Been a couple of months... to update, the car has still been setting, collecting dust and spiders.

My dads nephew is a general mechanic and he brought a neighbor who is also a mechanic, but specializes in Volvos to look at the car this evening. Can you believe they turned the key and the car started right up? It ran smooth for 10 minutes, but when they would up the rpms, the car had a bad lifter peck. I am guessing all of the gas we had "pumped" up in there when we have been getting it to start.

Anyway, they told me to place it in gear and I did... again, it was smooth, but when I gave it some acceleration, it stalled. Started back up, this time even in park when I would rev it up, it would sputter and miss and run poorly. They both said to first give it a general tune up. New fuel filter, new plugs, new plug wires, etc....

I am wondering, what are the BEST lowest price spark plugs for the M103? It has platinum plugs and one MB tech told my dad these are not good for this engine. They also said to replace the entire distributor cap.

Also, I priced plug wires... $100 for the Bosch or $70 for the Duralast... is it worth the extra $30 to go with the Bosch?

OH, I did a search on the plugs for the M103 and WOW, what a bunch of mixed responses! I hear use Bosch H9DCO, or NGK BP5EFS, TR5 NGK, etc.

these... http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Ngk-Gp-Platinum-Spark-Plug/1988-Mercedes-Benz-300SEL/_/N-ii3phZ9n80x?counter=12&itemIdentifier=441315_0_0_

or these

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Bosch-Platinum-Plus-Spark-Plug/1988-Mercedes-Benz-300SEL/_/N-ii3phZ9n80x?counter=10&itemIdentifier=870942_0_0_

should platinum plugs be used in the M103? I am so confused.