How do I know when enough is enough?
 

My car is fantastic. Its taken me thousands of miles without a hiccup. Never left me stranded and with regular maintenance it has proven to be the most reliable car I've ever had. However, lately, it has started to nickle and dime me more than I'd like to admit. In this case, as many of you may know, its not really nickles and dimes.

It runs great, mechanically it is pretty much perfect. It could use new injectors since at 160k its still using its originals, and its about due for an oil change. Its electronics and convenience features are where I'm beginning to have problems. I have about 5000 dollars into it within the last year alone, making it mechanically sound and aesthetically pleasing. But I don't want another year of 5000 dollar maintenance. I'm beginning to think its time for a new car.

The way I see it, with a substantial down payment, which I could make, and a reasonable car payment it could be cheaper than what I'm putting into my current 24 year old vehicle.

Do I keep putting money into this car, only to have to turn around and do the same thing months later? Or do I say enough is enough and cut my losses? I love the car and wouldn't trade it in. I wouldn't get out of it what I think I deserve. For a 23 year old car with full documented maintenance and original window sticker I feel I really have something special.

What do you all think?

I'm going to let you dwell on your thought then look at the wonderful depreciation of a new car, the maintenance of a new car, and insurance of a new car..

get back with me when you see

:D

No, not a new car. A used car, but a newer used car. 2000+

A car where everything WORKS!

For a while. then it won`t be nickle and dimes. the newer ones will have to be taken in to be plugged in the diagnostic computers for big bucks.

The newer they are, the more complicated. there goes your DIY.

As the don said, insurance, deperciation, maintenance also higher registration and monthly payments.



Charlie

It's shouldn't take more than 1 or 2 $5000 years to get it up to snuff, then you will only have to put oil in it for several years. Hang in there...

;)

Exactly. Thats how it went with my SD.....the first few years I repaired a ton of stuff.....but in the past 2 years I've done little to nothing. Under $500 a year in maintenance.

Tell us what big dollar items you have put into your car (I'm assuming the '84 SD?) in the last year. Did you do those jobs yourself or pay someone to do them? An old Mercedes can be very expensive to own if several big items all need work at the same time and even more so if you have to pay shop labor plus list price for the parts. If you can do the work (or even some of it) yourself it's not so bad.

I came to the same conclusion when I just got tired of spending money on my old car, and working on it, mostly working on it. Now Joe gets to pick up $$$ where I left off.:D

That new car or in my case truck scent is sure nice...no oil leaks...no wrenching...no repairs...4 year 50k mile warranty so if it breaks its the dealers problem...

Sure it costs a bit, but its not to bad if you keep it for 100k miles... some of us can write a lot of it off.:D Plus insted of spending my weekends under a greasy old car or fixing window regulators...I think I'll go sailing and maybe take up golf again. My free time has been liberated!:D;)

You always have a car payment, if you drive. You are either buying parts for an used car or putting cash into a new one. It takes money to get from a to b (the faster you get there, the more it costs.) I would rather put parts into a good reliable vehicle I can work on and can withstand a pretty heavy impact. Remember, all cars are used once they drive off the lot.

I wouldn't let the car go ... if you can afford to do so, your best bet would be to buy a newer, more maintenance-free car but keep your MB as a strictly hobby car. That way you can repair/restore it as time and money allows. Of course, this would require some means and a place to store the car, and that may not be an option for everyone. But personally, I'd never advise someone to get rid of a car they love. You can't get it back (well, not usually). To me -- and admittedly I'm in a fairly fortunate position financially -- enough is never enough. Maybe I'll have to put it on the shelf at some point, but I don't think I could ever just give it up completely.

It has to be, at least, a part-time hobby or its just not worth it.

You never know when enough is enough, because you can't predict failures of many systems.

You might not spend another dime on it for two years, the transmission, AC, wipers, and IP might puke tomorrow.

If you don't enjoy it anymore, move on IMO.

