OK, my car is now eight years old....It is an E220 W124. It is now getting to a stage where I'm not sure what repairs will be needed next. As much as I like to think that a Benz is a reliable car, I have to face the fact that they will break down and it will be expensive.

My previous 190E 2.6 cost me a fortune to repair even though it had done very little kms. It certainly made me think if it was wise to continue with the marque.

Back to my E220. At this point in time, I cannot honestly say that the car drives any better than a newer car costing the same. Maybe it feels more secure, but then again it requires more effort to drive. My wife complaints about the stiffness of the accelerator, which I have to admit that I have no answer for. The transmission has never been smooth like any Jap cars and there are heaps of fuses and relays to muck things up!

As I love the rest of the car, the timeless look esp., I am wondering if I am silly to put up with all its faults, current and future, or should I just move on.

I've driven cars like the Audi A4, Passat V6 and they are so much more responsive etc. I'm sure they will all eventually break and I'm wondering if they will cost the same to maintain.

I'm rambling on here...., but I am interested to know why so many of you guys are happy to keep paying good money to keep your cars on the road. Judging by what I have read over a couple of years, Mercs are not any more reliable than other cars.
So is it just the badge thing, the design, or what? Love to hear any comments.

If your car is paid-off. Keep the car. If it is not, do whatever keeps your wife and yourself happy.
In my situation, I rather keep an older car with a repair bill every once in a while instead of a monthly note. Do the math and check your pocket, you will find the answer...

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J.H.
'86 300E

As to the stiff gas pedal.

When was the throttle linkage cleaned and lubed last? Made a huge difference in the stiffness of my pedal when I lubed mine.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Some of the folks seem to use ATF to lube their linkage with good results.

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The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

You are driving a car that very few of this group have ever driven, myself included. I can tell you that you have a better than 3000 pound car with a motor the size of a Honda..... response was not what it was built for.

I can tell you that from a professional standpoint, MBs are as cheap to repair as anything going. From many of the posts I have read, many pay a lot more than others. A well informed owner can seriously minimize their auto repair costs both through proper maintenance and through finding the proper repair facility (including one's own garage).

Buying a new car with a warrantee will really reduce your repair costs... for a period. Its a trade off. I can tell you that any car built in the last 5 years will cost considerably more when 5 years old than its predicessors. This is because of all the electronics in ALL late model cars. Many more systems require much more repairs in the long run.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician