Given the opportunity and finances, I don't think I'd buy a new Benz with what I hear about them. Even if they do stand behind their warrenty, I live too far away from the dealer to be going back every month!:D

That may be true, but to bring a Toyota into this forum.. Well I have some real bad memories of that pile I once owned.

Point taken!:)

Eric - you would be nuts to even consider getting rid of that beautiful wagon of yours. It is my opinion that good ones will not do anything but appreciate from here on. Right now I would not take anything for mine - it is by far one of the absolute best driving/running cars I have ever owned, not counting the "utility" factor.
You will know you have reached diy nirvana when your garage looks like the attached photo and you are "hinting" around to the wife that we are running out of room for her to park her Honda in the garage. It is not going over very well :):).

Here's the thread:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/53344-how-much-my-car-has-cost-run.html

It is all in the satisfaction..

I guess the only way you can save money is if you do the work yourself. I am really dissapointed that I live in the city of Boston.

That means that doing work on my car means getting myself kicked out of my apartment....or at least they'll call a tow truck and tow the rusty old car out just because it's not pretty enough to stand next to all these BMW's... :p

Anyway,

Look at it this way.. there aren't too many cars from the 80's that could still look so good and feel so solid! (Most early 90's cars that I've sat in seemed to have rattles everywhere)

Besides...if you had bought a different car.. I'm sure it would have other issues.

If I wanted a maintenance-free car (read: boring) I would've bought a Toyota Corolla/Camry and just weld the hood shut ;)

Don't feel too bad.. if you do send me an email my way and I'll send you a spreadsheet of all the stuff I've bought for my car! ;)

Peyton
 

All I know is if you ever decide to sell it lemme have dibs on it. That is the most beautiful wagon I've seen in over two years since my dad sold his 85 Champagne wagon. It even has the rear headrests, so I take it has the 3rd seat too. That is one damn good looking car you have. Enjoy it while you can!!

-Jamie

Well, if my car goes through an oil change without costing 500 bucks, its a good month. Seems like I'm pouring thousands a year into my 85 300D. I know I will never get it back.... As far as it appreciating? Not a chance. But I will say this, Mercedes cars are more expensive in the long haul than other lesser, Japanese makes... Like Subaru! My girlfriend, her mom and sister each have a Subie with at least 150k on the clock, and they have a much harder life than my Mercedes. They don't make a rattle nor a squeek. And cost $19.00s for oil, and maybe the occasional wiper blade. No bs like the Mercedes can give....

I don't know Randall..... something ain't right. Anyway, what kind of oil you using for every oil change? Sounds like they install a platinum oil filter too :-) The war hasn't started yet so it shouldn't be more than $350, with the platinum oil filter ofcourse :-)...

I would have to agree with you on this one, my brother has a 1990 Legacy, with 180k miles, and he hasn't really put that much into it, just some suspension work that the previous owner neglected to before selling it. He has a little under $2,000 into it and I have about $2500-$3000 into my car and needing to put a few more hundered into it sometime in the near future. This is the main reason why I want a Subaru Legacy Sport for my next car :D

Eric:

Beautiful car. Take that front license plate frame off! You will be surprised how much better it looks. NC residents are fortunate not to have to hang a plate on the front. It appears the costs for your repairs are very much in line. I think it best to have all repairs done in a certain area while (like the front end) while the tech has it all apart. And that fact you are happy with the result makes it worth every penny.

MAN, every time I see a picture of your wagon I start drooling! :D

Those front-end repairs will be well-worth it...You'll save lots of money on front tires, and you won't have to worry about it for another 150,000 miles or so!

Mike

You were thinking at one time of selling this wagon weren't you ?
You might set a record when you do sell it ....

you guys are crazy, i love it!

no no no no, i won't sell my wagon ever. the only thing i could imagine ending my ownership is a wreck where she gets totaled. and that scares me, as it wouldn't take much to total her. my dad did try to sell her one summer when i was gone, thank god he didn't.

i just drove from raleigh to baltimore to richmond with an avg speed of 75mph, she ran straight as an arrow and solid as a rock, love that tank!

Kennyandco- the front license plate frame, i left it on because normally i have a plate on it. going to school in VA where they are required to have front license plates, i get GREAT funny looks when they see this goofy looking german plate on the front.

cheers

eric

Seeing the photos of this wagon makes me want to kick myself for passing on a tan 300TDT I saw last year with about 50k documented miles. Incredibly clean car. I think the owner wanted $12k for it.