2005 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI

This is for sale locally and says it needs injectors. Turns out I have 5 good injectors I took out of a running motor with a rod knock. Should I buy it and fix it. I know I love this model. But I only have 5 injectors because one would not come out without breaking the injector and the valve cover. And that is a lot of money for a car with 257k miles that effectively does not run. Could I sell it for more than I paid for it. I could also keep it and convert it to WVO. They make great SVO cars.

Rob

So much depends on the integrity of the seller. Plus the judgement of the situation by the buyer. A non runner can be easy or a real rats nest. Actually even a runner can be a real disaster sometimes.

Generally speaking other than unusual circumstances a non runner goes on the block pretty cheap.

Usually bad injectors for example do not make an engine a total non runner. It is always wise to be a little suspect when purchasing a used vehicle. In this case where all the cars regular needs met in a proper fashion before it quit?

You would best hope that everything mechanically was just not let go as many have been. You would then spend more money and time than going out and purchasing something decent to start with. Plus save a lot of agrivation in the process.

As for a financial return from the vehicle. All the recovery money you can absolutely depend on is what the salvage outfits will pay. You might do better depending on the condition of things parting it out but that is work and effort invested to do so as well.

These are just my opinions though. Others will and should vary.

Incidentally I have purchased non runners in my lifetime. My knowledge of the vehicle model and what I felt was really wrong overall dictated what I paid. Some owners should pay you to take what they have. This seldom occurs.

Since cars have become far more complex over the years there are more risks present now for the buyers. After looking at the pictures it looks superficially decent for the milage. I do not know what the ballpark price for these is in good running condition though. If 10K would get you into a pretty decent low milage one in great shape I would not touch it.

Too many of the younger generation do not think high milage is an issue. I buy lower total miles used cars on purpose. They are harder to find but usually there is only at a slight price premium. Seems over time I spend much less time and money on them as well during our ownership period. For example my last beater car is a 2001 Honda civic with 42K miles. The premium over the average 200+ K one was 600.00.

So far nothing since owning it six months except the one randomly sticking automatic door lock activator it came with.Best of all the previous owner had any age related items dealt with. So I got an almost perfect older honda civic for little more than what the going price is for one that should have a lot of work with body issues etc as well. Or those things coming up in the near future.

Actually I will dump this car when I put about 50K more on it. There will be some decent percentage recovery value of my low cost as I will not be selling a car on it's last legs. I am also pretty sure in those 50k miles I should get on average will not require a lot of expenditure on the car. The car is not even going to depreciate much at it's age. This is the cheapest beater milage situation I can get into with some decent reliability. Exercising this type of thing in our lives in many ways made us financially free at younger ages.

If you cannot find what you want advertise for it. Many times this has produced favorable results for us. Responders for whatever reason seem to be easier to deal with and usually you find the prices are better.

As I benchmark, we are starting to CDIs in excellent condition, 200k miles, for under $10k here in New England.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

What he said. I have seen full books and records running cars with that mileage at about that price point. And they just sat on CL forever.

I think it's priced at double what it's worth, and that's assuming the diagnosis is accurate and complete.

IMHO not before a top to bottom PPI at sellers expense. Looks OK otherwise.

Interesting car. If you want to roll the dice, you may be buying a great car, or, you may be buying a seemingly endless money-pit. It's impossible to know at face value with the information you have on it.

It may even have problems that need Mercedes expertise to fix. The repair bills could be in the thousands. He is quite clear the car is as is in his ad.

Good luck with that on a car that is being sold as is, as a broken car.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

The only CDI's i've ever seen that needed all the injectors replaced had been run with gas instead of diesel ( until they conked out). They also needed the high pressure pump, fuel rail, water sensor, and filter replaced. Big $$$. Other than that the CDI injectors are extremely reliable. I'd be careful on this one.

BLACK DEATH !!!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&source=hp&ei=RgerU97JC4XG7AbQjYHQAQ&q=mercedes+black+death&oq=mercedes+black+d&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.1.0.0l3j0i22i30l2.2015.11905.0.15743.17.17.0.12.12.0.275.3148.0j9j8.17.0....0...1c.1.48.mobile-gws-hp..0.17.974.3.-pRP7Eo0pTA