27 is kind of the on the low end. I'm not sure how fast you were driving, but 34-35 is very achievable at 65. IMO, that's pushing CDI price range. I think that $6500 would be good for a car like that with that kind of mileage. But if you are happy, that's good.

If I found an unmolested & well maintained example with only 55,000 miles on it for $9,200, I'd jump on it in a HEARTBEAT. Not even a second thought about it.

And babybenz, congratulations on your purchase! In terms of the larger perspective, I don’t think you overpaid if you look at the utility value of your purchase amortized over the many years that you may own it. Your purchase may be a better proposition than my own situation.

In January 2014 I paid $7,000 for a beautiful all original, one owner, dealer-serviced, garaged, 128,000 mile 1998 from the Nevada desert area (zero rust and minimal ozone exposure). 90% of the mileage was highway (to visit grandkids in Los Angeles) as this was their “3rd” car. Although I was (somewhat hesitantly) keeping my eyes open for a CDI, when this came along I couldn’t pass it up.

After I’m done “going through it” by replacing a lot of “consumable” items on a preventative and proactive basis (overkill by most peoples standards) such as ALL fluids & filters, new trans conductor plate, shocks, brakes, fuel lines (w/ viton), new tires, rebuilt injectors (thank you Greazzer!), glow plugs, DV seals, belt & tensioner shock, over-running alternator pulley, and a few other areas/items that are known idiosyncrasies for this model, I’ll have over $10,000 dollars in it. However, I think (hope) that I’ll be set for a long, Long, LONG time.

Yes, that’s CDI money, I’ll probably always second guess having not bought a CDI, but $11-12K is about the starting point for a decently maintained example. And THEN you have to start the refurbishment process, albeit less extensive on a newer car like a CDI.

Will my w210 match the unbelievable durability and reliability of my ’95? I kind of think not, but that car set an incredibly high bar that will be almost impossible to surpass.

I’m going to carry a spare K-40 relay in the trunk along with some of the removed (but still good) items as spares, and I’ll feel fairly confident about not getting stuck somewhere in a Nebraska cornfield during a cross-country trip. And if it does carp out, I won't need a dealer's computer system to deal with it. But of course, now I’ve jinxed it…

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

I'm running WVO and CDI's don't do well for that setup and CDI's can only take 5% Biodiesel, so I'm not interested in that new of a car. Have you shopped for a 99 E300 TD lately? They are out there, but rarely found with 55,000 miles. True $6500 would be a great find, but the only other two I found while internet shopping in November for cars under 100,000 miles were $10,000 and $14,000, with 77,000 miles and 66,000 miles respectively. The $14,000 car was lowered to $12,000 but by then I'd already bought mine with 55,000 miles for $9200. I put 25,000 miles a year on a car so that is roughly 2 years of driving before mine hits 100,000 miles.

Thanks, RunningTooHot ! I'm happy.

__________________
1999 E300 TD
1999 E300 TD, WVO conversion
2007 Jaguar XJ8
1993 190E 2.3, Limited Edition, 239,000 miles (sold)
1991 300 SL (sold)
1977 MGB
1969 TR6
1980 TR8
joturbe@comcast.net

Yes, a bit of a premium. But for that kind of low miles and everything in perfect order (presumably), sounds like you found a good one. Congrats!

My 98 with 73k was $5500....but I had to put in $700 of wheel well rust repair and the sunroof doesn't work.

As to your mpg, I wouldn't worry about it. Between winter diesel and high speeds, your 27 is in the reasonable range. FWIW over the last 3300 miles I've gotten 26.6, 60/40 highway/city.

__________________
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's your color combo?

__________________
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

I paid $8k this past spring for one with 103k miles. No rust, south Ga car. I've got a couple customers with these cars that are at 300k and going strong. One of the reasons I picked one up.

__________________
Jim

10K? I'm assuming you didn't do all of the work yourself, am I correct? These cars get expensive very fast when you don't do your own work, even going to an indy.

@BabyBenz: I've been shopping lately, and 55K miles are rare. Diesels are driven, so I expect them all to have at least 100K miles on them. The majority I would consider looking at have anywhere between 150K-180K. Mileage isn't a concern of mine if it is serviced (which I would look for in a MB of course). I'm not planning on paying more than $5500 for any W210 Turbo Diesel.

We need pictures!

