I think my carma has caught up with me. I had a Corgi toy 240D when I was a kid and parted with it one 4th of July by blowing the interior up with firecrackers. I always wondered if when I got a real Mercedes, if I would be cursed.
I think so. Then again, it could have been my own ignorance.
Two years ago I found a '74 240D for $650. I didn't end up buying it, considering it wasn't running and I saw obvious other problems. It started my obsession though, and the quest of learning everything I could about these cars.
I ended up buying a better, running one ('76, same style) for $800. After all, it had relatively new tires, didn't smoke bad, ran smoothly and the interior look decent. No accidents & very little rust. The only "problems" seemed minor. Perfect project. I've always been a car buff, & I learned how to change my own oil - a simple as sin 240D should be the ultimate to learn on. Plus my uncle had owned a 220D and 300SD among other Mercedes, and they were excellent and very reliable cars. I was encouraged at how many minor things I fixed myself within the first month I had the car.
Well, I soon found I was over my head, even with help from Mercedes forums and the factory CD. It seemed like every bolt was "stuck" and couldn't be budged. Tightening a belt was a two-person major undertaking. The oil filter was a PITA to change. My health has declined and it is literally painful for me to climb under the car, under the dash etc, now.
I've been to three mechanics and found one thing after another that has been repaired improperly by the previous owners. I've replaced the entire exhaust, motor mounts, tranny mounts, speedo cable, oil pan, all fluids & filters, battery, shock absorbers, brakes, fog lights, oil bath air cleaner, assembly, subframe mounts, fuel lines & primer pump, water pump and lots of little things. The car got a Maaco paint job to replace the peeling paint. I did as much as I could but most of the work was done by three different mechanics. Also, #2fixed what #1 did wrong, and #3 what #2 did wrong, etc.
There's lots more to fix. The tires are the wrong size, the sway bars & tie rods need replacement, the rear springs sad, the seats all need restuffing, the dash needs to be torn apart to fix the blower & wiper linkage, the clock doesn't work, the instrument panel siliconed in place, the air conditioning is broken, the radiator needs replacement, the fuel tank has corrosion, the 2nd gear synchro is bad, blowby is getting worse, and one injector is starting to nail.
But it steers beautifully, looks great, is fun to drive, and is so peppy, it just loves to get out on the road. When warmed up it idles smoother than my gas SUV. It's been fully cleaned & cared for since I've had it. I get comments from everyone how pretty it is. Plus, it was my dream to own a Mercedes...
I don't make a lot of money and I definitely don't have the talent, time, skills, tools or strength to do most repairs myself. Diesel prices are almost $1 more than gas prices so it almost equals out w/ my SUV daily driver that gets 1/2 the mileage. It makes no economic sense to keep my Mercedes.
When do you say good-bye, decide it's just not worth it anymore? I would be sad to part with this car. I keep thinking if I get what was neglected by the P.O. taken care of I will have a reliable car. I'm afraid that's not the case. I know I could sell it and buy a newer diesel Mercedes in better condition (now that I know more), but I may also be fixing a new set of problems.
BTW, I bought another Corgi 240D in perfect condition as a good luck charm, it sits in the garage facing Katja.
-AC