what to look for in a 96 e320?
 

He all, im from the diesel section, but my good friend is looking to get a different car as his 99 caddy STS has basically hit its last leg. we are both going to look at a 96 e320 with 83K on it. and i was wondering what to look for while checking it out. also what are typical problems that these cars experiance?

thanks much

BTW, the person selling it says its in perfect condition, and judging from the pictures, it looks really clean. and thier is no scratches or dents on the car

That car has the M104 IL 6 and the four speed transmission. I don't know if they fixed the wiring harness issue by then but can't hurt to ask about it. The four speed is really nice and reliable if the fluid is changed every 30,000 miles. Engine is awesome. Check the perch spring area for rust but I think that became a problem on later models. The steering changed from recirculating ball to rack and pinion on the W210 too I think. I have one of each and I much prefer the recirculating ball feel to the rack and pinion in my
'99 E class.

stcbenz83, check for any indications of head gasket failure ... oil dripping on the outside of the engine, or oil in the coolant expansion tank. Best to have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by a MB-trained tech so you get a professional evaluation of the car. Pretty doesn't necessarily equate to mechanically sound. A complete set of service records assures that the car has been maintained properly.

well all looks good. for being a northeastern car all its life, its in good condition. Not to mention the undercarage is great. everything works, car fax checked out good. It even has the air seats in it which i was suprised. going to pick it up in an hour

These are great cars. Tell your friend to enjoy it.

1996 has wiring harness issues (search that one!), electrical issues due to it being the first w210 model, and head gasket leaks from that inline six. Don't let those things scare you - check to see if the wiring harness was done, and check head gasket leaks. If all is good, go for it. One thing about these cars, you may have little piddly things going wrong inside the car (window failures that can easily be fixed, etc.), but they will never leave you stranded where you are. Get it checked out, if good, get it.