Experience w/300E Sought - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

akross · #1 06-03-2014, 09:30 AM

All, After many years, I just rejoined this site, having returned to the wonderful world of Benz, it must have been some kind of mental sanity lapse. Anyway, I just bought a pretty nice '89 300E, 205k miles, which I took to a trusted benz specialist for a serpentine belt tensioner replacement and A/C conversion. The guy tells me these cars are very problematic with expensive parts and to run as fast as I can. This guy definately knows his stuff, but he's a bit direct, which I like, until he tells me what I don't want to hear.

I'd like second opinions from guys (gals?) with real time experience. I do a bit of wrenching, but mostly basic stuff. The car looks good, nice interior and runs well enough, still needs front end alignment, tires and windshield. After that it will be close to cherry for an '89.

What say you?
Thanks!

JamesDean · #2 06-03-2014, 10:38 AM

Personally, I think he is wrong.

I don't find the parts to be expensive. Just be sure to buy GOOD brand parts. No trash.

I also don't find them to be overly problematic.

Sure they have their issues but I would not label them as problematic in the least.

The M103 is considered to be a good, reliable engine. IMO.

tecqboy · #3 06-03-2014, 10:48 AM

One way to know that you've "made it" in life is if you can afford to drive an old Mercedes. I agree with the mechanic. These old cars are problematic and expensive to maintain. At that mileage and age there will always be something that needs attention. Parts that are simple, reasonably priced, and easy to change on "ordinary cars" are expensive, complex and difficult to change on a Mercedes. Sometimes I think my car was built on another planet. But they are fantastic cars when everything is working right.

anziani · #4 06-03-2014, 10:59 AM

I had an '87 300E. Put over 100K on it before I sold it to my mechanic. He still has it with 250K and it runs like a dream with the original transmission. The car has had normal maintenance things replaced with the valve seals done once. The transmission had to be resealed but other than that nothing unusual. Normal parts are no more expensive than Toyota or some other ricer.
Anziani
'97 CL500 150K

akross · #5 06-03-2014, 11:00 AM

Yeah, I know he's talking sense, his recommendation is to go to the '93 - 95 model year, he's big on those being superior. One thing he scared me with was saying the BOSCH idle sensor used to be $26, now it's $900. I checked, and found he must have been refering to the MAF, that shows price at high $800 something. Thing is with the tensioner and A/c conversion, plus purchase I'm in close to 3k already.

It sure is shiny, you pretty pretty thing.

JamesDean · #6 06-03-2014, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akross

Yeah, I know he's talking sense, his recommendation is to go to the '93 - 95 model year, he's big on those being superior. One thing he scared me with was saying the BOSCH idle sensor used to be $26, now it's $900. I checked, and found he must have been refering to the MAF, that shows price at high $800 something. Thing is with the tensioner and A/c conversion, plus purchase I'm in close to 3k already.

It sure is shiny, you pretty pretty thing.

93-95 model years were also problematic in the sense that the engine wiring harness insulation degrades. I had to replace the one on my friend's 93 300E. Easy job, just $800 for the harness.

liquiddog · #7 06-03-2014, 12:31 PM

It's not the MAF that goes bad. It's the potentiometer on the side of the MAF. Bosch no longer sells it separately. $35 - 50 for a refurb on fleabay. But, probably would have to DIY a lot of those types of repairs.

akross · #8 06-03-2014, 02:13 PM

That's good to know about the potentiometer there Ldog. I saw your earlier threads about all of the parts you had replaced, which scares hell out of me. Did you ever tally up all the $$ you spent? Must have been enough to match the GDP of half of the smaller countries + France.

liquiddog · #9 06-03-2014, 02:54 PM

I'm about $6500 into the car which includes purchase price. $10k is a reasonable total estimate for completion. Keep in mind I like my cars to feel "new" so I have also replaced things some would consider optional. I also have done 100% of the work myself. If I was taking it to a shop then yes, it would have been the GDP of France.

akross · #10 06-03-2014, 04:32 PM

Well, I'd have to say that if you end up with what effectively is a new older MB, you're probably money ahead, esp. when compared to cost of a new one. Plus, it keeps you off the street and out of bars.

liquiddog · #11 06-03-2014, 05:33 PM

The wife keeps me off the street. The two year keeps me out of the bars. The pair of them keep me neatly hidden in the garage.

JamesDean · #12 06-03-2014, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liquiddog

I'm about $6500 into the car which includes purchase price. $10k is a reasonable total estimate for completion. Keep in mind I like my cars to feel "new" so I have also replaced things some would consider optional. I also have done 100% of the work myself. If I was taking it to a shop then yes, it would have been the GDP of France.

I am about $12K into the 190E. That's over 7 years now and includes a transmission reseal, engine swap, new gearbox, front and rear suspension rebuilds and the original purchase price.

I am about $8K into the 300D. That's over 2 years. It includes rear suspension rebuild, partial front suspension rebuild, steering rebuild (less box),etc.

I've got spreadsheets on all of my cars if you wanted to see anything. Some jobs I farm out to my one shop when I am too busy or too lazy.

Hit Man X · #13 06-03-2014, 06:37 PM

It is a 25 year old car with 200,000 miles, do you honestly expect it to be perfect?

If you cannot do most/all repairs yourself, you need to be in a different vehicle. Lastly, any mechanic that cannot explain why the vehicle is 'problematic' is nothing more to me than a glorified shadetree.

My 300SEL is 850 miles shy of 300,000. I guess it is problematic and I should sell it too.

liquiddog · #14 06-03-2014, 07:36 PM

@JamesDean: so $20k. Not too far off the interest alone for a loan on a new car.

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/auto/loan-interest-calculator.aspx

Although, bank interest is cheaper than a repair shop, which is why most of our countrymen keep rolling over negative equity into new car loans.

akross · #15 06-03-2014, 08:26 PM

Hitman, no unrealistic expectations here, and like I said on my lead in, this ain't exactly my 1st trip around the block in old MB's, having restored a 300TD and D, and yes I do most everything myself, including welding/basic metal fab.

In fact over the last 40 some years, I've had at least 60 - 70 some cars of almost every make. Heck, I drove old Fiats for years, the MB has the reliability of a Datsun compared to those.

What I don't know is the gas powered Benz, that why I seek out those who do. The mechanic is an old E. European who only works on these cars, he def. knows more about the Benz than probably most here. I figure all he see's is broken cars, so that's all he knows, not exactly a controlled sample size.