Very indecisive about Daily Driver Merc purchase - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

andersbenz · #16 07-31-2011, 09:55 AM

Great cars. You mentioned snow in your post. Be aware that if it gets below 15º where you live you will probably have to plug in the block heater to start the car in the morning.

I lived in Portland, Maine for a couple of years and ran a '84 300D. I had to plug my car in every night from ~Thanksgiving to Easter.

Good hunting.

kerry · #17 07-31-2011, 10:38 AM

What's your elevation? I wouldn't consider a non-turbo above a couple of thousand ft. I use an 85TD as my daily driver. Just have a back up plan--bike, taxi, another car, motorcycle etc if you need to wait a few days for parts. I've had the TD for about 9 yrs and I've only been without it when a neighbor poured potassium hydroxide in the tank instead of diesel.

47dodge · #18 07-31-2011, 11:14 PM

my 240d is a daily driver, and is great, but I am a diesel mechanic. My 300d was a lot of trouble, mostly climate control. Look up posts on acc (automatic climate control) The 240 may have either manual heat/ac, or acc. 300d with turbo all had the acc. 300 non turbo, I'm not sure which they have.

sshanky · #19 08-01-2011, 05:32 AM

Search YouTube for "Mercedes Fascination" for some really entertaining and informative videos. There are w116, w123, w126, and more. They were done in the 70's or 80's and reflect that style. They will make you want one of these cars.

winmutt · #20 08-01-2011, 12:07 PM

Non turbos are geared for 55mph and lack the additional sound insulation that the turbos got. On the highway, long distances suck in a non turbo.

Zacharias · #21 08-01-2011, 12:26 PM

I'm always impressed with the frank advice that can be had on these forums. Too many car lists/fora are like religious cults... the minute you make a negative comment about the marque, you're the instant list heretic, slated for burning

Let me add a few cents' worth. If you have been lurking for a while, and the tales of repairs haven't scared you off, then that's a good sign -- IF you are generally familiar with what it takes to work on an older car.

However, the comments about things wearing you down are very true. If you have other life commitments that draw on your free time (kids, house upkeep, second job or volunteering) then think carefully because sooner or later, needed repairs on an older Mercedes will collide with them and you may be left cursing the car. Or having to pay major dollars for someone else to do the stuff.

There is a real romance to these cars, but romance or not they are machines and as such suffer both from being the products of fallible minds, and from decades of exposure to human hands, some of which will likely have been much more competent than others. Make no mistake, you may end up spending time, not to mention frayed nerves, fixing ***** that resulted from one or two repair shortcuts or incompetency.

Don't buy based on one or two test drives. There are many, many mediocre old used Mercedes out there; but about one in five or maybe one in ten will make you go AAAAHHH when you see/feel the difference.

Do you have a reputable indy import shop close by that wants to work on older Mercedes? If you don't, think twice about this whole venture. You WILL need a place like this, sooner or later.

Good luck with it. You are doing well so far.

whunter · #22 08-01-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sshanky

Search YouTube for "Mercedes Fascination" for some really entertaining and informative videos. There are w116, w123, w126, and more. They were done in the 70's or 80's and reflect that style. They will make you want one of these cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EPcAF454Nw

charmalu · #23 08-01-2011, 12:45 PM

I agree with the above comment.

Iam retired, so my priorities are very different from a working person with kids. there is no place I have to be at any time. so if I have to work on my 300 or 240, Iam not in a big hurry to get it up and running. the 300D has been sitting since last Oct, the 240 runs great so.....
when I decide to finish up on the PITA clutch bleeding, we`ll get her done.

What are you driving now? Is it newer? and why would you want to buy something 25 to 30 something years old?

I will say you will see more older MB`s of these vintages on the road than most other make vehicles. then maybe Iam just biased?

