Car-nundrum

[BUTUZ]

You guys have gone way off topic TBH. Oh hang on just checked and we are on test.com so that's fine.

So just to confuse things - what about my 30 yr old GT-R that is 100% RWD until the ABS system senses the rear wheels are spinning faster than the fronts and it will transfer up to 50% of the engine torque to the front wheels on the fly? How does that handle?

 

[Jolly_Green_Giant]

My 2 cents: If the debt is that bad, I'd sell both and get a more economical car. If you absolutely will not sell both, keep the WRX. While the AMG is nice and all, its just going to put you in more debt with repairs and youre not guaranteed its going to appreciate in value much.

On the other hand if youre gonna be paying on the debt forever anyways and have just accepted that, keep both, you might come into more money or figure out a better way to manage the debt in the future.

EDIT: I love cars, my family has a history of racing them and even owns a garage in Naples that services exotics. Ive driven the really cool cars, I own a nismo 370z myself. Id rather be debt free than have any more fun with cars.

 

[Lorddarthvik]

You guys have gone way off topic TBH. Oh hang on just checked and we are on test.com so that's fine.

So just to confuse things - what about my 30 yr old GT-R that is 100% RWD until the ABS system senses the rear wheels are spinning faster than the fronts and it will transfer up to 50% of the engine torque to the front wheels on the fly? How does that handle?

No clue mate , you tell me! I'd guess pretty well with the AWD kicking in pulling in the front nicely, but no being able to do tight donuts might be a real downer?
But that's a sweet investment if nothing else!

I am most definitely not wrong, but we're closer in agreement than you might realize, as many of your points are very much valid, though for slightly different reasons:

This is 100% correct, but balance (aka weight transfer) is still independent from which wheels are driven. It is instead a function of steering angle, for transferring weight between the two sides, and acceleration/braking to transfer the weight fore/aft. And while it's managed slightly differently for each, managing weight transfer is equally effective in all different types of final drive systems. As an example, I track my E30 (RWD), and my co-worker runs an MX3 (FWD). His car is slightly faster in general, but I HATE driving his car, because you need to trail-brake it like crazy going into the corner, and then I always have trouble getting the balance 'right' again for the exit, whereas since I'm used to it I can balance my E30 with ease. My first Auto-X car was in fact a naturally aspirated AWD Impreza (non-WRX) and it was acceptable, but mostly because of the suspension it doesn't hold a candle to how my E30 or that MX3 can get around a corner. My point here is that while different drive systems indeed handle differently, that's more a matter of preference and you can't really argue that one is 'better' than another, as they just need to be driven differently. This is a pretty good graphic for this, and I think that since AWD systems fall in as a compromise, not prone to over-steer like RWD but with less under-steer than FWD, that makes the feel appealing to many people, which is fine and I think in line with what you are saying:
View attachment 21039

My original point though, which I still stand by, is that AWD is marketed as intrinsically better for cornering than 2WD, which is categorically untrue as it has no influence on the friction circle:
View attachment 21041
where the greatest cornering force ('C') is achieved with there is zero torque, neither drive nor braking, applied to the wheel, and C is thus determined by the tire material, road surface, and the suspensions ability to maintain the area of the contact patch.

So I can agree that AWD cars handle 'differently,' and I absolutely respect that you may prefer that difference, but the physics says different /=/ better. My preference is RWD, but I too will refrain from arguing it's better, just what I like better! :D
View attachment 21042
(see in this pic, my left front tire is so light it's not doing jack shit anything, and 98% of my right front tire is trying to push the car through the corner, and there's just not any more grip left for it to do anything else even if it wanted to! And yes I'm faster than/just passed that pokey S2000 back there!)

Frist of all, sick ride! E30s are worth a fortune these days, at least around here. And I remember the time when I could have picked one up for like 500bucks in good working order.. And I didn't... FML
What's the engine in it?

Is the marketing for AWD really that blatantly stupid still? I know it used to be a thing in the early 2000s, but to be honest I haven't watched a single Ad that I haven't worked on in like 6-7 years, so I have no idea!

The way you describe how you need to take a very different driving style to be fast with the MX3? That's it. That's why AWD is faster on a real street corner. Because it's easier. It's not just overall better. It's easier.
Most ppl, myself included, are not racing drivers, so the more forgiving handling of AWD compared to 2WD does make a difference on the mean streets of BoyracerTown, where the traction should be mathed as loose-surface rather then idealized Autobahn asphalt anyways. (I'm not kidding when I say that the dirt/gravel road leading into a forest outside the little German town I stayed at 3 years ago was Smoother and grippier than most major streets in Budapest...)

ps:... weight transfer is independent of which wheels are driven as long as the driven wheels have grip to apply force so there is acceleration. 4 is more than 2. therefore... hehehe I'm gonna stop now lol

 

[Shadow Reaper]

AWD is not faster on anything except a slick surface. Turning the car depends upon the static coefficient of friction between the tire and the road. That is not changed by powering the wheel. Powering the wheel alters the amount of longitudinal force the wheels can put on the road (and therefore the road can put on the wheels).

So just saying, you never get any better lateral acceleration by powering the wheels, meaning you never get better handling, unless you are offroad. Off road both lateral and longitudinal acceleration are no longer determined by static coefficient of friction, but by forced generated by churning up dirt or snow. That's a very different equation.

 

[Dirtbag_Leader]

Off raod both alteral and longitudinal acceleration are no longer depermined by static coefficient of friction, but by forced generated by churning up dirt or snow.

Which is why there are a very few dirtbikes that are two-wheel drive (and can drive the front wheel) but exactly zero road motorcycles that do!

 

[Sirus7264]

3 pages of comments this one seems on fire. I'll be honest the AMG isnt going to lose much more value at this point(i think its worth 20-30k at this point from what i just looked up on KBB in america. The WRX is going to depreciate alot especially since it isnt an STI. You can always buy a new WRX in the future also(or rebuy the one you have now at a much much much less price point).

Then comes the 2nd point can you and are you willing to do your own maintenance. With cars like these if you cannot do most of your own car work or are not willing to learn how then its best to stay away from the AMG. Shops are going to charge you an arm and a leg to fix an AMG because they simply can. I speak on this from experience when i owned an alfa romeo and now a jaguar xf. The Alfa i brought it into the shop and they did alot of work which wasn't needed which after my first time in the shop cost me about 10k just to have another major component break costing me another 5k. turns out if i had done it myself i could have done it for 3k....problem was lack of repair information out there for the car which took me years to find.(The car kept breaking for the next 2 years and i said fuck it and trashed it. I'll never buy another alfa.) Now with my jag i did alot more research before i bought it and i do all of my own maintenance. Litterally break changes for 200 usd(Rotors and pads) oil changes for 50 usd including disposal of old oil. battery changes 200 usd. If i would have taken it to the shop for all of those issues id have paid around 5k-6k by now just because it bears the jaguar symbol and originally cost like 100k when the car came out. so if you can put up with getting dirty etc and learn how to fix the amg then definately stick with the amg you will not have a better ride for a very very long time those cars were meant to last.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

I've only driven the E-up! Apart from the unbelievable horrible turning circle (I swear my X3 has a smaller one) it's quiet good to just get around town. An i3 easily beats it in a drag race (experience, luckily I was in the i3) but still quiet nippy and usable. You can't beat that size when you are looking for parking lol

I'm 6ft tall, and thought i'd never fit into it. But sure enough the cabin size is perfect, not cramped and dirt cheap to fuel up.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

3 pages of comments this one seems on fire. I'll be honest the AMG isnt going to lose much more value at this point(i think its worth 20-30k at this point from what i just looked up on KBB in america. The WRX is going to depreciate alot especially since it isnt an STI. You can always buy a new WRX in the future also(or rebuy the one you have now at a much much much less price point).

