Well having attended the GTG this weekend and seeing some awesome cars, I started to think about my own. When do you decide if its better to replace the current car, or just keep fixing it up? My current car has a few things that need attending to, and I know its gonna take 3-4 grand on top of what I have already spent to get it there. I saw a 118k 560sec that seemed pretty clean on CL for 5k. I am thinking maybe its better to start with a little nicer car and go from there, as opposed to revamping mine. maybe you guys could help decide?

So far ive replaced the following:
1. rear axles (new)
2. front window regulators
3. flex discs/ctr bearing/diff mount
4. brakes/lines
5. misc stuff here and there
6. new exhaust

Needs attending to:
1. sunroof
2. wheel refinish
3. wood trim refinish
4. dash
5. al seats need re-doing
6. numerous oil leaks
7. real bad driveline slop ( I can hear and feel the driveshaft rocking when the car downshifts coming to a stop and it clunks when shifting up slowly)
8. need small amounts of boywork and needs bumpers with an eventual paintjob
9. front end and all rubber bushings need replacement. car is starting to creak when i turn the steering wheel.

While the parts I have replaced were expenisve, I feel I havent seen anything yet compared to the cost of what I need to do.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

John,

I think your car is a nice daily driver - and by definition our DD's don't have to be show cars.... so spending alot of $ to make it a show car doesn't make sense to me - just repair what is necessary to keep it safe and what makes your ride comfortable.

I say plan to keep your SEL as a DD and repair the minimum to keep it reliable and what you want and save up some cash for the "show car".

I tend to drive my 300E all the time and only bring out the coupe for dates and weekends - the 300 needs rear seat upholstery repair - will it get it? Likely not because no one else really ever sits in the car but me! But it will get oil changes and brakes and suspension, etc. to keep it safe and driving like a Mercedes.

And an SEC is an excellent choice - I am jealous already!

John in San Antonio

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

I dont necessarily have to have a show car, but I worry that one day after a transmission rebuild, I am gonna say "man I shoulda bought that SEC". Course I cant buy that coupe just yet assuming its still there, but I almost can if nothing breaks on the 420. Maybe I'll just put what I have to and then try and find a super nice something and then I can have two benzes. I cant sell this one.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

I faced your exact dilemma this spring. I bought my first MB, an 83 380 sel two years ago. It needed a lot, and I did a lot to it. But it still needed much more to be at the level I wanted.

I added up what it would cost to fix all the things it needed, estimated what I could sell my 380 for, added them together and started looking around to see what I could buy for that amount. Turns out it was a lot of car, especially in the w126 area.

In the end I sold the 380 for the same amount I bought it for, though it was a much better car than when I got it, and bought an 89 300 se.

The 300 needs a few things, but it doesn't need paint, the interior is near perfect, and all accessories work (cruise, AC, sunroof, seats, windows etc.). It has a new Alpine CD player, near new tires, beautiful wheels, no rust.

Best of all the difference between what I sold the 380 for and what I paid for the 300 was a lot less than what it would have cost to have the 380 painted, the sunroof fixed, the wheels refinished, the cruise fixed, the climate control straightened out, and more.

I learned the hard way that there's "nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes." Buy the best you can find, It'll cost you way less in the long run.

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2000 Mercedes S500
1990 Mercedes 560SEL
1970 Triumph Spitfire

Also consider that you already have a pretty good idea of what your car needs.

Any used car is bound to have needs also.
It's a rare used car that doesn't need something.... and generally needs quite a bit more than you thought.

That said, I've bought some used cars that didn't need much work, but they all had a few things in common: picky owner, tons of history, and a high price......

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles