Hi all. I currently drive a 1994 E320. I love my car, and besides the known issues like replacing the expensive wiring harness, and a few other "gotchas", it has been an excellent purchase. I am coming to a crossroads relative to deciding where I am going to go with this car. It needs a paint job, as the paint is fading badly. The interior shows wear, but is in pretty good condition. The engine needs a little work, but nothing too crazy from what I can tell. I know I need a valve cover gasket replaced, and the though the heating and air part works, it only comes out of the two side window vents and windshield vent. I have asked around to get a feel for what a new paint job would cost, and am getting quotes around $3k. That is not a shocker, and I am estimating I probably have another $1200 in engine work that may need to be done. That will be determined on Monday this week, as I am having my mechanic overview the car for me. It has 182,000 miles on it, and overall has been a great car.

So back to the point of this post. Fix it up, clean it up, and keep it with no car payment, or make the plunge and start car shopping for a new car?

I am looking for suggestions, as well as read input relative to things I have not thought about. I am also looking to hear from people that have made this decision, one way or another, and how the felt about their decision after that fact?

Thanks for your comments,

Jeff (aka Coldplaybear)

 

There are several Pro's and Cons for renovating your car.

Pro is that you know your car, you know exactly what is good, bad or wrong about the car and you will not know that with any car you will buy.
Pro is also that you will be sure that, after you fixed everything, your car will continue to run for a long time afterwards.

Con will be that the value of the car will not increase once you have made all the repairs, so in the end this money will all be written off.
Con will also be that the fuel consumption will be higher than on any new or newer car.
Con will also be that it is still an old car, many things can and will break down within a few years time.

I have already changed the engine of my car once, now I am changing the gear box and I also will have to repaint the car (clear paint is starting to peel away). There are also some smaller items which need to be done, but in total it is going to cost me roughly 3500 - 4000 euro (incl. work)
The reason why I do it is not so much that I love to spend money on that car, it is more that I love driving that car. It is extremely comfortable, it has an enormous amount of space (250 TDT) and I have grown attached to the car.
I was looking for a S-320 CDI of 2000 - 2001, but since I am moving to Africa I don't want to get stuck there with a car nobody can repair. My old 250 is simple, I can repair it myself and spare parts are still easy to be found.

So, that is my reason for repairing my old car.
________
Lolli

 

not worth 5grand. Sell off the parts you can or sell it outright and use the money to purchase another. We just had a very nice lower mile than that 1998 E320 go for $4800.
You can pick up 1996 E320's if you love the M104 engine for 5k with very low miles.
For $3000 you will not get a Mercedes quality paint job so don't waste the money.
Shopin time.

ohlord