My urgent question is weather or not it's safe to drive a car with a broken blower motor regulator.

My E430's blower motor regulator went out this morning. I knew it was going to go for a while, but it finally died completely, and now it doesen't have heat. Fuck.

The one thing I'm worried about is weather or not it's safe to drive without one. I'm worried about the second radiator overheating or something (Not really a second radiator, the one in the firewall used for heating. I don't remember the specific name.)

So is it safe?

And now the not-so urgent question. What should I do with my E430? It has 150k miles, it's been rear ended 3 times, it's slid out on ice into another car once, and it has a very small patch of rust on it. So, it's worth about 4k right?

Wrong. Now, it needs a new air conditioning system. There's so many things wrong with it that it's just not worth fixing. It also has a bad blower motor regulator now, and that costs ~1,200 for parts, plus a huge charge for labor.

If you add everything up, the car is worth about 1,000 due to the terrible history, rust, miles, and now all the things that are wrong with it.

I can no longer drive this car in winter. Or cold fall or spring days. And it doesn't have air conditioning.

I don't want to sell it because of the little cvalue that it has as a whole car. I can part it out, but that's too much work, and I'd have to scrap anything that doesen't get sold, and that costs money too.

I know this sounds dumb, but I actually have an emotional attachment to this car. It's been with me for 10 years, all of which I've enjoyed, which is another reason I don't want to sell it.

The good part is that if I sell it, I have an excuse to buy a 1980 Trans Am or Camaro. which I've always wanted, but never had a reason to buy, and this gives me one.

So, my fellow gearheads, what should I do about this situation?

My urgent question is weather or not it's safe to drive a car with a broken blower motor regulator.

My E430's blower motor regulator went out this morning. I knew it was going to go for a while, but it finally died completely, and now it doesen't have heat. Fuck.

The one thing I'm worried about is weather or not it's safe to drive without one. I'm worried about the second radiator overheating or something (Not really a second radiator, the one in the firewall used for heating. I don't remember the specific name.)

So is it safe?

In America, we call them "heater cores." No, your car will not overheat if it doesn't have a blower motor.

If the car is mechanically sound as far as the drivetrain is concerned, I don't see any reason not to keep it. You don't need air conditioning, and you can just wear more clothes when it gets cold. Hell, I've never had air conditioning in my Fiero, even when it got to %100 humidity and over 100 *F. Just don't be a pussy.

The heater matrix (as we call 'em over here ;)) won't overheat if the blower motor isn't running. Hot water is running through it all the time anyway if the heater control is set to "hot", even if the motor isn't on.

even when it got to %100 humidity and over 100 *F.

I can't picture you living in a rainforest.

In America, we call them "heater cores." No, your car will not overheat if it doesn't have a blower motor.

If the car is mechanically sound as far as the drivetrain is concerned, I don't see any reason not to keep it. You don't need air conditioning, and you can just wear more clothes when it gets cold. Hell, I've never had air conditioning in my Fiero, even when it got to %100 humidity and over 100 *F. Just don't be a pussy.

To be honest I don't mind the air conditioning, but I've always viewed heat as necessary, I don't know why.

Also, I'm guessing the whole drivetrain will only last another 25-35k miles. That's how long these 4.3 engines usually last.

To be honest I don't mind the air conditioning, but I've always viewed heat as necessary, I don't know why.

Also, I'm guessing the whole drivetrain will only last another 25-35k miles. That's how long these 4.3 engines usually last.

That;s pretty shitty. GM's 4.3 is built off the 5.7 which lasts forever.

I can't picture you living in a rainforest.

Try Mississippi. It gets wet down here in the summer.

That;s pretty shitty. GM's 4.3 is built off the 5.7 which lasts forever.


It's not a GM 4.3.

And, since it's almost at it's limits, it'll need a lot of repairs. It's even started to show. And repairs on a Merc 4.3 are really fucking expensive.

But as I said, now I can buy the car I've always wanted, which is a late 70s early 80s f-body. And with an F-body, I can do most of the work myself, I won't have to take it into a damn dealer every time a wire gets loose. And it'll be cheaper to run.

It's not a GM 4.3.

That's my point. Where is your German engineering? Close tolerances make for bad wear. :p

That's my point. Where is your German engineering? Close tolerances make for bad wear. :p

And low tolerances equate to low standards. "Look Bubba Duke! It's moving! Yee haw! Gonna go get me a gun and some Pabst and have me a hoe down!"

And low tolerances equate to low standards. "Look Bubba Duke! It's moving! Yee haw! Gonna go get me a gun and some Pabst and have me a hoe down!"

Lawl.

And low tolerances equate to low standards. "Look Bubba Duke! It's moving! Yee haw! Gonna go get me a gun and some Pabst and have me a hoe down!"

Rednecks don't drink that fancy shit. It's Coors and Bud.

Rednecks don't drink that fancy shit. It's Coors and Bud.

dirty 30's of keystone light and busch beer is the predominant redneck beer, coors isnt as popular, and bud is too fancy (for special occasions). busch is bottom of the barrel bud

but back to the OP, i have a special place in my heart for the w210 e-class. its a nice car, and if its worth it to you to fix it, then do it. if you like the car. or you can try craigslist / ebay to see if somebody is willing to trade for an 80s t/a or camaro.

you could also fix it up and trade it at a later time, there's a pretty big internet enthusiast community for the w210 so it shouldnt be too hard to find a d.i.y. for your issues, you could also ask fellow owners if it is worth it to fix up or trade. the e430 is light years ahead of an 80's t/a or camaro, both in fit and finish and in power. (279 hp out of that 4.3l v-8 is pretty impressive stock)

i remember when i first got my permit, the e430 that was my aunts was a blast to drive, it made pretty good power, and was faster than their jag xk8. she got rid of it a few years back and got a new e350 that was no where near as fun. stay classy with the e-class!

here's some forum links to get you on your way:
http://www.EclassBenz.com/
http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w210-sponsored-bekkers-imports-2/
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/

http://www.mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w210-sponsored-bekkers-imports/153918-early-w210-blower-motor-regulator-replacement-diy-here.html

heres a sticky for your issue. seems fairly common considering mercedes changed the blower regulator later in the w210's production. if you have such an emotion attachment to the car, i would drive it till the drivetrain fails. get your trans fluid changed out, those zf "sealed" units need changing by 100-150k miles, usually, with audis (who use the similar unit for their auto's) a trans fluid replacement fixes most trans issues, unless you get a DTC for the torque convertor.

Rednecks don't drink that fancy shit. It's Coors and Bud.

I should have said Jack, huh?

I should have said Jack, huh?

For special occasions and the weekends, so I guess so.

My blower's been dead for a couple years. Not a big deal. Only time I really miss it is when the windows fog up.

In America, we call them "heater cores." No, your car will not overheat if it doesn't have a blower motor.

If the car is mechanically sound as far as the drivetrain is concerned, I don't see any reason not to keep it. You don't need air conditioning, and you can just wear more clothes when it gets cold. Hell, I've never had air conditioning in my Fiero, even when it got to %100 humidity and over 100 *F. Just don't be a pussy.

For some reason I thought you lived in Australia. Where do you live, Nevada? Arizona? Those are the only places I can think of with temperatures like that.