Corvette starter: $29 at AutoZone
MB starter: $$$ (and forget about AutoZone)

A local repair shop I frequent has an Audi A4 2.8 sitting in one of the bays. The owner can't afford the starter: $500+ at the dealer; $417 aftermarket!

You do the math. :smash:

 

MERCEDES would run ya 2 to 5 times the price on anything that broke - regardless if you did your own labor or not. :crazy:
Mercedes are well-constructed but also have ball-bearing construction in lieu of your typ. ball joints - so adjustments are more difficult & less forgiving. Plus any engine / elec. problems will require a premium on parts since there's no overlap - a Mercedes is after all a Mercedes.

With the '69 Corvette, most of your engine parts will be CHEVY :chevy - so you won't always need to pay the Corvette premium.
Of course, the '69 will need more attention so choose carefully for a well maintained vehicle. :smash: :cheers:

 

waterpump prices via http://www.autozone.com

1988 MB 560SL new $166, OEM $263
1969 Vette SB new $24, aluminum hi-po $112

alternator

1988 MB $214
1969 Vette AC Delco $83.99

The remainder is left as an exercise to the reader. :D
Shannon

 

This reminds me of a conversation with my friend Franky. He tells me after he makes his first six figure salary he's going to buy a Ferrari. I tell him the Ferrari is over-rated/ mechanically inferior and a C5 with a little head work or a nitrous set would blow doors on anything out of Italy plus you would have another 100K left over to buy a house/ garage to put the Vette in. He states it's just a trophy could care less about performance, value, drivability...basically he's a big show-off. And for his vain butt I agree. The Ferrari dealerships and mechanics will love him to death. Now in regards to Mercedes you have to understand that 90% of Mercedes owners do not know the hood lifts up or that there is a motor under the hood. To them it's PFM (pure fuc$%^# magic). They have no idea what an altenator/ waterpump does nor care. They have more $$$ than brains. But on the other hand they are out on the weekends buying and trading stock/ buying houses/ selling cocaine whatever sometimes earning $10,000.00 a day and we are wrenching on our old Vettes making $ 0.00, so who's the smarter one? I don't know I personally enjoy working on my Vette so it's a hobby for me, not an issue of saving money on labor. Many people would never want a C3 read: classic car, becuase they want a car you can jump into and never do naything till you get a letter in the mail stating it's time to bring your car in for it's 6-month check-up/ oil change (Mercedes/ BMW). Without it they'd probably burn up the motor. Again it's a matter of taste and priorities. By the way Franky has a 98 C5 convertible, 98K and has never been washed or waxed, it's totaled in my book :rolleyes: He couldn't care less. He states he will buy a new one instead..makes too much money to concern himself with those 'bluecollar" issues..what an arsehole. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


[Modified by Cali,77,L-82, 2:11 PM 9/25/2002]

 

Much more expensive to repair MB, but they probably ride a little better.

 

WTF?? it's apples and oranges. you either want a mamby pamby ride like a mercedes or a REAL car like a corvette.

 

Ok - I'm in the 10% of Mercedes owners.....but since I don't make 6-figures my brain must be larger ! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Here's my car list "Cali" :

2002 Mercedes C-Coupe C-230 kompressor (d*mn good car !)
1998 Corvette - mongo performance
1968 Corvette - classic

Mercedes makes on average the "best" car in the world......not a sports car......just a car....a plain Jane sedan that offer comfort & reliability - it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a gearhead to figure this out.

My opinion is just different - I'd watch out putting other cars down - instead just point out the +Positives about Corvette, after all it's America's sportscar - not even Ferrari can top that (...and uhhh....I still want one of these too ! :yesnod: :yesnod: :lol: ) PEACE ! :flag

 

the alternator on the Corvette is rated at 42 amps, it powers headlights and a few other items. The alternator on my BMW is rated at 140 amps and even has its own cooling duct, power onboard computer, heated seats all kinds of stuff. I would expect a price difference there. An alternator for a C5 is over $150 with a $100 core from autozone. You cannot compare a 70's era domestic vehicle with a modern european car, or even a deomestic for that matter. Go into a GM dealer and price an ABS module for a 2002 Impala or look for an ECM for the same car, the prices are up there.

 

verskel don't get me wrong, SEE MY PRIOR POST. I love Mercedes. What I'm trying to say is some people buy cars based on performance etc. but a vast majority of America are mechanically inept and go with what's the latest fad. I could get a Hyundai Excel and pull off the emblems and put Mercedes 500SEL all over it and they would be happy because Mercedes screams "MONEY!" I love Mercedes/ BMW I just find it comical when it comes to peoples' reasons to buy one. Mercedes are for different purposes than a classic C3. Now lets talk about a V8 AMG versus the C5. :boxing

 

Buy the Lada, it has no-draft windows and big bumpers! :rolleyes:

 

Guys...

The question here was to compare $$$ in repair between the two.
The answer is the benz would cost more. Just like a vette would cost more than a Z-24. Like someone said, stop comparing apples to oranges. These are different cars, ment for different things.

:nopity

 

My career started in parts. From experience I can tell you that prices for parts for European cars are crazy! I now have a Vette and find the parts to be much more affordable.

 

agreed
How about comparing corvette pasts to other domestic models?

 

I worked with a mechanic that had a 75 C3. I was a parts counterman at the time at a Volve dealer
That mechanic was a stickler for keeping it all stock. Some of the trim peices were more expensive than you'd expect to pay for other cars. He used to complain all the time about the price of Vette stuff compared to other cars he owned. Some of this he brought on himself though, he used to only buy stuff from GM dealers. I don't know if he was n NCR member.
I do know that ( this was back in 1986) he sold his vette for a Porsche 924 and learned what parts expense REALLY was. :eek:

 

If you really look at any German car you're not going to find much of anything that is superior to any other car. Sure, some things are heavier duty but dollar for dollar, you pay through the nose for the German work ethic. The two month vacations and two hour lunches are expensive for Americans...but they don't seem to mind as long as they get that three pointed star. Having worked on Porsches, Audis, MBs, BMWs I can safely say that part for part, there isn't a dimes worth of difference between a Honda, a BMW or a MB. The difference really becomes noticeable when it comes time to fix or repair something. If money is no object than this becomes irrelevant. A $10,000 valve job vs. a $1,500 valve job. Machs nicht...right? The real issue for most people is that little three pointed star...that's what they pay for. I can understand wanting a superior product and being able to afford one....is a good thing. But, MB ...as are other German cars are totally over-rated. The great thing about all this is that you don't have to buy a MB if you don't want one and you can buy one if you do want to. It's just so funny how so many people actually think they are driving a superior car when all they are really driving is a car that costs three times as much for possibly a slight bit of comfort or performance. You can easily make a Honda perform....or even outperform a MB for a few hundred dollars....if you want that. The comfort part is questionable because riding in a MB is like sitting on park bench. The seats are ungodly hard and the car much like a tank with rubber wheels. So, you folks who love MBs....please continue to spend your money as you wish....but puh-leez....don't try to tell the rest of us how great the car is....because it just ain't so.

 

the seats are firm and feel weird in an upright postition, even honda s2000 seats feel better once you get behind the annoyingly low steering wheel

 

I like what this thread has become, for I never really cared about Mercedes. They all seem the same to me; only the size changes (same is true for BMWs and Audis). Hmmm, but I wouldn't kick one of them sea gull winged Mercedes out of my driveway either.... :jester

-Pedro

 

Get a crown vic...runnin 260,000 KM strong here.

 

I have owned 4 different German makes, BMW 2002 Tii, 635, 735, MB 450SL, Porsche 911 and Audi 5000S. I must say that when they ran I couldn't imagine driving anything else, but I have never wanted to go back to any German car, Lexus, Infinity, Acura are far superior dollar for dollar. After saying this I presently own 1 Ford (Explorer) that I am thrilled with and 1 Ford/Mazda Probe which after 9 years is still a fantastic car. The vette understandibly is in a class all of its own. If I were still in a business where what I drove defined me every bit as much to many as my position, I would definately be driving a Lexus but that is just MHO. :cheers:

 

gdh....has it right on.

Dollar for dollar it's really easy to do better than a Mercedes. They are the epitome of "stodgy" (sp?) . And by the way....has anyone seen the new BMW commercial with the 745? What's with the "chest of drawers" center console. Does that suck....or what? My guess is the car costs around 80 grand give or take 10 grand. Anybody care to compile a list of what cars you can buy with that much money and probably still have a bit left over for gas? Ah....but then again....when you're rich.....who cares, right?