1988 190E 2.3L Fuel Distributor Problem?

[TigerFan]

The car set up for a year while my daughter was sick. Recently we went to start the car and it would only run if you poured gas directly in it. I disconnected the fuel line and it was not getting any fuel from the fuel pump. I changed the fuel pump and fuel filter and it ran. I had to transfer to another state, so I had my daughter take it to a local repair shop to get it tuned up. While it was at the repair shop they told my daughter that it would not stay running because it needed a new fuel pump. She told them that we just replaced it. They told her that sometimes you can get a bad one. They replaced it and charged her $400.00. She went to pick it up and they told her that it still would not stay running. It would crank, rev up real high, die and would not crank again for awhile. They are telling her now that it is the fuel distributor and that it will cost her $1,800.00 to replace it. I do not think that the car is even worth that much. I need to know if this is actually the problem and if there are any other solutions. Thanks,