Our '97 bioD sedan is now a snow plow:





Traffic mishap caused the Benz to rear end a pickup truck, inflicting little to no damage to the pickup ( bumper only), but ravaging the front end of the Benz.



Insurance is totaling the car out ( and likely dumping me ). I've never experienced a salvage, but I can "buy" the car back for $275. It's a clean car, WAS in great shape other than the fact that the engine seemed very loud when listening thru the open oil fill port. My only other experience was the 95 ( which pooched the VP soon after I R&Rd the cyl head ) where I could clearly hear the chain running 'round but no loud "swishy slap, swishy slap" like this one. I thought then that maybe i should wheel the car before THIS engine pooches on me! I asked here and y'all said it was "normal".

Other than that start starts on a dime down to 15 degrees w/o block heater, runs mint ( other than some knocking on a dry start), with no smoke. Only issue is hesitation when the engine just is reaching operating temp. Reckon some temp actuated switch is screwing up the flaps or something.

Damage goes right back to the new water pump and belt I **JUST** installed ( thanks Phil for the great pricing! And we'll definitely need new motor mounts ET AL if we decide to fix this buggy!)



Also, beleive either the A/C compressor or P/S/ pump is pooching. Have a very noticable "gear drive like" sound from under the hood, particularly at low revs. Its been hard to pinpoint.

But the condesor is shot ( do the compressor at the same time) , core support needs major reconstruction:




It essentially is going to cost me out-of-pocket to fix this; and I need to decide if its worth it. Sure can't find such a nice 131K car for 4-5 grand. But the engine noise has me bothered, as I've already had one expereince with dumping $1,200 and alot of time to R&R a leaky cyl head , to have the motor pooch soon thereafter. These motors are not cheap to rebuild, and I don't have any "playtime" to invest. I liked the simpler W124 model better, but need to stay with the modern body style. DOn;t like the eletronics on the newer models.

So what would you do? Keep the car and fix it, ending up with a "salvage" title so you can't resell it very well, or.... PUNT and maybe finally "step up" to a turbo car! ???

Thnx for ur time.

I'm sorry for your mishap. My heart sinks every time I see a situation like this.

Punt. If you don't have 100% confidence in the engine, I'd move on since it will cost a lot to fix that vehicle.

I say this with the caveat that I have no experience with anything past W123's.

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

There should be many 210's in the yard with parts to fix this. I just saw a 210, hit in the side at a place here in NC.

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

This is just my position, which may not translate into yours, but for $275 I'd buy it back.

Then again I like fixing and have to time to devote to it. It will definitely require some time to fix.

If that were offered to me for $275 I wouldn't hesitate, then again you have more experience with it than I do and question the integrity of the engine.

Good luck with your dilemma.

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Steve A
92 W140 OM603
97 VW Jetta TDI
90 Passat variant TDI 6 speed MT
94 Chevy K1500 6.5TD
05 E320 CDI
+ others

Most important thing is to get fair pricing. What was the value assigned to your car? After you have a fair settlement, decide the repair/buy back question. You could likely get $275 from a yard if you buy back then decide to trash it. Have a body shop look at it. Have a good mechanic examine also then decide.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I would pay $275 in a heart beat to buy it back. I fixed my 300SDL, almost similar to the damage, for much less than $1000. I pulled most parts from JY, including the hood with the same color code. No painting needed.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

Well, I dont have the time to DIY other than chase a few parts down, but it would seem foolish not to. Somehow I dont think the insurnace company will insure it again; can't imagine they pay out a claim on a car they totaled. And if I dont fix it, as I told them the engine is worth 3G's. ( well a bit less maybe but,,)

As the others have said, if you don't have time or money to fix it, dump it and get that turbo model.

Now for $275, you have a good parts car. There is a market for that. Maybe someone might purchase it for a fixer upper?

Sounds like a win-win as far as the old car is concerned. Too bad about your insurance premiums though.

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Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)

I;m with codefex M; I dont have the room ( old Chevelle is occupying the one open bay), or the time to parts out a car. Too bad. Although I'd steer clear of the motor, which is why I let this one go.

Again, I've never heard such a racket under the valve cover, it was NOT normal, although the motor starts and runs fine. The intermitent slap sounds like a bad case of piston slap.

Maybe 3rd time's a charm, or B., one more shot at an MBz diesel.