Maintaining Old Cars, How Old is Too Old ?

[DarkHelmet]

I was thinking about older cars and maintaining them.. At what point do you throw in the towel?
With the more recent cars, and all the electronics, I can't imagine being able to maintain them past the availability of the parts, such as a touchscreen..

Electronics is a problem, but I see on reddit you can actually have a circuit board cloned if you send them the old one.. Thats good for an ECM, but the touchscreen of newer cars will be a death blow.

What other parts on a car, not including the engine or transmission, fail frequently enough and are hard to get that would make the car unrepairable?

 

[gsxr]

This largely depends on parts availability - and, quality of parts available (OE/Genuine, or OEM, vs low-quality junk). Thankfully, most 124 chassis still have enough parts support to keep them in service as daily drivers.

I draw the line at "too old" when the cars lack basic safety equipment which I personally don't want to drive without - specifically ABS & airbags. This eliminates the 123 chassis as "too old". I'm also a big fan of traction control, because MB's with open diffs are way to prone to the dreaded one-wheel-peel on wet or dirty pavement. I don't know why MB didn't make limited-slip standard equipment on cars without ASR/ESP. Our 1987 300D's are much more pleasant to drive with limited slip installed, despite having no traction control. Those don't go out in winter though, I only drive cars with ASR/ESP on snow & ice.

 

[DarkHelmet]

I draw the line at "too old" when the cars lack basic safety equipment which I personally don't want to drive without - specifically ABS & airbags. ...

But how do you know if the old airbags will even still function?

 

[gsxr]

But how do you know if the old airbags will even still function?

You don't know for sure, but there have been very few (if any) reports of early Mercedes airbags failing to fire.

 

[R129 UK]

I guess it really depends on how deep your pockets are...

Most parts are available for most cars either new or through cars being broken for spares.

 

[northNH]

How much safety do you think airbags add to 100% (3-point) seat belt use?
I’ve seen plenty of accident cars with fired driver airbags which contributed nothing beyond the safety of a fastened seat belt.
Just PITA.

 

[gsxr]

How much safety do you think airbags add to 100% (3-point) seat belt use?
I’ve seen plenty of accident cars with fired driver airbags which contributed nothing beyond the safety of a fastened seat belt.
Just PITA.

Great question. I don't know. Anecdotally, I think I've heard other marques may fire their airbags in light to moderate impacts, while Mercedes tends to only fire with a more severe impact. You are probably right that the airbag is more of a nuisance unless it's a major crash.

 

[Bogeyman]

I had a lady turn left in front of me - about 30mph. Totaled my E550. Since then I am not comfortable driving my older cars without airbags. I still drive them, but very carefully. I can't say exactly how much of my face it saved, but I'm sure glad it was there.

 

[duuder]

I'm been thinking about this often and just giving up...

On any car that's too complicated to work on

edit:

i've contemplated on even moving closer to my mechanic... he'll be closing shop in a few years but will always be working on cars and he's a vintage specialist