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

__________________
1976 240D "Katja"

It is time to say good bye only when you feel it is so. From what you wrote, it served your original purpose and gave you a taste of what you wanted to accomplish. I believe many of us have come to the same cross road you are now facing. Whatever you decide, don't ever regret doing it.

Best of luck with your decision.
Steve

__________________
Steve
'87 300TD - 132K - Soon 4-Sale
'84 300D Turbo - 122K - Driving
'77 VW Type II - 77K - Restored
'08 250EX Ninja
English Bulldog (Brier) - My best friend. Passed away 12/02/04 while in my arms.

Many of us fix and repair these vehicles ourselves. It takes quite a bit of time to learn the techniques and apply them. In my own case, it took nearly five months to completely remove and overhaul the head on the SD. I did a bunch of other work during the process, neglected things such as water pump, belts, oil cooler lines, starter, downpipe, etc. Managed to spend nearly $2K on parts and the cylinder head overhaul.



It certainly makes no economic sense to spend this amount of money on a vehicle worth $4K. But, it runs with perfection and I get a smile on my face every time I drive it.


So, the decision is strictly personal. However, I would really urge you to reconsider keeping it because of the costs involved when you must pay others to work on it. It can quickly become economic suicide despite your best efforts. Many mechanics don't have the slightest clue on how to maintain a diesel and what to repair at a reasonable cost. The chances of you stumbling into one of them without realizing it are high. You've clearly stated that you have limited resources. An old M/B is, unfortunately, ill-suited for such a person.

There is a reason why folks lease a new vehicle with a warranty.

I'm poor as church mouse myself. Been driving Vintage MB's into the ground for decades. Never had one with fully functional A/C, just live without it. But yeah can see where the heat blower motor and wiper's linkage is worst then engine work for repair. Tie-rods are cheap and radiator recore aint expensive. But have you *ever* flushed the cooling system? Nailing is probly one bad injector tip. Learn to double clutch if synchro gets worn thin. On annual budget I put aside at least $1500 to repair/maintain old Benz's I've owned over the years, and thats doing most of the work myself. Are you truly sick'n tired of the car, or just fed up with the razz'ma tazz of dealing with professional mechanics who now charge more then doctors and dentists.

You understand that you will never find a more enjoyable 4-spd sedan then the 240D. This time of year you'll take a beating if you try to unload it. Winter especially is when sharks who know what they're doing look to buy these cars for peanuts from owners quick to give em up.

And where are you located? I've been looking for an older w115 body style 4-spd diesel for awhile. Would trade my '83 daily driver for one with 4-spd and manual sunroof. Items like the clock, air conditioning and crunched seats dont bother me. But to be honest, your '76 would actually be a better car if it was a 1972 220D before they sacked corner vent windows, went to floppy seats and used imported steel for sheet metal.

Ever private paid for a surgery?

I have.

Mechanics, unless you're calling car salesmen by that name, do not charge such prices. One can purchase a new domestic mid-size or a 2001-2002 w210 for the price of an appendectomy that takes 30 minutes.

__________________
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg

I appreciate all your responses. I found a great mechanic that really, really knows older Mercedes so I'm blessed that way. And no, he doesn't charge as much as my doctors but my car insurance plan doesn't cover mechanic visits. I was just feeling a little hopeless after spending $1300 yesterday.

I can live without the A/C & heat because as long as the car is moving, there's a lot of air flow through the vents. I changed the coolant to MB coolant but it turned green because I didn't flush the system. Maybe a flush will help. It never gets above 180F so I'm not worrying for now. I double clutch on downshifts but upshifts are hard uphill as I lose a lot of time to shift. The car rides nicely on new Bilstein's and the steering is incredible. I know restoring the seats is a project I can do. I use 15w-50 Mobil 1 synthetic and B20 biodiesel and the car seems to like it.

I'm well over budget for this car this year...hopefully I can keep driving it until I can re-evaluate things next spring...I agree, winter is a bad time to unload it. I don't particularly want to have it sit for a long time as I know it runs better & better the more I drive it.

-AC

__________________
1976 240D "Katja"

HiNeon, Sorry to hear about your appendix, glad to know you've fully recovered.

My last DOT physical to restore my CDL license cost me only $50, half the price of wheel allignment. And then last Winter 16 stitches in my arm to heal a knife wound when i got stabbed cost me about half as much as replacing a clutch.

But doctors i go to (maybe once in blue moon if at all) do NOT participate in the insurance kick-back scam, so they charge basic flat rates and i get better treatment too.

I always feel badly for people entirely dependent on doctors, same as people relying exclusively on professional mechanics. Folks who never see doctors and shun the rip-off insurance scam are generally the healthiest. And cars that are regularly maintained by their owners often last the longest, easily the most economical with fewer problems being "discovered" by creative mechanics.

Katja, they aint makin anymore 240D's!! Arguably these 4-spd sedans will never be bettered or improved upon. Bringin one up to snuff aint like throwing money away. And all the bushing work you've done will last a lifetime. Much better to throw a couple thousand into one-time repairs on the 240D then drive around in a modern 'cell phone' looking car or some kinda SUV/POS.

Meanwhile tranny in and out oughta be 4 hours billable labor + whatever a decent used tranny costs. Could do the whole thing for less than $1000 if you scrounge around.

I agree with you to a point 240Dog, but it isn't quite so black & white! There is MUCH grey area in both mechanic/modern automobiles and doctors/insurance.

Doctors are so expensive because malpractice insurance costs so much-- likewise mechanics. They all have overhead costs that home mechanics don't-- Our overhead comes at the cost of our own living quarters-- they've got separate practies and garages that require far greater expense to maintain than we do.

To say that an old diesel is superior to a modern anything may be an overstatement as well-- Even small cars are doing amazingly well in crashworthiness these days, you get a useable cupholder, air-conditioning that will actually cool the interior of the car, comfortable foam seating that actually conforms to your back instead of having springs that make your back conform to them... you can be heard at drive through windows and not feel bad about leaving the house late at night in a modern gas-powered automobile.

Did I mention that all of those luxuries can be had for the price of a w123 and getting it back in shape? That one would be starting with FULL warranty and most of all-- You would be starting with PERFECT service records as well?

The old Mercedes is a hobby car for most, a way of life and daily-driver for some-- but at the end of the day-- relying on an old diesel if your livlihood is at stake is about the biggest mistake anyone can make. They are just too tempermental and moody for anyone that HAS to get somewhere at a predetermined time.

__________________
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg