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  #1  
Old 03-03-2003, 10:27 PM
kck kck is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta
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Question Buying Advice

Good day.

I've been a long time lurker here, and finally registered today. My name's Kyle and I'm a student looking for a new(used) car, as my handmedown 82 Cavalier is just about shot. So, I come to you for advice.

Two models that have captured my attention are late 80s 300E's and early 90s 190E's. I'm willing to spend up to about $10k Canadian. That's about $6700 US. Should I be able to pick up a decent car of either model with this amount? Would either of these cars be a burden maintenence-wise? Any huge problem with them, etc.

Suggestions on other models would also be appreciated. I chose those two models because they seem to be a good blend of quality, safety, style, and price. If there any others that you think fit the criteria, I'd love to hear about it.

Lastly, the following couple of questions are for Canadian posters. Firstly, is there any other good place to find used cars online other than canadatrader.com? eBay Motors Canada usually has nothing of interest, and if it is, it's in Ontario(I'm in Alberta).

Secondly, why is it that used MBs seem to be noticeably more expensive in Canada than in the United States? Even after the exchange rate etc, Canadian models seem to have a premium. Am I imagining things? In this same vein, is it worth it, in your experience, to import a car from the US? I know it involves a lot of hassle and paper work, so I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with it.

Any advice would be appreciated


Last edited by kck; 03-04-2003 at 06:23 PM.
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  #2  
Old 03-05-2003, 09:08 PM
ThrillBilly
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welcome, and ...

1st, welcome to MS forums.

i think you are loking in the right direction for a MB. many cars from many makers could be bought within your budget, but it COULD be an investment buying the right MB.

5 to 7.5 US$ should land you a FINE early 300 or later 190. i like the 86-89 300's. service history IS important, and reserve some extra $ to bring the car up to spec after purchase. an pre-purchase inspection by a good independant shop should reveal any major problems, and let you know what the car may need in the way of repairs. dont let 100 or 150k miles scare you off!

some models are unique north of 49, and may differ from US. example, you may be able to find more manual shifters if that is an option you want.

good luck hunting, and dont be afraid to ask questions here. there is a wealth of knowledge here, and many that will go out of their way to help if they can. i read of several cases where senior members met less experienced members to help evaluate their potential purchases.

- benton in atlanta

ps- i spent about a year working in toronto, and drinking hortons coffee. i miss having a TH on every corner!
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  #3  
Old 03-08-2003, 03:11 PM
kck kck is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta
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Thumbs up thanks

Thanks Benton.

I think I'm leaning towards the 300E. I like the 'tossable' nature of the 190E, but I think the 300E is just a better all-around car for obvious reasons.

There are a number of 300E's for sale in my area, but a great deal of them seem to be from 1986. I've been told by car enthusiasts to be weary of the first year of a particular model because they tend to be a trial run of production. Is this true of the 300E? Does the 86 tend to be more of a hassle compared to an 87 or 89 or what have you?

As I browse through past posts, people seem to be quite pleased with their 300E's, so that is an encouraging thing.
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  #4  
Old 03-10-2003, 12:02 PM
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 883
Yes, you should be very careful about early production cars, and M.B.s are NOT exception to the rule.

Early production 1986/1987 and even 1988 300E's tend to be more problematic than later production year models. A good bet is a 1989/1990 model year, if your budget does not allow you to get a 1994/1995 which are the sweetest deals (latest years of production, almost all faults corrected).

A facelifted W124 (1990 on) is a better bet than the original model (1985-1989).

Be sure to have a trusted mechanic to look at the car you are thinking of buying. That may help you avoid some surprises down the road.
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  #5  
Old 03-12-2003, 03:40 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 403
Check to make sure that the AC is in good working order (maybe part of a ppi inspection?). Be sure that the evaporator is not leaking (AC shop with a "sinffer" should be able to determine this). It will run you over $2000 US to fix. Some of the earlier E series suffer from worn valve guides. I belive the symptom is rough idle (some one else know?). Don't know the exact cost of repair but I know it's not cheap. If you do find a "good" E you'll be very happy. Fun to drive, good size (space vs size of vehicle) and safe.
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  #6  
Old 03-14-2003, 04:58 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NJ
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I was a student once upon a time. I know as a student you have limited budget unless you have rich parents. Reliability is not a virture of MB used cars, especially in the $10K range, pretty old car. My question is reliability important to you? Do you want your car to start in the morning before you are taking your finals? If it's important, then perhaps you may want to consider another make, such as Honda, Toyota. They may not be as glamorous( to some people) as driving a MB, but they will more likely get you to the finals on time My $0.02 worth
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  #7  
Old 03-22-2003, 04:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: PA
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If you have a maximum of $7000 to spend on a car, buy one for $5500 or less and keep the difference for any repairs that might occur and usually do on a car of that vintage.

That way you won't have to park it until you can scrape up the cash for the repairs. Unless you can repair your MB yourself, repairs can get expensive. Try to find an independent MB repair shop in your area so you can stay away from the rip off dealers.

P E H

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