Would YOU buy it?
 

Hello Guys,

Need your opinion and thoughts on this one cause I’m on the fence about buying it…here’s what I’m looking at.

1987 300E with 148k mile
It is a one owner car purchased and always serviced at the local benz dealership.
The owner traded it in on a new 2005 E-class.

Here are the problems with the car:

Left front seat belt broken
Left rear power window does not work
Power head rest on front right passenger goes up but must be pushed down.
Outside temp read out is broken
Sunroof opens VERY slowly (dealer said they would fix if I buy)
Brakes pulse (dealer said they would fix if I buy the car)
Antenna does not go all the way down.

The interior is just about perfect as are the engine and trans. The paint is perfect. Very glossy. It’s the original paint. Car was always garaged. There is a very small amount of rust on both sides of the car where the front jack would be placed if changing a tire.

They are asking 4k for the car.

So, give me your thoughts. Would YOU buy it? What does everyone think it will cost to fix the misc things?

Thanks,
Allan

They key thin is what are they actually expecting to get for it, not what they ask for it? IF the price is low enough to consider repair of the defective parts then maybe......

Having bought a 1987 300E a few years ago with 120K and running it to 160K, I would never do it again. Most of them need valve stem guides and seals around that mileage. Mine also needed the transmission rebuilt, and it went through 4 A/C compressors during that time. The straw that broke the camel's back was when the evaporator failed, requiring dash removal to repair. If you want it, then I'd say $2500 tops providing the A/C works.

Thanks guys....anyone else???

The seat belt should be fixed by the dealership or MB. Depending on where you live it might be the law (could be federal, I don't know) as for the headrest and the outside temp, who cares, not something I would worry about but that's just me.

I don't think 4k is a steal, but I don't think its too much either. Sounds like an avg price for an avg car. Of course if it really "has eyes" and is what you want it might be OK. How about records?

For that price you can't be too picky. I would say go ahead if the dealer fixes the brakes correctly.

The MB dealer has all of the records from the day it was purchased! It has only been maintained at the dealership.

I think that having all the records for the same dealer is a big plus. If you can take a look at them, see what has been done to the car. Maybe some of the issues Rick mentioned have already been done? It may go without saying, but I would double check the AC. I have to dump $2K into mine a couple years after I bought it - no choice as I was in FL at the time.

If those are the only things wrong with it and the maintenence has been done on time since day one, I still think the price is a little hight but not too far off.

My opinion: worth price charged.

94E420, you need to add your location to your profile. $4000 is not the same in Los Angeles or Boston as it is in Arkansas.

Like others have noted, this era MB and model has some known warts. Insist on seeing the repair/service history before buying. Insist on a compression test. The valve stem seals are a known item and at that mileage I cannot believe they have not been changed. It was such an issue (rubber compound was not up to snuff on these and the 190E 2.3, 2.3-16 and other engines) MB developed a procedure to change the seals without removing the head. It was pretty inexpensive (under $200 for a 3.0 liter six) for my car at an independent dealer.

I think there are other issues as well. The head gaskets have a similar record of weakness, as does the oil seal around the chainbox to head/block at the front of the engine. Look for oil leaks here, and look to see if the head gasket has been replaced. Signs of a leaker would also be oil seeping out on the block, and any real issues with a well maintained car's compression. Which leads me back to the real question: What is the compression for each cylinder? Look into this and make sure you get a thorough compression test done. Dry, wet and a leakdown test if there is any sign of wear or lost compression. I had mine done before I bought the car from a private seller, at the local MB dealer and it cost me $100. Results were near perfect and I have had none of these issues in the nearly 70,000 miles I have put on the car since. Yes, it has needed an exhaust (Timevalve system) and a battery (Optima RedTop replaced a 9 year old Sears Die Hard in the last week) and the rubber in the rear suspension changed. It needs shocks and has new engine mounts as well as a window regulator for the passenger side front. But none of that should be unexpected for a 16 year old car.

Do what you need to do to convince yourself the car is solid. I think a dealer asking price of $4,000 is a good point to negotiate from, and I would rather have the known issues fixed and pay $4,000 with a one year warranty on the fixes than get the car with known issues and no warranty for $3500 or less. It is up to you, but be aware of the potential problems, especially the A/C if it is really important to you. Good luck, Jim

How do I figure that cost?

Thanks,
Allan
Kansas City

Just ask :D

Manheim Market Report for the Mid West region shows an above avg car with miles of about 100k to draw 2 grand, an avg car with 151k miles draws $1266.

These numbers are based on cars actually sold through a manheim auto auction.