Trampas wrote:
"My wife is now saying she wants a Honda mini-van as that the Mercedes are not reliable cars, note the 420SEL has been towed at least 10 times in last 5 years. I am very picky about the cars, in that I do all the repairs and will spare no expense to make it perfect, just ask Rusty. That being said, the quality of the 420SEL has made me see that a Honda might be the best thing. Currently the 560SEL which we have had for year and half is starting to shape up as a problem car, I have done everything under the sun to get the idle smooth and it still has miss and low idle. I am starting to think that the fuel distributor is leaking causing the problems." If you want a 126 gasser (that is more reliable than your 420 and 560), maybe you should get a 300SEL. The engine is a little underpowered, but very reliable (once you get the valve seal problem fixed). I really like my car (although I wish it was more powerful). If getting a more powerful 126 means trading power for reliability, then I will stick with underpowered. This is funny that this is coming up now because I just got back from a one day 400 mile speed run yesterday. I had to drive 200 miles to a hearing and turn around and drive straight back. The 126 (even with the 3.0 6 cylinder) is such a great highway car. I left a little late to arrive on time and I was really pushing it on the interstate. I almost always drive 80 mph on the interstate, but I was a little behind and I had to drive about 90 for nearly two hours minutes. Didn't phase that car at all. I got this car one year ago this month. In that time, I have put 14,000 miles on it. The only problems I have had was the (really bad design) hose from the thermostat to the block ($230) and I need to replace the monovalve. Other than that, it has been perfect. I get 20-21 mpg on the highway (although yesterday I bet it was more like 17 at 90mph.) Donald H. Snook 1990 300SEL 134K
