Excellent commentary.Very true,sometimes better to upgrade yours with its known issues ,then undertake a unknown history/mystery possible money pit.Good advice,keep up the good work,much appreciated.Happy Holidays to you and your staff.
Thank you Pierre for the video, I needed this kind of pat on the back and the encouragement to step in the right direction with my 230e W123 instead or just giving up on it because of recent circumstances.
Pierre, I appreciate the honesty and insights you offer. There is no pretense in your approach or staged shots. I've had Mercedes since the 1960's and I know you are "spot on."
This is a very insightful video. In my opinion, I agree that it's better to keep your car and repair it(under certain situations as discussed by Pierre) than take a gamble with another car for which you know very little about. I made this mistake when I was a young teenager and I will never do it again. For full disclosure it wasn't a Mercedes Benz but I sold my personal vehicle to upgrade to one with slightly lesser miles and two model year newer. Mine was perfect but the paint was starting to fade and the other one was in stellar condition as far as body and interior. My jubilant excitement got the best of me and only when I starting doing routine maintenance did I realize that the previous owner loved caring for the aesthetics of the car, but heavily neglected the engine and transmission. So I went from a great car to a beautiful looking car that was more of a lawn ornament. Once bitten twice shy!
Sometimes the best advice is the simplest. I tell my kids to keep driving their rice boxes; we know what has been repaired and likely problems going forward. The devil you know indeed.
My favorite part about an old Mercedes cars is that every system can be repaired, if the body is straight with no rust and the engine runs decent you can make the car as nice as you want and fix everything gradually. I say why not own 3 of them or more if you can.
I just replaced both flex disks and front and rear motor mounts!!!! What a difference it makes on these older MB, the drive line feels like NEW and also the car shifts so smooth.
Excellent advise, my Son has a W201 in excellent condition we had to sink about just under $2000 in parts and maintenance (I'm the free labor of course, Lol) after we service the transmission and the cooling system. All services should finally be caught up. Its be fun working on this car, I'm usually used to working Army trucks as well as Ford, Nissan, and now Dodge. But out of all the cars and trucks I've worked on my entire life the Mercedes Benz just fascinates me for some reason. I'm looking for a Mercedes Benz for myself sometime in the future, I'm just not sure which one I want yet. I will consider your advise in the future when I find what I'm looking for. Happy Holdays and drive safe. : )
Great common sense. Thanks. My concern is that instead of using and running my 300d ( w115) it sits too much in my barn to keep it away from winters (salt and wet slush). Probably more Deterioration/harm by " lack " of use? My W210 base is a work horse though , 215+k miles. Lee
Age related wear and tear doesn’t necessarily deter me because things are meant to wear out eventually. With Mercedes they tend to wear much later than other cars I’ve owned! My ‘75 450 SEL has its original MBZ radiator hose (date 4-74!!) and still is in good shape- I will change it soon. You most likely wouldn’t find that on other cars. Not in my experience. Recently I’ve been making leather care products at home with some recipes I’ve found online. I’m not paying a fortune for something I can make!
Ive been in this position with my 300 sel. Has 278k miles on her but with some work the interior is gorgeous, I did the head on the motor and all associated "while in there" things. Also cold a.c.,tires, neat rare options and mods, and rare color combo. I'm married to that car practically and ive decided to keep her forever. She has that rear window rust and I do ha e a damp trunk. Eventually I hope to repair that and repaint her. She's been there and is dead nuts reliable. Only stranded me once with the head gasket spewing oil on the freeway. Flip side, I just bought a 560 SEL and only later discover a transmiasion slippage. At least my 300 I know that car like my own face
the rear window rust can be difficult but half the battle is removing the rear window itself. i would google "how to install a windshield" and see how a rear windshield with a rubber seal is installed using a nylon rope. On your 560SEL the issue is likely the rubber seals in the 4th gear clutch pack. Try installing trans-x or type f automatic transmisison fluid.
I totally agree Our W126 has a few kilometres on it The paint is faded on top Mechanically it’s great especially now the brakes are being redone by me The interior is very good And there is no rust Not a perfect car by a long shot but I know it reasonably well
my c220 I have a full history for and its a 95 with 3 owners before me. Most of the miles and ownership was the 2nd owner the original owner bought new of course and kept it 5 years. Car is at 210k hoping to fix it up and hit many more-just gonna be a nice driver.
My 1989 300E has way over 200k, needs some paint, new timber, a few switches, currently replacing injectors and new front suspension. But, by God is it good! 1987 560SEC needs a few things here and there, but by God is it good! Nothing is like an older Mercedes!
I see that 140 CL500 behind you. Does that mean you're available to work on these vehicles ? Mine is a '97 & I'm not so far from Titusville ( New Smyrna Beach ) not to have my routine maintenance & any other unpredictable concerns addressed by your shop. Btw, appreciate your candor & commitment to all things collectible Mercedes ...
my knowledge of the w140 is not extensive...I really did not want to work on this car and i am just reading codes on it...however, i would be happy to help you the best I can....you may email me at mbownersforlife@bellsouth.net
I agree that when you own a car for so long there's no other person who knows better its own issues than yourself. Buying another one is always a risk, anyway. Unless you wish to change model/chassi. Maybe there are some cosmetic issues like exterior/interior color that originaly you can only find on another car.
yes, there are always certain justifiable reasons....I tried to make this video though to solve the question of logic...is a replacement car going to be cheaper to own and repair than my current Mercedes...the answer is usually no.
I needed to listen to this video . I have a 320e cab . That I have to make a decision on . Owned many years 20 thousand dollars worth of reciepts on. Needs head caskets eventually 189 k miles transmission flairs and shorts out when I turn lights on and lose power. Unfortunatley love this car and looks like new Navy Blue in color. To keep or not to keep?
Hello, +Robert McGuire and thank YOU so much for your question(s), we want to answer you as quickly as possible. By signing in our Patreon www.patreon.com/thomaspolk page and making a donation of $10 your are assured of a 24 hour email response from Pierre. If you are already a $10 member please mention along with your question.
Robert, the e320 cab is really a tough one...they do take a lot of money to keep on the road. here is what i would say- if your top actuators, wiring harness, throttle actuator, evaporator, transmission and head gasket all need to be replaced, then plan on spending another 18k....this represents the worst case scenario, I think you could buy a better 320 cab for this kind of money, but all of the above items need to be done. The truth is that ownership of a 320 cab is much more expensive than it looks. How is your car cosmetically?
Off Topic, but Pierre... you are a bit of a purist IMO, yet you are wearing a “pre-merger” AMG shirt in this video. It would be interesting to hear your opinion on AMG (not ///AMG). :-)
@@thisisnightshop2037 Yep me too the SL R107 AMG wow.Ive got a SL60 leather steering wheel on my R129 ,very nice find off ebay described incorrectly :-)
@@thisisnightshop2037 oh..at least an w124 though..but not an "036"....meaning..the 500e ;) I thought i spotted a tiny bit of a widened rear fender arch there..but i was wrong.Anywhoo..nice video :)
But for a 617 my sd is sidelined. An otherwise nice but high mile daily driver. Just not worth a Metric motor expenditure. Anybody have a reasonable spare OM to send out west?
Hello Pierre hope all is good, just checking out some of your videos. The 220D is still doing great, she is still my daily driver, no fluid leaks i love it, fuel filters were clogged just got them changed. My idle is a little High when she's warmed up not sure what to do about that.
There is a gorgeous looking 126 SEL on BAT right now. Of course it's a rust bucket underneath according to someone who saw it in person. That's why there are no pics of the underside! So people need to be careful. Personally I like lower miles rides. Mine has about 106k and was cared for so it's terrific. I'd consider a diesel with higher miles.
