[V8] is this the end?

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Steve Bucholz is wavering?  Wow!  That seems like saying that the earth is
changing its axis for a die hard Audiphile like Steve to waver.

 

C'mon Steve! Suck it up.  These cars will last forever, and even if you have
to yank and engine and pay someone to replace every wire, grommet and rubber
thingy inside, you will still spend less than you will ever spend buying
some no-name, no face "modern" Japanese lookalike.  

 

I suppose if you hunt long enough you might find one of those bulbous
Mercedes 450SE's..please: ONLY the 45SE and not an SEL!  Especially in
California you might find one that is relatively low miles with a perfect
service record. But it will have to be THAT, and probably one owner because
if you think it might be difficult or expensive to work on an aging V8
Quattro, just try to do it on an elderly Mercedes.  Someday when you have
several hours, I will quickly detail for you my experience with a very nice
Mercedes 220S Ponton Sunroof car that I named, "Rommel".  Never again:  been
there done that!.

 

And you will never, repeat never find anything with a stick unless it is
from BMW, and don't get me started on those things, the most self-serving
and over rated of all the imported cars.  You think Audi's are problematic
or expensive?  Yikes!

 

But if I were out hunting now for a "forever car" and didn't care about bad
weather driving conditions, this might be the first place I would go and
shop.  If this is real, it represents the best VALUE in transportation that
I know of on the market anywhere today.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-MERCEDES-300SD-ONLY-11-000-MILES-BEST-/1
90486237709?pt=US_Cars_Trucks
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-MERCEDES-300SD-ONLY-11-000-MILES-BEST-/
190486237709?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2c59dd520d> &hash=item2c59dd520d

 

This might be the best there is of this model series and will be a "forever
car".  Mercedes still completely supports this car for parts and there are
competent Mercedes oriented independent mechanics around. But don't fools
yourself into thinking that these are cheap cars, because their parts are
apt to be VERY expensive and while they will run forever, the hvac systems
and all those other rubber grommets and gizzies that the Germans love so
very much are in this car too.

 

But for around thirty grand, this is a one time buy.  

 

But on the other hand, how much work can be done on a nice V8 that is
sourced with relatively few miles for less than one third that?

 

Stay strong Steve.  Think VERY long and hard before you bail on the V8.  I
have done it twice and managed to get back with an even better one, but now
they are becoming less and less prevalent and before very long there will be
none to find at all aside from the one you have and know so well.  

 

Roger