Nearly half a million miles is remarkable, and maybe even more so that someone was willing to pay $1500 knowing that it probably needs a major engine overhaul. Your friend definitely got his money's worth out of this car!

I guess at the rate I am accumulating miles on my car, with good maintenance, it should at least another hundred years.

Duke

http://leith.mercedescenter.com/mbcenter/b/preowned/vehiclespecs.jhtml?poVin=WDBEA52E2PB867874&listIndex=0&pageNum=1

Posted last week for sale, looks like a peach, and has uprgraded wheels. It's right dow the street from me.

I agree that nearly a half million miles is remarkable for a little in-line six cylinder gasoline engine. Even though my days of doing "side work" are long over, I'll miss working on this car. Other than my own vehicles, this was the only side work I've done for several years. I promised my friend that I would work on her car for as long as she wanted to keep it and I never charged her for labor, just parts at my cost. It was the subject of many conversations over the years. Many friends and aquaintances had differing opinions on how long it would last. Whenever I drove it to work the guys would all take a peek at the mileage and just walk away shaking their heads. Now I'll see how long my '94 E320 will last. Anyone care to take a guess?

I agree with this 100% and in fact I find it really does apply to most of todays cars. I have a 1993 Ford Taurus that runs just about like any Taurus with 50K miles. The secret is keepinmg the car 100% at all times so that it doesent get discouraging. My wife complaines that I fix even the stuff that is not absolutly required like the air conditioner. Now you have to question how much you spend on a car that really is only worth $600.00 due to its milage but it runs great and gets reasonable milage so until I can replace it I will keep it 100% in shap at all times.

My 77 Chevette on the otherhand there was no hope for. It just did not have the reliability to do the high miolage. I used to call it the piece of Chevette. Had I purchased the Ford with a 3.8 liter engine instead of the 3.0, I might be in the same boat as I was with the piece of Chevette But I thank the Japenese for getting the American car manufactures in line.

For an MB justification of good maintenance is never hard to come by.

John Roncallo

Do you know how many water pumps and fuel pumps it went through. How about the KE system - did it still have the original fuel distributor? Accumulator? Pressure Regulator? Rear axle CV joints? How many driveshaft front flex disks did it go through?

Did it have to have periodic emission tests? Was the catalyst ever replaced?

I think this car may be a record setter, and it's detailed repair history may be of interest to many with high mileage cars of this vintage.

Duke

My '90 300CE has 200,000 miles on it (175,000 when I bought it) and runs great. I have all the service records since 1995 and the MB records before that. It has had synthetic oil since 1995 - maybe before. It has also had several major repairs over the years (heads, transmission etc.). Since the majority of my driving is highway, I anticipate many more miles (I have a Jaguar with 325,000 miles and recently sold a Volvo 740 SW with a 5.0L in it that had 358,000 miles on the body and 300,000 on the engine - love that synthetic).

Cary.

I replaced the water pump at around 150,000K(the same time as the trans re-build) and again at around 400K. At around 300+K the fuel system got the works. Both pumps, fuel distributor and injectors. One of the pumps was screaming, a couple of the injectors were leaking down and the fuel distributor was plain worn out. I should mention that I had to replace the fuel pump mounting bracket hangers twice over the years. They look like miniature exhaust hangers and would stretch out until the pump assembly was nearly resting on the protective cover. The rear axle shafts never needed any attention whatsoever, but the right rear wheel carrier bearing needed replacement at around 300K. I forget how many flex discs I put in but I know it was at least three, maybe four. The rear flex disc went the distance as did the driveshaft center support and bearing. I never touched either one. The catalytic converter was replaced early, at around 100K. I remember this very well. Mercedes Benz warrantied the cat because the car was only three years old. The car was registered in Florida but I still checked the emissions periodically, using N.J. standards. It passed with no trouble right up until the last time I checked it, in late 2004. The fuel tank had to be replaced about four years ago. Although I never pin-pointed the leak, when you opened the trunk the fuel smell was horrendous. I still have one of the keys to this car. I think I'll keep it for good luck.