Better the devil you know then the devil you dont. Fix it all up then enjoy the fact your pretty much good to go for the next 10 years . Mind you to go over a car that is 20 years old and raise/drive to factory level and to do a full supension refresh , body work, interior trims, sensors, gaskets, Haartz hood, etc, expect to pay £10k, but your car is just getting cooler every day as it matures and also will not depreciate , do the maths better value then new car deprciation. Serious when a car gets 20 years old to keep it alive driving like factory you need to do this over haul. The great thing about older Mercs its worth spending the money unlike a Porsche where you can spend then the engine just melts like choclate. Merc have the best engines in the world if maintained especially the V8 in my opinion.
I absolutely love the "patina" of OLD Money
hahaha
Excellent commentary.Very true,sometimes better to upgrade yours with its known issues ,then undertake a unknown history/mystery possible money pit.Good advice,keep up the good work,much appreciated.Happy Holidays to you and your staff.
thank you!
Thank you Pierre for the video, I needed this kind of pat on the back and the encouragement to step in the right direction with my 230e W123 instead or just giving up on it because of recent circumstances.
you're most welcome!! good luck with the 230E!!
Pierre, I appreciate the honesty and insights you offer. There is no pretense in your approach or staged shots. I've had Mercedes since the 1960's and I know you are "spot on."
I got a E 420 1995 and the chicks dig it blood. All right now
This is a very insightful video. In my opinion, I agree that it's better to keep your car and repair it(under certain situations as discussed by Pierre) than take a gamble with another car for which you know very little about. I made this mistake when I was a young teenager and I will never do it again. For full disclosure it wasn't a Mercedes Benz but I sold my personal vehicle to upgrade to one with slightly lesser miles and two model year newer. Mine was perfect but the paint was starting to fade and the other one was in stellar condition as far as body and interior. My jubilant excitement got the best of me and only when I starting doing routine maintenance did I realize that the previous owner loved caring for the aesthetics of the car, but heavily neglected the engine and transmission. So I went from a great car to a beautiful looking car that was more of a lawn ornament. Once bitten twice shy!
what kind of car was it?
@@thisisnightshop2037 Audi 4000s. My first car was a 1985, replaced it with a 1987. Oh the memories.
Sometimes the best advice is the simplest. I tell my kids to keep driving their rice boxes; we know what has been repaired and likely problems going forward. The devil you know indeed.
exactly!
My favorite part about an old Mercedes cars is that every system can be repaired, if the body is straight with no rust and the engine runs decent you can make the car as nice as you want and fix everything gradually. I say why not own 3 of them or more if you can.
it's really nice that the 123 series is so repairable.
I just replaced both flex disks and front and rear motor mounts!!!! What a difference it makes on these older MB, the drive line feels like NEW and also the car shifts so smooth.
did you check the center support on the drive shaft?
@@mercedesclassicswithpierre1753 all I did there was look at it and it seemed ok.
put upward pressure on it and look for daylight
Excellent advise, my Son has a W201 in excellent condition we had to sink about just under $2000 in parts and maintenance (I'm the free labor of course, Lol) after we service the transmission and the cooling system. All services should finally be caught up. Its be fun working on this car, I'm usually used to working Army trucks as well as Ford, Nissan, and now Dodge. But out of all the cars and trucks I've worked on my entire life the Mercedes Benz just fascinates me for some reason. I'm looking for a Mercedes Benz for myself sometime in the future, I'm just not sure which one I want yet. I will consider your advise in the future when I find what I'm looking for. Happy Holdays and drive safe. : )
thank you DJ! the best mercedes are from private owners, who can give you real data, like oil consumption, service history, etc.....
Great common sense. Thanks. My concern is that instead of using and running my 300d ( w115) it sits too much in my barn to keep it away from winters (salt and wet slush). Probably more Deterioration/harm by " lack " of use? My W210 base is a work horse though , 215+k miles. Lee
that 300d could sit for ten years and will probably be fine. it;s good you are keeping it preserved.
