my '95 E300D is gonna cost me $45,000
 

After driving my 'new to me' beautiful 1995 E300D my wife says she is tired of her 2011 Audi A4 Avant harsh ride. She now wants a bigger more supple wagon and is looking at a 2011 E350 4Matic wagon at the local MB dealer. This MB wagon is very nice w/ ~ 25,000 miles and tons of option. Somethings have not changed since my 1994 wagon which I think is great.

The question is how much should I sell the Audi wagon for? It has 82,000 miles and is very, very clean. Audi dealer maintained and it is the 'Prestige package'. quattro, turbo, bluetooth, XM...the whole package. I even have extra set of rims for the snow tires I put on.

Looks like the absolute max re-sale for that Audi is about 20-22k to the right buyer...

Has she driven the 4matic? AWD cars generally ride firmer than 2wd that and the 124 and 212 share absolutely nothing. So extrapolating an experience in a 124 into a 212 is pretty much without basis.

I've driven a W211 4matic and my W203 is a 4matic.....I think they ride fantastic! It has a very planted feeling like they are on rails.

My C240 wagon has a much smoother suspension than our 2013 TDI VW wagon did....that thing was VERY bouncy and unsophisticated. Reminded me of my wife's old 1993 buick century....and I couldn't stand that thing.

I never said they rode poorly, but I personally can feel the difference.

I couldn't not drive the 4Matic as it was already sold but they have another coming in. I will certainley test it out. I can feel the difference bewteen rack and pinion and recirculating ball steering too as the '95 E300 has the later and my '99E300DT has the former. I've driven 4Matic loaners like the 2014 C300 4Matic and it handeled like a rear wheel drive car nicely.

Your not giving enough weight to the most important element.

Emotion.

The prospective driver has already made the decision that she would prefer the ride of the MB over the Audi.

There are two possible scenarios that have a good outcome.

1. The missus drives a 4 matic and decides it's no better than the Audi. Hopefully she continues to drive the Audi....

2. If she drives a 4 matic and likes it, does it matter how it rides compared to the W124? she's happy. Your happy.

Good luck!

BTW, I have had W124 chassis cars since 1993 and still have 2, but my W211 is the most fantastic car I've ever owned.
They are absolutely sublime WRT vehicle dynamics. I've never driven a more powerful AND economical diesel.

Jim

Hi Jim - funny you should mention emotion - the car I drive every other day (and in bad weather) is her old '99 E300DT rust bucket with a huge dent in the RF end. I had to take her Audi in for service on Tuesday and she had to drive her old car to work and 15 minutes out of the drive way she calls me and says ' know what? Your car drives like a dream' :cool:.

At least with a budget of "$45,000" your latitude for choice is covered.

You could buy several mint older MB's for that, why would you want a new one? :D :rolleyes5

I wouldn't - apparently somebody else does.