On over repairing the old Benz - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

G-Benz · #31 08-06-2013, 11:15 AM

When nearly ALL of your vehicles are "long-in-the-tooth", repairs get to be a full-time career!

My weekends are chock full of fix or replace something in some vehicle, even if it's just regular maintenance, batteries, or tires.

Couple that with house maintenance (a leaky faucet, some wall crack that needs attention, and there is ALWAYS something in the yard that requires attention).

I sympathize with Larry. I'm getting old and fed up with spending my free time doing this stuff, but running to a repair facility can and will erode your wallet in an unprecedented fashion!

As much as I would like to just replace all of the cars with new ones, I just can't see myself spending upwards of my first home just to drive something with new paint and fresh interior.

And with a few exceptions, most of what's out there isn't visually appealing...they all look alike!

Simpler=Better · #32 08-06-2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

It's so awesome having a modern car.

My gas DD is gutless, slow, plain, and rides rough over bumps. I smile every time it fires on the first crank, I smile when it tracks straight down the highway with no vibrations, and I smile every time I'm not fixing something that failed from old age.

Excluding my for-fun tweaks, it's been oil changes/plugs and a muffler joint.

aklim · #33 08-06-2013, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

you would lose it if you borrowed my 240.

20k now since I got it, and I have yet to install a working radio. (I did repair the seat though, nothing like a 360k drivers seat to teach the back some new tricks

Nope. I don't care about other people's cars or beater cars which are the $500 specials that you remove the license plates and have someone tow it away for scrap when it dies. When I pay say $10K or more for a car, I don't want it scratching me or feeling uncomfortable or not functional.

spdrun · #34 08-06-2013, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Nope. I don't care about other people's cars or beater cars which are the $500 specials that you remove the license plates and have someone tow it away for scrap when it dies. When I pay say $10K or more for a car, I don't want it scratching me or feeling uncomfortable or not functional.

I'd rather pay two grand or $2500 and use the rest for a trip to somewhere interesting or a downpayment on a foreclosure auction that will bring me more money.

aklim · #35 08-06-2013, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

So don't answer. You have no qualms about giving people the one-finger hello in traffic, yet you feel obligated not to pretend you're in a hurry and go wherever you're going quickly?

WHOA! Totally different story. I give you the middle finger if you purposely did something to me after I cut you off as payback. However, I don't start out rude. I might finish rude but I don't want to start it first. In the words of Tony Montana "I never ****ed over anybody that didn't have it coming.". If I make a mistake, I'd try to signal an apology.

I don't have to pretend to be in a hurry. I usually am running a little earlier but I don't want to lose that "gap" I made. 15 mins before time is on time to me. On time is late.

I'm just not interested in hanging around to fish for complements since they don't pay the bills. OTOH, if asked, I won't be rude first.

aklim · #36 08-06-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-Benz

When nearly ALL of your vehicles are "long-in-the-tooth", repairs get to be a full-time career!

As much as I would like to just replace all of the cars with new ones, I just can't see myself spending upwards of my first home just to drive something with new paint and fresh interior.

Hence I don't really like to get old stuff.

As long as it isn't broken or rusted, I'm ok.

mbzr4ever · #37 08-06-2013, 12:13 PM

Quote:

I'm not actually convinced that the W123 is any less reliable than "modern" cars owned by friends and cow-orkers. And what it does need can generally be done by myself in less time than it takes to take it to a mechanic, drop it off, come back, pick it up, etc.

^^^ this +1

Another poster said something about dumping $$ into a depreciating asset - well, all cars - new and old - are depreciating assets, with newer auto depreciating faster, imo.

To each, their own... everyone has the choice to spend their dollars/time on what they decide is best for them.

aklim · #38 08-06-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

I'd rather pay two grand or $2500 and use the rest for a trip to somewhere interesting or a downpayment on a foreclosure auction that will bring me more money.

