My mother has decided she wants a MB. She saw a 300SE for sale at a person's home, and liked it. I drove it this evening, and it ran great. Smooth engine, all 5 speeds working properly, cold AC and warm Heat, doorclosers worked, interior good, body good. The car has 220k miles. What I am wondering is; 1. Is this just too many miles, even if it has had a Evaporator Replacement, Throttle Actuator Replacement, and Wiring Harness Replacement? 2. What should I look to go wrong. Everything? . 3. What kind of price should I tell her to pay?
Thanks for your help, in advance.
Dave Grady

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Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

Oh I forgot a question. I am pretty sure that this is a M104 engine, but is it the Jetronic style injection or the newer injection?
Thanks, Dave.

__________________
Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

I don't know if it is called Jetronic, but it is not the HFM-SFI used in 1993-1999 300SE / S320's.

1992 300SE's I believed use an LH system.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Is that considered better than the newer system?
Thanks, Dave.

__________________
Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

Its not as good as a 1999 S320, but if its cheap enough its probably a decent buy.

By cheap I mean a few thousand bucks.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Well the guy wants 5k but I think he will take around 4 and a quarter. 140's in this area are really expensive. They are almost never under 5k, even ones this old with this many miles. This is about the cheapest one I've seen yet around here. Heck, here a decent 126 still cost 3 and a half, and a decent 124 are still at around two.
Thanks, Dave Grady

__________________
Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

Just to give you some perspective last year a car dealer I know offered me a 1993 300SE. 120k miles, perfect black exterior, 7 out of 10 tan interior, and a head gasket and evap core job done in the last 5 months. All service records since day one included, asking $7,500 sold for $7k.

For $4k it may be worth it, figure a couple grand a year to fix it.

In general I think if you want to spend about $4k you are better off looking at late W126's. The best S320's to own are 1997-1999 models.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Good or bad - 140 body with 220k miles for your mother - bad, unless she is a master mechanic. Make sure she has a good cell phone and the phone number of a good tow truck driver.

Well, I drive a W126, and although aggravating at times, I know that it is nowhere near as aggravating as ANY W140 chassis. However, this car is not for me, nor am I purchasing it, I am helping my mother (who is far more image aware than I) to purchase it. From a driver's standpoint, I can see where she is coming from, to me the W140 rides, drives, and looks better than a W126. I drive a W126 for 2 reasons; 1. I wanted a car that was supposed to embody Daimler-Benz's Bank-Vault reliability, and 2. I couldn't find a W140 that I could afford to pay cash for at the time . So, I really understand her perspective. And from what I have had to do to my W126, I feel that I have found that anything that rides out the plant with a 3-Pointed star on the hood will tend to be a little more complex and, at times, more likely to need expensive, frequent, repairs than, say a Lexus. Not that I mind (my wallet does ), because the prestige of having a Benz in my opinion outweighs that cost, but there again, when a Benz is to the point there are more of that particular body style in the low rent district, than at the country clubs, its probably time to move up. There are a lot of beat up early '80s diesel W126s in the poorer areas here, but I feel like that my 126 is exempted (for the moment) from such opinions for the reason that, due to its length (L is for long-wheelbase, right) and color (black MB's always seem to look newer to people), I haven't heard much about it from my customers (I'm now in real-estate, and use the car to show properties with). I know that all of this sounds a little snobby, but we are both in Real Estate, and for some reason we have to keep up these darned appearances, even if it is very expensive. (But business hasn't been good enough lately to buy 2 new S550's )
Thanks, Dave.

__________________
Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

I'm the second RE agent in my town to drive a W126. The other is a broker and she probably moves more property then just about anyone. The other MB drivers at the office have moved on to W220's, W210 soon to be traded on a W211. But we hold out with our W126's and it seems to work! But next year I'm going to the dark side with an R129.

I would not consider such a car for a work car, way to much to go wrong. Maybe a newer E class? 1995 E320's are rather nice, and I have seen well sorted examples for about $5k.

You just need a clean car, heck I know an agent that sells a ton of homes with a newer Nissan Maxima.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Heck, here a decent 126 still cost 3 and a half, and a decent 124 are still at around two.
Thanks, Dave Grady


you are telling me you can get a decent 124 for about 2k? go for it my friend...... go for it...

i would put my mom in one of those.... although she would never give up her Mercury Grand Marquis

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Well, I agree with you there. It probably doesn't make a dime of difference whether you show up in a Benz or Buick or Toyota, just so long as its comfy and clean. But my mother (the owner) does not understand that. My grandfather (the founder) never drove anything but a Lincoln Mark or Cadillac Eldorado. My father (son-in-law, but took over the business after my Granddad died) never would be seen in anything but a Mercedes-Benz. My mother ,(having driven mostly M-B's for 25 years, except for the occasional Cadillac or Lincoln, and 1 Jaguar) wants to continue in this (overly costly, in my opinion) tradition, by buying this car. See, her last MB was a '95 E420. She bought the car in '98 from a MB dealership with 30k miles on it. One Owner. Starmark-Pre Owned. In her opinion, Lemon. The car cost 35,000.00, and she had 15,000.00 in repair bills (Differential, Throttle Actuator, Power Window Regulators, Sunroof repairs, Radio Antenna Motor, Wiring Harnesses twice, multiple ck. engine lights, rear main seal, oil pan gasket) before she sold it last year. After that came a Cadillac DTS (which she was always "embarrassed" to drive (it was only 2 years old). She didn't like the car, (I love my 94 Deville), felt like it was a "old woman's car", and wants to dump it. I think it has something to do with the properties we sell. We only sell these "Country Club Homesites" and Condos at a golf course that the company started developing in the 60's. She feels embarrassed showing up for business meetings with our associates (who always seem to be in new model E-Class, or 5-Series BMW's, and the occasional Lexus LS) in the Caddy, so because she doesn't want to buy a newer model, she wants a S-Class. I don't make the Rules, I just work here .
Thanks for your help,
Dave

__________________
Currently Driving:
1986 Mercedes Benz 560SEL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1994 Cadillac Deville
1985 Lincoln Town Car- Retired

The Official Car of a Realtor- Lincoln Town Car
The Official Car of the Successful Independent Insurance Agent- Mercedes Benz S Class

I understand, my grandmother was a broker and sold tons of product. She always insisted on driving late model Jags, which cost a bundle to keep on the road.

I on the other hand have no problem pulling up to any house in the SDL. Checked out one, on the market for $3.75M.

Now if I could just get said $3.75M listing we would be cooking, the young guys don't get those!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I could have bought a 1994 S-Class (I think it was a 420SEL?) It was the extended wheelbase model. It had 149K, one owner, all records, in EC for $4995.

I've got a 93 300SE with 217,000 miles on her. I love the way she drives, the powertrain is bullet proof. But the electronics are starting to die rather quickly. Within the last year, 3 window motors, vaccum pump(power locks), heater mono-valve, power antenna, and too many little things to list. These cars will drive you crazy. My last car was an 86 420SEL w 342,000 miles before i gave her up. I would recomend holding out for a newer W140, the improvements made from 92-98 really add up.