EVERYTHING, a/c broke $2,800, new brake system $1,200, drive shaft problem $1,800, power windows failed, sunroof failed, motor mounts, leather seat cracked and stopped working, burned through batteries, gremlins in the electrical system I know it's a old car, but all this in 23 months?
Worse car I ever owned! I would never consider another older benz.
You clearly bought a poor example of this great car. Old Mercedes never die.
I have owned two Mercedes Benz vehicles over the years. (1978 280CE AMG & 1984 500SE) An older Benz can be a nightmare if you do not know them well or know the particular vehicles prior history. If you consider buying one, DO NOT buy one that needs "a few bucks put into it" Especially if you have never owned one before or know what to expect. It never turns out to be a few bucks. (Sorta like a mean domino effect) In my opinion, if I was to do it again and buy an older Benz that really caught my eye, I would spend the extra money and buy a "Perfect Example" from a reputable source and continue to maintain it as such. Any older car will bring an expense, but it is good to have a head start and be prepared to continue to fix & spend as needed. Learn how to work on it yourself, and or align yourself with a "knowledgeable" mechanic that will not take you for a ride just because it is a Benz.. An older Benz that has been neglected by it's prior owner (s) can indeed turn into a money pit and you will not be happy with the experience of ownership. There is nothing funny about owning a car that seems to live "In the shop"! Another thing to keep in mind is the timing chain: Having a timing chain go on those cars is a HUGE costly, time consuming headache. Make sure you know when it was changed last and plan on getting it done BEFORE it goes. If buying a Benz and the owner/dealer cannot tell you when the Timing Chain was done last, make arrangements to get it serviced. It is much cheaper than getting an engine job. Better safe than sorry. (I think it was like every 90,000 miles or so.) - keep up on it! The engine should run forever if properly maintained. It is something that every Mercedes owner needs to keep in mind. Mercedes Benz is a great car with legendary history & styling and it is hard to beat the ride...
Mercedes-Benz are still among the BEST CARS in the world! Especially of that vintage. You must be careful before buying any of the older imports. Their systems were well ahead of the time, and the older technology makes them somehow complicated to fix, unless you are very familiar with the products. For example the climate control... a common headache for Benz owners. If you take the car to "the corner garage" they are likely to spend so much time trying to fix it.
I have owned 3 olders Benz, a 300D 1982, 190D 1985, and I now drive a 420SEL and I LOVE the car. I purchased it from the original owner (an 83 year old lady) who had kept the car in MINT condition. The average maintenance cost has been about $2000K per year since the car was purchase in 1986.
Should have had a better look at it before you bought it (or even better get someone pro to). Sounds like the bad apple of a otherwise great bunch.
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