dang, bro.

$1600 for new shocks, motor/trans mounts, motor/trans/diff fluids, etc.

not having to get all greazzy & cuss a lot for once = priceless

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1991 300D

I have spent big $$ on our 85 300D several times.

In 2001, spent $7000 on a replacement rebuilt engine.

About 4 years later, spent $3k on a new paint job

Last fall and still continuing after winter break, have spent close to $3k on hidden rust repairs.

But the car is one we have had since 1990 and is hard to part with!

On the other hand, we have a 2006 smart ForTwo CDI. Low mileage. In the last 6 weeks we have spent $3100 (it would have been more if MB had not helped out) and it still needs new front springs and brakes (which I will do myself). This is a car I do not love, and I think I have convinced the wife, it has to go soon!

Looking at GLK diesel as main LD car. Over C$50k so even with 0.9% financing, $900/month payments! That could pay for a lot of repairs for our old cars!

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Just spent ~$260 for a compressor/dryer for the 310k mile E300.
Just spent ~$1500 for the 198k mile '05 E320 wagon that I picked up for $4k. I have finally rolled it into the shop and will be swapping the engine out over the next couple weeks.

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Jim

Someone had dropped a case of toilet tissue on G. Bush Taxway I hit one of them doing 75 MPG & even with the splash shield it dented the left sideframe around radiator & cause a leak. New BEHR around $300+transmission fluid+coolant =$450.Car has 270k+ miles.

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06 MB E320 CDI 123k miles
14 Sienna (wife's DD) 36k miles
11 GL350 Bluetec 136k (Sold)
96 E300; 292k+ miles (Donated)
11 Sprinter 22K+ miles (Sold)

So far sounds like I'm in good company!

As long as tranny stays healthy I think I'm in good shape. Chain, etc. looked good when head gasket was replaced. Injectors are original....maybe that's next.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 142k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Sorry for $900 a month I want to see either a nice backyard or a wharf when I look out the back door....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Well, do i get to play the game ... I've spent about $29,000 since last July, but then again, I was doing a restoration...

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1985 300TD - "Panzer Wagen" - undergoing full restoration (resto - mod)
2014 GLK250 Bluetec - Wife's car

Mercedes-Benz Master Certified Technician.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshuajeeper/

It IS hard to stomach! However, we do get a view of ocean and a pier thrown in when we use the car to get us away for a couple of months from our winter view of a frozen lake!

It is hard to know what to buy. We need space to carry stuff on long trips and want something that is covered by warranty because modern cars just cost too much to repair. MB does have good warranty and it can be extended out to 7 years. We want a 10+ yr car.

Our '98 E320 still runs well, but mileage is getting up there. Ideally, I would buy a 1989 or thereabout 300SDL with under 50k miles. That would probably still be about $200/month if spread over 5 years

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

How about a 2006-2010 Toyota Sienna? Quiet, powerful, economical (well, kinda... I can get 30 MPG out of conservative highway driving, but it goes down fast), roomy, very comfortable, very smooth engine and transmission, and much cheaper than an M-B (our 2008 cost $20,000 used with 30,000 miles in 2009). We now have 97,000 miles on it and have done exactly zero repairs. I would recommend it to anyone looking for what you described above.

I say 2006-2010 because the engine in those cars (3.6 L V6) is nicer than the earlier one used 2004-2005 (3.3 L V6), although the 3.3 is by no means bad or anything.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I bought a new Sienna in 1998 for $28K as a kid hauler and still have it today with 266K. The reliability of this car has been nothing short of amazing. The kids are now grown, but its fully depreciated and still runs great so I've removed the 4 rear seats and use it as a truck and occasional work commuter when I'm not driving the MB. Replaced the timing belt at each 100K and the spark plugs at 170K. The ONLY other repairs have been a $25 oxygen sensor, $12 thermostat, and two door handles. Pretty amazing for 15 years!

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

That's amazing. So no struts/shocks? Engine mounts? I thought we were doing well with our 02 Odyssey, but you're doing even better!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 142k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

At that mileage we were on transmission number 3 on our 96 dodge caravan.

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