PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - What are members paying for their Mercedes

pawoSD · #**580** 02-15-2009, 04:13 AM

Around here its hard to find a nice example of a MB (and by around here I mean within 300 miles!)......so when I finally came across a 300E 8 miles away in great cosmetic shape but needing a little TLC, I nabbed it. Rust free Nevada car....$3250 is what I paid. I then put about $750 in parts into it...and its been running very good. I got it with 133,700 miles on it last November....it now has 136,300......amazing highway cruiser. All gadgets work on this car also....even the A/C (I think) and the power memory seats...none of that works on my SD.

No records but also no rust.....I'll take my chances.

As a comparison I paid $3700 for my SD in July 2003, and had to drive 800 miles to get it. (Harrisburg,PA).....In the first year it consumed about $2500-3000 in labor/parts for several BIG repairs. However, beyond that I've done all work myself and have driven it over 71,000 miles in 6 years....so it has worked out to be very cost effective....and now that most of it has been replaced, I haven't had to do a repair in over 18 months....just oil/trans fluid changes!

We'll see how the 300E W124 vs the W126 300SD pan out in overall ownership costs....

Of all the MB's in my family....the 300D wins for low cost....paid $1500 for it with the seller thinking "the motor is worn out" since it wouldn't start in the cold without being plugged in. We get it home, replace the ORIGINAL glow plugs, and it will now start effortlessly at -10F!

Its had other repairs....a couple starters....alternator....glow relay.....brakes/bearings.....overall thats it. Of course it only drives about 6,000 miles a year.....but its now been in the family for over 2 years and still is by far the cheapest.

My dad's newer (the '82) SD was a by chance occurrence....we got tipped off that a super nice 300SD had blown its motor and was available for $750....two days later it was in my dad's driveway.

Over the following 5 months we did a full overhaul....motor/trans pulled, new low miles motor was located, trans was re-sealed at a shop.....tons and tons of new parts....$2500ish later, its a beautiful smooooth running car.

It has yet to see a winter. (Its sleeping in his garage right now....since last November)