Bought a Mercedes today :)

It was probably a big SEL with air levelling suspension. Can be serious $$$$s to fix if not looked after properly. They're pretty easy to work on, most things are modular and pull off/put on.

I've had no issues with Benzes downunder, have a BMW trained mechanic in the Blue Mountains who looks after them. Mobil 1 oil and they purr like kittens.

I usually buy one 10-12 years old that has depreciated to 10% of original sticker price with less than 100,000km (60,000 miles) and a good service history. Latest is a CLK500 which I took for a drive on Friday and enjoyed every minute of it.
The aircon was cactus too which gave me a clue as to how maintained it was. Something from the 1980s with odd bits needing $$$ and no experienced mech = a "Do not Buy" here.
Less than 100, 000 seems to be the magic number. I've read some bad news about BMWs not aging well.
Some stuff just doesn't work in the sticks and people with 'exotics' end up having them trucked to Canberra 200km away for fixing !! (Limp home mode cos a wombat got too close !)
The '02 'Commo' I got has just hit 300, 000 and the aircon is Chill and it's the last of the big wagons which is very useful in the country.
Some discussion where our holdens will be coming from now. Kia or Opel ?
 
Well, I´ve had my Mercedes for 3 years now, and I still love it!

Glad to hear you are enjoying your C200 still. l cut my teeth on these things, was an MB tech for many years. In my opinion the W202 series was a better car than the the W203 series that succeeded it.

You said yours was a 94 model, these had the earlier injection system on them and had problems with the engine wiring harnesses becoming brittle and losing the insulation causing misfires etc, maybe something to keep in mind. Probably was a bigger problem here in Australia where the average temps are higher.

In reference to the head gaskets, they used to leak oil from the front of head gasket area that was actually caused by the small bolts at the front losing their tension, MB revised the bolts and once fitted there were no more issues.
 
Thanks for the tips! I am aware of the problem with the wiring harness. I need to re do mine before the engine control unit gets damaged. I just keep puting (sp?) it off :(
 
Glad to hear you are enjoying your C200 still. l cut my teeth on these things, was an MB tech for many years. In my opinion the W202 series was a better car than the the W203 series that succeeded it.

You said yours was a 94 model, these had the earlier injection system on them and had problems with the engine wiring harnesses becoming brittle and losing the insulation causing misfires etc, maybe something to keep in mind. Probably was a bigger problem here in Australia where the average temps are higher.

In reference to the head gaskets, they used to leak oil from the front of head gasket area that was actually caused by the small bolts at the front losing their tension, MB revised the bolts and once fitted there were no more issues.

The mid 90s was when the retards at MB decided that "some day these cars will be old and junk and should be easy on the environment", so they made the wiring harness biodegradable.
The engine harness lives in the engine heat, so the degrading starts early.

"The best or nothing" is their sales pitch these days.
I guess they decide to be nothing.
Frickin idiots.
 
Exactly right, not sure what they were thinking, maybe the supplier cheaped out.
.

THINKING!??!?!

Dumb ass tree hugging, tofu farting, bicycle riding, snowflakes!

Instead of THINKING, "Let's build a car that will last forever and be maintainable and repairable", they were THINKING, "Oh in a few years our latest and greatest F**K UP will be junk and we want the parts to easily return to nature".

People will pay $60K, $70K, $80K for a pretty car that is DESIGNED TO ROT!

I CAN NOT believe they actually got PAID for that crap!

This planet has WAY too many idiots on it!
 
I am hearing you, guess you have little time for some of the German engineering of years past. I will say they are a great company with excellent after sales backing compared to most other manufacturers l have dealt with, however you are paying a premium for this.
 
I am hearing you, guess you have little time for some of the German engineering of years past. I will say they are a great company with excellent after sales backing compared to most other manufacturers l have dealt with, however you are paying a premium for this.

I also have a 1972 350SL. The "Panzerwagon". THAT was designed and built by the MB company that WAS something. The 350SL will outlive me by a long ways.

I owned and worked on a lot of vehicles over the years and it just frys my bacon some of the f**ked up things they do at times.
100 years of "trying" to make motorized transportation and still can't seem to get their shit together.
Always some dumb ass new thing. Never learn from the past.

Toss in Gov't edicts to defy the laws of physics and its just a sorry state of BS.

Hell, they can't even figure out to make them in pretty colors!
 
A bump, got most of the work I thought was needed on this car and then some. Put in new exhaust system and now need to get in some seat time,
I love that car...If I ever found manual transmission one, I would be hard.to stop from buying it.
 
An update, made a change of wheels, a few pics
 

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I also have a 1972 350SL. The "Panzerwagon". THAT was designed and built by the MB company that WAS something. The 350SL will outlive me by a long ways.

I owned and worked on a lot of vehicles over the years and it just frys my bacon some of the f**ked up things they do at times.
100 years of "trying" to make motorized transportation and still can't seem to get their shit together.
Always some dumb ass new thing. Never learn from the past.

Ah the 350SL's with D jetronic Bosch electronic injection and high comp engine. They are a very good old car. Haha, all car manufacturers do seem to have a philosophy of trying to re invent a way of doing something simple that has worked for years in it's current format.

An update, made a change of wheels, a few pics

I like your SEC, very nice.
 
My car is over 25 years old now, and the rust is getting worse. I know it doesn´t look that great, but I painted the lower half with Hammerit to try and slow down the rust a bit. I got it through inspection in July. I did the brakes front and rear and replaced the lower ball joints.

I´m hoping to get at least 2 more years out of this car, and since the Mercedes bug has bitten me, my next car will probably be a W204. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_C-Class_(W204)

C200.jpg
 
Monaro Plain.jpg

I've had my CLK500 for about 4 years now and still enjoying it.

Things are starting to require repair, rear window regulator, clockspring, engine mounts. It's up to 250,000 km since I bought it with 90k on it.
 
I have had a 2009 CLK 350 for the last four years, costs me about $200 a year outside of tires. Fabulous car, much cheaper to maintain than the wife's Grand Cherokee POS. Don't blame Mercedes on the bio-degradable wiring or water based paint blame the leftist German government and the environmentalist wackos.
 
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