If your doing calipers you change the hoses on a car that old. Since the car is so old you don't just remove parts, everything is a battle. The E brake is probably a mess, I'm sure the shoes are shot. The bearings need to be repacked etc.

Depending on what he is planning on doing $1k could be right.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200