Then comes the 2nd point can you and are you willing to do your own maintenance. With cars like these if you cannot do most of your own car work or are not willing to learn how then its best to stay away from the AMG. Shops are going to charge you an arm and a leg to fix an AMG because they simply can. I speak on this from experience when i owned an alfa romeo and now a jaguar xf. The Alfa i brought it into the shop and they did alot of work which wasn't needed which after my first time in the shop cost me about 10k just to have another major component break costing me another 5k. turns out if i had done it myself i could have done it for 3k....problem was lack of repair information out there for the car which took me years to find.(The car kept breaking for the next 2 years and i said fuck it and trashed it. I'll never buy another alfa.) Now with my jag i did alot more research before i bought it and i do all of my own maintenance. Litterally break changes for 200 usd(Rotors and pads) oil changes for 50 usd including disposal of old oil. battery changes 200 usd. If i would have taken it to the shop for all of those issues id have paid around 5k-6k by now just because it bears the jaguar symbol and originally cost like 100k when the car came out. so if you can put up with getting dirty etc and learn how to fix the amg then definately stick with the amg you will not have a better ride for a very very long time those cars were meant to last.

My bro-in-law was a stickler for only taking it to MB and he knew he was getting screwed, but he tried being a purist but it burned holes in his wallet to the point the car was getting neglected, simply because he could not stop pouring money into MB where he could have had a ton of money left over to take care of other things on the car. As it stands there's gutter rash on three rims and two minor rub marks and a small scratch that needs fixing, and one of the front grille panels needs sorting out....(But by God it moves like a screaming cut cat...)

Oh and also the driver's door will not lock....the button go's up and down but the lock does not engage....quoted $1900 AUD by the MB people, and I think surely to God, if that's the case why do people spend 100K + on a car then 100K on repairs for the next ten years....(Stop taking the damn things to Mercedes AFTER the warranty runs out......), so i'll get an everyday grounded in reality autosparky to look at it. I looked at the parts on the last invoice, then found them online for an average of one fifth of the price.....the $100 to replace windscreen wipers......pissing in my pocket there Mercedes.

On rotors now you mention it....after market......$70USD I would love to know how much MB charges haha. I am leaning heavily towards the AMG, as he left a mountain of debt and if I sell his car as is, I will get less than it's worth due to the love it needs. My WRX is in very good condition and the previous owner was getting it serviced EVERY four thousand km's, religiously. So I can get a good price for it with lower than average mileage, and keep the AMG and give it some love.

I've learned a lot about the C63 over the last few weeks, and I'm starting to appreciate what he saw in it. So it would be a shame to see it go to a stranger. At least if we keep it, his niece who is a car nut can help with car-stuff as 99% of everything else he owns is going on the auction block. I drove it again this morning to keep the battery happy....Rammstein sounds awesome in an AMG haha.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

You guys have gone way off topic TBH. Oh hang on just checked and we are on test.com so that's fine.

So just to confuse things - what about my 30 yr old GT-R that is 100% RWD until the ABS system senses the rear wheels are spinning faster than the fronts and it will transfer up to 50% of the engine torque to the front wheels on the fly? How does that handle?

Off topic is fine, I don't mind. Bro-in-law would probably prefer to talk cars over death haha

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

My 2 cents: If the debt is that bad, I'd sell both and get a more economical car. If you absolutely will not sell both, keep the WRX. While the AMG is nice and all, its just going to put you in more debt with repairs and youre not guaranteed its going to appreciate in value much.

On the other hand if youre gonna be paying on the debt forever anyways and have just accepted that, keep both, you might come into more money or figure out a better way to manage the debt in the future.

EDIT: I love cars, my family has a history of racing them and even owns a garage in Naples that services exotics. Ive driven the really cool cars, I own a nismo 370z myself. Id rather be debt free than have any more fun with cars.

His debt will suck balls for a bit, we sold a house a few months back for twice as much as we paid for it, to a cash buyer so that had us debt free till this, it could take awhile with legal paperwork etc. Originally when his parents passed on, my wife and bro-in-law would get the house but she'll now get the lot and give some to her only niece. We spoke weeks ago with his parents, as they did not know how much debt was involved and their house was tied up in it, so priority is not lose their house that we'll end up with in the end. (I say "we" as we'll have to most likely remortgage it together) It's a huge property worth a million being the size of three standard blocks in suburbia, so any remaining debt will end up squashed and we can get a smaller house, niece gets some cash and we're debt free.

Also on the plus side, there's no money owing on my car as I paid cash with the house-sale proceeds. It was at a BMW dealership, so I walked in dressed like a homeless bum and paid without finance (always wanted to do that). To their credit without knowing I was buying, the BMW people were actually nice tho (nice coffee).

edit: I always dress like a homeless bum.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

No clue mate , you tell me! I'd guess pretty well with the AWD kicking in pulling in the front nicely, but no being able to do tight donuts might be a real downer?
But that's a sweet investment if nothing else!





Frist of all, sick ride! E30s are worth a fortune these days, at least around here. And I remember the time when I could have picked one up for like 500bucks in good working order.. And I didn't... FML
What's the engine in it?

Is the marketing for AWD really that blatantly stupid still? I know it used to be a thing in the early 2000s, but to be honest I haven't watched a single Ad that I haven't worked on in like 6-7 years, so I have no idea!

The way you describe how you need to take a very different driving style to be fast with the MX3? That's it. That's why AWD is faster on a real street corner. Because it's easier. It's not just overall better. It's easier.
Most ppl, myself included, are not racing drivers, so the more forgiving handling of AWD compared to 2WD does make a difference on the mean streets of BoyracerTown, where the traction should be mathed as loose-surface rather then idealized Autobahn asphalt anyways. (I'm not kidding when I say that the dirt/gravel road leading into a forest outside the little German town I stayed at 3 years ago was Smoother and grippier than most major streets in Budapest...)

ps:... weight transfer is independent of which wheels are driven as long as the driven wheels have grip to apply force so there is acceleration. 4 is more than 2. therefore... hehehe I'm gonna stop now lol

I think the AWD market for second hand seems to be picking up, until the new WRX update is released. The new car is actually physically larger than the current model, and will have an engine change. Mine's nice but they are slowly turning into a family sedan at this rate..Also if people want a near new WRX and don't like the new version coming, they'll fall back onto the used car market a bit more.

 

[Lorddarthvik]

AWD is not faster on anything except a slick surface. Turning the car depends upon the static coefficient of friction between the tire and the road. That is not changed by powering the wheel. Powering the wheel alters the amount of longitudinal force the wheels can put on the road (and therefore the road can put on the wheels).

So just saying, you never get any better lateral acceleration by powering the wheels, meaning you never get better handling, unless you are offroad. Off raod both alteral and longitudinal acceleration are no longer depermined by static coefficient of friction, but by forced generated by churning up dirt or snow. That's a very different equation.

Wow, this sounds sooo disturbingly wrong to a car guy while being 100% correct lol

I think the AWD market for second hand seems to be picking up, until the new WRX update is released. The new car is actually physically larger than the current model, and will have an engine change. Mine's nice but they are slowly turning into a family sedan at this rate..Also if people want a near new WRX and don't like the new version coming, they'll fall back onto the used car market a bit more.

Yep, here the trend or rather the desire is for the old GC8, because it is considered to be the best handling, most sporty model with the most heritage due to rally/McRae. Prices for a decent one are through the roof.
Non-turbo 2.0 GC8 models start at around 3000usd here, and they all require about the same amount in rust repair, and then some for the mechanical bits. Cheapest wrx I could find which is in a similar state, is engine swapped, not even "real" WRX for 6000usd and its a bugeye lol. First real WRX is 9k+. And there is overall 9 WRX+STIs on sale in the whole (small) country out of the only 67 imprezas on sale.
The newer models, especially the ones after the Hawkeye depriciate a lot more as they grew in size and got more civilized. You can literally pick up a 2018 manual for the same price as a beater 2004 STI. The supply for any model is getting lower though as old ones rust away or blew their engines due to bad tuning, and as people tend to choose something European that looks nicer on the inside and has higher prestige like a bimmer/merc/Audi when buying new. So I could see a reason why keeping the cheaper option of the wrx could make more sense here. Again, this is only the market here, I don't know the aussie market so ymmv.

Speaking of markets, i know that UK ppl loved their subarus, all the ones I drove came from there cos they were abundant and cheap. But recently I heard they were basically out of stock on the used market and prices skyrocketed. As both of these countries are RHD, maybe you could look into exporting the WRX if prices are too low locally? There could be a market for it? Haven't checked prices yet, just an idea.

