Downsizing does make sense for many people. Keeping one older car running well. Versus say trying to keep three older cars running well should be much easier.

You really have to be bat**** crazy to be into these. I came to that realization about a year ago when I was in the depths of despair.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I think that it depends on where you live. Out East with salt on the roads and no donors in the bone yards to get parts from, then yes you're crazy to try to keep these old MBs running well as a daily driver. Out West and Southwest however, classic MBs are still all over the place, the bodies are good and you can comfortably spend a weekend wrenching on them in January out on your driveway.

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'81 300SD

Don't do it! Get the Toyota or whatever and keep the Benz as a hobby car. You probabvly won't get a fraction of the dollars you put into it, and in a few years when your life settles down and you realize you can have one again you'll be starting over at zero.

I curse the day I let my 1975 300D go, and the cunni of a first wife who robbed me of it.

Let the rage go....
It's not good for you and your ex will only derive more satisfaction....

Best revenge is living well.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

i hear you on that. i live in a city, have no garage and not even a driveway to do work in. that means i have to do everything out on a busy street during daylight hours. no repairs that cause the car to have to sit for more than a few days because of street sweeping tickets. it irks me when some members here criticize people for taking their car to a shop to have something done not knowing that for some things its impossible to DIY depending on circumstance

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1981 NA 300D 310k miles

Good luck, Greg. Change is good.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

It's hard giving-up something you really used to enjoy, but there may come a time you can get back to it as a hobby in ownership again, at some future point.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

I have a wonderful new wife and a daughter, I am indeed living well!

I came to the same conclusion and retired the 300SD a year ago to someone who was prepared to do more heavy wrenching and/or run it into the ground - something I could not bear to do.

I had the same challenges as many others - indies who knew these cars are dropping out, and my local shops here in the BC interior that simply do not want to touch any unusual vehicle. With a weak back and no access to a lift, I didn't fancy doing the prop shaft and rear end work on my SD that needed to sometime in the future.

Given our wonderful summer climate, I'll keep the 380SL running as long as possible but the W126 was a much nicer drive than the W107!

I'm now driving a VW Golf wagon - a really fun ride with great handling and fantastic fuel economy. I miss the SD but the new ride is great.

I completely understand! I just sold my 300SD back in September because I did not have enough time to keep up the 87 300d and the 83 300SD. My wife loved the W124, not so much the W126...so it had to go. Working full time, being married, and having a social life really inhibit time working on the MB. I ended up just buying a low mileage GMC Yukon that I don't have to worry about suspension or turbo rebuilds on. American cars don't hold any value so it was pretty easy to find an inexpensive one. Best of luck!

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97 S500 (90,000 miles) - wife's car
87 300D (298,000 miles and a replacement #14 head)
94 Suburban K2500 - need something to haul firewood
83 300SD (343,000 miles) (sold)

Congrats!

You can always find another car, but a good wife.... that's almost as hard to find as a good original engined 350SD(L)!

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Without a good wife is going to always be difficult. I too am very lucky.