Is it all really worth it??
 

After buying my 1991 300e 3.0, I pledged to keep it through thick and thin. I have discovered I need a head gasket replaced, which will lead to new valve guides and such. I was quoted $1500 by a reputable private European auto mechanic (his name is Helmut, what else needs to be said!). I was told that this was typical and that the repair will give me another 100K of life. I have 185K now. Anyone with a similiar experience? Wondering if it's really worth keeping 'ol Mary Beth?

:rolleyes:

If you're a DIYer, who really likes working on it, it MIGHT be worth keeping, otherwise no. It's a great car but that doesn't mean it's econmic to keep it on the road - parts have just gotten too expensive, to say nothing of labor.

What is the condition of the body and paint, the interior and the rest of the car? If everything else is super clean and some engine work is the only thing in your way, than fix her up. If it has rust, needs suspension work, tired interior...than bid her farewell.

...more about my benz
 

It has quarter damage (I spun out) but I plan to fix that as I go along. Other than that, it's great, straight, and clean!

my 89 300te has about 223,000 miles and is just getting broken in. But then again I like to tinker and replace things like the hvac blower and the ball joints. Couldn't justify keeping the wagon if I was having Hans put it on the charge card. I don't think the parts are all that expensive, it's just the practice of diagnosis by replacement that adds up very quickly.

If you foresee yourself getting tired of your 300e then it is probably not worth the expense to maintan. If you were to compare the cost of maintaining the 300e to the cost of purchasing another vehicle and the inevitable repairs that will come with the other vehicle you can make a decision based on the comparative cost.

MB provides a secure path for maintenance, and if I remember correctly they routinely make parts for about 20 years after a production line ends, and frequently for much longer. So if you find value in the car, MB offers the equipment to keep it running for many years to come. IMO there is no car more suitable for enjoyable long term ownership than the 300e

I myself was debating on getting a head gasket done. I have 94 C280 with 93,000 miles. Its definitely leaking but cant find the leak and could be towards the back of the engine and cant see it. I was quoted around $1500 for a head gasket job. I was wondering if getting a head gasket done with this kind of mileage is worth it. I plan to keep the car for at least 3 years.

Any advice will help my decision. Thanks

There is NO car that has EVER been built that doesn't require some money put into it from time to time. How many new car payments can you make for $1500?

If you are changing oil frequently and taking care of the car, there is no reason that it will only last 100,000 miles after the head work. These engines have incredibly well built bottom ends. When I pulled the head off mine at 170 something thousand miles, there was still crosshatch everywhere in all cylinders. The engine now has 278,000 miles and is in great shape, using no oil and running like a champ.

Just use a good oil and change it often and the engine will stay under you for a LONG time. That said, you have to prepared for the little things on these cars. Things like blower motors, water pumps, belt tensioners, etc., etc. are what test my patience. I can do all this work myself, so the expense is not near as great. If you are not a DIYer, this will be a relatively expensive car to keep on the road, BUT not that much more expensive than other cars while being a MUCH GREATER car to drive than other cars.

Good luck,

Thanks Larry. I usually do my own work as well but the head gasket work is a bit too much to be an average diy. If I get the head gasket done, what else should I get my wrench to do while the top end is off?

This is the rationalization that sells new cars to folks eager to throw away $$ on depreciation.

its not that hard a job if you work on cars as DIY
 

Its just alot of nuts and bolts and you need to follow specific instructions
either found on the mb cd's or posts here about taking the head off.

chain tensioners/guides would be good to change when its done

I would drive a decent distance and pay a few bucks to watch a clinic on head gasket repair.....

it's an inevitable job..... I think if they had that as a clinic for Star Tech, I might have gone........

don't really need clinics on detailing....need it for the real stuff like evaporator cores, head gaskets, valve seals, and suspension rubber replacement.

This wouldn't be Helmut & Vito on Ogden in Downers Grove, would it? I wouldn't go so far as to say they are reputable. Do a search for details I believe I posted - I have used them in the past (or should I say I was victimized by them) and would never go back.

I think it is worth having done. I think you can get it closer to 1k if you look around though.

Mine is the same year as yours and has 91.5k on it. It drives SOLID and is a wonderful car. I saw the same year on ebay (probably a salesman) with 404k miles!! I think if you did the gasket you can drive it another 100k EASY. I have that much faith in this model. (watch it die today)

1500 bucks for 3 years is worth it to me.

If the body and interior are in good shape it's always cheaper to repair a car than to buy a new one. To replace your Benz with a new one of the same size would cost you around $800 a month with a healthy downpayment. You can have a heck of a lot of work done for that amount! The problem, as far as I'm concerned occurs when you have a large dollar problem along with rust or interior work. :eek: I just had some rather expensive transmission work done on my '84 380SL and I didn't even think twice about the repair. To me it was $800 (the repair cost) verses $115,000 for a new SL. Some people will say to buy a newer version of what you have but I'm a firm believer in the old "Devil you know" adage. I have a friend that traded in a 450SL that needed a new head gasket and exhaust for an '88 560SL with 50K on it. Two months after he bought it the head gasket went bad...then the A/C compressor....then the tranny sprung a leak necessitating a $1200 repair. :eek:

Keep what you've got if the body and interior are okay. At least you know what you're up against! :rolleyes2