I agree with some of what is been said. my MB diesel is more of a hobby than a serious daily commuter. I use a newer Audi A4 as an everyday car. I think it would be a bit too much to really count on these cars day in and day out. After all, they are more than 20 years old. Just a thought.

I count on mine daily, 288K+ on the clock and has never let me down.

I wouldn't say you can't count on them necessarily ... I guess it depends on the car and what your daily needs consist of. I use my 87 300D as a daily driver and it's basically dependable. I do have the Jeep as a backup, but honestly in the last two years I've had more problems with the Jeep than the 300D. You never know when something major's going to fail I guess, but basically the 300 doesn't worry me a lot in that capacity ... most of the things that go wrong are graceful failures and I'm able to fix them or get them fixed without much disaster. Maybe I have to bum some rides off family members for a couple days.

That said, I wouldn't depend on my 240D as a daily driver, even though it starts/run/drives well. With 363k on it there are way too many potential surprises.

I'll try to cover as much as I can. I have a binder 1" thick full of receipts from the past year. I bought it on Sept. 17th, 2007. Its an 85' SD

Heres what I can recall off the top of my head:

New motor and tranny mounts
New tires
Glow Plugs/Relay
New seats (front and rear, out of an 86) and switches
Euro Lights + new bulbs all around
Euro Bumpers
new grill and ebay grill (still have the old one, will prolly put it back on)
New brakes/rotors/sensors
New hood pad
New shocks and springs all around
New strut mounts
New upper and lower oil cooler lines
New wipers
New windshield washer jets (70 bucks each!)
New hood ordament
New floor mats
New battery
NUMEROUS old vacuum hoses and fittings
New boost sensor
New primer pump
K&N Filter
i've also replaced some of the exterior plastic trim with the newer, smooth 86+style

all on top of general maintenance, which I've been very good about (fluid/filter changes, valve adjustments, etc...) I even have a full documented maintenance history from the PO (original owner).

All parts were purchased from Holmes European Mercedes Dealership in Shreveport, La. or Aristcrat Motors in Kansas City, Mo.

I did everything I could myself but a few things were taken care of by Star Motors in Kansas City, Mo. or their lead mechanic moonlighting for me.

Aethstetically I've replaced many interior and exterior parts but it isn't finished.

Here's what it needs:

Its ready for new injectors and could use the timing checked
Both front window regulators
both front window seals
both front window motors
new window switches for the center console

A/C! Its got the new r134a conversion by the PO, but I havn't been able to get it to work. I think there is a leak, but once thats fixed it will be the accumulator switch, then the relay, then the compressor...etc.) Also, I go to school in Louisiana and having no windows or a/c makes me want to kill myself on a daily basis. The window problem just came up and its already getting hot. Its what pushed me over the edge.

new sunroof motor (i have a good cable)
new sunroof seal
new headliner and b-pillars
new wood on dash and center console (though, not imperative)
new tires (i planned on pairing them with 86+ wheels, though, not immediately)
Numerous suspension bushings (most notably the upper and lower control arm on the passenger side, but they all need replaced)
New steering shock (though, not immediatly but whenever I can get around to it)
The engine shakes about quite a bit so I assume I need engine shocks
finish replacing the outside panels with new trim

replace the odometer. I have the part but I have been waiting for my car to reach the mileage on the part I have (183K). I've been keeping track and by my estimates my car has approx. 167k. The odometer went out at 155k.

also, my heater started to go on the fritz towards the end of winter. If I stopped the car at a stop light or was sitting in a drive through line or something the heater would warm up but if I started it while driving it would blow cool air until I slowed down, then get cooler again once I sped up. This isn't as big a deal to me as the A/C or windows working is since I live in the South and it gets hot down here. If I kept it I would have to have it fixed by October since it gets cold back home.

