It's Catch 22 all over again. You shouldn't buy an old Mercedes unless you're going work on it yourself. And you shouldn't buy an old Mercedes without first getting a PPI. But anyone who needs a PPI is going to need a mechanic too. So 1) if you need a PPI you must not get one because it's a car you shouldn't ever own, and 2) if you don't need a PPI don't get one. Hence there's no reason to ever get a PPI. This should save people a lot of money - but remember you can't own any car on which you feel the urge to get a PPI. Screw that up and you'll be in trouble, unless you mistakenly got a PPI.

but I owned a 1987 Saab 900t most of this time as well and I could DIY most of what went wrong with that car - which was a LOT less than what went wrong with my E320. Very few people on this forum or elsewhere are going to DIY a transmission. Without a lift the accumulators and exhaust proved impossible. The throttle actuator is tough.

I did the alternator bushings, water pump, brakes, radiator and many other items on my Saab, but the Saabnet forum has much more useful information for the DIYer. I never felt lost since someone had posted either very good step by step instructions or a even a pictorial. For the W124, on the other hand, it seems as though water pumps or belt tensioners even (!) have many variations, pitfalls, and not much for instructions unless you buy the factory manual. My Saab also had a couple of great books rather specific to the model I owned, but Mercedes has next to nothing.

My conclusion - the M104 W124 is not a very good DIY car for the person of modest skill level and if you can't DIY you can't afford to own one.

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Chip Johnson

eh?

Cabrio had 82k on it and the wiring harness and headgasket already done

The Good Lord has blessed me with a retired mechanic friend who wants to sit around and watch me do the work, while he points, instructs, and makes old jokes.

and when I hit a snag, he comes over, uses the force, and fixes it.

I agree though, if I didn't have him, I'd be like a monkey doing a math problem.

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77' 300D, "Cartman" SOLD @ 150K (didn't know what I had)
83' 300SD, "The Superdon" 325k+ @ 28mpg
95 E320 wagon, "Millennium Falcon" 231k+ @ 24 Mpg
95 E300D, "Sherley" 308k @ 33.69 Mpg, currently anticipating a head
99 Suzuki Intruder "Trudy" @ 45 mpg