If you want to DIY most of the work on your car I'd suggest you buy a> M-B manual for it. There's a $100 CD-ROM which is not indexed and> appears to be a scan of the paper manual. The paper manuals are no> longer published so one needs to buy used ones, probably on ebay.com.>

Just bought a 1984 300SD MB with 120,000 miles, all records down to> purchase day, even original invoice for $41,000, private party, old man> drove it and maintained it, no rust, everything works, guy sold it> needed money asap. Test drove it - drives like a dream, woderful car.> Bought it for under $5,000.>

Besides your usual valve adjustment, oil and lube, etc., what else> would you do RIGHT NOW on this car to make sure it lasts?>

Thanks,>

When'd you buy them? They haven't printed the manuals in book form for> years.

Thanks for all your input.>

Conrad,>

Can you give me a play-by-play on what you did with your car - you> mentioned polishing compound. My car is dull brown - judging by> absence of rust it's been washed, but done so in commercial washes.> What did you do and what should I?>

Thanks,>

Mia

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 11:27:00 -0700, Mia wrote:>

Here's a play by play of what I did.>

1) first, as I mentioned above I tried waxing - multiple times.> It was an improvement, but left much to be desired.> 2) I washed the car carefully - it's amazing how much dirt> can stick to your car - and all of that dirt is a great> source of scratches when you start rubbing the car.> 3) Repeat step 2. Really> 4) I bought some polishing compound (not rubbing compound)> at the local car parts place. I also got some paint cloths,> which are supposed to be clean and free of any potentially> abrasive things.> 5) I found a place I wouldn't have to look at (in my case, > the center of the roof) just in case I did something bad> to my paint.> 6) I moistened one of the paint cloths, dabbed it into the> polishing compound, and started rubbing. When I saw how> nice and shiny the paint was, I promptly wore my arm out doing> the rest of the roof.> 7) I awoke the next day unable to move my arms.> 8) Back to the parts store to buy a buffing machine.> Don't get the simple circular kind. Get the random orbit> type.> 9) apply the buffer to all the flat surfaces of the car. Be> VERY careful on sharp curves and corners - I still did> all of these by hand. It's possible to do them with a buffer> but you've got to have a light touch, or you can burn> right through the paint with a power buffer.> 10) wash the car again.> 11) wax> 12) enjoy>

I don't doubt that. Do you think $100-150 is reasonable for a CD of> scanned images of the manual on Ebay?

Keep original paint for as long as possible or repaint at decent local> body shop?

There is a school of thought that says high-pressure hoses can lift

Review the complete records and make a log thereof on a spreadsheet so> YOU have a one or two page summary of the car's maintenance and repair> history.>

Then YOU will KNOW what prospective maintenance is due and when.>

Something that's often overlooked is the small paper filter element in> the power steering fluid reservoir - costs about $2 but is often> forgotten. And see when the coolant and brake fluid was last changed.> Ideally two years brake fluid and I believe four years for the coolant.>

These all iron fives are tough, durable engines that are easily> maintained by an interested owner.>

Good luck with it and post your questions here when they arise.

I bet this place has 'em>

http://www.books4ca­rs.com/>

ALWAYS try to keep original paint.>

Bad photography, no prices, but I agree more information (Mercedes> photographer must have been a relative)

I think the biggest problem with the photos is that the whole cd is> scans from the books, and they aren't the best scans in the world> either. If you start looking at them at about 300% things start to> clear up though.

Well, even in the books, the pictures tend to be underexposed, or> perhaps just printed that way, and I think they should have done, not> in ever instance but in some, what BMW did and draw some of the> "pictures" because sometimes it's much easier to show something in a> drawing (like when showing something that is behind something, the MB> photographs make you lose perspective while the BMW drawing allow you> to see through the object in front, while still providing an outline> for perspective.

Don't know if there is a simple way to correct this> but I've tried just about everything I know (which isn't always enough) and> still make it work right. Anyone know the answer?

Hehe, I'm going to guess you weren't useing the BMW service manual> stuff that pertains to the E39 5 series? I find the BMW stuff for the> E39 to take much more user knowledge for granted. They put all the> stuff on the sam CD set now btw, and interestingly while the real deal> CD set costs about $700 the bootlegs cost no more than the MB bootlegs.

"marlinspike" <rishayegan@davidso­n.edu> wrote in message> news:1113876002.462­097.113730@f14g2000c­wb.googlegroups.com.­..>> When'd you buy them? They haven't printed the manuals in book form for>> years.>>

Wonder what the implications would be of making good copies of these> original factory manuals and offering them for sale? The pictures alone are> worth loads.

You would be violating copyright law to do this...>

"Martin Joseph" <mercedes@barknatur­alpet.com> wrote in message> news:20050502105051­16807%mercedes@barkn­aturalpetcom...>> On 2005-04-23 16:13:41 -0700, "Ernie Sparks" <earnest37@sbcgloba­l.net>> said:>>

And.....your point is.......