Greetings,
This is my first post here. I'm buying the above mentioned Mercedes-Benz coupe from a friend. It has just over 100,000 miles and the valve job was done by an Indy Benz mechanic here in Los Angeles. I believe its a two owner car before my friend bought it less than a year ago. He replaced the chip and a sensor relay and fluids.

We will put it on the lift tomorrow and also check the carfax and smog records. It's up for registration this October. I've driven it and know the car well. Does $3000 sound reasonable for a Los Angeles 300CE? Is the 1988 model decent? The color is midnight blue with palamino interior. I like the color combo a lot. Car is a project, I know, and thus will need money put into it. When I was a kid we had MBz and Porsches and others. I really like this car and at least its a good get around town driver.

The gas cap needs replacing as it doesn't seal well. I wonder about the rest of the fuel system since here in CA the gas is crap. The motor looks good except for oil around the oil cap. Seems like when the valve job was done they did the hoses and cap. Just had the rad flushed. The diff makes a little whine at low speed. I would like to know more about that. Oh, the speedo needle is erratic, what's the usual fix there? And how easy is it for the odometer to be changed on this car?

All I know for now. Will know more in the morning when we go to my wife's uncle's garage for a pre-buy inspection.
Thank you very much and I look forward to joining this community as well as meeting locals that work on their Mercedes-Benz rides together.

Regards,
Jason Carpenter
Pacific Palisades (by the beach in Los Angeles)

Welcome to MercedesShop.com!

You have a good plan of action for the 300CE. First the inspection and noting of all problems. IMHO.

Try to see if you can get a list of all maintainence done. (Reciepts, work orders)

and...

POST SOME PICTURES!

__________________
2006 BMW M5 "Heidi" @ 109,000 miles
2005 MBZ C55 AMG "Lorelai" @ 165,000 miles
1991 MBZ 300E "Benzachino II" @ 165,000 miles
1990 MBZ 500SL "Shoshanna" @ 118,000 miles

(On the hunt for a good used M103 engine as of 6/10/23, PM me if you have one to sell!)

I will have to get this car to pass smog. it failed twice the last time. What do i do to get it to pass? Will the cats and pre cats need replacing? How much would that cost?
jason

Hello,

I have a 300ce.

I have 215k on my 300ce and the original cat and it just passed DMV. Make sure your o2 sensor is OK. If you check online here for preparing for emissions, you will get a wealth of info. However, if your not a DIY person your into some big $$. These cars [300e family] can be very problamatic.

The speedo cable probrably needs some silicoln sprayed down the speedo tube. It works wonders. Its tough to get the instrumnet cluster out though.

I'm amazed that you had a valve job. These 103 engines go for ever?
My 300ce has had no major problems other than the transmission going out. Common problem. It lasted 200K.

Good luck

I love my 300ce.

Brian

Hello,
I did buy the car and I got it for 2 grand. It turns out that my wife's uncle is a thrity year MB mechanic. He has garages and he buys topline MBz and others for people at auction. He even has a couple of engines for my 300CE in storage. I will check out the speedo cable. Thanks for that one.
The odometer stopped in the last year or so. Supposedly its the plastic gear and its a ***** to get at the cluster. Will hold off for a moment.
I am not sure about the valve job. It may not have happened since I dont have a record of it. The guy who sold me the car had it for six months. Before that it had two primary owners. When I got it home yesterday i started finding all the papers. I have the data card and window sticker and all delivery papers and cards and numberous signatures. I will look up the original owner. he was an older gentleman who had chrome wheels and sunroof and car phone options ordered. I have the phone box still wired in the trunk. The car is mint. the aid kit has never been opened. The car was obviously stored indoors. It was driven less than eighty thousand in the first ten years. Not sure what happened after that. the second owner was in beverly Hills but he didn't add papers to the collection so not sure how he drove it or where he serviced it. Not sure when he bought it either, Will have to do a carfax. I think the original owner kept it a long time and did not drive it. its sort of a time capsule. Total non-smoker car, until the last six months when my friend got it from the guy in Beverly Hills. Not really sure why it went for so cheap. My uncle-in-law gave me the thumbs up after he helped me get the price down a thousand dollars. It is missing the suppressor cover and correct ignition wire holders as well as the shields for the pre-cats. At least that's what I was told. It drives like a dream. I think I can bring it back to snuff. It was ordered in midnight blue with pebble color leather. every power button works. the bushings are decent. its a real point and shoot car. I love it and will never drive anything else. we had MBs when I was a kid and its a real trip to be in one again. I absolutely am a big 300CE coupe driver.
One question, the accelerator has a slight delay and the injectors seem to be putting out to much fuel. I will have to get it addressed and properly tuned. It just had tires and brakes and fluids and rad flush and fuel sensor relay among others.
I am planning on keeping it bone stock and just putting dough into the mechanics. Also the sub frame bushings are tired. Is this an indicator of time or miles or driving? Could just be from the roads here in southern california. thanks for the heads up on the valves and the cats and the speedo cable. Thanks
Jason