Charlie

toomany MBZ · #24 08-01-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zacharias

I'm always impressed with the frank advice that can be had on these forums. Too many car lists/fora are like religious cults... the minute you make a negative comment about the marque, you're the instant list heretic, slated for burning

Let me add a few cents' worth. If you have been lurking for a while, and the tales of repairs haven't scared you off, then that's a good sign -- IF you are generally familiar with what it takes to work on an older car.

However, the comments about things wearing you down are very true. If you have other life commitments that draw on your free time (kids, house upkeep, second job or volunteering) then think carefully because sooner or later, needed repairs on an older Mercedes will collide with them and you may be left cursing the car. Or having to pay major dollars for someone else to do the stuff.

There is a real romance to these cars, but romance or not they are machines and as such suffer both from being the products of fallible minds, and from decades of exposure to human hands, some of which will likely have been much more competent than others. Make no mistake, you may end up spending time, not to mention frayed nerves, fixing ***** that resulted from one or two repair shortcuts or incompetency.

Don't buy based on one or two test drives. There are many, many mediocre old used Mercedes out there; but about one in five or maybe one in ten will make you go AAAAHHH when you see/feel the difference.

Do you have a reputable indy import shop close by that wants to work on older Mercedes? If you don't, think twice about this whole venture. You WILL need a place like this, sooner or later.

Good luck with it. You are doing well so far.

Well put.

Marvelicious · #25 08-01-2011, 02:29 PM

I love my 300SD, but in my situation, I wouldn't count on it as my only vehicle. Its simply too old and missing a day of work costs me way too much. You have to consider how big a deal it is to have to say, "oh well, can't make it today. Gotta' work on the car instead." Some folks have jobs where that wouldn't be the end of the world.

Zacharias · #26 08-01-2011, 03:41 PM

I always forget to mention the blindingly obvious: do NOT buy on price.

Or, to repeat the oft-used phrase "The most expensive car in the world is a cheap Mercedes."

A $3,500 300d may well be a better value than a $1,200 one. Each car is different.

I have a $2,200 300td in my driveway that is now (after hauling it up from Texas and going to town on replacing worn-out stuff) a $5,200 300td, one year later. I knew I was rolling the dice on the purchase, and while I don't call this one a losing bet (it runs beautifully), as my MBA-equipped friend would say, it's a "sub-optimal result."

Remember: If a vendor has only had the car for a short while; or is evasive about what has been done (or admits nothing has been done, during his/her ownership): then immediately mentally tack $1,500 onto what you are paying, for purposes of calculation, because that's the minimum that car will probably cost you in the year to come.

That is only in money, mind. How you budget downtime due to parts failure, or shop time, or your own time in the driveway, is up to you.

Not trying to be negative. You simply asked what many of us didn't think through 100 percent, when we jumped into this fun....

sshanky · #27 08-01-2011, 03:46 PM

That video was pretty good, but here are the ones I was referring to:

W123 Sedan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52RYQ3Nl-_8

W123 Coupe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1UOct5-UpM

W123 Wagon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsfoAAyxT1Y
(there is an especially cool animation that illustrates all the ways you can configure the interior for storing a lot of stuff...kind of makes me want one of these!)

W116 (Love mine!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g75P9F7Qpbo

panZZer · #28 08-01-2011, 04:13 PM

My backup 92 ford caught fire and immoliated itself so im checking out some astrovans now and hope to snag one with a dead tranny in it (no jokes please) because i have a complete t5 setup for an astrovan, only problem 95 and later didn't come with one and thats the only ones with extended wheel base I want--oh well, ill have a one of a kind.

winmutt · #29 08-01-2011, 04:35 PM

Please lets not talk about vans and transmissions. I just spent the whole weekend working on wifes VW Eurovan.

sixto · #30 08-01-2011, 08:04 PM

otto huber and lwbdriver recently purchased 126 SDs in the $1500 range and both are absolute gems having been well cared for. Both sound to be as solid as these cars can be as daily drivers. Ask them how they found and inspected their purchases.

Sixto
87 300D