Well.......the dream is over.

About 10 days ago I was involved in a very minor traffic accident. I was swerving to avoid a car that was changing lanes into me, and slammed into a curb.

The right front wheel took most of the damage, bending the wheel inward. After the right front wheel hit the curb, the rear wheel then slammed into the curb, damaging that wheel, and causing the side curtain airbag and rear side airbag (in the door) to go off. Surprised the heck out of me.

It took 10 days for AAA to call me and tell me that the damage was about $15,000, and that it was to close to the value of the car, so they are totalling it out. :eek:

I am absolutely beside myself that what appeared to be relatively minor ended up costing $15K.

Buy it back and fix it privately, you could probably save a bunch of cash.

I briefly considered that, but they told me there is probably frame damage, too.

Not worth the risk.

well if you want another one , they are getting pretty cheap and cheerful now. Glad to hear that it did ok and kept you safe.

Sorry to hear about that Paul. Unfortunately, those type of accidents can be a lot worse than they appear up front. My brother hit a curb in our family car several years ago - low speed impact. We figured it would be a minor repair but even after the repair, the frame failed several months later and the car was a write-off.

Think of it as an opportunity to get a nice, newer one, perhaps in a color you really want. As I recall, white wasn't your first choice?

Other benefit is that you are perhaps even better educated in terms of what to look for in a W210 - should make shopping for one easier.

I am still considering buying another W210, and yes white wasn't my first choice, but it grew on me. If I were to buy another one, it would be white or silver.

The reason that I am still leaning against another one is that the seats are not very comfortable. I am 6'1", and the top of the backrest isn't tall enough. It hits me in the middle of the shoulder blades forcing me to slouch forward.

Every time I sit in my wife's Volvo S70, I say to myself, "damn these seats are comfortable".

The seats in a 2002+ Honda Accord are still much more comfortable.

Another issue is the dash cracking. They are all cracking. Mine was starting to crack in several places, and it was always garaged. My mother's '99 E430 dash cracking was horrible. It bothers me that well into the 21st century, Mercedes produced a plastic dash that cracked.

Other than those issues, I loved the car, especially the engine.

At this moment, I'm leaning towards: (in no particular order)

1. Subaru Outback (2001-2004)
2. Honda Accord EX V6 (2002-2004)
3. Volvo S80 2.9 or S80 T6 (2002-2004)
4. Acura RL (2002-2004)

Paul,

Sorry to hear about the accident.

pssssttt.....AMG :D

mmmmmhhhhmmmmm. I'm writing this down. "AMG".

When I saw this, I thought you had already bought a new Benz, Paul.

Jeeez, looking at the date of the first post, I am shocked that I only owned the car a little over 2 years. Feels like 3 -4 years.

And in those two years, I had to change the radiator (leak), the crankshaft balancer (failed during the recall), and the rack and pinion.

Well, as you proceed into two years of Honda Accord ownership, be prepared to change...the oil.

See this post to see my new purchase.

Details are in my signature. :D

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/off-topic-discussion/198077-my-e430-totalled-post1605121.html#post1605121

There are some beautiful new MB's out there, but my wife and I have been driving my '84300CD (123) and her '82 300SD (126) for the past 23 and 25 years because it seems like every time we've gone to look at the next "new" models, we have not seen anything about them that makes them a better choice of what to drive. Yes the newer MB's are quieter, faster and have cup holders, but with every model change since the mid-80's they seem to slip-slid away from the classic - I can recognize it's a Mercedes from a block away - chrome and steel - build it the best you can and then price it accordingly Mercedes.

Nice-looking ride, Paul. Schweeeeeet!

Amen and absolutely correct, James. Knowledgeable mechanics, almost to a person, will tell you that the M119 is a far better engine than the M113 that replaced it.

The M119 and the W124 were the last engine and chassis that MB engineered and then priced, rather than engineering TO a price.

Cheers,
Gerry