VSsc400

iTrader: (1)

i had a beater for a spare......... then i couldn't take it anymore... so sold the beater and bought an RX300 as spare car... i love me some cars!

sweetsc400

I hear ya. . .that's exactly what I'm tryin to do. . .sell my beater. I just poured $2500 into it, and it's still a piece of shi#, I mean it's still a ford. . .

damon

Sweetsc,

Had I not not known better ( mainly due to this forum) my cost of ownership would be significantly higher. I avoid the dealer whenever possible and read / search the most cost effective solution at this site when I can. If I still own this machine at 350,000 I will be very happy.

I have no need to impress, damon

soarer 300

Cory:

7/1/04

$30,000...still doesn't run right.

sorka

Wow! I guess I should feel pretty lucky. Our '95 SC400 just turned 191K miles and we've owned it since it was almost new.

So far:

1) Leaking power steering pump hose(not the high pressure one). $40 something to replace.

2) Alternator destroyed by #1. $530 or so to replace at a dealership. Prices range from $530 all the way to $1100 depending on dealer.

3) Cracked radiator. $159 CSF from overnight radiators. Replaced myself in an hour.


The only other thing that would have cost money was the AC Air Idle Control valve. Apparantly the cost is about $1100. I said screw that, removed it myself (45 minutes), cleaned it in an ultrasonic bath with carb cleaner for an hour, re-installed. This was at 80K miles. 110K miles later it needs to be done again, but I'm fairly certain it is the same as before as the symptoms are identical(stalls when coming to a stop after turning off AC).

So our total repair costs in almost 200K miles is about $750.

Of course there was the 60K which we did first at 120K. We plan to do it again at 240K....maybe. We had a local toyota shop do it for $380 something.

Tires twice for about $600 a pop. About to do them again. In fact, the AVS DB S2s only lasted 50k miles, but they stick very nicely.

Now I'm all worried that our car is suddenly going to fall apart. Not good as we're about to spend $1000 to do the seats and steering wheel.

I do all my own brake work including fluid flush, power steering flush, and radiator flush every few years.

Of course I do my own oil with Mobil 1. I don't do my own PS fluid and we recently discovered about 25K miles ago that we'd been using regular dextron III rather than Toyota type II or IV, so I'm expecting that if something blows up, it will be the trans or TC.

sweetsc400

I guess I got lucky at the dealer because they ended up charging me only $380 for replacing my alternator. Now I'm getting ready to replace my PS Pump soon, hope it doesn't kill me. I'd say 50k miles out of AVS DB S2s is outstanding considering it's a W rated tire with a fairly low tread rating. I just bought some for my car and have been very impressed so far.

Sounds like you've had a well-behaved car . I hope she gives ya another 200k miles!

PERRYinLA

I am assuming you're talking about the timing belt change. Just another example of how long those things last. I'm at 88K and it somehow looks newer each time I inspect it.

Despite my advice, my girlfriend just got talked into changing out the timing belt of her 90K Toyota RAV4. I told her to get the original belt back and checked it out tonight- except for the dirt, it looked like it came out of the new parts bin.

southernsc

i have spent over 3k in fixing my car as well, well worth it imo. i still hafta replace the valve stem gaskets

THE_CEO

wow i noticed alot of alternator replacements....please guys save your self some money and get your alternators rebuilt....it should only be $100.00 to $175.00 max....

CEO

HarrierAWD

I agree with others. All were routine 90K maintenance except the window regulator and the alternator. However, alternator does wear out eventually. 90K isn't bad. My PoS GM alternators burned out every 30K miles or so. Changed it 3 times before I hit 100,000 miles, that's 4 alternators.... You don't want to hear me vent about GM.

So I bought a Lexus.

HarrierAWD

All replacement alternators are rebuilt. Dealers would still charge an arm and a leg for it, and give you about $30 credit for the old one from your car.

saber

Toyota / Lexus alternators routinely last about 150,000 miles and the only thing that normally goes wrong with them is that the $20 brush and brush holder assembly needs to be replaced. However, the early 90's LS400's and SC400's commonly have power steering system leaks at around 90,000 miles and the fluid leaks down onto the alternator, shorting it out. A cheap solution to prevent this from ever happening is to install a protective alternator cover http://www.saber.net/~monarch/alternatorcov.jpg And a cheap solution to prevent to power steering system leaks is to periodically check and clean the filters in the power steering pump reservoir and in the power steering rack solenoid control valve. Plugged filters cause high system pressures which in turn create the O-ring breaches that cause leaks.

HarrierAWD

Ah, that's great information.

I saw the alternator cover photo. I wonder if that'd trap heat in the alternator, which might cause the alternator to fail prematurely.

Thanks.

lkirchner

It's obvious none of you have ever owned a Mercedes. Your parts replacement costs and routine maintenance costs are a mere pittance in comparison to MB

sweetsc400

I had a 93 300D turbodiesel and a 93 400SEL. I had some problems with the 400SEL. But my family used to be a Mercedes family, and they're expense to maintain, for sure.