[W126 Coupe] A different perspective

[toelsner at comcast.net]

Hi Everybody,
I would like to present a different perspective on a topic raised a few weeks ago. A person was trying to decide if he should repair his existing 560SEC or buy another one for $5k with less mileage. The consensus was either sell his and buy the other one or buy and keep both. 

My '90 560SEC has 177k of HARD miles on it. It is my daily driver and I have driven it to places and on job sites that would make you cringe (me too on reflection and I should have told my former employer where to go). It had finally gotten to the point where I could no longer hold off on getting my valve guides & seals done and repairing a broken sunroof rail. So I bit the bullet and drove the car almost 3 hours to a shop somebody on this site recommended in the LA area. They test drove the car and this is what they came up with in addition to the valves and sunroof: leaking radiator, 1 fuel pump leaking, idler control arm bushing (cause of my front end creak) and gas door vacuum element (what fun when running on empty and your gas door solenoid won't fully engage). The total cost for all this, including tax, is around $5,300. I also had to rent a car for 3 weeks (just my luck the afternoon before I brought it in a Jag was towed in needing the heads done so I lost a few days
 ). fyi
...Alternator was replaced 2 months ago and the timing belt and tensioner have around 30k on them.

Now, should I have bagged the car and bought another one that might have all the maintenance records etc. or am I better off making the repairs to a car that once the repairs are made I know what I have got. I still need to figure out why the AC belt keeps shredding but once this is done, all I have left is some body work and a new paint job and some leather repair. Frankly, I think the wiser choice is to go with what I have and know. Comments?

I know this is a MB site, but if there are any fans of the old Volvo P1800 out there, the new C30 is awesome..not available in the US yet. I drove a Turbo Diesel 5 speed (all nomenclature and digital readouts were in Swedish)..great pickup, solid suspension and this thing was getting 62mpg hwy driving. It didn't meet CA emissions so Volvo won't sell it in the US yet. Gas version should be out first. I'm 6'2" 245 pounds and the seat felt good with enough legroom.

Tom Oelsner
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