Looks like you are more than 1/2 way there
:b

I replaced my 1991 Nisan P/U (VERY low maintenance costs) b/c child seats don't work in pickups and my wife's 2005 Toyota Matrix b/c the insurance and payments were really high AND child seats don't work in cheap little cars very well. I got the 240D - she got a 1989 Jeep Cherokee. That car kept breaking down , while my 1980 MB didn't - so we replaced the Cherokee with the 300TD. It has more cargo space, is more comfortable and has better fuel economy than either of her two previous cars (yup - better mpg than a new Matrix)...... I guess in the end it is a personal decision based on what you need from your car and what you are willing to spend in $$, sweat, and bloody knuckles.

Good luck!

My personal feeling would be if I put that much into a car, I'd want to stick with it. It sounds like you've accomplished a lot with it ... I'd have a hard time giving up after all that. That said, it kind of depends on your attitude. If you can take pride in all you've but decide it's time to move on and sell it to the next glutton for punishment, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Nothing wasted. Kind of a personal thing though, it's hard to judge what would be best for someone else. I will say this: If you don't feel right selling it, don't sell it (unless you have to). Sleep on it for a while (not literally, that would be uncomfortable). Fix your windows and/or AC and see how you feel after that.:D

My 85 300SD is my daily driver - 202K. Between February 15th and 28th, I logged just under 2900 miles. Yesterday was a 315 mile day. I never think twice about getting in and going.

If you can find another car in the same age group, that's as dependable, solid, safe, comfortable and fun to drive - let me know. IMO they don't exist...And I've owned lots of cars!!

Sure you can say, and justly so - that an older Honda or Toyota can achieve the same high mileage and reliability ---- but they are no where near the ride and drive of these old classics. Is a 20+ yr old corolla as solid as my W126 --- NO WAY!

Diesel on Garth....

Im a busy student and I don't really have the time to keep wrenching on the car, nor do I want have to take out a student loan just to keep up with the costs! I have more thanks to worry about. I had to take a cut in hours at work because I'm taking more at school. Its not bad if its just a hobby, but when it becomes a necessity its not as fun. I need all the free time to study and work, not for working on my car. It would be worth (and probably cheaper) to buy a newer car than maintain this old one.

All I want is a car that works. And I probably wouldn't sell my current Mercedes. I'm not sure it would be taken care of properly. I would like to finish it but I just can't right now.

Why 2000+? The best Mercedes was being made until 1995 (124)
Where everything works depends more on the driver than the age of the car.
There are 25 yo cars where everything works and 2000 cars where everything is frustrating (even more in a brand new car because the car is new)

When is enough enough.... A. Bank account says OUCH/Enough!! or B. When the bloody knuckles say OUCH/Enough!!!

I am a newbies here. When you own a 20+ years old MBZ then you are either a nut or a good DIY mechanics. If you take your car to a MBZ mechanic every time it sneezes then you may as well kiss it good bye. If you do not enjoy working on it or have a spare car to run around then it is time to move on.

3 x 87 300SDL
1 x 83 300D
1 x 83 Diesel Suburban - all run but not perfectly by modern cars standard.

I work on it myself the majority of the time, but I do get the parts from the dealer (sue me!).

I dont run to the dealership every time my car "sneezes".

And I just picked 2000+ because 1) I'm going to need financing and 2) thats just what I want! If I'm going to finance a car I want it to at least look new!

Well - sounds like you've got a decision to make...and it's just that - your decision. Many of us can offer opinions, suggestions and ideas but ultimately it's up to you. Appears you're really busy with school, and that's a good busy, and one that needs your full attention.

How far is your daily drive?

In looking at your earlier posted list of repairs, and 'to be done' list...it appears many items were/are cosmetic...Maybe wants, not needs - I'm not going to be the 'father' of 2 college sons, that I actually am --- you can think about that one relative to time and priority in life.

You also reference not wanting to 'borrow' to make repairs - is having to 'borrow' a factor in getting a newer car? If so, think about how much you'd need to borrow, vs. how much to finish out the critical need items for the Benz. Think about the luxury of delaying a minor repair if you don't have the cash in hand...think about how you can't or shouldn't delay a car payment if you don't have cash in hand......

