How do I know when enough is enough? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TheDon · #31 03-06-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardLSU

I'll try to cover as much as I can. I have a binder 1" thick full of receipts from the past year. I bought it on Sept. 17th, 2007. Its an 85' SD

1"..thats it... Hattie put like 3"+ of receipts into the SDL I bought off of him...

I'm adding to it

everything works in my SDL and now I just have to keep up with maintenance and I'm good to go.

DslBnz · #32 03-06-2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeride

Why 2000+? The best Mercedes was being made until 1995 (124)
Where everything works depends more on the driver than the age of the car.
There are 25 yo cars where everything works and 2000 cars where everything is frustrating (even more in a brand new car because the car is new)

1998 + E320's are awesome buys. The V6 is Mercedes most trouble free engine, IMHO, to date. There do not seem to be any mechanical weaknesses, other than the harmonic balancer, and the goo building up under the oil cap because of the PCV design. Just KEEP YOUR OIL CLEAN, and they will never stop going. My dad has over 170K on his E320 4-matic. These cars are just SO underrated...You'd swear, with their track record, they were built in Japan.

Skid Row Joe · #33 03-06-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardLSU

My car is fantastic. Its taken me thousands of miles without a hiccup. Never left me stranded and with regular maintenance it has proven to be the most reliable car I've ever had. However, lately, it has started to nickle and dime me more than I'd like to admit. In this case, as many of you may know, its not really nickles and dimes.

It runs great, mechanically it is pretty much perfect. It could use new injectors since at 160k its still using its originals, and its about due for an oil change. Its electronics and convenience features are where I'm beginning to have problems. I have about 5000 dollars into it within the last year alone, making it mechanically sound and aesthetically pleasing. But I don't want another year of 5000 dollar maintenance. I'm beginning to think its time for a new car.

The way I see it, with a substantial down payment, which I could make, and a reasonable car payment it could be cheaper than what I'm putting into my current 24 year old vehicle.

Do I keep putting money into this car, only to have to turn around and do the same thing months later? Or do I say enough is enough and cut my losses? I love the car and wouldn't trade it in. I wouldn't get out of it what I think I deserve. For a 23 year old car with full documented maintenance and original window sticker I feel I really have something special.

What do you all think?

A 24 year old car is going to have accellerating issues if being driven daily, even if it's a Mercedes-Benz diesel. If money becomes an issue for you, liquidate your multiple rides. I wouldn't rely on a MB as my only daily driver much over 15 years of age. Some things are going to give because of age on your car, regardless of miles.

TheDon · #34 03-07-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

A 24 year old car is going to have accellerating issues if being driven daily, even if it's a Mercedes-Benz diesel. If money becomes an issue for you, liquidate your multiple rides. I wouldn't rely on a MB as my only daily driver much over 15 years of age. Some things are going to give because of age on your car, regardless of miles.

I beg to differ. As long as the car has been taken care of and is taken care of it will do just fine for daily driver duty. I have a friend that drives a 56 bel air as his daily driver and a few friends in the vw crowd driving air cooleds every day. Then most of the guys in diesel discussion are driving their w123, w126's every day and any day of the week.

My 300D never left me stranded and the SDL wont either.

Skid Row Joe · #35 03-07-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I beg to differ. As long as the car has been taken care of and is taken care of it will do just fine for daily driver duty. I have a friend that drives a 56 bel air as his daily driver and a few friends in the vw crowd driving air cooleds every day. Then most of the guys in diesel discussion are driving their w123, w126's every day and any day of the week.

My 300D never left me stranded and the SDL wont either.

Thanks for jogging my memory of the rust inherent to the northern cars. I knew I forgot something. The brutally harsh winter temps and conditions does a number on these cars.

freeride · #36 03-07-2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

Thanks for jogging my memory of the rust inherent to the northern cars. I knew I forgot something. The brutally harsh winter temps and conditions does a number on these cars.

Rust don't make them pretty but it won't stop them from going, and going...

WDBCB20 · #37 03-07-2009, 12:28 PM

Especially if cosmetics, everything working, no DIY and not having to pull junkyard parts is important to you, the old saw which holds that it's always better to pay a premium up front for a pristine ( garaged) , low mileage, maintenance and repair fully documented specimen, still holds.

On the other hand if you get one cheap with a beat interior and non working gadgets but well maintained powertrain, say at 250K miles, you can still be good for at least another 100k miles until timing chain stretch and compression loss catches up to it. How many other cars can that be said of?

cmbdiesel · #38 03-07-2009, 03:27 PM

Last thing I would want as a student would be a car payment.
In fact, last thing I would ever want is a car payment.
Looking at your list, seems like you are kinda hung up on the cosmetic features of the car. That being said, it would probably be cheaper to find a nice Honda or Toyota that is real pretty then it would to fix up your old Benz.
I would limit what I looked at in a post 2000 car to Japanese. Nissan, Toyota or Honda. Definitely not American or European, they take nickel and dime to a whole new level. (sorry Mercedes, but you too)
If you are going to buy used, look for the top of the line models. The more expensive the car was when new, the better chance you have of finding one that has been properly maintained. One of the reasons why there are so many of these old Benz's running around.

Bio300TDTdriver · #39 03-07-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardLSU

Im a busy student and I don't really have the time to keep wrenching on the car, nor do I want have to take out a student loan just to keep up with the costs! I have more thanks to worry about. I had to take a cut in hours at work because I'm taking more at school. Its not bad if its just a hobby, but when it becomes a necessity its not as fun. I need all the free time to study and work, not for working on my car. It would be worth (and probably cheaper) to buy a newer car than maintain this old one.

