From what I can tell and from what I've learned from both the company that did the conversion (which was performed in Cali and passed inspection there) be from my Tech the car was fitted with a US spec exhaust system, not certain however if it's just the muffler or everything from the headers back (downpipe, cat & muffler) my tech did tell me he had hollowed out the cat that is on the car at the request of the previous owner (there's no exhaust regulations in Hawaii), which accounts for her throaty gurgle, but I asked him if I could fit a new replacement cat if needed and he said it would be fine after that. He'd just suggest a fresh tune up, oil change and spark plugs along with the new cat and it would pass just about anywhere fine.

I'm not really concerned with passing on any smog issues to the next owner. Even without the cat and a six month old tune up now, when I start the car after it's been sitting for a few days or even a week at times there's no smoke, blue tint or strong smell of fuel.

I'm sure that with a new cat and a fresh tune she'll pass smog fine. If anything it'll be a fairly small investment by the new owner and given that smog tests are every two years, a fesh tune just before she's due for a test would be called for anyways if you're as obsessed as I am over maintenence.

Oh, and I've only had one interested buyer from Cali too, maybe because of the whole smog worries, but I've had dozens (seriously, at least one or two a week) from the East Coast. They all seem to be scared off by the shipping charges tho, around $2100ish on average. Oh well.

But thanks guys, I really hope to sell her soon

I just happen to have nice Cats from a 1992 500E, also a new Mercedes Euro (non cat) exhaust system that was just put on eBay, Both are in Chicago.

Ron - Destroyer of 500E's
1992 - June 28 -June 30, 2007: RIP
1992 - March 19 - September 18, 2008: RIP
1993 - 8844 Miles. March 19 - ???: Soon to RIP......

With your resume Ron, I'm surprised you don't have three sets of each laying around!

Bump
Had another sale pending the last few days who came up dry at the last minute.
Please fellas, talk to the bank BEFORE saying you're committed to buying her.
Thanks!

Can't believe it's been a year and this hasn't sold yet! Que bella machina!

Don't remind me :mad:

I've got four potential buyers right now, two are having PPI's done and another two are working on shipping, ALL are points I've been at before at least a dozen times only to have at the last minute the deal fall apart because of banks, wives or the distance

Bump...

"Four potential buyers" all fell through??? :eek::confused:

He's had more potential buyers in the history of selling cars.

Yep I have, I tend to get the ones who really want it but don't have the money al together, or they come across some other E500E closer to where they are at the last minute.

Maybe its time to sell the wagon on ebay for oh, $14,000? :D

How I'd love to drive an ol 500 e....

Can't list her on eBay since her VIN is non-standard for US cars.

Bump!

Put a VIN from another car then state the real VIN in the description or list is as a 1980 model for which you don't need to provide a VIN.

e.g. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260409888315

Apparently you can enter zeroes for the VIN - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260410079702

Sixto
87 300D

Ditto what Sixto said. Put all zeros for the VIN, and list it as available worldwide. Worst case, try the VIN from a USA-spec 1992 500E and just change the last six digits to all zeros. You'll get a lot more visibility there.

:hat:

Brodie,
your car just made carsinpedia as its car of the day, maybe this might help.
http://carsinpedia.com/car_day_archive_details.php?id=274

Wow, thats pretty neat, didn't know about that, they didn't contact me or anything, no new heat this week tho, but a local buyer has come forth, might have her sold in a week, hopefully.

If it doesn't sell and my girlfriend hits Florida lotto this week she says she will buy me a new Mercedes. I will talk her into this 500E.

Good luck Brodie but in a way I hope it sticks around until our #s come up.


...

Hahahaha oh how I wish the best for you! Man, it sure would be nice if Hawaii had a lottery too hahaha

Bump

your car
 

sent you a PM..no response yet

Oh, sorry, missed the alert in my email, reply sent, thanks!

Have you sold this car yet?

Not yet, been extremely close a few times in the past month however

How is it possible that this car hasn't sold?

Its in Hawaii...

Yep, somewhat of an issue being on a remote island...

Anyways, BUMP, keeping it alive, open to offers guys!

