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  #1  
Old 11-12-2004, 01:59 PM
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I've decided to keep Pete

I got the car back from the mechanic today. I have decided to keep the car and just drive it till it dies on me. I need it to last just at least 2 more years.

According to the mechanic, even though all the rubber in the front end is kaput, it should last a bit longer. It will just be squeeky and creaky the whole time. Most of my travel is around town anyway so hopefully he is right. If it does breakdown somehow, i will be close to home but at least it will be dramatic.

So thanks for the well wishers. And thanks for listening to me ***** for the past couple of years. Pete sticks around until he chokes to death on a chicken bone.

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Old 11-12-2004, 02:08 PM
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Good luck with your car. You have the same attitude as me. I'm going to drive mine until it blows up.

Scott
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1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
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  #3  
Old 11-12-2004, 02:18 PM
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Jen-

Hope it works out. That may be the best solution. If you aren't too turned off by the whole experience perhaps you can be looking for a more worthy replacement with zero rust and better suspension. And then use Pete as an organ donor....

But seriously, if the suspension is that bad, be careful and have your mechanic check it over from time to time before the wheels fall off...

Rick
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  #4  
Old 11-12-2004, 02:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JenTay

According to the mechanic, even though all the rubber in the front end is kaput, it should last a bit longer. It will just be squeeky and creaky the whole time. Most of my travel is around town anyway so hopefully he is right.
The mechanic is correct. It is very unlikely that old rubber on the front end will ever cause a catastrophic failure. The symptoms usually show up as squeaks and creaks, loose steering on the highway, some shimmy at high speed, etc.

For driving around town, you probably can drive it forever, just as it is.
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  #5  
Old 11-12-2004, 02:47 PM
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addendum on the earlier post...

i am keeping the car despite...

the bad front rubber
leaky back windshield that makes puddles in the back when it rains
leaky front windshield that makes smaller puddles on the driver side
non functioning radio
no a/c

it could be worse, i could be taking the bus
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Old 11-12-2004, 02:54 PM
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Jen, I used an exacto knife to cut my old cracked rubber from around the glass on the rear glass on my 80 240.... I used black auto silicone from a large tube in a caulking gun and sealed it up... two tubes... like $20 total...
Sealed it up perfectly..... I would get an inch of water on the right side before I did that....
On the creaking....go and find a ' gallon' can of 'ru-glide' ... I think it is just dilute muratic acid... add the proper amount of water into the can... and use the attached tube and sprayer to reach under the car and spray your creaky rubber.... presto, Noise Gone ! And will keep the rubber around longer than just letting it dry up....
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  #7  
Old 11-12-2004, 03:45 PM
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yeah, but I don't think its the rubber that's creaking. I think it's metal -to- metal creaking of a rusty lower ball (ball joint) in its socket . I had one of those... I don't think ruglide will help that any.
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  #8  
Old 11-12-2004, 05:04 PM
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One could determine that by putting a mechanics stethescope on the various items... but it is very common for rubber to get old , dry , and make creaking noises....
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  #9  
Old 11-12-2004, 06:12 PM
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Good luck with your car. I would still at least lube the ball joints if their boots are missing. It will make them last much longer and get rid of the squeeking if that's the source of the noise. Just get some gear oil and a bottle pump and squirt a little bit into the ball joints and any other joints that are exposed. For better protection wrap the ball joints with something like tape to minimize water contamination. That's what I did for one of my ball joints on my 82 300D.
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  #10  
Old 11-12-2004, 07:58 PM
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My W124 300D ball joint went bad a couple of weeks ago - it started groaning/squeaking very badly - at the time I was very busy with work and home matters and did not want to take the car down for a couple of days while I swapped out the ball joints.

I went to the local NAPA store and they had an assembly with a needle connected to a zerk fitting. You can use the needle to pierce the rubber boot and delivery a substantial quantity of lube directly into the ball joint innards. I don't recommend this as permanent repair but it has quieted my ball joint nicely - I suspect it would stay quiet for at least a couple of months.
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  #11  
Old 11-12-2004, 08:43 PM
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You can also use one of the thin vacuum fittings from the MityVac if you have it to get under the boot and squirt some oil in there.
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  #12  
Old 11-12-2004, 08:59 PM
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It is a 1981 vehicle.... the chances are much greater that it is simply the rubber squeaking.
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  #13  
Old 11-12-2004, 10:05 PM
webwench
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Aww, just start calling it 'squeaky Pete' and turn up the radio a bit You love that car, might as well keep it as long as it will run, and fix things here and there as the funds come available. Still beats buying a new or even newer-used car, costwise. I hope Pete lasts you a long time.
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  #14  
Old 11-13-2004, 12:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JenTay
I got the car back from the mechanic today. I have decided to keep the car and just drive it till it dies on me. I need it to last just at least 2 more years.

According to the mechanic, even though all the rubber in the front end is kaput, it should last a bit longer. It will just be squeeky and creaky the whole time. Most of my travel is around town anyway so hopefully he is right. If it does breakdown somehow, i will be close to home but at least it will be dramatic.

So thanks for the well wishers. And thanks for listening to me ***** for the past couple of years. Pete sticks around until he chokes to death on a chicken bone.

Sounds to me like a call for one of the forum members to go out there and spend a weekend helping you change everything in the front end (more like a one-day job really) and be done with it.
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  #15  
Old 11-13-2004, 08:28 AM
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Hey Jen,

I just changed the rubber bushings at the upper control arms (where the control arm joins the sway bar, just behind each upper ball joint. It only took about an hour do do both sides. The four bushings were less than $10.00 and it eliminated alot of the squeeks and groans. (Got rid of some of the other noise by changing the rear subframe mounts - also not all that bad.)

Windhshield and rear glass leaked on my '84 300D when I got it. Got used to moldy wet carpet but it sure is nice when you finally fix the leaks! I bought the new rubber from Fastlane, then paid a glass guy to r/r the glass with new seals. Total with seals about $150.00 / window... maybe save and do one at a time. Pete won't quit and you can fix him up one little bit at a time. Still cheaper than car payments!

Fred

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