Bought the 92 with 138,000 miles six years ago, now have 218,000 miles. Over those 80,000 miles I have spent $15,722 (shhhh, don't tell my wife), or 19.7 cents per mile. Higher than I would like, but oh well.

This includes everything other than fuel. Other than changing my oil, air filter, light bulbs, and power steering fluid, I don't do my own work. Labor rate ranges from 75-100/hr. I am often able to buy the parts from buymbparts, so that helps some.

Hoping to do better with my recently-acquired 91, but we'll see.

What have you found to be the cost per mile with yours?

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I'd rather not know

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

+1

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

Worst of all, our 2002 Honda Odyssey (now with 117,000 miles), which we bought brand new, now has a lower total cost of ownership than the MB. A little discouraging that the vehicle bought for $26,000 now has been cheaper to own than the vehicle bought for $5,900.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Are you including depreciation in your Honda calculation?

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

No....didn't think that was relevant. (Sorry for the late reply.)

I think the 92 will ultimately lose out to the Honda.

I'm pinning my hopes on my 91. Won't be competitive for a while...have only owned it for 8,000 miles. But I'm determined to have Otis beat the Odyssey!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Agreed!!!

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Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

Older high millage cars just will naturally require more. Using paid service may be somewhere near the depreciation cost on new buggies. This may be one major reason older cars have fallen out of favour generally.

Doing your own work can with the right car leave you with money in your pocket. I just sit back and watch my son in law get fleeced on his newer cars that have acquired substantial milage.

Right now he has a suspected bad valve in his Honda. So he is talking a used engine. I could not talk him into pullling the head himself and getting the valves done if I tried. So I do not bother. I have no doubt it will cost him whatever he decides two thousand or more. Probably a lot more.

Considering how much I had done ($5000 in total) and how few miles I have put on it since then (around 1000) my cost per mile for my ownership is right at $5 a mile

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

We trust that figure will go down a bit over time!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I'm assuming your price of 15.722k includes the purchase price? 10k on parts and labor? I guess that equates to 1.67k a year over 6 years. I honestly don't think mine is that much, but I haven't ever kept that accurate of a total. Plus it helps that I only paid 1.4k to begin with.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

No, 15,722 IN ADDITION TO the 5,900 purchase price.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I guess you are after maintenance cost per mile. I would be more concerned about TOTAL cost per mile if I were keeping track (purchase price and fuel included). I would bet the Benz would win out over the mini-van in that category.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

Shertex......you must have had some major rebuild some where along the line.
Yes? No?
I have only spent about $3000 over the last 4 years on the 98 E300 (about 100K mi.) but I do my own labor. That included a new radiator, muffler, brake pads, 1 set of touring tires and one set of mounted winter tires plus all the little stuff like O Rings for the fuel lines and rebuilding the IP.........

It sounds to me like your hemorhaging money on that vehicle.....may be I am wrong!

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K

No...no major rebuilds. Engine and tranny have always been rock solid. Below are things I've done (in addition to fluids, tires, etc.). Nothing, in and of itself, very major. And nothing to make me think I'm throwing good money after bad. But it adds up.

Folks who do their own work save a ton.

Alternator
Aux. Water Pump
Ball Joints
Belt Tensioner
Blower
Brakes Front
Brakes Rear
Center Link
Fan Clutch
Front Crank Seal
Front Drive Shaft Joint
Front Wheel Bearings
Glow Plugs
Header Pipe
Ignition Lock
Injection Pump Seals
Monovalve
Master Cylinder
Muffler (ctr)
Radiator
Steering Damper
Struts & Shocks
Sway Bar Bushings
Thermostat
Tie Rod Assembly
Window Regulator

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife