[W126 Coupe] FW: MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 36, Issue 38

[Mike Taylor]

Bruce, 
Being from the UK I wasn't sure what some parts were called in the US !
We call those things at the front both sides the wings< I have no idea
why.  My car did fly once, but that was only for about 2 seconds over a
hump-backed bridge (you probably have another word for that too !).
Stereo is an Alpine head unit, MB Quart reference 4" + tweeters front,
MB Quart reference 6.5" + tweeters rear, 2 MB Quart reference 12" subs
built into the boot, all powered by Magnat Combat 6000 and a Magnat
Combat 2000 amps, with crossovers etc, some fairly decent wire, and all
of course hidden from view !  I've lost count of the times I've had to
strip it all out and then put it all back again when putting my car into
unknown garages / tyre ("tire" ?) and exhaust places.
Cheers,
Mike Taylor

Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:04:50 -0400
From: "Bruce Mendel" <brucem105 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Cost of running a garage-maintained 560 SEC
To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>
Message-ID: <004301c80130$e6a4d800$0502a8c0 at HomeOffice>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

If you'd stop spending money on wings, to try and turn your car into an
airplane, it would probably be much less expensive to maintain.

Just kidding..I know what they are, they're well in front of the "boot"
and net to the "bonnet", right?

That's a great writeup, thanks for sharing! Must be one awesome stereo
system.

Bruce
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Mike Taylor
  To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
  Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 1:13 PM
  Subject: [W126 Coupe] Cost of running a garage-maintained 560 SEC


  Everyone knows that these cars we own (a 560 SEC 1988 in my case) are
expensive to run, so I thought people might find it interesting to know
my own experience with bills.  I don't / can't work on the car myself, I
use 2 garages, one expensive but very good independent dealership, and
one cheaper 2-man outfit useful for niggling problems.  In the 8 years I
have owned the car I have kept a spreadsheet (shown below and attached)
of all bills.  
  It has just hit the ?23,000 or $47,000 dollar mark over 8 years.
Sounds shocking but does include some non-essentials (e.g. $6000 stereo)
and about $12000 completely restoring the bodywork to 'new' condition.
Anyway, if anyone is interested, since 1999 these are my bills on my 560
SEC (I hope it is still readable as it is pasted from an Excel table).
I'm sure if you work on your car yourself it is considerably less !!!
I hope this doesn't scare any potential buyers.  It would be interesting
to know anyone else's experience.  
  Best Regards,
  Mike Taylor
  p.s. I live in the UK, just north of London...for boot read trunk!

        Work Cost $ 
        ABS Sensor (nearside front) $200.22 
        6 Air Filters $496.00 
        Aircon Cooling Fan + Fitting $386.00 
        Aircon Re-Gassing - twice $348.00 
        Alarm Cobra 7928 Fitted $800.00 
        Anti-Freeze $50.00 
        2 Axle Beam Bushes $276.26 
        Axle Oil $60.00 
        2 Ball Joints $176.00 
        2 Batteries $334.00 
        Bodywork - 2 Front Wings $1,012.42 
        Bodywork - bulkhead strip $111.76 
        Bodywork - Fit 2 new Wings, Lots of Repair and Respraying
$3,857.52 
        Bodywork - Front Chrome Bumper $585.30 
        Bodywork - General Repair & Respraying $2,000.00 
        Bodywork - outside window rails $130.00 
        Bodywork - repair body, spray bumpers, skirts, mirrors, etc
$4,058.54 
        Bodywork - small repairs, scratches, wiper blades, boot $243.00 
        Boot Seal Trim - twice $200.00 
        Brake Calipers (4), Discs (4), Pads (8) + fluid $1,910.00 
        Brake Light Switch (under pedal) - twice $308.00 
        Distributor Cap & Rotor $364.84 
        Electric Aerial $260.00 
        Engine Complete Re-Bore & Re-Build $2,255.14 
        Exhaust - Complete System $2,685.50 
        6 Fanbelts $190.00 
        2 Fuel Filters $190.00 
        2 Fuel Pumps $846.96 
        Fuel Regulator $915.02 
        Geometry Check - full run out and adjust - twice $220.00 
        Heating Control Valve $595.70 
        HT Leads $250.00 
        Ignition Trigger Box $1,947.92 
        8 Injectors $500.00 
        Locking Wheelnuts - twice $100.00 
        Nozzle for screenwash $130.00 
        16 Oil Services - approx every 3000 miles $2,030.00 
        40 Spark Plugs $600.00 
        Seat Belt Kit (Driver Side) $500.00 
        Steering Box - fix leak $80.00 
        Steering Centre Drag Link $83.48 
        Steering Fluid PAS - twice $140.00 
        Steering Idler Bush $153.30 
        Stereo ! Big bad Alpine system, Magnat amps, MB Quart Spkrs
$6,330.00 
        Replacement Sump (the old one just fell off) $550.00 
        Suspension - Gas accumulators/spheres $619.06 
        Suspension Fluid & Filters - twice $190.00 
        Suspension Pipes - front to rear under car $844.00 
        Timing Chain $200.00 
        Track Rod Control Arm (nearside upper) $350.00 
        Track Rods (both outer) $350.00 
        Trans / Gearbox Oil $280.00 
        Interior Wooden Trim (damaged) $774.00 
        Full Tune-up and Adjust - twice $472.00 
        13 Tyres $3,578.00 
        Wheel Balancing  $35.92 
        Wheel centre caps $50.00 
        Wheel Tracking $202.00 
        Wiper Blades $100.00 
        Wiring Fault $78.14 
        TOTAL $47,584.00 Disclaimer: 
 
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