Bought a Mercedes today :)

[Judas Priest]

Okay , it´s 20 years old but I love it! It replaced my 24 year old Volkswagen.

Man, this car drives like a dream! My wife jokingly says it´s car for an old guy; but I don´t care.

edit: I forgot to say it´s a C200 from 1994.

 

[rebellovw]

Very nice - I've stepped up to the Merc from various VWs - GTIs and Jettas. I have a 2004 C240 Black Opal metallic paint - great car - best car I've had.

 

[rebellovw]

I even had that golf you have pictured - I bought it in 1985 - it was Motor-trends car of the year - in the US - 85 GTI - I'd rather have a 83 or 84 though. It ended up getting stolen.

 

[BillyBatts]

Very nice. A classic now.

I had a 2000 S500 from 2000 to 2002 on a lease. Nice automobile. Certainly ultra high end.

I've had Audi's since 1991, so I like high end German engineering..... EXCEPT when when things need servicing. Not pretty then, but otherwise, the engineering is spectacular. Enjoy.

My 91 Audi was the legendary 5 cyl. What an engine.

 

[eteller]

I had a 85 380SE, loved that car and miss it to this day. Other cars are aplliances like a dishwasher, you get the right Merc it has a soul! BTW they are cheap cars to own IF you do your own work and keep up with it.

 

[Judas Priest]

I´m really not a car guy at all. A car is just transportation for me. BUT I really do like this one

I don´t have much money, so I am hoping this car will live up to it´s reputation and be reliable.

@ costerdock: A 2004 model? That´s brand spanking new to me

 

[harman/kardon]

Good luck with this car! Nice one!

Reparaturen aber nicht in einer Mercedes-Werkstätte machen lassen, eine freie tut's auch, rumhören wo eine mit gutem Ruf ist - die sind viel billiger!

 

[Judas Priest]

I am/was a USAF trained mechanic and I worked as a motorcycle mechanic for 6 years also. That all is a long time ago but I am planning on doing all maintenance and repairs myself.

 

[frankxbe]

I think ( edit : ) Sandy G. said in another M.B. thread here something to the effect that
"nothing is more expensive than a used Mercedes " or he might have said German car I can't remember exactly.
I thought it was funny and not altogether untrue having spent 40+_ years in the Auto industry myself .

Unfortunately for the OP in that thread it was also somewhat true and IIRC
he decided to give up on it.

ofc that one had known problems and high miles /age when he bought it as a fixer upper . I think it *may have been* an 80's W201 series (190).

Used MB's for daily drivers are not good fixer upper projects generally just the parts costs can and often do exceed the retail value .
They are not necessarily bad used cars if they are not too expensive , too old ,too used, or too needy .
There are some good bargains available on used MB's if chosen wisely.
ofc these things can be said of a number of other cars also .


Nice cars though my favorites are the venerable tank like W116 and W123 series
IMO they were some of the best cars ever made although not without their problems one of several being rust.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W116
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W123

Ofc with an aircraft mechanical background I'm sure you were able to pick out a good one .
Good luck to you.

 

[Judas Priest]

I checked on a German Mercedes Forum before I bought the car. It seems to cause much less problems than the 190E (which I was also considering). Also, since I am in Germany, used parts are also available.

It is generally very reliable and there are very few typical serious problems. Sometimes the head gasket leaks, but the gasket isn´t all that expensive and changing it wouldn´t be a problem for me.

I wish me luck too

BTW I paid 900 Euros for it. That´s a lot of car for little money.

 

[frankxbe]

I checked on a German Mercedes Forum before I bought the car. It seems to cause much less problems than the 190E (which I was also considering). Also, since I am in Germany, used parts are also available.

It is generally very reliable and there are very few typical serious problems. Sometimes the head gasket leaks, but the gasket isn´t all that expensive and changing it wouldn´t be a problem for me.

I wish me luck too

BTW I paid 900 Euros for it. That´s a lot of car for little money.

Agree I wasn't to fond of the 190 's or the early 124 series smart move lots of better MB's.out there.
W202 are real good the C class are one of their better affordable Benz cars great deal you got there.
I would rather drive one of those used than any number of new cars .

 

[E.Man]

I checked on a German Mercedes Forum before I bought the car. It seems to cause much less problems than the 190E (which I was also considering). Also, since I am in Germany, used parts are also available.

It is generally very reliable and there are very few typical serious problems. Sometimes the head gasket leaks, but the gasket isn´t all that expensive and changing it wouldn´t be a problem for me.

I wish me luck too

BTW I paid 900 Euros for it. That´s a lot of car for little money.

You're right there and since you are in Germany you are in the best place possible.
If only it was true of here. We're about as far away as possible.
Recently heard of Merc mechanic had to stay awake half the night to phone Germany for some electrical code !

 

[bktheking]

Blacked out the plates eh, must be stolen

Nice benzo.

 

[Sandy G]

M/B could start making the W123s again, right where they left off in '85, & I'd wager they'd still sell every one they could make.... They had a reputation of being almost "Unkillable", they were very popular in 3rd, 4th, & 5th world shyteholes because of that.

 

[1koolcat]

Very nice - I've stepped up to the Merc from various VWs - GTIs and Jettas. I have a 2004 C240 Black Opal metallic paint - great car - best car I've had.

I have seen that Black Opal paint on a couple of local M-Bs for sale here. That is a very cool, unique look - from the factory no less!

Oh, yes. Congrats to the OP on his "new" ride. I've been seeking out something similar for myself.

 

[harman/kardon]

I am/was a USAF trained mechanic and I worked as a motorcycle mechanic for 6 years also. That all is a long time ago but I am planning on doing all maintenance and repairs myself.

That's cool!

:thmbsp:

 

[noogies]

Nice ride! With your skillset there should be no problem keeping it going.

 

[BillyBatts]

OP;

Love German engineering, however, as one whom has been trying to repair his own Audi automobiles since about 1996 (when my 1991 model went out of warranty), they can sometimes be hard to fix. Yet, I think it is worth it since the overall design and build quality is spectacular.

Also, if you are ever involved in an accident (let's hope not), the protection your Benz will provide you is superb. They are built like tanks.

Your car may be just transportation, but you want it to be reliable and "Safe" if the unthinkable happens. IMO, you have that. Since yours is a little older, the ultra-high-end engineering that makes self-service almost impossible in later models is not yet present in yours. Luckily. I was able to service some things on my 91 Audi. My A8 makes it very difficult to do self-service.

Enjoy.

 

[Judas Priest]

Although my "new" car has a lot of complicated systems (ABS, Fuel Injection and stuff like that) it seems to still be somewhat DIY friendly.

On the German Mercedes Forum where I am active many have also said that the newer models cause many more problems, and are hard/impossible to fix yourself.

I ordered a repair manual today. When it gets here I´m going to read it front to back.

 

[SilverNerd]

Although my "new" car has a lot of complicated systems (ABS, Fuel Injection and stuff like that) it seems to still be somewhat DIY friendly.

On the German Mercedes Forum where I am active many have also said that the newer models cause many more problems, and are hard/impossible to fix yourself.

I ordered a repair manual today. When it gets here I´m going to read it front to back.

I enjoy driving old Volvos for this reason. I can work on them myself. I spend about 200$ on maintenance to get past inspection and thats my only car cost. When I hear people complaining about car bills , I just cant empathize.

I like German cars too. Old Audis are cool. I imagine your Merc has some cool tricks as 1995 was a pretty innovative time but im sure theyre still more of a basic system compared to todays cars. You should have no problem.

Good luck !!