I have come to the end of my economic rope with my 124 car.

I bought my manual transmission 300E in early '98 at less than 80K miles, and kept it tucked away alot. About three years ago, the engine in my trusty old 240D turned loose. At that time I started driving my 300E on a daily basis and thought that I could never go back to a 123 car. This was because DRIVING a 124 car is a fabulous experience compared to a 123. They are a fabulous driving machine. The 123 cars pale by comparison when sitting in the drivers seat.

At about the same time, the 240D laid down, not too long after the 300E had to have headwork so I found myself afoot. That was October of 2000 and I bought a new C240. One month after that we had a massive layoff and the company has been going down the tube ever sinde. For that reason I tucked away the C class, put the 300E back together and kept driving it to keep mileage off the C in case things got so bad I had to sell it.

The 300E now has 251,000 miles and is like a horse that is eating me out of house and home. I am buying parts for this car CONSTANTLY. None of my 123 cars EVER required so much repair.

I don't mind the work involved in the repair too much, even though most things that are simple to accomplish on the 123 are more involved on a 124. In my current situation, having gone through two pay cuts in the last two years and wondering every day if the company will survive, parts for the 124 are RIDICULOUSLY expensive as compared to 123 parts.

My front flex disc on the 300E went out AGAIN. This part is over $70 for the 300E as compared to the $35 or so I paid for the same 123 part.

I am ready to put on a full speed ahead campaign to put my 240D back on the road. I have one other project to finish (my tractor) before I dive in, but as it stands right now, I'm parking the 300E. I could pay a car payment for what I put in it every month in parts. I'm just fed up.

I have been saying I would restore the 240D when I retire. Instead I think I'm going to restore the 300E when I retire and drive it occasionally as a toy instead of trying to keep the expensive beast on the road for 1,000 miles a week as I do now.

Sick and tired in Texas,