Best $10k car for a 17 year old? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

engatwork · #46 03-30-2021, 02:29 PM

My recommendation on the 3 series you picked up is to change oil every 5000 to 7500 miles (synthetic only). That engine has an oil pump system that leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen one come in that had been dealer maintained by the book and the engine was locked up at 120k miles. Every one that I have had in shop with that engine that i replaced valve cover gasket on except for one had indications on the cams that reflected a lack of oil flow. You will do good to get rid of it anytime after about 100k miles.

Kuan · #47 03-31-2021, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

My recommendation on the 3 series you picked up is to change oil every 5000 to 7500 miles (synthetic only). That engine has an oil pump system that leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen one come in that had been dealer maintained by the book and the engine was locked up at 120k miles. Every one that I have had in shop with that engine that i replaced valve cover gasket on except for one had indications on the cams that reflected a lack of oil flow. You will do good to get rid of it anytime after about 100k miles.

Thanks Jim. Appreciate your experience.

Kuan · #48 03-31-2021, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloride

Nice, hopefully a caveat for something that nice needs to have good grades.

I happen to be blessed/cursed with a smart kid.

cmac2012 · #49 03-31-2021, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speednjay

Crown Vic cop car

Those things are fast. I drove the cab version many times in SF, slightly longer wheelbase, I think, and those suckers surprised me at the speed and power from a large Detroit sedan. I just read that they had 4 wheel discs, I recall excellent braking.

The engine was SOHC, the cop version not significantly more powerful but enhanced, oil cooler added, other small upgrades. I've often thought I could be happy with a police Crown Vic.

For a teenager I would go with the slowest Honda or Toyota I could find, manual tranny. Kids can get weird with speed. One of my clients bought a Tesla a few years back, they were talking about letting their daughter have it when she got her license at age 16. I went onto thin ice when I advised him to think twice about that. He said he had been reconsidering that, was thinking some kind of Toyota. I don't think a 4 second 0 to 60 car would be good for a teenager. I recall the 17 year old girl who piled her father's Porsche up at a road toll booth.

cmac2012 · #50 03-31-2021, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

My recommendation on the 3 series you picked up is to change oil every 5000 to 7500 miles (synthetic only). That engine has an oil pump system that leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen one come in that had been dealer maintained by the book and the engine was locked up at 120k miles. Every one that I have had in shop with that engine that i replaced valve cover gasket on except for one had indications on the cams that reflected a lack of oil flow. You will do good to get rid of it anytime after about 100k miles.

That's a tad weird. I got 450K out of my first E30 with the M20. Heads never off. It wasn't a complicated engine - SOHC, NA of course. The only vulnerable part I could see was the cam belt. I always changed it around 50K, no need to push it.