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If you's had a prepurchase done by a QUALIFIED shop, you'd have known those were a problematic model
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Laurel Mercedes Benz(Downers Grove IL) did my prepurchase inspection and the car passed with flying colors....enough for me to purchase a 24 month service contact on the car
the ONLY thing I knew was that some of the early 140's had problems...BUT I was told if you found a one owner vehicle that had MB service records the car most likely was taken care of and had received all the updates that were put out on parts etc
as for an S320...I wanted a diesel...so I was n't interested in that model(and in looking at the resale value of that particular model a lot of people don't either)...the car was the exact type I look for...one owner..bought and serviced at the same MB dealer all its life
I went over the service records in detail with the dealer and even called and spoke with the service advisor at Mercedes of Morristown(NJ) where the car was orginally sold.
I was taken aback a little by the number of times the car had been in for work...but I was told by MB of Morristown and Laurel MB that this was typical for a 140...and probably a good thing because the work had been done....and this also connected with the fact that I was instructed about the typical repair costs on this model...such as the evap($2800) power steering($1500) closing assist ($800.000on some items that were very common failures
as for having a bad 140 I don't think that is the case at all(the engine replacement not included)...a buddy of mine just sold his 92 400SE that he bought starmarked 4 years ago and I think before he sold it he was at about 18K in repairs that were paid by MB via the starmark program
heck his service advisor told him that the 140's were cash cows for the dealers...thats where they made most of their profit dollars
my beef is not about the money spent on thar car(as that is almost nill due to warranty coverage at the time of breakdown)..just about the time and trouble involved...and some issues..the evap core for instance has been replaced twice
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You buy a car that new was 100k or thereabouts. Then complain about 20k in repairs over a 10 YEAR period? That works out to be $2000.00 a year for a $100,000 car in repairs. Hummmmmm, sounds like a deal to me
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20K in repairs over a 10 year period?....my repairs were over a 3 year period(about $7300 a year)...and if you roll the first six years of the cars life into it..I am sure there were about 35K worth of repairs done at MB dealers since the cars was new to todays date...sticker for my car was $72000 in 1992....so half again of its cost is what the car has sustained in repairs basically in that time since new
and since the car is paid for(and considering I know the scope of work that has already been done)...I will probably keedp it until the cost of repair doesn't make sense when looking at the value of the car
but...according to my tech at the dealer..there have been a MYRIAD of updates in the 140 parts...so the newer 97-99 are actually very good cars
and don't get me wrong...this is my third MB(85 300SD,92 300D) and I like the prior cars alot...but this car...outshines them both by a long shot...ride,technology,a good stereo(finally!!)
because I tell you..if I didn't like I would not have put up with all the time and trouble...AND if the repairs had been on my dime I would have a different opinion also