I've always loved Benz's. Especially the older models with all the chrome and room inside,leather,room,smooth ride,room. You get my drift. Anyway what would you guys recomend for a first time buyer. I only have about 4k to spend and I don't mind high mileage,duh. I have seen a couple of 420SEL's they look good but are there any quirks I should be aware of. Thanks

Welcome to the realm of great cars. Miles should not be a problem as long as maintance has occured. Check for records. Also, if in doubt, change the timeing belt if it has not been changed. Othen then that I think that they are great cars. I would have it checked over by a Mercedes speicialist, which I think would be a good use of $100. I wish you the best. Also, I would stay away from the 380 motor. Some had issues with single row timeing chains that would break prematurely, casuing an expensive repair bill.

I chose to look at Mercedes DIESELS for much the same reason--At higher miles diesels tend to be more reliable with no computer-related problems. All the other MB virtues.
Now, if you are not going to do your own maintenance/repair you may want to reconsider.
Finding a car with complete maintenance records is a definite plus.
Don't be influenced by the condition of the interior, especially the MB Tex. It wears forever, in most cases, after 20+ years , looks better than poorly maintained leather. Too, often newbies are blown away by the look of the interior, and fail to take a real close look at the rest of the car.
Read the archives; you'll learn alot about what to look for.

get a w123 300DT.

i love my 20 year old Benz.. no major problems at all ... some minor interior issues i need to deal with no leaking water just a lil damp in the right rear passenger area.. ill fix that. and a small spot of rust..

the engine is strong at 260k .. i need to find out how much the chain has stretched and such

I saw a real nice 1998 E-class diesel today. Man that was a sweet. I tried to wrestle the keys out of the driver's hands but she's a lawyer and kicked me in the torts.

Where are you at? Do they use salt in your area? Buy one from an area where they don;t use salt if possible. Look in ebay and see what they are worth so you can make an offer or buy one. HAve an MB Tech do a Pre Delivery Inspection on the car you plan to purchase. What is yourlevel of experties when it comes to fixing cars? Do you have a place to wrench on it? Is this going to be your only means of transportation?

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Be aware of the problem areas, such as wiring harness disintegration in some early '90s cars. You don't want to be hit with that kind of repair if you can avoid it. There's lots of info on here that you should absorb and get familiar with before making the plunge. Owning an older MB can be a very satisfying experience, as long as you keep in mind you are dealing with 15-20 year old machinery.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

There are posts here and there about people wanting to buy 126 420's and 560's.
For the most part, make sure that everything works, and that the timing chain and rails have been replaced at their recommended intervals, and that they don't tick too loud.
Most suspension/steering parts aren't too pricey except for the steering gear box itself.

They are large cars...the SEL's are about 17 feet long. If you are in doubt that it will fit a parking space, find another one.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D