And if you buy a newer, but yet still 'used' car --- do you really know what you're getting - could you be walking into a 'start over' with what you've got now.

Just some thoughts from me --- And as mentioned by others...don't make a snap decision - think it over.

Well in that case I'd go for a used, lower-maintenance car and park the MB for a while. There's no shame in that. You can only take on so much at once. If you can find somewhere to store it, that would be optimal (maybe a friend's garage or shed), but even if it sits out, these are tough cars. My 240D sat for a couple years, and aside from brakes from hell and a little rust-busting, it didn't suffer that much. Although I think it got lonely.;)

I have to chime in......
 

Being originally from Louisiana and having attended many an LSU football and basketball game in the "old" places, I just have to chime in and offer some "personal experience".


As you probably know, I'm on my second daily driver, 300SDL, having just entered the MB world in March, 2007. Coda, my current daily driver, needs a long list of stuff. The BIG major stuff that MUST be done ASAP are:

1. FIX the fuel leak from the IP delivery valves.
2. Replace the motor mounts.

The fuel leak has "rotted" the driver's side motor mount. All the vibration can't be good for the rest of my car.......but, it still starts (when I don't run out of fuel) and gets me to work and home again, safely and very dependable.

Now, let's talk about the 2000 Dodge Ram 2500, Cummins truck I bought on Halloween. I bought it with "known electrical issues in the wiring harness plug" near the rear of the engine. I got it cheap (does anyone see where this is going?). I drove it to storage with erratic shifting. Here's the service history on it thus far:

1. Took it to a diesel guy that does Dodge diesels --- he owed me a favor. He cut out all the non-factory wiring modifications that had been done. He said it was charging, throwing codes, and should go to the transmission shop. Tells me it really needs a lift pump.
2. Took it to the transmission shop --- they dropped the pan and said it definitely needed a rebuild.
3. Still coding....Both parties agreed it needed a PCM. I bought a PCM and replaced it. Still coding, erratic shifting, not charging.
4. Took it back to the diesel guy --- ran out of fuel on the way --- fuel gauge was still reading about 1/4 of a tank. He figures out that I ran out of fuel, puts 5 gallons in it, bleeds the lines, installs a lift pump that I take to him that he says is not much better than the one that was on there. He says I can solder the wires as good or better than he.
5. Take it to my independent "gasser" shop. They think the PCM needs to be replaced (again). Can't figure anything out. I go to pick it up and it drives PERFECT. They didn't do anything to it.
6. Two days later, it's erratic shifting and no charging .....AGAIN.
7. All the time, I'm visiting the Cummins Forum --- a lot of threads with no conclusion as to what fixed the various issues. Here, we have a lot of threads that have the solution to what was causing the original problem.
8. I take to the dealer. They said the battery cable terminal ends need to be replace. They do that......and replace a speed sensor on the transmission. It's better....they say it feels like the transmission valve pump is not quite right....suggest I take it back to the transmission shop.
9. I go and pick it up and it much better, park it at storage. Next time I start it up, it's back to erratic shifting and no charging.
10. Then I take it back to the dealer. They suggest the PCM needs to be replaced. I tell them I've done that......and it is under warrenty. I ask if they will remove it, let me send it in, and then install the new one.
11. I send it in for exchange during Christmas holidays; have to wait until after New Year for the next one to be installed.
12. Dealer installs the PCM at no cost because it did not fix anything. Their next suggestion is replace the wiring harness. I say no, I can charge it at night a lot of times for less than "about $3800" was the quote on the wiring harness.
13. I take it back to the transmission shop and they replace the valve pump.
14. Still erratic shifting and no charging, so I drive my truck HOME to the house.
15. I do a lot of research, tracing wires, cutting out butt joints and soldering jumpers in, etc. Still no fix.
16. I replace the lift pump with an aftermarket fuel pump. Got plenty of fuel pressure, but still erratic shifting and no charging.
17. Last night, I removed the starter and replaced the crankshaft position sensor (47.99 from NAPA), charge the batteries and take it for a test drive.
18. Charging and NO erratic shifting. YEAH. Truck hiccups a few times and dies at the red light. Will NOT restart. THANK goodness it's a bit of an incline and I'm albe to roll it backwards off into the turn lane and then into a shopping center and position it where the batteries are away from the curb.
19. Walk home.
20. This morning, I go and try to take out the batteries --- I ran them down last night trying to get the thing started. Can only get one out because of the rusted hold down strap on the second one. Take it to AutoZone for testing and charging.
21. Pick up 7 gallons of fuel, reinstall charged battery, jump 1986 300SDL to the batteries, so it can be charging the other one while I "load" 7 gallons of fuel, crack open 2 injector lines.....and crank....and crank....and crank.....finally decide that my IP must have died.....no fuel to either injector.....crank a few more times......get diesel. Tightened up both injector lines and it starts....coughs....and then idles smoothly.
22. Unhook 1986 300SDL and park it out of the way, drive truck home with hiccups along the way.....thought it was going to die once.....get it parked, sit down and eat dinner.....walk back for car.

