Yes, as others have said, check out the prices on parts. These sound insane.

When I moved back to New Orleans in '01 with my W126, the local club president recommended a guy near where I lived, with one of those shiny shops with an immaculate 107 SL on the showroom-like floor. I went to him for something, I don't recall what. He "warned" me that my immaculately-maintained 420SEL was exhibiting the dreaded timing-chain slap, and wanted to do the job . . . for $3000.

You read that right. Three Biig Ones. I said to myself, "What does he want to do, take the engine out and bring it home with him?"

I did my research, and found a good independent (on whom I still rely) who changed the chain and upper guides for less than a third of that. The car then ran superbly for 20,000 more miles until it was totalled. I suspect that Captain Three Grand had his eye on my car for himself or a friend, and hoped to scare me into selling.

Needless to say, I don't go there any more.

__________________
* *
-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino