Lino, I think you've got a good car. Some dealer's can really screw people and it looks to me like if you find a good indy to do the few things you won't want to do, from now on your costs will not be like they have been before.

I did not see the replacement of the radiator on your list. You might want to check the top hose neck. This is a common failure point. New replacements have a reinforced neck.

Good luck.

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Steve

1992 300CE Sportline Sophie
1990 300E Emma - in the family
1979 240D Josephine - sold, but not forgotten
2004 Pacifica AWD

http://web.mac.com/dakota/Mercedes/Home.html

It is good you've got that list, i had a bunch of receipts for mine too. Most of it looks like maintenance, but why were the brake pads so dang much? Actually, everything looks like it was a bunch, somebody was gouging big time. It looks like the guy just took it to the dealer and paid whatever whenever and didnt check it out. Bad idea....
124's are too good cars, especially the coupes

Thanks guys for all your posts. The previous owner has a collection of cars and services all his cars at the dealer. Money is not a concern for him, but in my case I am fortunate to have a personal friend who is a great mechanic and so I know I'll be in good hands. My mechanic has been working on Mercedes for over 15 years and is very honest.

While I'm thinking about it, I have two other problems with PPIs, as a seller I mean. Some of them are "shakedowns". I had a Porsche buyer tell me his "inspector" says the cars needs $4,000 of repairs and would I kindly lower my price by $4,000. My trusted Porsche mechanic reviewed the list of items and said that he could not in good faith charge more than $100 to fix the items on the list that were in actual need of repair. I knew there was nothing really wrong with the car. The whole thing was a waste of everyone's time.

Secondly, an awful lot of PP "inspectors" are also selling cars these days - dealers, bigger independents, etc. This gives them a fundamental ethics problem - i.e. a lack of independence and objectivity. I have had four or five buyers tell me that the "inspector" tried to sell them a used car. Such a deal, charge for the PPI, bash the car, and try to sell them another car from your inventory. I just don't PPIs are the great thing they're cracked up to be, and they're not for everybody.

I think that you have hit the nail right on the head as to how a PPI should work. You have a highly trusted mechanic that will give you the real skinny on the car in question. He will give you an honest evaluation of the car, and set your expectations for not only whether to buy or not, but what kind of cash outlay you're looking at during the first term of ownership.

A PPI from a trusted mechanic is a valuable tool, but only one in the tool-box of the savvy buyer. Your own knowledge is the primary one.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

Well, with that list of items done, I might not have done a PPI either, the car was obviously maintained...

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1995 E320 smoke silver / parchment

Can someone please tell me what this service is:

Automatic Transmission (722.0 TO 722.4) R & R $356.40

This was done on the 27OCT97 179 989 km. You can see it in my earlier post of the service records.

I am asking this, because I was thinking about changing my transmission oil, but everyone is telling me not too, saying that it could cause damage to the modulators. I'm not sure I understand. The transmission oil is mineral based I believe and I'm sure the properties of this oil eventually break down.

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

Mercedes-Benz says the manual gearboxes are not repairable or fillable - they are filled and sealed for the entire life of the car (off-topic side note: the same is said on the gearboxes of air-cooled VWs - they are not expected to break down). Why would the automatic different in this feature? fill it or, God forbid, repair, only in dire need. Don't tamper with something that works.

~Nautilus

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1990 260E Sportline (that's 300E 2.6 for our American friends) -> sold
2001 E320 4Matic Elegance -> my Dad's daily drive
2005 Seat Leon FR 1.8T

if it's been 7 years since your last auto trans filter and fluid change, I would definitely get it done. Read the manual and it should tell you what the recommened interval for this service item is; I believe it is every 3 years or 36k miles, whichever comes first. I also recommend the 124 Owner's Bible, it is a pretty good source of info for people new to the 124 (it shows some of the basic maintenance and info about the various models).

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2005 Mercedes C230k sport sedan, 6 speed
1987 Porsche 924S - 968-engined track car

I was told by some Mercedes Mechanics that it would not be a good idea to change the oil if it hasn't been changed in a long time. The Mercedes dealer does recommend changing the oil regularly no matter what. I am confused and really am not sure what to do about this.

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

Do you have authoer / publisher or ISN# ? Is that the auctual TItle? thanks

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1995 E320 smoke silver / parchment

Mercedes Benz E-Class Owner's Bible 1986-1995
Bentley Publishers ISBN 0-8376-0230-0
By Stu Ritter

Available at Toad Halls Books.

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Steve

1992 300CE Sportline Sophie
1990 300E Emma - in the family
1979 240D Josephine - sold, but not forgotten
2004 Pacifica AWD

http://web.mac.com/dakota/Mercedes/Home.html

Mercedes recommend changing filter and fluid ever 30K miles. Mercedes may have changed their recommendations on newer cars but that was driven more by marketing pressures than anything else. Back in the days when the engineers ran the company (up to 1992), Mercedes made recommendations designed to keep the car running indefinetely.

I would certainly change the fluid and filter. You can expect to pay between $100 and $150 for parts and labor. I remember when it cost me $60 total at Mercedes dealerships.

Can I use non-Mercedes Transmission Fluid and which ones would be recommended? Would it be a good idea to go synthetic?

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

thanks

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1995 E320 smoke silver / parchment