All I want is a car that works. And I probably wouldn't sell my current Mercedes. I'm not sure it would be taken care of properly. I would like to finish it but I just can't right now.

It sounds like you already answered your own question. It also sounds like you have your priorities in the right place. This is not the time in your life for that car as your daily driver.

If it were me I would pick up the April issue of Consumer Reports and look for the most reliable cars that I could afford. Most of them are going to be Japanese. I would look for one of those with service records.

Will it be as fun to drive as the MB, no. It will be a utilitarian car to get you from point A to point B. Will you be wrenching on it all the time, no.

Good luck with your search.

husk · #40 03-07-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DslBnz

1998 + E320's are awesome buys. The V6 is Mercedes most trouble free engine, IMHO, to date. There do not seem to be any mechanical weaknesses, other than the harmonic balancer, and the goo building up under the oil cap because of the PCV design. Just KEEP YOUR OIL CLEAN, and they will never stop going. My dad has over 170K on his E320 4-matic. These cars are just SO underrated...You'd swear, with their track record, they were built in Japan.

Plenty of problems with the W210 chassis:

Window Regulators
Fuel level sending unit
Cracked Dash Boards
Melted Plastic Bulb Holders
EIS Problems
A/C Evap Temperature malfunction
Transmission Rebuild/Limp Home Mode
Seats Rock back and forth
Rust
Windshield Washer heater coil malfunction (mixes coolant with windshield washer fluid)
Crank Pullies

Some other stuff as well, these cars require expensive maintenance and SDS....I don't think any Mercedes is "cheap" to own...You are better off getting a Honda/Toyota/Nissan. You can get maintenance done for cheap, and they are reliable.

greasybenz · #41 03-07-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I'm going to let you dwell on your thought then look at the wonderful depreciation of a new car, the maintenance of a new car, and insurance of a new car..

Depreciation I agree, maintenance? Psh alot less then what youd have to do to your W123 or W126. Most new cars just need oil and air filter changes, you wont need to do a tune-up til you hit 100K. Insurance thats negligible, full coverage on a old car will be around the same as a new car. New car's have more saftey features that give you a break on insurance costs, old cars (lets say for example a W123) doesnt have air bags, ABS, EBD, traction control, etc so full coverage is going to be more money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by charmalu

For a while. then it won`t be nickle and dimes. the newer ones will have to be taken in to be plugged in the diagnostic computers for big bucks.

The newer they are, the more complicated. there goes your DIY.

There will be less of a need to do DIY work on a new/newer car. As i said most new cars dont need full tune-up until 100K. And what diagnostic computer work costs big bucks? An OBDII scanner is around $50?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I came to the same conclusion when I just got tired of spending money on my old car, and working on it, mostly working on it. Now Joe gets to pick up $$$ where I left off.

That new car or in my case truck scent is sure nice...no oil leaks...no wrenching...no repairs...4 year 50k mile warranty so if it breaks its the dealers problem...

Sure it costs a bit, but its not to bad if you keep it for 100k miles... some of us can write a lot of it off.

Plus insted of spending my weekends under a greasy old car or fixing window regulators...I think I'll go sailing and maybe take up golf again. My free time has been liberated!

I agree completely

Why waste a nice sunny weekend under a old car when i could be carving corners on my sport bike

DslBnz · #42 03-07-2009, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by husk

Plenty of problems with the W210 chassis:

Window Regulators
Fuel level sending unit
Cracked Dash Boards
Melted Plastic Bulb Holders
EIS Problems
A/C Evap Temperature malfunction
Transmission Rebuild/Limp Home Mode
Seats Rock back and forth
Rust
Windshield Washer heater coil malfunction (mixes coolant with windshield washer fluid)
Crank Pullies...

...Can be associated with the W124 as well. It suffers from the same maladies (some with greater frequency), but the I6, while a solid motor, is not without it's fair share of troubles.

The rust issue that you mention is one of the things that really turned me off. The later W210's appear to be better in this respect (2000 +).

Hatterasguy · #43 03-08-2009, 12:01 AM

I have been told by several people that a 2000-02 E320 is the most reliable fairly modern Mercedes you can get. I know a used car dealer who push's a lot of Mercedes and he swears by that one.

husk · #44 03-08-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DslBnz

...Can be associated with the W124 as well. It suffers from the same maladies (some with greater frequency), but the I6, while a solid motor, is not without it's fair share of troubles.

The rust issue that you mention is one of the things that really turned me off. The later W210's appear to be better in this respect (2000 +).

You don't need a SDS to diagnose most problems with the w124, with a w210 you need SDS....I own both and the w210 costs a great deal more to maintain because of all the non-conventional equipment necessary to troubleshoot problems.

The W210's can fall under the disposable Mercedes category. Everything is replaced rather than repaired. CAN is in full effect, which makes troubleshooting problems difficult.

00+ still had rust issues, they had a recall for all w210's in 2005 for rust protection under the door seals. Don't get me wrong the w210 is a great line, its a more nimble chassis than the w124, but if something goes wrong, it can be a major PITA to figure out what exactly is going on.

The W124 has a LOT less to go wrong, if you want something economical to maintain you probably shouldn't purchase ANY Mercedes or for that matter any German car.

greasybenz · #45 03-08-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I know a used car dealer who push's a lot of Mercedes and he swears by that one.

You cant judge reliability by the amount a lemon lot sells.