Keep the 300SDl and fix it up or look for a 123 for my daughter??

[dmorrison]

Let me put this out for you input.

We have a 1986 300SDL that has 275,000 miles. My daughter will need a car at school in the comming year for student teaching, shes a Elementary Education major. Here is a list of the "problems" with the SDL.

A note first. when we bought the car in 1995 we had a noisy injector, #1. A compression test revield 17 ATM of compression. We installed a new piston and rings ($2000 at the dealer) and the car was fine for the next 100,000 miles. I know the previous owner hit the oil pan, I think rather hard ( easy to do on the SDL, don't ask how I know)and may have bent the crank or lower end of the engine just enough to cause an elongation of the #1 cylinder. The old piston showed evidence of slapping against the cylinder walls. but the wear was on the piston not much on the cylinder wall. As I said the car ran great after the piston replacement.

1 #1 cylinder 17 atms of compression again. All other cylinders 20-21. were getting a lot of injector noise due to the compression. Had it tested 10,000 miles ago. I figure I'll put in a new cylinder and maybe it will go another 75,000 miles. Also new engine mounts and shocks are needed.

2. The tranny. I notice that when I first start it that when you put it into drive it takes a little longer then normal to engage ( been doing this since 1999). But once you allow it to "engage" it doesn't give us any problems. If you press the gas before it "engages" it reves then clunks the drive train. We have been babying it and not had any problems. The dealer looked at the tranny and recommended a rebuild due to the 250,000 miles. what else could it be. I have not tried to diagnose the problem. Any input?

3. Front suspension. The car wore out the inner tread on a set of new tires in 5000 miles. I checked and adjusted the toe in/ toe out. I know its a front end rebuild. Just did the 123 so I'm not shy about doing it. I figure $500 for parts.

4. Brakes I will check them and take care of them, right now no problems but I have not measured the rotors.

5. Tires It will need a new set.

6. AC the high pressure hose leaks. So I would replace it. all the other hoses seem fine. While we drove the car as a daily driver the AC was weak. Its probaply the expansion valve or the temp sensor. I have not diagnosed the system. R+R the expansion valve is a 12 hour charge at the Dealer. I have everthing to do all Ac service so again not a problem. It does cool but weakly, once I fix the high pressure hose.

7. Injection pump. Works but when you tap the gas pedal the idle goes up but then drops down to about 500RPM and then recovers. I was quoted $400 to fix the problem or $1200 for a complete rebuild.

I figure spending about ( if I'm way off on these estimates please speak up. I have not priced anything yet. All labor is mine)

Piston $400
Tranny Adjustments ($ 1-200 in parts) or a rebuild. $1500
Ac $200
Brakes $100
Tires $350
front end $500
Ipump $400
Total $ 1650-3000

So do we fix the car and it will probably last her through college, 3-4 more years, or do we look for a 123 deisel, either 240, 300NA or 300Turbo. I figure $4-5000 for a real nice one. But then she will have a car that will last a lot of years.

By the way she loves the car. Its "her' car that she has been driving for the last 3 years and she is one who, when she falls in love with something, loves it forever.
So she doesn't want to get rid of it. That's my dilema, $1-2000 and keep what I know or try to find a really nice 123 for $4000.
Our deal with the kids is that we will split the cost of a car but they must work on it, and she does.

Or I just do the suspension, tires and brakes and let her drive it until it quits. Now understand, I have been expecting this car to DIE since 1999 when we bought the 99 E300, 4.5 years. It just keeps going and going.

Let the comments begin!!!!!!!!

Dave