 

[Deroth]

I have a Subaru, nothing fancy, just a 2005 Legacy, and can confirm that used Subarus are in extremely high demand in the States, at least on the East Coast.
Subaru sends me mailers all the time offering to buy mine off me, as is, for a decent chunk over KBB because there are so many people looking for older used Subarus to use as a base to either restore or mod out to their desires.

As for the debt situation, have you contacted any private attorneys about the whole situation? If you only used a court appointed attorney, they might not have your best interest at heart, so while I'm not a fan of attorneys, consulting a private attorney that specializes in things like death tax and estate debt might be worth the cost. From my experience, the initial consult is free, so you can take the paperwork you have with you to go a quick once over, they can give you a rough estimate as to what they think they can do for you, a general idea of the odds of success, and tell you their cost, so you can make an informed decision as to whether their assistance will be a boon or bane. (No harm in contacting a few so you can get a better idea of which are underachievers, which blow smoke to puff up their egos, and which have a reasoned understanding of what you're going through.) Hopefully, they don't tell you there isn't jack they can do for you due to your brother-in-law not putting everything in a Trust, which might be worth looking into doing with other valuable/important family property (it is what politicians and bureaucrats in the States do to protect their estates from the ridiculous, confiscatory laws and regulations they themselves implemented upon us lowly peons.)

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

Wow, this sounds sooo disturbingly wrong to a car guy while being 100% correct lol



Yep, here the trend or rather the desire is for the old GC8, because it is considered to be the best handling, most sporty model with the most heritage due to rally/McRae. Prices for a decent one are through the roof.
Non-turbo 2.0 GC8 models start at around 3000usd here, and they all require about the same amount in rust repair, and then some for the mechanical bits. Cheapest wrx I could find which is in a similar state, is engine swapped, not even "real" WRX for 6000usd and its a bugeye lol. First real WRX is 9k+. And there is overall 9 WRX+STIs on sale in the whole (small) country out of the only 67 imprezas on sale.
The newer models, especially the ones after the Hawkeye depriciate a lot more as they grew in size and got more civilized. You can literally pick up a 2018 manual for the same price as a beater 2004 STI. The supply for any model is getting lower though as old ones rust away or blew their engines due to bad tuning, and as people tend to choose something European that looks nicer on the inside and has higher prestige like a bimmer/merc/Audi when buying new. So I could see a reason why keeping the cheaper option of the wrx could make more sense here. Again, this is only the market here, I don't know the aussie market so ymmv.

Speaking of markets, i know that UK ppl loved their subarus, all the ones I drove came from there cos they were abundant and cheap. But recently I heard they were basically out of stock on the used market and prices skyrocketed. As both of these countries are RHD, maybe you could look into exporting the WRX if prices are too low locally? There could be a market for it? Haven't checked prices yet, just an idea.

GC8's so sexy. Most Subaru owners hang onto their cars for long periods of time in Australia, if you have a WRX you literally can go anywhere and if you pass another WRX going the opposite direction they always wave 90% of the time. haha

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

I have a Subaru, nothing fancy, just a 2005 Legacy, and can confirm that used Subarus are in extremely high demand in the States, at least on the East Coast.
Subaru sends me mailers all the time offering to buy mine off me, as is, for a decent chunk over KBB because there are so many people looking for older used Subarus to use as a base to either restore or mod out to their desires.

As for the debt situation, have you contacted any private attorneys about the whole situation? If you only used a court appointed attorney, they might not have your best interest at heart, so while I'm not a fan of attorneys, consulting a private attorney that specializes in things like death tax and estate debt might be worth the cost. From my experience, the initial consult is free, so you can take the paperwork you have with you to go a quick once over, they can give you a rough estimate as to what they think they can do for you, a general idea of the odds of success, and tell you their cost, so you can make an informed decision as to whether their assistance will be a boon or bane. (No harm in contacting a few so you can get a better idea of which are underachievers, which blow smoke to puff up their egos, and which have a reasoned understanding of what you're going through.) Hopefully, they don't tell you there isn't jack they can do for you due to your brother-in-law not putting everything in a Trust, which might be worth looking into doing with other valuable/important family property (it is what politicians and bureaucrats in the States do to protect their estates from the ridiculous, confiscatory laws and regulations they themselves implemented upon us lowly peons.)

