Well after driving these cars for a few yrs and dealing with people over used parts it amazes me the level of frugalness people insist on showing, Why exactly do Benz drivers-Diesl drivers decide thy are entitled to show such pennypinchyness as opposed to everyone else in the auto enthusiest world?

I don't think driving a diesel Benz makes you a penny pincher. I think it's more a matter of miserly types (myself included) being attracted to these cars because they're relatively cheap to buy, get good mileage, last a long time, and are easy and usually not too expensive to work on.

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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 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

In some cases the cause and effect are the reverse of how you stated them. I'm not a skinflint because I want to be, I'm a skinflint because I can be. I don't see the point in having someone else do what I can do, particularly if it's something I enjoy doing. There's also the element of knowing that I'm doing things to my standards. I won't be so bold as to suggest that I do things the right way

With regards to your wording, are you upset that someone haggled the heck out of some parts you had for sale? I don't agree that this crowd is in the extreme. Try doing business in Asia. And most of them don't even own cars, let alone MB Diesels.

Sixto
87 300D

I don't have too much to offer as far as what makes MB diesel drivers who they are, but I do have an anecdote that is relevant to your question.

A couple of years ago I posted a set of bundts on Craigslist for just $40.00 for the set of four. They needed a lot of cleaning, but I don't think you can beat that price. This guy drives all the way from Santa Cruz which is close to a 75 mile drive one way and empties his pockets with $26.00. I really wanted to tell him to keep the $26.00 and use it for the fuel he'll need to get home, but I'm not that mean spirited. I simply wanted the bundts and that loser out of my driveway. After that, I always put "PRICES ARE REASONABLE AND FIRM" in my ads, and people always pay what I ask.

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'81 300SD

Its more like --seems the whole mindset of the guys driving these cars are hyperfrugal, But YES sometimes emailing me on feebay and suggesting I settle for half income and sell the hard to find stuff to them. is unwanted for sure--Feebay is already gonna wring me on the final take as it is.

Well in the first place, I think there is wisdom in "save every penny you can, at every opportunity". It doesn't matter if it's cars or computers or televisions or appliances, if you can save some, *do it* so you aren't living on credit and totally incapable of dealing with an emergency.

Secondly, I agree with sixto that perhaps your analysis is putting the cart before the horse. Driving a Mercedes doesn't entitle me to be frugal, being frugal inspired me to choose the Mercedes. These cars are ideally suited for money-saving, because the engines and bodies are so reliable that you don't have to buy a "new car" every 3-5 years, you can keep running the same old one and not taking a depreciation hit. They are old enough that parts are "average or slightly above average" price unless you go to the dealer (who robs you blind) and they are mechanically simple enough to be fixed in a homeowner's garage most of the time, thus saving RIDICULOUS labor rates. So... if there's a higher population of Mercedes being driven by the economy-minded, it is simply because of the fact that it is a good choice for them.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

If you squeek when you walk. These may be the cars for you. Actually why pay more than you have to?

I shop for enough new automotive parts for various brands just to save say four hundred dollars in some weeks. Local parts are 2-300 percent higher than where I access them from including shipping.

I just do not feel I owe any local retailer that much margin. What does he really do for us anyways to deserve it. He still is usually purchasing the parts for resale cheaper than I can source them or is not doing his job. Partially it is not how much money you earn but how you spend it that can make a major differance.

Simple example. New front and back brake rotors and pads for a 2005 kia spectra.. Locally cheapest price over four hundred for the package. Next day delivery from a thousand miles away 125.00 including shipping. The quality of the components are simular. I insist on no chinese brake parts. What would you do?

Frankly there's not much reason to drive a diesel unless you're cheap. They're slower, smellier, and noisier than the gasoline versions of the same models. The real "enthusiasts" in the spare-no-expense-restoration sense are out there buying R107s, not W123 diesels.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

Huh? You just cited two of the reasons why diesels are better.

And they aren't always slow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV0XJePUitI&feature=related

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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 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Well, it could be that the car cost so much to start with when new that shops think they can charge a flat $500 no matter how small the service. I've paid my share of these $500 minimum fees.

Now that I've been on the forum here a while, I've learned a few things:
There's no such thing as a cheap used Mercedes.
Fix it yourself and save a bundle.
An important bolt will always find it's way into the most difficult to get to spot when dropped.
Most Mercedes are over-engineered and are above average quality for an auto.
If you need new parts, there's nobody more helpful than Peachparts.

So, to sum up... I've paid my dues. I'm ready to save some money while driving a classy quality comfortable car. And, dickering is an art form.

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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)

Thought #2: If you think Mercedes enthusiasts are cheap, try the VW folks for a while.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

It sounds to me like PanZZer is butting heads with a Mercedes owner on some used parts and I take it he, (PanZZer) is selling. Well, set your price and be nice but firm. If you are out of line, he might get it elsewhere. But chances are that customer is NOT the last one you will see. It also is known that price busting buzzards are always in the air, and they don't consider it a good day until they bust your price. Be tough! You have got to check around though. I do buy quite a little of the run of the mill stuff at Auto Zone. Now I have the 2003 Jaguar that I bought from my youngest daughter and I think it needs front and rear shocks. Fast lane did not have a price, I could get a deal on Monroes from NAPA for 85.00 but who want Monroe shocks. So I called Auto Zone. There they quoted me $343.60 each. I did argue with them that they were wrong, way wrong, but nothing changed. So I got Bilstein front and rear for $104.00 Front and $93.00 rear each from Ariz ********. They at The Zone insisted I didn't know hat I was talking about, they even got hot about it!

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

I find that those who havent are for always accusing those who have of penny pinching.
The local MB dealer over here tells me that he has to mark up by 50% to break even. I think he needs to look at his overheads.

They say it takes 3 generations to go broke; 2 generations that remember what its like to have little & so they work hard, save & dont throw stuff out & then 1 generation that spends like a drunken sailor!!
(no offense meant to past & present members of the Navy, you know what I mean!!!)

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

None taken. Hey, it's seven o'clock already (1900 for you military types). I'm going to go wash my car real quick, park it, and head for the bar!

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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 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Not that I disagree with you... BUT, for perspective... go pull some Volvo 240 parts at the PnP and then try posting them for sale on a Volvo board.

You have NO IDEA what the words "unreasonable expectations" and "miserable cheap" and "complete whiner" mean in the same sentence, until you have tried to sell stuff to the OLD Volvo crowd (mainly 240 series). The NEW Volvo crowd, the FWD generation, are not that way.

I do have to say that I find the price expectations for prices in the Parts for Sale section of this list are the lowest I have ever seen on the Net. I have messaged a couple of vendors who had stuff for sale, at about half the price I would expect to pay, saying I would take their stuff at what they were asking and they have been insanely happy I wanted them at 'full' price.

I mean, haggle over $20 for a complete set of window switches??? Keeriiiist, people, get a flappin life.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22