MB Maintainence Costs - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

diesel don · #1 11-02-2002, 08:57 PM

Seems like I've been buying lots of parts lately so I decided to add up the total of what my cars (3 daily drivers) are costing. Below you'll find figures for the lifespan that I've owned them. The figures do not count things like tires and oil which are common to all vehicles. Mainly the stuff that breaks.

'83 300D-T (6 months) $69.07 per month
'84 300D-T (17.5 months) $36.12 per month
'85 300TD (17 months) $69.46 per month

Therefore I'm spending about a total of $174 per month to maintaine the three of them. For those 40 months of driving, I've accrued 61,000 miles.

The interesting deal is that I'd consider all of them to be in better shape than when I purchased them. And when you factor in the fact that there is virtually no depreciation, this is a fun way to go.....

Oops, I forgot to factor in the hand cleaner costs. My figures are skewed:p

Don

#2 11-03-2002, 01:24 AM

From 224,600 (01/01) miles to current 289,000 (11/02) miles I have spent approximately $4,825.00 including oil changes, tires, and other consumables, basically everything, not including diesel fuel.

$219.31 per month (22 months)
$0.074 per mile (total of 65,000).

I must really love this car..

william rogers · #3 11-03-2002, 01:27 AM

Are you bragging or complaining?,new VW has W12 price around 80 K ,that would buy a lot of glow plugs......
William Rogers.........

#4 11-03-2002, 01:30 AM

I don't think you can brag about how much you spend on maintaining your car per month, so I guess I am complaining.

diesel don · #5 11-03-2002, 09:43 AM

I posted my costs because I was pleasantly surprised. The great deal to me is that I'm not driving a car from $25k (initial value) into the ground and selling it for $2k. Rather, my cars could only depreciate a fraction.

Don

dabenz · #6 11-03-2002, 10:59 AM

diesel don, I'll predict that your numbers will be cut in half a year from now. Catch up is expensive at the start, then it's the grease gun and the oil can that make the difference.

#7 11-03-2002, 11:25 AM

I have a little over $2,000 invested into my car during the 2 years that I have owned it. This includes the rebuilt transmission, oil changes, tires, batteries, glow plugs, alternator braket, fan clutch, turn signal switch.

rickjordan · #8 11-04-2002, 12:03 AM

I have owned my TD for 1 year now, and on an average have spent $116 a month. Bear in mind this includes new tires, new starter, all oil changes, valve adjustment, new steering dampner, new front shocks (Bilsteins), rear accumulators, and the usual fluid and filter changes when I first got the car. The way I look at it, the car is as dependable, if not more, as a new Mercedes. My TD in 1983 cost $34,612. In today's dollars, that works out to about $65K. You could touch a $65K car for $116 a month. My TD is as dependable as my '99 Passat, yet I don't have a car payment on it. As Dabenz mentioned, the average cost will go down with time. Up front you spend a little more but over time it turns out to be cheaper to own.