Yep one of my wife's and bro-in-law's closest friends has a lawyer friend on speed-dial and are on the case. Wife's family is in a Trust situation with a shelf company thrown in there somewhere for laughs, the house as I understand is in the Trust and is mortgaged, but his debt and car isn't in the Trust, but on the mortgage. Where I am if you die without a valid will as he did, it's "intestate" meaning it goes to parents then siblings. His parents want my wife to be handed everything legally so she can sort out his debts as she is also a guarantor on the mortgage. Thankfully his credit card debt disappears...small win.

 

[Sirus7264]

My bro-in-law was a stickler for only taking it to MB and he knew he was getting screwed, but he tried being a purist but it burned holes in his wallet to the point the car was getting neglected, simply because he could not stop pouring money into MB where he could have had a ton of money left over to take care of other things on the car. As it stands there's gutter rash on three rims and two minor rub marks and a small scratch that needs fixing, and one of the front grille panels needs sorting out....(But by God it moves like a screaming cut cat...)

Oh and also the driver's door will not lock....the button go's up and down but the lock does not engage....quoted $1900 AUD by the MB people, and I think surely to God, if that's the case why do people spend 100K + on a car then 100K on repairs for the next ten years....(Stop taking the damn things to Mercedes AFTER the warranty runs out......), so i'll get an everyday grounded in reality autosparky to look at it. I looked at the parts on the last invoice, then found them online for an average of one fifth of the price.....the $100 to replace windscreen wipers......pissing in my pocket there Mercedes.

On rotors now you mention it....after market......$70USD I would love to know how much MB charges haha. I am leaning heavily towards the AMG, as he left a mountain of debt and if I sell his car as is, I will get less than it's worth due to the love it needs. My WRX is in very good condition and the previous owner was getting it serviced EVERY four thousand km's, religiously. So I can get a good price for it with lower than average mileage, and keep the AMG and give it some love.

I've learned a lot about the C63 over the last few weeks, and I'm starting to appreciate what he saw in it. So it would be a shame to see it go to a stranger. At least if we keep it, his niece who is a car nut can help with car-stuff as 99% of everything else he owns is going on the auction block. I drove it again this morning to keep the battery happy....Rammstein sounds awesome in an AMG haha.

Yeah you will learn that the only thing you shouldnt work on that car is the engine and possibly the transmission.(you can do your own flushes and they are dirt cheap) Many mom and pop shops know how to do alot of the work you will need done without charging you those rediculas ammounts. Like you said find a good mom and pop mechanic that has done work on mercedes before who can clear codes check codes etc. If they will let you buy the parts and they just charge labor costs thats even better. Working on your own vehicle will teach you alot about it, make you appreciate the vehicle more, and save you thousands of dollars. The only thing you have to lose is time really and is it really losing time if you enjoy it and the satisfaction you get from doing it? Start looking for those online fan clubs for your amg they are out there and those guys are going to know alot they have been around the block 10-20 times and will tell you anything you need to know and where to buy stuff. Since you are in europe also you can goto Breakers and get other parts from old broken down versions of your car. As for the rims you have 2 choices take them off send them to a rims shop to get patched up for like 50-100 usd(fill in, sand, and paint/powder coat) buy aftermarket, or buy new ones somewhere online(replicas exist to if you want to be a cheap skate.) The car is what you make of it be smart about it. The people who say repairing cars like these are expensive are the ones going to MB and having them do it.

 

[Lorddarthvik]

Yeah you will learn that the only thing you shouldnt work on that car is the engine and possibly the transmission.(you can do your own flushes and they are dirt cheap) Many mom and pop shops know how to do alot of the work you will need done without charging you those rediculas ammounts. Like you said find a good mom and pop mechanic that has done work on mercedes before who can clear codes check codes etc. If they will let you buy the parts and they just charge labor costs thats even better. Working on your own vehicle will teach you alot about it, make you appreciate the vehicle more, and save you thousands of dollars. The only thing you have to lose is time really and is it really losing time if you enjoy it and the satisfaction you get from doing it? Start looking for those online fan clubs for your amg they are out there and those guys are going to know alot they have been around the block 10-20 times and will tell you anything you need to know and where to buy stuff. Since you are in europe also you can goto Breakers and get other parts from old broken down versions of your car. As for the rims you have 2 choices take them off send them to a rims shop to get patched up for like 50-100 usd(fill in, sand, and paint/powder coat) buy aftermarket, or buy new ones somewhere online(replicas exist to if you want to be a cheap skate.) The car is what you make of it be smart about it. The people who say repairing cars like these are expensive are the ones going to MB and having them do it.

Yep, back in the day when I got the keys to the Astra, I changed the plugs, changed the rear wiper motor cos the old one was rusted solid, and managed to change the heater core which was leaking. All in one weekend. If I gotten a dollar for every curse I shouted while doing it, I could easily own CIG and all of CR's yachts and houses... but it was still a very fulfilling experience and I felt accomplished. I also saved like 300 bucks on labor, which was about as much as the car was worth at the time.

Just a fair warning, a lot of simple things are rather costly for european premium brands, cos there is little to no aftermarket parts available. Sometimes these brands go out of their way to design proprietary parts to speical models like an AMG or M car.
My case is with my BMW which anything but special. Especially since covid, my bimmer mechanic has been telling me that aftermarket parts are out of stock constantly, so gettin a proper repair done cheaply is way harder. And I know for a fact he is not fucking with me, I know him since we were like 4 or 5 . Also when I checked the usual parts providers, I was shocked how empty their inventory was and how high the prices gone up. Stock is slowly starting to fill back up, but the inflated prices are still there. And then that's not counting that a bunch of parts were never really available in aftermarket in the first place.
Then there is quality issues with aftermarket. Example, you can get away with buying aftermarket brake pads for a bimmer, sure. But for the love of god don't cheap out on disks. Current aftermarket options are utter shit, especially for the 10-15yo cars, the ones where you would try to save as much as possible. They will warp and crack in as little as 5k-10k kms, and you end up spending 3 times as much cos of constant replacements, when they should last you 5-10 times longer at least for only 1.5x more money than your supposedly good quality aftermarket discs.

You can ofc try the breakers, but there are tons of simple stuff that you would want to get new. Simple things like gaskets, rubber/plastic hoses or somesuch trivial parts that tend to die with age.
Like when I blew the aftermarket turbo pipe off the inercooler. It needed a new E-ring cos the original was old and weak (or so we thought, but better safe than having to take it apart again a week later). You gotta order it from BMW cos there's no aftermarket part available locally, and ordering from ebay would have taken 3-4 weeks and costs more then from bmw itself. It's basically a 10 cm bent piece of spring-steel square crossection wire , should cost like a dollar, add bimmer tax and vat and make it 5usd maybe. At 40% of retail price (highest possible mechanics discount and minus VAT): 25bucks. Un fuckin believable. I know, 25 bucks once is like nothing when talking car repair, but it illustrates the point I think.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

Yeah you will learn that the only thing you shouldnt work on that car is the engine and possibly the transmission.(you can do your own flushes and they are dirt cheap) Many mom and pop shops know how to do alot of the work you will need done without charging you those rediculas ammounts. Like you said find a good mom and pop mechanic that has done work on mercedes before who can clear codes check codes etc. If they will let you buy the parts and they just charge labor costs thats even better. Working on your own vehicle will teach you alot about it, make you appreciate the vehicle more, and save you thousands of dollars. The only thing you have to lose is time really and is it really losing time if you enjoy it and the satisfaction you get from doing it? Start looking for those online fan clubs for your amg they are out there and those guys are going to know alot they have been around the block 10-20 times and will tell you anything you need to know and where to buy stuff. Since you are in europe also you can goto Breakers and get other parts from old broken down versions of your car. As for the rims you have 2 choices take them off send them to a rims shop to get patched up for like 50-100 usd(fill in, sand, and paint/powder coat) buy aftermarket, or buy new ones somewhere online(replicas exist to if you want to be a cheap skate.) The car is what you make of it be smart about it. The people who say repairing cars like these are expensive are the ones going to MB and having them do it.