Money is to buy me comfort and not to make more money to make more money and so on. A trip is only so long. Having to spend every day in an uncomfortable car, well, it isn't worth it, at least to me. Kinda like having a bad wife. Sure, I could have saved the money and not bought furniture and sit on boxes in the living room and slept on an old mattress from The Salvation Army or buy a sleeping bag but as the guy in the John Wayne Movie said "I'm not a Marine. I believe in my comfort.". The daily aggravation wouldn't be worth it to me just to save a few bucks. Don't get me wrong. I want to save where I can to blow it on what I need and then what I want. Putting up with discomfort if I can avoid it, well, I think Christ already did ask his Dad if he could skip the nailing party.

aklim · #39 08-06-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbzr4ever

Another poster said something about dumping $$ into a depreciating asset - well, all cars - new and old - are depreciating assets, with newer auto depreciating faster, imo.

To a point, yes. You are throwing money at a vehicle and it only gets worth less. However, that only goes to a certain point, after which, the depreciation isn't worth that much.

spdrun · #40 08-06-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Money is to buy me comfort and not to make more money to make more money and so on.

Right now money is to buy me the ability to be financially independent in the next few years. Then I'll worry about minor comforts like a car that I drive maybe 1-2x per week on average.

aklim · #41 08-06-2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Right now money is to buy me the ability to be financially independent in the next few years. Then I'll worry about minor comforts like a car that I drive maybe 1-2x per week on average.

I drive my car daily so it is like wearing an uncomfortable suit. If it is once a week, WGAS. Daily and for several hours a day, it better be comfortable.

barry12345 · #42 08-06-2013, 01:46 PM

As a general rule it is too expensive and there may be too many issues with high milage cars. Paid service is almost out of the question locally. So buying a lower miilage examples in pretty good shape initially and keeping them up yourself should work out.

It is not only unreasonable but impractical as well to put older if not antique cars through our winter salt. It eats them alive. So in many ways this far north they have to be seasonal cars if you want some real remaining time out of them.

It is just my opinion but people that wamt to avoid doing their own work when required should not own old cars unless they have very deep pockets. Or the cars have very few issues. At least in general today new cars have no particular status advantage compared to years ago. In fact if they are in really good overall shape people may even envy owners that posses them.

JB3 · #43 08-06-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry12345

As a general rule it is too expensive and there may be too many issues with high milage cars. Paid service is almost out of the question locally. So buying a lower miilage examples in pretty good shape initially and keeping them up yourself should work out.

It is not only unreasonable but impractical as well to put older if not antique cars through our winter salt. It eats them alive. So in many ways this far north they have to be seasonal cars if you want some real remaining time out of them.

It is just my opinion but people that wamt to avoid doing their own work when required should not own old cars unless they have very deep pockets. Or the cars have very few issues. At least in general today new cars have no particular status advantage compared to years ago. In fact if they are in really good overall shape people may even envy owners that posses them.

you just made me feel bad.

Thats exactly what I do, though I do make an effort to eliminate rust issues, I do drive my old antique vehicles year round, and especially in the snow.

I think rust issues are possible to manage if people do preliminary work to stay on top of them. I usually get my cars sprayed before winter time with whatever anti rust oily solution, or undercoated, and try to religiously wash them all winter. I think it can be done, rust really gets out of control when it isn't every regarded as a maintenance item, and people just ignore it until the car is too rusted to save as far as I see it.

aklim · #44 08-06-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry12345

It is just my opinion but people that wamt to avoid doing their own work when required should not own old cars unless they have very deep pockets. Or the cars have very few issues. At least in general today new cars have no particular status advantage compared to years ago. In fact if they are in really good overall shape people may even envy owners that posses them.

Sometimes, it isn't just not wanting to do their own work. If the parts keeps eating you alive, month after month, you have to know when to call it quits. Say I spend $5000 on AC repairs but that is all, fine. OTOH, if every month is is $1000 here, $200 there, $100 over there, etc, etc, time will come when I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel and decide it is cheaper for me to get a loan to buy a newer car. If I can get a newer car and spend $300 a month maintaining it, why would I spend $500 a month on the average?

Simpler=Better · #45 08-06-2013, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I drive my car daily so it is like wearing an uncomfortable suit. If it is once a week, WGAS. Daily and for several hours a day, it better be comfortable.

This is why a new muffler was high on my to-do list