More than once, I asked some guys at work if they had a handgun in their toolbox because I needed to borrow some tools.

My truck is a 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins Diesel engine. Do you want to buy it?

Richard,
Living in West Monroe, just 100 miles from you, I know how you feel with spring and summer coming up. The weather here can be brutal in the summer.
A/C is a necessity and Shreveport is a bit hot and humid without it.

I have a 1967 VW Beetle, restored with A/C. It is my toy car. I only drive it on nice days. I have my old daily driver, 1986 300sdl which was nickel and dimeing me to death in late 2007, and had no heat or functioning glow plugs.
I had to do something and quick. I found a very nice 2007 BMW 530i with only 2000 miles on it and bought it as the new daily driver, but I could not get rid of my Benz. I parked it in the garage and spent some time, but got everything fixed, new monovalve,aux water pump, CCU, glow plugs, upper control arm, new brake pads and sensors and new tires. By March 2008 all was fixed and I have not spent another dime on it. So now what do I do???
Benz is fixed for daily driving again, 07 BMW now with 4000 miles on it, Beetle for nice days.... I kept them all. I switch between the BMW and the Benz for daily driving, alternating them weekly. For rides over to Shreveport to U-Auto-Pull- It, I take the Benz. It is an unbelievably great Interstate car.
Luckily, I am not a student. I am 51 with a good job and can afford to do this.

Now back to your situation... My daughter is a 20 year old college student at the Univ. of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It is a 300 mile drive from here. She uses her car daily in Alabama. I had to get her something that was reliable, safe, and got good gas mileage. I bought her a 2000 Toyota Camry 4 door 4 cylinder with A/C, power everything, a good stereo and a factory alarm. We have had it 4 years and 50,000 miles now and have only replaced brakes, tires and a battery. It gets 34mpg on the Interstate and 26 mpg in town. Insurance is cheap, and the A/C is so cold in the summer you could hang meat in it.

Find a nice Toyota for daily driving. Keep the Benz, it is a Classic and a work in progress. You are getting there with it, and you will kick yourself for selling it. Keep it for the classic it is. I'll bet a nice 2000 Camry with service records won't set you back about $5000 now.

enough is when you cant afford it anymore and when you wrenching on the car a lot more than you are driving it.

IMHO, enough is when you get sick of it. If you are at that point right now, either park the car or pass it on. If I were in the same shoes you were, I would honestly consider an used Honda or Toyota as the school beater. Last year we put a JDM VTEC drivetrain in a friend's 91 Civic; it now does 160 crank HP and high 30s MPG on the highway. A pre-2000 Civic goes for under $3K in pristine condition here. Drive it for a few years and it will pay for itself. And, any mechanic can fix it. That is what they were designed for. Or an older (SC1/SC2?) Saturn or Neon; they can do about the same gas mileage and are reasonably cheap to maintain.

When it is not fun anymore, it is time to move on.