Yep indeed, we've a local large MB club and looks like they have some purchasing power with suppliers and some connections to "the right" local mechanics. One of them worked at one of their German plants engine building, and got sick of them screwing people with after sales services then came to Australia (I will need to buy him beer it seems). I took a pic of the engine bay, it made me sad, but the interior is in mint condition..(The engine bay will clean up easily though).

I also found Montoya's missing hat..

Oh yeah...the recent service...the lazy slugs didn't even fill up the windscreen washer reservoir...

 

[Sirus7264]

Yep, back in the day when I got the keys to the Astra, I changed the plugs, changed the rear wiper motor cos the old one was rusted solid, and managed to change the heater core which was leaking. All in one weekend. If I gotten a dollar for every curse I shouted while doing it, I could easily own CIG and all of CR's yachts and houses... but it was still a very fulfilling experience and I felt accomplished. I also saved like 300 bucks on labor, which was about as much as the car was worth at the time.

Just a fair warning, a lot of simple things are rather costly for european premium brands, cos there is little to no aftermarket parts available. Sometimes these brands go out of their way to design proprietary parts to speical models like an AMG or M car.
My case is with my BMW which anything but special. Especially since covid, my bimmer mechanic has been telling me that aftermarket parts are out of stock constantly, so gettin a proper repair done cheaply is way harder. And I know for a fact he is not fucking with me, I know him since we were like 4 or 5 . Also when I checked the usual parts providers, I was shocked how empty their inventory was and how high the prices gone up. Stock is slowly starting to fill back up, but the inflated prices are still there. And then that's not counting that a bunch of parts were never really available in aftermarket in the first place.
Then there is quality issues with aftermarket. Example, you can get away with buying aftermarket brake pads for a bimmer, sure. But for the love of god don't cheap out on disks. Current aftermarket options are utter shit, especially for the 10-15yo cars, the ones where you would try to save as much as possible. They will warp and crack in as little as 5k-10k kms, and you end up spending 3 times as much cos of constant replacements, when they should last you 5-10 times longer at least for only 1.5x more money than your supposedly good quality aftermarket discs.

You can ofc try the breakers, but there are tons of simple stuff that you would want to get new. Simple things like gaskets, rubber/plastic hoses or somesuch trivial parts that tend to die with age.
Like when I blew the aftermarket turbo pipe off the inercooler. It needed a new E-ring cos the original was old and weak (or so we thought, but better safe than having to take it apart again a week later). You gotta order it from BMW cos there's no aftermarket part available locally, and ordering from ebay would have taken 3-4 weeks and costs more then from bmw itself. It's basically a 10 cm bent piece of spring-steel square crossection wire , should cost like a dollar, add bimmer tax and vat and make it 5usd maybe. At 40% of retail price (highest possible mechanics discount and minus VAT): 25bucks. Un fuckin believable. I know, 25 bucks once is like nothing when talking car repair, but it illustrates the point I think.

This is so true for rotors i don't buy the cheap aftermarket stuff i always do research first then i find the cheapest place to get the best part.(This turns out to be Ebay most of the time from good sellers) as for those parts where there is no aftermarket parts yeah you kinda just get stabbed and the dealer ends up being the place to go but at least you dont need to pay the labor costs. For gaskets though you can call BMW and ask for requirements on any gasket and cut your own they are willing to assist when you need it(well most places are) as long as you know what you are doing. buy a roll of gasket material and cutting them yoruself will save you so much money. They may not always be pretty but they do what they are supposed to do.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

This is so true for rotors i don't buy the cheap aftermarket stuff i always do research first then i find the cheapest place to get the best part.(This turns out to be Ebay most of the time from good sellers) as for those parts where there is no aftermarket parts yeah you kinda just get stabbed and the dealer ends up being the place to go but at least you dont need to pay the labor costs. For gaskets though you can call BMW and ask for requirements on any gasket and cut your own they are willing to assist when you need it(well most places are) as long as you know what you are doing. buy a roll of gasket material and cutting them yoruself will save you so much money. They may not always be pretty but they do what they are supposed to do.

As a teenager I fixed a hole on an exhaust manifold by using a coin...and some glue. It actually increased the value of my car by twenty cents (Australian).