Sadly realizing Benz ownership might not be for me anymore.
 

I’ve had to do some soul searching this weekend. Finally decided that I like the idea of owning a classic Benz more than actually owning it. I love the W126 engineering and think it’s one of the greatest vehicles ever designed. I’ve put about 100 miles a week on it for the last 13 years. But for the last year or so it’s been feeling more like work than a fun hobby.

My big goal was to reach half a million miles. Only 32k to go and very achievable with the engine at 85k on a rebuild, the transmission at around 120k and the rust monsters largely avoided. But that goal is still 5-6 years away at the rate I’ve been driving it. So now I question the sanity of devoting that much time to just achieve a number on a gauge. (And pridefully point out to my Father-in-Law how long I’ve kept his old car running.)

I think the tipping point was moving to a house without a garage and my wife starting to work weekends. Now I find myself stressing about when I can work on it with daylight available and no toddler or dog to watch. I’ve kept up with the essential stuff: brakes, fluids, valve adjustments. Just seems like I never find time to fix the center vents or go to the yard to find a power seat switch. And those are the little things that you need to make the car feel enjoyable.

I want to thank all the members of this forum. I never could have kept the car for 13 years without this community. The level of support you provide is miles above anything I see on boards for other makes. People here have driven an hour to bring a part to a stranded person they’ve never met. Nobody on the Camry forum would do that.

When I first got the Benz, I was nervous to change my own oil. Dad never trained me to do much beyond changing a flat and checking the dipstick. Now I’ve built front ends, pulled manifolds and replaced wheel bearings. Thank you PeachParts for helping me develop a mechanical side to my skills.

I will think about it a little while longer, but most likely will put the old girl up for sale next week. I hope she goes to someone who’ll show her respect and get her to 500k. I will refuse to sell to anyone thinking of an unheated, single tank WVO system. She deserves a lot better fate than that.

I’ll get misty eyed as I hear that klata-klata-klata for the last time, but it will probably be for the best.

So long and thanks for everything,
Greg

If you can afford to do so perhaps you should park it as a daily driver and use it whenever it seems right. It'd be a shame to miss out on 500K!

A nice reliable rice burner can be your daily driver.

And besides you'll never get what its worth out of it anyhow.....;)

wow, under 100K on rebuilt motor? it'd be a shame to lose the car, and unless someone here on the forum wants the car, you'll NEVER get decent money from a car with 468K on the odo... Full receipts may help...

i might be in this same boat.

I recently have had to deal with a string of issues in both my cars. Although all issues are indeed fixable, it just takes time. Sometimes it takes time I don't have.

I am scouting CL ads now for a Toyota. Jeez.

Well, since both of you guys are near me, keep me in mind when you sell 'em. Close to 500k on a clock or needing work doesn't bother me, and I've got room to store 'em while I fix 'em.

Kinda lookin for a W124 at the moment, only because of the very long work commute making the better fuel economy a plus over the w123...besides, I have two of those.

Sorry to hear about the baby sitting combined with old car ownership stress - I can relate to that.

All I can say is that when the children get older it isn't so hard. You will find that there is more time and I think you'll be surprised at how quickly they grow up - based on the small amount of information you've given I guess you are more or less at the watershed - things can only get better!

Maybe finding a good backyard mechanic to deal with some issues could reduce the apparent burden. Or a fairly skilled younger member in your area that likes to work on them.

That seems to be the local approach for quite a few people these days on their older cars.

I think Ben needs a nice well sorted low miles Saab turbo convertible, 1st generation :). One sitting covered in my barn waiting for spring selling season.

I can understand that.

When I was working, I had two classic MBs one of which (the 300D) was my daily driver. The R107 was kind of neglected until I retired.

I spent a lot of money on maintenance of the '85 300D. Luckily, my job took me regularly to an area where there was a top notch MB mechanic. I even had MB dealers do work on car when it was relatively new (I have owned car since 1990). The big plus for me, was that I was recompensed for almost all of the miles driven. Every time I drove, I would think about how many more $$ I would have to maintain my car! But those days have gone :(

Since retiring, like the OP, it seems all I do is work on cars :( All three (previously four) always need something done. Can't afford the local shop rates and don't trust them for many jobs. I have kind of got myself into this and just keep at it. I did sell one car this year (06 smart cdi)

As age creeps up, maybe the 300D and the E320 will have to go and we will get a newer small car for my wife. I don't think I would sell the 350SL.

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.

x2. Except if you can be around to supervise, you don't necessarily even need a member, just someone who has decent skills and common sense.

I could not have got through this year without such assistance.

I have arthritis (back and knees) as well as an unstable lower back from previous injury(ies). I week ago I had to use a cane for two days to get to work and could not stand up straight even with that.

I use a guy off the beaten track for stuff that needs a hoist and/or shop air, who charges around $30-$40/hour, depending on the difficulty level and is open Saturdays. Crucially, he allows customers to bring their own parts.

I pay a neighbour who grew up around wrenching on stuff that requires long sessions of bending or do the work while I watch and provide the Benz-specific input.

Like the others said, if you sell the car locally, it will hardly be worth your while. I guarantee you will wake up three months later and wonder what you were thinking. Been there.

If you can find someone on the list, that is your only shot at getting what the car de$erves (and you being assured it gets the home it deserves).

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.

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

Good luck, Greg. Change is good.

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.

NOOOOOOoooo, RUN! The MB is much better from a parts availability stand point.

1980 SAAB 900 3 door,
I bought it in 1986, used it, then it made the rounds between Mom / Dad and me depending on who needed a car. I finally took it off the road in 2010 due to parts being too much of a battle, I was pretty rusty at that point as well. It isn't easy keeping an obscure car running when it is Dads daily driver and they are some distance away. Sold 2011.

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.

Lol....I look at Mercedes parts as you look at Saab parts. Hard to find, but then, I know all the sources for Saab parts since I was into them for so many years.

With the help of this list I'm learning the MB parts sources, some are still difficult, haven't found the copper sealing washer for the fuel filter for instance....

I have to run often enough to find copper sealing washers. I have toyed with the ideal of making them with my gasket punch set. Last week it was Kubota injector seals at 2.00 each for eight of them for a hydralic pump.

It is not the money particualrily as much as finding a source fast for some sizes. That's why I thought as I drove back. Why not see if you can make them yourself if you can locate a sheet of copper.

Annealing the old ones can sometimes get you by. Just heat them red hot and let them cool. Removes any work hardness.

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

Best revenge is living well.

Jim

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

same conclusion - retired the 300SD
 

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!

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

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

The OP is in Richmond VA , a place I'd expect a decent number of Mercedes buyers to be. And, they always can stop be the local dealer and buy parts.

For SAAB, they were not sold in large numbers and few models made their way to the US further reducing the parts pool. Also, there is no longer a dealer network. Sure you might be able to order parts, but the supply is rapidly shrinking.

Try and find the following at an auto parts store, on a Saturday for a 80 SAAB 900 ( with a B motor ).

Water pump ( in block )
Front rotors
Front wheel bearings
Front calipers.

92 was the last year for the classic 900, the on the spot parts supply for those isn't exactly great either.

It isn't that I can't keep the car running ( I have a fully equipped shop ) it is more of a practical issue keeping it running in one day.

Copper washers are no big deal just measure the ID and OD, they are standard sizes.

If stranded, old ones can be reused either by heating to anneal or by tightening to standard torque and looking for leaks. ( If reusing, put back the way it came apart. ) If they still leak, hammer the banjo bolt head to imprint the washer then retighten.