Age related wear and tear doesn’t necessarily deter me because things are meant to wear out eventually. With Mercedes they tend to wear much later than other cars I’ve owned!
My ‘75 450 SEL has its original MBZ radiator hose (date 4-74!!) and still is in good shape- I will change it soon. You most likely wouldn’t find that on other cars. Not in my experience.
Recently I’ve been making leather care products at home with some recipes I’ve found online. I’m not paying a fortune for something I can make!
if the radiator hose looks good, i would leave it. I see a lot of original hoses- they are usually ok
Mercedes Classic with Pierre Hedary Thanks! That’s some piece of mind. I didn’t see the response till just now. Didn’t get a notification for it.
Ive been in this position with my 300 sel. Has 278k miles on her but with some work the interior is gorgeous, I did the head on the motor and all associated "while in there" things. Also cold a.c.,tires, neat rare options and mods, and rare color combo. I'm married to that car practically and ive decided to keep her forever. She has that rear window rust and I do ha e a damp trunk. Eventually I hope to repair that and repaint her. She's been there and is dead nuts reliable. Only stranded me once with the head gasket spewing oil on the freeway. Flip side, I just bought a 560 SEL and only later discover a transmiasion slippage. At least my 300 I know that car like my own face
the rear window rust can be difficult but half the battle is removing the rear window itself. i would google "how to install a windshield" and see how a rear windshield with a rubber seal is installed using a nylon rope. On your 560SEL the issue is likely the rubber seals in the 4th gear clutch pack. Try installing trans-x or type f automatic transmisison fluid.
Thanks Pierre. It’s always a case by case basis.
it really is.
I totally agree
Our W126 has a few kilometres on it
The paint is faded on top
Mechanically it’s great especially now the brakes are being redone by me
The interior is very good
And there is no rust
Not a perfect car by a long shot but I know it reasonably well
What kind of w126 do you have? I am glad you're taking good care of it.
Mercedes Classic with Pierre Hedary thank you
We have a 89 300SE
my c220 I have a full history for and its a 95 with 3 owners before me. Most of the miles and ownership was the 2nd owner the original owner bought new of course and kept it 5 years. Car is at 210k hoping to fix it up and hit many more-just gonna be a nice driver.
you;re doing a good job! the c220 will surely be here for another hundred k.
My 1989 300E has way over 200k, needs some paint, new timber, a few switches, currently replacing injectors and new front suspension. But, by God is it good! 1987 560SEC needs a few things here and there, but by God is it good! Nothing is like an older Mercedes!
much better than a new engine, gearbox, rear axle, quarter panels and floor pans!
I see that 140 CL500 behind you. Does that mean you're available to work on these vehicles ? Mine is a '97 & I'm not so far from Titusville ( New Smyrna Beach ) not to have my routine maintenance & any other unpredictable concerns addressed by your shop. Btw, appreciate your candor & commitment to all things collectible Mercedes ...
my knowledge of the w140 is not extensive...I really did not want to work on this car and i am just reading codes on it...however, i would be happy to help you the best I can....you may email me at mbownersforlife@bellsouth.net
100% true the only reason you should quite fixing your old Mercedes is rust (good looking c140 in the back lol )
haha thank you.
I agree that when you own a car for so long there's no other person who knows better its own issues than yourself. Buying another one is always a risk, anyway. Unless you wish to change model/chassi. Maybe there are some cosmetic issues like exterior/interior color that originaly you can only find on another car.
yes, there are always certain justifiable reasons....I tried to make this video though to solve the question of logic...is a replacement car going to be cheaper to own and repair than my current Mercedes...the answer is usually no.
Good words.
thank you wayne!
Sage advice.
thank you! for coming back!
