95 E300D Keep it or sell it:(
 

Hello,

I have these thoughts now and then about our E300D.

I need to think from a financial point of view here:

The car is 10 years old but in good condition, always cared for but things will pop up.

I just got new ovp and wiring harness, long story short, battery acid spilled onto harness and messed it up, totally:army: About 700 bucks right there.

Now I am wondering when things will start breaking, things like rad, alternator, engine mounts etc...

I am also fearing the ac croaking and then I cant see myself spending thousands to rip out the dash.

Then the windows are slowww and I need to either clean the switches or lube tracks,

The front speakers are crap and need replacement,

The car has little over 100k miles and I am fearing that it will become a money pit. My mom drives the car now only 5 miles a day and I got a jetta due to insurance purposes.Im young and insurance is $$ I mean driving 5 miles a day the E300D probably doesnt like it a lot.

Ohh darn, i dont know if it makes sense for us to keep the E300D, but its such a hard decision and I dont want to regret it.....

Any ideas what I should do....besides sometimes the car seems too slow, ie its performance and sometimes im happy with it.


Man o man,:smhair2: what should I do.....

pic for ref:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...d/000_0317.jpg

Is it paid for? If so, then you are saving a car payment every month. Say your payment is $400/mo. then you are saving 4800 per year. Once repair expenses pass 4800 per year, you can think about it. But, only think about it, as all cars need service sooner or later...wether new, or not.

Beside, 100k isn't a lot of miles at all. (everybody knows these things go at least a million miles on eBay)

In short: Keep it, but take if for a longer drive once a week, so it can thoroughly warm up.

I'd love to have that car.

Sell it to Bot - he loves people from Canada.

Wait a minute. My sister-in-law is Canadian and I love her dearly. She is the one who reminded me that Canada has kicked America's ass twice already and if we provoke them, they'll do it again.

Besides, most of my neighbors are former Canadiens ("Acadiens"--"Cajuns").

Yes, the car is paid for.

Its just once you spend close to a grand when before I only spent like 200 bucks on ball joints it kinda hits you and you want to sell the car:mad: Then again it was somewhat my fault because I did not connect the drain tube from the battery vent and acid spilled all over the place.

Well, now I am just wondering how much would it be to do engine mounts at a MB indy?

Also I am scared about the leaking evap. Do you think if I run the ac in winter just to cycle it, would that help in any way?


Besides, I bought oem cd changer for this car, I bought snow tires/used oem rims, I took care of small rust spot and the car is maint. by the book. I guess we will keep it in the family, I dont want to regret selling it after as I know I will not find another one like that. Its not like a vw or honda where I can just cruise the autotrader and pick one up.


Now, what about the radiator. I hear the upper neck snaps off or something? Is there any preventive measures that I can take to stop that?

The rad has been flushed as it should be with MB coolant.

[QUOTE=E300D]
Also I am scared about the leaking evap. Do you think if I run the ac in winter just to cycle it, would that help in any way?

QUOTE]

My Mercedes mechanic assures me that evap failures are later W124 are rare, the exception, not the rule.

Regarding the HVAC system, Stu Ritter, technical director of The Star Magazine, wrote an article on the W124 a/c system.

He wrote that it is best to not set the wheel in the fully hot or fully cold position, and also to not set the fan blower speed to continuously on "high" or "low", but rather use the "Auto" button.

Drivers have the feeling that full heat or full A/C will get the passenger compartment to the correct temperature fastest.

This doesn't allow the system to work as designed.

To get the longest life from the automatic climate control system, allow the system to exercise all components.

If the temperature inside the car is more than 4 degrees away from the setting on the temperature wheel, the system will use full heat or full A/C regardless.

As the interior temperature approaches the setting at the climate control panel, the automatic functions will slowly reduce blower speed.

Allowing the system to work in its automatic mode, with all components functioning, will prolong the life of the system.

When flap controllers and valves (vacum operated) don't move for long periods, they tend to stick in position and ruin the component.

thats some good info suginami:)

I never have the temp at fully hot or cold, usually room temp. Also the hvac is usually in economy mode, or auto mode in summer when ac on


im glad the ac evap arent as common on later W124s. But then why are the younger W140s 98- 98 have evap failures then:smhair2:


PS:How about the engine mount job, anyone done one recently. My car isnt shaking bad, its just it kinds shrugs when it is turned off.

Sell it to Bot and have his sister-in-law drive it down.

I replaced the mounts in a 2.5 turbo awhile back, I'm not sure but I think the mounting system is similar to the one used in your car. It was a very easy job - took about an hour as I recall. Much easier than the old W115 or W123 mounts.

It sounds to me like you've got the dreaded "new-car Jones" disease. If you want a new car and can afford it sell it and get what you really want. W124 E300D values seem to be quite high these days - you may be surprised what a nice example with 100K miles will fetch on the open market.

Actually, the only time your a/c is off is when you have it on economy.

At all the other settings, the a/c compressor is running, even when the heat is on. It is used to remove humidity.

It is an older high end car, as time goes on it will need more and more stuff. You have to decide whether you like it enough to keep it.

From strictly financial point of view buy a 2-3 year old Honda or Toyota, drive said car for 5 years and dump. Civics will be getting cheaper since the new one is due out soon.

Shoot Hatterasguy and send money to Suginami.

Heck, I've spent about $3000 on my '95 E-320 over the last few months. Check engine light is on again!!

But then again, I've got over 190,000 miles on it. Still owe two more years of payments, though they're below $250/month.

On a side, Jim (engatwork) replaced the radiator when my E-320 hit 100,000 miles. (I bought it from him at 120,000 miles.) He does this for every car he owns, just as a preventive measure against junk getting into the engine. Seems like a good idea. The necks of the radiators do tend to crack. That happend to my 190 last year, so there's a new radiator on her as well.

This is exactly what I was thinking, pickup a slightly used camry or civic or whateve japanese. Drive it for a year or two, dump it and pick up another one.

Then again I look out the window at the E300D and im like, damn I cant sell it .

Then sometimes, I feel like the car is sooo sloww, a 4 banger camry will beat it in speed and then some other times the car feels fast. Maybe, I just think too much about these things.

Then I crave for a nice nimble gasser with a 5 speed to toss it around the streets.


How about you Hatterasguy, are you ever thinking of selling your W126:( and getting a nice little pocket rocket or a gasser with speed and good accel:confused:

A nice german pocket rocket with a vr6 :
Sample pics
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...n808/green.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../Golf3_421.jpg

Or maybe some JDM loving:o


I spend wayy too much time on forums, should go and study for exams::mad:


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...s227/civic.jpg