I was thinking that maybe something else may be the problem. If I was going to buy the car, it would not be the shipping cost that would deter me. It would be the work and hassle of getting it to pass a tailpipe test. I know this was discussed earlier, but if there was a way to confirm that the car would pass the smog test, you may get the car sold. It is a desirable car, but I wouldn't want to go through the emissions hassle.

Can I verify if it would pass a smog test as it is now? No. Only because I know the Cat is hollowed out and there's no testing facilities in Hawaii.
It was converted over to US spec exhaust, all that would be needed to get her just the same as all the other 500E's running around the mainland is replacing the Cat, once that's done it'll be the same running gear as all the rest.
It had her conversion done in CA, she passed everything up there to get her federalized, once she was here her Cat was hollowed out.
That's the best I can do.

Brodie, I've got 6500 burning a hole in my pocket......:mickey:

That's part of the problem for anyone knowledgeable enough with dealing with these vehicles. At this point, flipping the converters and stating it would pass does not say that something else could be wrong to prevent it from passing. Currently, I am dealing with the dreaded check engine light with my 500 SEL (similar engine and vintage), and I am getting into things that I would have never thought possible to get things to the point where the light would turn off and there would be no error codes in the system.

This is worse since you will not be able to get registration without passing the tailpipe test. This is a grey market car, which makes predicticting issues worse. There are very, very few of these around. Even worse is California now requires all older cars to pass the 1996 requirements when replacing converters. You would run into problems using unmodified versions of the converters this car was federalized with in California. This could turn into a real can of worms.

If there was anyway of correcting this presale, I think you would have this car sold. It is a very desirable car. The 500 E was always one of my favorites, and the chance to own one that can compare to the Hammer would be great. If I was in the market, I would not want to risk the tailpipe issues. That would make me shy away from the car, even though everything else is right about the vehicle.

Hope you can sell it shortly.

Passing a smog test is only of concern in certain states, and sometimes only in certain counties of certain states. If you want to register the car in California, then yes, this will be a hassle. But for someone living in Idaho, it's a non-issue... there is no smog test of any kind, at least in the county I live in. Shame it's out of my price range, I wouldn't mind a second .036 in the garage...

:euro:

Sweet Jesus, how big is your garage?

ROTFL! Actually it's tiny... with two W124 sedans parked inside, the doors won't fully open, and you have to exit the car sideways. But I do have a separate workshop with room for a couple additional cars. If I got another .036, one of my current cars would have to go bye-bye... anyone want a mechanically near-flawless 2.5 turbodiesel?

:1eye:

There are smog exempt counties in CA... Just need to look for them. :D



Cats are cheap here in CA, just need to know the right people. We put a cat on a friends 300E for about $150, and it passed CA smog just fine.

Being that everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING on the car works properly, runs ideal and I've never had an error light I'd pretty confident in saying a new cat would make it just the same as any other 500E.

Plus this isn't just a normal sort of skirting the laws gray market car, this one was federalized at an amazing cost to the original owner, so she's not some gray market 500 that had a VIN badge swapped or the headlights swapped and was snuck under the radar. She had her conversion done in CA, in 1992, and passed a full inspection up there.

Now, I'm open to offers everyone, I was just laid off today from work.

Really sorry to hear that. Anybody? Anybody?

wife said no
 

I asked the wife if she'd like to sell the w203 c class and buy a euro 500e. She didn't look amused and said "why don't you sell your wagon?", to which I replied "cause then we'd have two sedans and no wagon".

Sorry.

hahaha well can't argue with that logic hahaha

you have a pm

don't shoot the messenger

Got it over on Benzworld

I am still keeping an eye on this 500.

If there are updates please advise ................




aa

..

Not sure what updates there would be but thanks for the bump

I'm accepting offers so PM or email me, NEED to sell soon

Thanks!

As soon as I win the lottery, I'll be contacting you if it hasn't sold yet.

:D

Happy anniversary to the listing. Sad times :(

Sixto
87 300D

Bump

Wow, what a beautiful car. I love the 500E.

So a bump for you, and good luck!

Bump
I updated the first post with new price and mileage

$11,500
119,000 miles (in a year I put 3k on it)

:thumbsup:

:D