I needed to listen to this video . I have a 320e cab . That I have to make a decision on . Owned many years 20 thousand dollars worth of reciepts on. Needs head caskets eventually 189 k miles transmission flairs and shorts out when I turn lights on and lose power. Unfortunatley love this car and looks like new Navy Blue in color. To keep or not to keep?
Hello, +Robert McGuire and thank YOU so much for your question(s), we want to answer you as quickly as possible.
By signing in our Patreon www.patreon.com/thomaspolk page and making a donation of $10 your are assured of a 24 hour email response from Pierre.
If you are already a $10 member please mention along with your question.
Robert, the e320 cab is really a tough one...they do take a lot of money to keep on the road. here is what i would say- if your top actuators, wiring harness, throttle actuator, evaporator, transmission and head gasket all need to be replaced, then plan on spending another 18k....this represents the worst case scenario, I think you could buy a better 320 cab for this kind of money, but all of the above items need to be done. The truth is that ownership of a 320 cab is much more expensive than it looks. How is your car cosmetically?
Cosmetically pretty flawless. I ended up selling it to a gentlemen in Warsaw Poland. I really like what your doing with this channel. Thank You
What is high mileage ?
Off Topic, but Pierre... you are a bit of a purist IMO, yet you are wearing a “pre-merger” AMG shirt in this video. It would be interesting to hear your opinion on AMG (not ///AMG). :-)
i love pre merger AMG.
@@thisisnightshop2037 Yep me too the SL R107 AMG wow.Ive got a SL60 leather steering wheel on my R129 ,very nice find off ebay described incorrectly :-)
Not to be confused with Paul Bracq, the designer of the Mercedes 600, Pagoda SL, W108 and other famed Mercedes. lol.
With you on.... At least you know your own ride. I too prefer the devil you know 😈
haha thank you!
Love this video !Do i spot a wdb124036 in the background?Greetings from Norway,Stefan
yes...1986 300e!
@@thisisnightshop2037 oh..at least an w124 though..but not an "036"....meaning..the 500e ;) I thought i spotted a tiny bit of a widened rear fender arch there..but i was wrong.Anywhoo..nice video :)
@@TheCarTakerGarage you got the 124 part right lol
But for a 617 my sd is sidelined. An otherwise nice but high mile daily driver. Just not worth a Metric motor expenditure. Anybody have a reasonable spare OM to send out west?
i do...in an 84 300sd. i also have a rebuilt unit in stock for 3000
Hello Pierre hope all is good, just checking out some of your videos. The 220D is still doing great, she is still my daily driver, no fluid leaks i love it, fuel filters were clogged just got them changed. My idle is a little High when she's warmed up not sure what to do about that.
the injection pump diaphragm or vacuum pump diaphragm might be leaking. Give me a call and we can discuss
Restore existing OR buy another? Duh. BOTH! restore yours AND buy another!
well, of course!
There is a gorgeous looking 126 SEL on BAT right now. Of course it's a rust bucket underneath according to someone who saw it in person. That's why there are no pics of the underside! So people need to be careful.
Personally I like lower miles rides. Mine has about 106k and was cared for so it's terrific. I'd consider a diesel with higher miles.
yours had an engine replacement, which worked out well in the big picture, but even low miles don;t guarantee anything...that's all
Better the devil you know then the devil you dont. Fix it all up then enjoy the fact your pretty much good to go for the next 10 years . Mind you to go over a car that is 20 years old and raise/drive to factory level and to do a full supension refresh , body work, interior trims, sensors, gaskets, Haartz hood, etc, expect to pay £10k, but your car is just getting cooler every day as it matures and also will not depreciate , do the maths better value then new car deprciation. Serious when a car gets 20 years old to keep it alive driving like factory you need to do this over haul. The great thing about older Mercs its worth spending the money unlike a Porsche where you can spend then the engine just melts like choclate. Merc have the best engines in the world if maintained especially the V8 in my opinion.
that's the truth. i did a light overhaul on my 4.5 at 252,000 miles...pistons were still like new, cylinder heads were flat as a pancake...