Thinking the unthinkable
 

After a miserable trip to get my tyres replaced - I was informed that the rear subframe was crooked, and I could swear the faint knocking from the front left was getting more insistant - it's more or less the end of the road for my lovely blue tourer. But how to replace him? These cars are getting too old for my weekly 500mile commute, but I can honestly say this is easily the most satisfying car I've ever owned. I don't have much money, so what are the options? Find a less-used version and keep my fingers crossed (there's a lovely wedgie with a dodgy clutch on ebay)or go for what i see as the only alternative for comfy cruising, an old Merc. They're big, and a manual will be well-nigh impossible to find, but at least the manufacturer still exists. I bet the owners club isn't a patch on this one though. Any thoughts?

Fix it, better the devil you know sometimes, depends on the rest of the car really.

The rest of the car has a list too long to detail, but nothing that stops it running, just continual irritation, like only being able to unlock the passenger side doors, or the screaming from the a/c compressor. It's just a bit shagged really, which is a huge pity. Seems that the trouble with diesel engines is they outlive the car they're fitted to.

Speak to someone like Trikey, Bigruss and Philt4 and see what they say about a subframe replacement :cool:.

At least you will better informed as to the options then ;).

Rear subframes are easy to find and it's not a bad job swapping them over, I think Holland314 on here has one for sale at the minute. I did my rear subframe on the drive lying on my back so they really are not a difficult job. You are unlikely to find another car like these for a 500 mile commute, unless you spend big bucks but if your spending that much you may as well fix your car:D

Trikey is replacing my subframe once I get all the other bits I want doing. New subframes are NLA, but I got one and I believe they have one more left if you want the address/phone number? It cost me £144 including 48 hour delivery.

Thanks Kitts, will sleep on it but it still seems to me that I can spend a grand and get a car with a straight subframe, working locks and a few thousand miles left in it. If it wasn't for the mileage I'd consider a V6. After looking at a string of Mercs with mileages over 300,000 I think that options off the table at least!

Well I know mine has few toys being a lowly Classic SE but it did have just under 84,000 on the clock when I acquired her. OK she was a non runner..................... drowned ECU whcih Marinabrian fixed.

Her paint is a bit marked from building sites..............bricklayer was the previous owner, and she needs an interior valet however she cost £200 to buy. A neighbour transporter her home for £40 on his truck. So the total cost is:-

£200 Purchase price
£40 transport home
£127 ECU repair includign shipping
£18.49 O/S lower arm bush
£30 to have it fitted
£42 MOT
£40 key programming
£15 new blade and case
£50 A/C service
£49.25 Front discs and pads
£14.00 replacement steering wheel ...due to wear/damage
£80 ... new tow bar wiring supplied and fitted.
£80 ..set of Crowns with good tyres
£5.95 front pads wear sensor


£791.89

I still want to do the handbrake compensator and have the auto box serviced.

Some things I could have saved money on by not doing them but the car is beign prepared for a specific reason like the front brakes still had life in them but as we will be towing the knowledge that they are new is reasurring. This goes for the autobox service as well.

You can find a good runner with decent mileage ;) .

What about getting the nearest expert to you on here look your own over and give you a price to fix it up before you make any choices? Then you'd know for sure if you'd done the right thing or not getting rid? I have found local garages to me don't know what they're doing with these cars even for simple things, and tend to either make things worse, or give you a bigger bill than you actually should have!

You are right in these cars are starting to age as daily runners, but many are still used each and every day with few issues, if any. The challenge is looking for a good one, yes they are cheap to buy, but these were a luxury car in their day so as I always say, you may get a beautiful looking car for £500 or so with no rust, but you will need to budget upwards of £1,000 in some cases to get that cheap buy up to top spec.

Merc may still be around, as for the 75 or ZT they spares market and technical support is still very much alive, so that shouldn't be an issue.