__________________
Charlie

---------------------------
'66 VW 1300 96K miles
'97 E300D 239K miles
'85 300D 203K miles (sold Sep 2012)

Nope, I still do pretty much all my own work with very rare exceptions. I don’t trust anybody to touch my bicycle - let alone my cars. The only (local) exception is the now retired Enrique at Mr. MB Motors. (Next time I don’t want to destroy my back, I’ll have to drive out to see Engatwork and have him do the sacrificial offering to the back gods. (Or would that be “sacral” offering?)

Even when doing your own work, everything still adds up – especially when going ape-siht like I do on a “new” car. That said, I’m proactively replacing a lot of things that are still fine, but are typically known to wear out or are oftentimes problematic. I am doing that to emulate a “brand new car” and establish a trustworthy baseline. (How many of you are shaking your heads in disbelief about the overkill factor?) The parts list below adds up to almost $2,000. So yep, I figure when I’m all done (I still need to buy the brakes, fuel lines, and a few other things) it will be pushing close to $10K. But I’ll have a car that’s ready to rock & roll without further concerns. (I hope.) And on that note…

Yes, that’s what I like to hear! And what better testimonial than from a man who's already owned two N/A 606's, and knows a thing or two about these things. (I am curious to know if either of those 300K cars are still on the original, early 722.6 tranny though?)
-
-
Parts list from my spreadsheet:
Trans fluid (Shell) - $83, Coolant - $37, Conductor plate & electric plug $243. Belt tensioner shock, steering column boot, trans filter $85. Dipstick tool - $15. Air, oil, cabin, & fuel filters, brake fluid, trans gasket, diesel purge, & tensioner pulley $175, MXM4 tires $676, Rear Boge shocks $115, front Boge shocks $147, Oil level sender $40, Alt pulley $50, Oil & filter (M1) $53, viton o-rings $20, clean & balance injectors $119, Glow plugs (Beru) $111
-
-

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

Both of the W210 E300s are still on original transmissions. My 95 E300 (at 322k miles) had the transmission rebuilt at around 250k. My 95 E300 (275k miles) is on its original transmission.

__________________
Jim

To both engatwork, and RunningTooHot:

The 1995 E300s are not W210s, they are W124s. The W210 wasn't introduced until 1996. They also don't have 722.6 transmission, they are equipped with 722.4 transmissions. The 722.6 was not introduced until 1997 with the exception of some very late production 1996 models being the first to have 722.6s.

Regardless, 275K is remarkable for the original transmission, but driving frequently and keeping up with service will do that.

I knew that.

__________________
Jim

Damn! So that's why all those w210 parts I ordered didn't fit my '95?

In all seriousness though, the longevity & robustness of the OM606.910 in my '95 is the main reason why I wanted a '98 or '99 w210. (And as I've said before, if I could have an ever-so-slightly-tweaked 606.962 in a '95 w124, I simply think that would be an absolutely ideal Daily Driver. The best of both worlds - the torque of my 500E, but with great fuel efficiency.)

The early 722.6's are known to have some mechanically weak areas that were addressed on later versions (weaker sprags and a bushing vs. roller bearing at one of the input shafts) which is why I asked about the high-mileage examples. Luckily mine showed no evidence of shrapnel in my pan or during the filter autopsy, so hopefully it will be fine... at least for now.

I don't want to take this thread further off point, but the (not a 722.6) trans in my (not a w210) 1995 E300 is (I believe) original @411,000+ miles. It drives extraordinarily well, however it's finally showing some delay going into reverse, and it's developed a bit of incontinence during the past year. (probably the front pump seal.) Yet instead of nursing it, I beat & flog that poor car relentlessly - and it eats it up and keeps coming back for more! I can only hope my w210 lives up to the standard set by my '95.

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

Not trying to make it a reliability of W210 blog. But I have a 96 E300 with 281k+ miles and is on original transmission that shift perfectly, even the water pump is original, NO leaks from Trans. or Engine. I did however went through 2 Alternators & 2 Vacuum pumps. Seeps fuel on very cold nights from the fuel lines.

__________________
06 MB E320 CDI 123k miles
14 Sienna (wife's DD) 36k miles
11 GL350 Bluetec 136k (Sold)
96 E300; 292k+ miles (Donated)
11 Sprinter 22K+ miles (Sold)

I thought you guys were confused there. I read it wrong.

The roller bearing issue was corrected by 2000 in the facelift models. I wish there was a way to install those boxes into the earlier W210s, but they are tiptronic boxes which would not work on a pre-facelift w210 without modification.