That said, I am speechless about how much the car has cost you already. I do not think I have $5K in my 75 300D, and that includes paying a shop to put one engine, then, after the vacuum pump killed it, putting the turbodiesel drivetrain I bought off the yard (some modifications required). Also, tires, A/C, suspension, and so on. Now I need to get the head checked/rebuilt by someone who understands the engine and then, while it is doing that, modify the turbo oil return fitting at the upper oil pan to stop pissing me off. Probably need a new hood too. And then putting a W126 electronic speedo in the car but making it look like it belongs there. I guess it is because my W115 300D is a much more spartan/pedestrian car than the 300SD, but I just cannot find ways to spend that much in it.

FYI, If I am not mistaken your AC compressor is a Delco R4. When they leak, you can replace the offending seal without taking compressor out. Also, they can be had for under $100 at any discount autozone, just ask for, say, the compressor off a 82 Caprice Classic. I also firmly believe the priming pump is award-winning ghey. Got tired of it and put a boat squeeze ball before the pump in my car with enough hose I can use it without having to stick my hand in there. Now I can prime the car in 3-5 pumps.

1"..thats it... Hattie put like 3"+ of receipts into the SDL I bought off of him...

I'm adding to it

:)


everything works in my SDL and now I just have to keep up with maintenance and I'm good to go.

1998 + E320's are awesome buys. The V6 is Mercedes most trouble free engine, IMHO, to date. There do not seem to be any mechanical weaknesses, other than the harmonic balancer, and the goo building up under the oil cap because of the PCV design. Just KEEP YOUR OIL CLEAN, and they will never stop going. My dad has over 170K on his E320 4-matic. These cars are just SO underrated...You'd swear, with their track record, they were built in Japan.

A 24 year old car is going to have accellerating issues if being driven daily, even if it's a Mercedes-Benz diesel. If money becomes an issue for you, liquidate your multiple rides. I wouldn't rely on a MB as my only daily driver much over 15 years of age. Some things are going to give because of age on your car, regardless of miles.

I beg to differ. As long as the car has been taken care of and is taken care of it will do just fine for daily driver duty. I have a friend that drives a 56 bel air as his daily driver and a few friends in the vw crowd driving air cooleds every day. Then most of the guys in diesel discussion are driving their w123, w126's every day and any day of the week.

My 300D never left me stranded and the SDL wont either.

Thanks for jogging my memory of the rust inherent to the northern cars. I knew I forgot something. The brutally harsh winter temps and conditions does a number on these cars.

Rust don't make them pretty but it won't stop them from going, and going...

Especially if cosmetics, everything working, no DIY and not having to pull junkyard parts is important to you, the old saw which holds that it's always better to pay a premium up front for a pristine ( garaged) , low mileage, maintenance and repair fully documented specimen, still holds.

On the other hand if you get one cheap with a beat interior and non working gadgets but well maintained powertrain, say at 250K miles, you can still be good for at least another 100k miles until timing chain stretch and compression loss catches up to it. How many other cars can that be said of?

Last thing I would want as a student would be a car payment.
In fact, last thing I would ever want is a car payment.
Looking at your list, seems like you are kinda hung up on the cosmetic features of the car. That being said, it would probably be cheaper to find a nice Honda or Toyota that is real pretty then it would to fix up your old Benz.
I would limit what I looked at in a post 2000 car to Japanese. Nissan, Toyota or Honda. Definitely not American or European, they take nickel and dime to a whole new level. (sorry Mercedes, but you too)
If you are going to buy used, look for the top of the line models. The more expensive the car was when new, the better chance you have of finding one that has been properly maintained. One of the reasons why there are so many of these old Benz's running around.

It sounds like you already answered your own question. It also sounds like you have your priorities in the right place. This is not the time in your life for that car as your daily driver.

If it were me I would pick up the April issue of Consumer Reports and look for the most reliable cars that I could afford. Most of them are going to be Japanese. I would look for one of those with service records.

