I need to get new motor mounts, new engine seals (some leaks down below), and I want to know what a reasonable amount would be if I had these checked out at an independent repair shop.

Also, for what it's worth - I need new suspension bushings.

Can I replace my own brakes at home?



Das Benz...

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition, "Tiffany," - Black/Black Cloth - 75K miles, Jetta #6; my faithful, turbocharged, BBS-adorned sled

SOLD 3/08 1981 Mercedes Benz 300D, "Elise" - Astral Silver/Black M.B. Tex - 217K miles - I miss her everyday; the best-built car I've owned

Sure you can replace your brakes at home, its one of the easier jobs on a 240d. As for the leaks, front seal will be about 2 hours or so labor and the part will cost about.. ohh.. 40$? oilpan will be like, hour labor (only because of all those stupid little hex bolts) and a 20$ oilpan gasket. Rear seal will be many hours, atleast 5 or so and a 40$ seal. motor mounts about 1 hour each side, so about two hours for both. (that sound right guys? i could do it in less but.) all together, motormounts, oilpan gasket, and lets just say front seal. maybie... two hundred dollars? im not very good on estimation, but it shouldnt go over 500 for sure..

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

All this is stuff you can DIY. NOT difficult.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Shop will want $800-1500 to redo front end. Depends how much requires replacement.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Complete rear seal involves dropping the crankshaft. Got to pull either the engine or transmission to do that. Way more than 5 hrs.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

with the exception of the rear seal.. if you're not comfortable tearing into the bottom end of course

Sharp looking 300D

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Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

my local shop wanted $45 a piece to change the motor mounts if I provided the part...

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

Interestingly enough, the first local MB Independent shop I called quoted me $700 just to swap out the lower control arm bushings of my 300D, and that was if I supplied the parts.

...Yeah, it seemed a bit high to me, too. Unfortunately, that was the lowest quote I received, as the next three shops I called all wanted far more than that! I ended up doing it myself in 3 hours with $40 worth of parts. (Okay, I had to buy the $200 spring compressor set as well, but hey, I'll need it again some day. I still saved a lot of cash.)

Back to the topic at hand, if you really want to pay someone else to do the work, you'll just have to get quotes for local shops. With different costs of living come different labour rates, etc. It's hard to say what something will cost by the hour, where as it is easy to determine what kind of deal you're getting if they provide the time they'll be charging before they do anything. For example, a guy in a large metropolitan area might be getting a good deal to have his valve cover gasket changed if the shop charges $90 an hour, and they want to bill for half an hour of labour. Conversely, the guy that went to a shop where they only charge $60 an hour, but they want to bill three hours for the job, is getting hosed.

*edit: That is a very nice looking car, even if the factory did forget an extra cylinder, piston, and turbocharger.

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- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

For sure, more than 5 hrs, I did one a couple weeks ago, took me (I'm slow) that long with the engine already out

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Terms like "engine seals" and "replace my brakes" can have an incredibly wide range of meanings. You need to be more specific if you are going to have any hope of getting a meaningful response.

?????????

It's a joke! I laughed, anyway.

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83 SD

84 CD

Hey guys - I think someone misquoted something, but the car is a 300D, not a 240D.

It is missing that turbo though...

Anyhow, with regards to the brakes; I get some bad vibration when braking, especially from high speeds. Aw, screw it - I think the whole front end needs to be redone.

If I called a shop and said I wanted the seals, motor mounts, and front suspension bushings replaced, and I offered them $1000 - would I be fair, would I be getting reamed, or would I be unrealistic?

Andersbenz and KAAdams - thanks for the kind words about the Benz. I'll let her know! She loves compliments!

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition, "Tiffany," - Black/Black Cloth - 75K miles, Jetta #6; my faithful, turbocharged, BBS-adorned sled

SOLD 3/08 1981 Mercedes Benz 300D, "Elise" - Astral Silver/Black M.B. Tex - 217K miles - I miss her everyday; the best-built car I've owned

What seals? W/The rear seal would get you reamed. I would point out other than that it is all DIY with some blood sweat and tears. You will love yourself and your car that much more when you get done with it.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42