News from Mechanic: 190D transmission totally shot - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

lorainfurniture · #31 01-11-2013, 11:52 AM

To the op: Nobody is your friend when there is money involved. Your mechanic should have told you to get rid of that $2k car instead of trying to sell you on a $4.5k trans job.

A 25 year old trans can be bought for around $250 at a junkyard. Any mechanic that is not a crook should charge no more than 650 to swap it out.

Put it in perspective, you can buy a reliable car for 5k, and drive it basically maintenance free for 100k. That 190 with 300k will never do that for you.

JamesDean · #32 01-11-2013, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorainfurniture

To the op: Nobody is your friend when there is money involved. Your mechanic should have told you to get rid of that $2k car instead of trying to sell you on a $4.5k trans job.

A 25 year old trans can be bought for around $250 at a junkyard. Any mechanic that is not a crook should charge no more than 650 to swap it out.

Put it in perspective, you can buy a reliable car for 5k, and drive it basically maintenance free for 100k. That 190 with 300k will never do that for you.

This is very true. However your decision should not be based solely on numbers. If you like the car and want to continue to drive it, and are OK with sending that kind of money then go ahead and do it.

I think a lot of people on here, if we stuck to a strict rule of spending less than car's value on repairing the car..there probably wouldnt be many of these cars around. I easily have more than my 190E is worth invested in it in repairs and upgrades. But I like the car and am OK with that.

What pisses me off is when shops (like the transmission place I mentioned earlier) flat out asks, right off the bat, what I paid for the car. Not even a question about my problem or related.

lorainfurniture · #33 01-11-2013, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

This is very true. However your decision should not be based solely on numbers. If you like the car and want to continue to drive it, and are OK with sending that kind of money then go ahead and do it.

I think a lot of people on here, if we stuck to a strict rule of spending less than car's value on repairing the car..there probably wouldnt be many of these cars around. I easily have more than my 190E is worth invested in it in repairs and upgrades. But I like the car and am OK with that.

What pisses me off is when shops (like the transmission place I mentioned earlier) flat out asks, right off the bat, what I paid for the car. Not even a question about my problem or related.

I agree, I quit counting after I surpassed the $10k mark on my 300e. The thing is, I replaced a lot of parts for that money.

Spending 4k on a tranny is just not smart. For $1500,+labor, he can swap in a 5 speed. For less than a grand, he can swap in a good used tranny that will give him 100k+ of service.

For the cost of labor involved with the swap, the op can buy a hoist, a tool set, and the rest of the misc stuff and diy it.

I dont know how people can drive old cars like these and still get them fixed by a mechanic without pulling a second mortgage on the house.

JamesDean · #34 01-11-2013, 12:35 PM

$4k is absurdly high. You can get a rebuilt from a reputable shop (I think Silver Star Mercedes in Cali?) for $1500.

My shop pulled my motor and transmission for about $700 when I had a motor swap and trans re-seal done.

I think I've got 8-9k in on the 190E. But the suspension is all new now...

kerry · #35 01-11-2013, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselGuy53

"Transmission. He said he could only get it into reverse, and couldn't shift it forward. The torque converter was brand new so it will be salvaged."

Isn't this a symptom for a B2 piston? This is what happened to my transmission until I replaced the B2.

X5. Anyone who didn't investigate a B2 piston problem prior to condemning the transmission probably shouldn't be working on it.

uberwasser · #36 01-11-2013, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

This is very true. However your decision should not be based solely on numbers. If you like the car and want to continue to drive it, and are OK with sending that kind of money then go ahead and do it.

I think a lot of people on here, if we stuck to a strict rule of spending less than car's value on repairing the car..there probably wouldnt be many of these cars around. I easily have more than my 190E is worth invested in it in repairs and upgrades. But I like the car and am OK with that.

What pisses me off is when shops (like the transmission place I mentioned earlier) flat out asks, right off the bat, what I paid for the car. Not even a question about my problem or related.

And the same people that tell you that are often happily paying thousands of dollars in interest on a new car with a loan. Those many thousands of dollars are much more of a waste than the money spent on repairs over and above the value of a used car. At least the money spent on repairs is going to something tangible. And they'll do it all over again in 7 years when their newish car starts to need repairs. You'll probably still be driving yours and everything will have been fixed by then!

ah-kay · #37 01-11-2013, 12:46 PM

It is so true that there is no cheap MBZ.

This is what I would have done if I can wrench a bit.

1) Would not have bought the car.
2) Now it was bought then I will change the tranny filter, fluid and check out B2 piston. Do something simple with the tranny in place.
3) If it does not fix it then swap out an used tranny for under < $500
4) If there IS already a manual tranny car side by side then consider swapping it to manual tranny.
5) Dump the car and admitted a mistake had been made.

Never fall in love with a car and sink money in there. It is a bottomless pit. Good luck

lorainfurniture · #38 01-11-2013, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

$4k is absurdly high. You can get a rebuilt from a reputable shop (I think Silver Star Mercedes in Cali?) for $1500.

My shop pulled my motor and transmission for about $700 when I had a motor swap and trans re-seal done.

I think I've got 8-9k in on the 190E. But the suspension is all new now...

Once Put those control arms that are sitting in my basement in, I will be 100% fresh.

At 208k, Im still on the original trans. I have a 5 speed to throw in in the spring.

Again, I would be looking for a cheaper alternative.

ah-kay · #39 01-11-2013, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberwasser

At least the money spent on repairs is going to something tangible. And they'll do it all over again in 7 years when their newish car starts to need repairs. You'll probably still be driving yours and everything will have been fixed by then!

Wishful thinking.

I am not saying that an old cannot be made into a reliable daily driver. What I am saying is that you just do not know when the next shoe is going to drop with an old car. An old car should be treated as a disposable car. Fix and drive, no more and no less. When the repair costs is more than the worth of the car then it is time to consider dumping it. I use generic ( aka cheap ) parts to fix my car as I know the part probably will out last the car. So why spend money on gold plated parts when the rest is falling apart. There is NO residual value for the gold plated part when it comes time to junk it.

Walkenvol · #40 01-11-2013, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

Although I am not sure how serviceable the transmission is while inside the car, especially on a 201 chassis.

Here's a photo of a w201 auto with the pan removed from a thread on swapping out the K1 spring (circled in red). Is the B2 behind one of the 3 other plates? Is so, it appears one would only have to drop the pan to service it.

To me, I wouldn't talley everything I've invested in a car in the past to determine if a needed repair puts the total of all repairs over the resell value of the car - only if the repair cost at hand is more than I can purchase a comparable replacement car (minus the salvage value of the current broken car). For me, every good value I've found in used cars was something I stumbled across when I wasn't really in need of a car. If I was broke down and needing one I'm sure I'd have to look a long time for a good value.

As for cutting your loss, used parts from an '87 190 have little value and a 300K diesel 2.5 n/a won't have much more. I'd say $275 at the crusher plus maybe $100 if you want to strip and ship little things.

Edward is a young fellow and tools are cheap at HF. Don't spend your money on a mechanic, invest it in yourself. Buy a floor jack, jack stands, sockets and wrenches if you don't already have them, and a bunch of long extensions, wobble joints, safety glasses, and mechanics gloves. Enlist some help from a dad, uncle, or big brother (to help and to make sure you don't do something dangerous). 2 guys can easily swap a tranny on the garage floor, its not that heavy. There are lots of threads showing you how on this forum and a couple others. Lot's of great folks here who are happy to offer advise if you get stalled. Get a used tranny or a manual setup and go for it! That's how most of us learned.

JamesDean · #41 01-11-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorainfurniture

Once Put those control arms that are sitting in my basement in, I will be 100% fresh.

At 208k, Im still on the original trans. I have a 5 speed to throw in in the spring.

Again, I would be looking for a cheaper alternative.

New arms on the 190E made a heck of a difference. My bushings were LONG since dead.

Actually the most worthwhile repair was having the steering gear box replaced. A world of difference!

I've got 225k on the clock...a 60k miles trans was put in around 130k on the odo..soo 155? Its been fully re-sealed too. The 300D has 245k on the original trans.

See here is how I figure my repair investment is worthwhile... I've got a really well built and engineered car for only 15% of its original price..Thats a pretty good deal...and if i have to spend a few more % to get it back to acceptable spec? I still saved a ton! Sure I could go out and buy a $2-3k car, use it for a few years..toss it...repeat..

JamesDean · #42 01-11-2013, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walkenvol

Here's a photo of a w201 auto with the pan removed from a thread on swapping out the K1 spring (circled in red). Is the B2 behind one of the 3 other plates? Is so, it appears one would only have to drop the pan to service it.

To me, I wouldn't talley everything I've invested in a car in the past to determine if a needed repair puts the total of all repairs over the resell value of the car - only if the repair cost at hand is more than I can purchase a comparable replacement car (minus the salvage value of the current broken car). For me, every good value I've found in used cars was something I stumbled across when I wasn't really in need of a car. If I was broke down and needing one I'm sure I'd have to look a long time for a good value.

The B2 is not accessible from that vantage point. The B2 is accessible without dropping the pan.

Take a look at this picture:

The B2 is behind the rear most bore cover on the passenger side of the transmission (the one the dipstick tube is touching).... I believe its the rear most..

Walkenvol · #43 01-11-2013, 01:35 PM

Having recently done a 190 auto to manual swap, I'd would be surprised if that area is not accessable by disconnecting the tranny from the flex plate, drop the tranny mount and lower it down. You may have to losen the motor mounts.

I've got 175K on an '85 190D. It needs the K1 spring replaced or it will flare between 2nd and 3rd when driving it really hard. If you take it easy it shifts fine.

Orv · #44 01-11-2013, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

I think a lot of people on here, if we stuck to a strict rule of spending less than car's value on repairing the car..there probably wouldnt be many of these cars around.

IMHO that's not quite the right metric. The question I ask myself is, "can I buy a car with fewer problems that will meet my needs for less than it will cost to fix this one?" I don't know what prices are like where the OP lives, but here in the Seattle area $3k will get you a nice Mercedes diesel without much hunting, and $2k might if you're persistent.

I love my wagon but if the transmission blew tomorrow I'd walk away from it.

JamesDean · #45 01-11-2013, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orv

I love my wagon but if the transmission blew tomorrow I'd walk away from it.

For me, that would largely depend on how much I've already sunk into the car.

If the 190E's transmission went all of a sudden I would probably end up replacing it. I just got done with a complete suspension rebuild. I've got a new steering box in there as well.

But if you've got no money invested in new/replacement parts then yeah I probably would toss it. Or if you've got no sentimental attachment.

For example, my gold 300SD was my grandfathers. I most likely wont part under any circumstance.