Will it be as fun to drive as the MB, no. It will be a utilitarian car to get you from point A to point B. Will you be wrenching on it all the time, no.

Good luck with your search.

Plenty of problems with the W210 chassis:

Window Regulators
Fuel level sending unit
Cracked Dash Boards
Melted Plastic Bulb Holders
EIS Problems
A/C Evap Temperature malfunction
Transmission Rebuild/Limp Home Mode
Seats Rock back and forth
Rust
Windshield Washer heater coil malfunction (mixes coolant with windshield washer fluid)
Crank Pullies

Some other stuff as well, these cars require expensive maintenance and SDS....I don't think any Mercedes is "cheap" to own...You are better off getting a Honda/Toyota/Nissan. You can get maintenance done for cheap, and they are reliable.

Depreciation I agree, maintenance? Psh alot less then what youd have to do to your W123 or W126. Most new cars just need oil and air filter changes, you wont need to do a tune-up til you hit 100K. Insurance thats negligible, full coverage on a old car will be around the same as a new car. New car's have more saftey features that give you a break on insurance costs, old cars (lets say for example a W123) doesnt have air bags, ABS, EBD, traction control, etc so full coverage is going to be more money.



There will be less of a need to do DIY work on a new/newer car. As i said most new cars dont need full tune-up until 100K. And what diagnostic computer work costs big bucks? An OBDII scanner is around $50?




I agree completely :thumbsup: Why waste a nice sunny weekend under a old car when i could be carving corners on my sport bike :)

...Can be associated with the W124 as well. It suffers from the same maladies (some with greater frequency), but the I6, while a solid motor, is not without it's fair share of troubles.

The rust issue that you mention is one of the things that really turned me off. The later W210's appear to be better in this respect (2000 +).

I have been told by several people that a 2000-02 E320 is the most reliable fairly modern Mercedes you can get. I know a used car dealer who push's a lot of Mercedes and he swears by that one.

You don't need a SDS to diagnose most problems with the w124, with a w210 you need SDS....I own both and the w210 costs a great deal more to maintain because of all the non-conventional equipment necessary to troubleshoot problems.

The W210's can fall under the disposable Mercedes category. Everything is replaced rather than repaired. CAN is in full effect, which makes troubleshooting problems difficult.

00+ still had rust issues, they had a recall for all w210's in 2005 for rust protection under the door seals. Don't get me wrong the w210 is a great line, its a more nimble chassis than the w124, but if something goes wrong, it can be a major PITA to figure out what exactly is going on.

The W124 has a LOT less to go wrong, if you want something economical to maintain you probably shouldn't purchase ANY Mercedes or for that matter any German car.

You cant judge reliability by the amount a lemon lot sells.

I think that the piece of mind to be had with a newer, reliable car is worth the car payment. I can afford a substantial down payment and have excellent credit so I'm not worried about financing. I've found several cars I'm going to go look at while I'm in Kansas City next week. For example I found a nice Saab with relatively low miles within my price range. I think that if I can get the car, I'm going to do it.

I do plan on keeping my Mercedes around, though I would consider selling it to somebody who would take care of it like I have. And yes, alot of the stuff I've done is cosmetic but that is just as important to me as how it runs (and you should have seen those old seats!). I just don't feel like working on it so much any more and instead of dropping 1000 dollars on it every time it needs work a 200 dollar car payment seems much more reasonable.

My wife actually said it best when I became frustrated with all the problems and having to constantly work on the "stable".
She said, "I'm sure that I could find a new/used car that I enjoy to drive just as much, but when you are riding in a Mercedes, it shows class."
When I was debriefing my frustration to a friend, he said, "If you truly enjoy riding/driving the vehicle, then it is not a waste."
So, I guess once you cross that line of it not being a pleasure to drive because you are too concerned about the repairs, then I guess, "enough is enough".

How much for the Dodge?
Got any pictures?

You sure you want a 1998.5-2002? If it were me I would steer clear of those years.

2nd gen Cummins 94-98 are the most trouble free