Upgrade 83 Mer 500 SEC from 88 Volvo GLE? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jim B. · #16 08-21-2007, 05:42 AM

Meanwhile, enjoy that Volvo!!!

hehehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSZLSfBDyhs

zcc · #17 08-21-2007, 06:45 AM

Since the original 15" rims have been replaced with larger onces I assume that the car's transmission and differential in "game over status". You can add the engine and some miscellaneous parts as well.

Jim B. · #18 08-21-2007, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zcc

Since the original 15" rims have been replaced with larger onces I assume that the car's transmission and differential in "game over status". You can add the engine and some miscellaneous parts as well.

I smell a fish. A red herring, to be precise.

They can take a 16" or a 17" wheel with no problems. They won't even really mess up the steering geometry.

Over 18" and they could scrub the wheel wells, but the only problem really is inaccurate speedometers with oversize wheels on the car.

Nothing to worry about if you keep it within reason.

wbain5280 · #19 08-21-2007, 07:44 AM

Here is an excellent resource for 700 and 900 Volvos.

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/

I have some write-ups in there, from when I owned my 740 Turbo.

CamelotShadow · #20 08-21-2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

They can take a 16" or a 17" wheel with no problems. They won't even really mess up the steering geometry.

Over 18" and they could scrub the wheel wells, but the only problem really is inaccurate speedometers with oversize wheels on the car.

Nothing to worry about if you keep it within reason.

I'll have to look at the wheels
Didn't notice they were bigger
So if its the case
mileage would actually be higher?
as one revolution was actually travelling a greater distance than a 15 in wheel?
say 1 or 2 inches extrra per mile

How many inches to a mile?...63360 inches to a mile so in actuality it was 63362 in per mile
63362 X 200000 =12672400000 in + 12 + 10560333000 feet + 5280=
200,006

so on 200 K its 3 extra miles per inch

Well, not much....
all approx of course

Really...
Can a larger tire adversely affect the long term life of the car?

Thanks

t walgamuth · #21 08-21-2007, 01:16 PM

It is the outside diameter of the tire that matters. If the od of the tire is the same as original all the speedo and odo will read correctly. This is probably your situation.

No affect on logivity or anything else.

Tom W

Hatterasguy · #22 08-21-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zcc

Since the original 15" rims have been replaced with larger onces I assume that the car's transmission and differential in "game over status". You can add the engine and some miscellaneous parts as well.

Wheel size won't affect that.

Its an old car. They burn a lot of fuel and cost a few grand a year at least to maintain.

I wouldn't buy a car like this if you can't do a lot of the work yourself. When were the timing chain and rails last done? If no records exist budget $1,200 for that right away. At 200k miles its going to need some front end work, $1,500, and probably a transmission soon, $1,500. Probably some head work as well, so might as well yank the heads while your doing the chain. $2,000. Throw in another $2k for all the defered maintaince, and you are probably in the ball park.

For $3k you really are shopping the bottom of the barrel in regards to C126's. You need to spend 2-3 times that to really get into the decent cars.

If you want a cheap coupe buy a Prelude.

CamelotShadow · #23 08-21-2007, 02:03 PM

All good points
Will have to get a 2nd job to afford a car...
ouch
tc was done at 150 have to check if they did the rails

Thing is I've already spent over $3000 on the Volvo in past 3 yrs
timing chain big service front end cat converter
& its still worth only about $2000
It's depreciating faster than in worth
but its usable & I can't afford a $10K car

Least I know my Volvo
had it about 10 years
all in all a good car

I thought about front end
mine went at 125K
at almost 200K its coming up on the biggies

Thanks for all the input
Guess it all comes down to is how much I can sqeeze out of my pocket for the big toy...

Now armed with all of this
I shall go see
Its his day off
so it's time to go look at the cocoa machine

Thanks

CamelotShadow · #24 08-21-2007, 02:36 PM

just found a local 87 560 sec w 127K for twice as much in black!
has older CA plates approx early 90's as it start with 2 like my Volvo

Think its worth taking a peak
but that spends my repair budget
but the lower mileage is nice!
its a US car

he had it 9 yrs put on 60K
said sunroof leaked at one time so perhaps problems w headliner & have to check upolstery
he hasn't done much to it but brakes
& he's anxious to make a deal...as it's extra insurance

hmmm?

he knew nothing bout tining chain..is that ok if he had it from 70 Kmi to 127K mi?

just saw a 88 560 sec silver 127K sold last night $4000 orig

but then again this guy scours for them
gets them in alot
says they are orig paint no accidents
but could have had some real hidden problems

Arrrgh

That one for the price sounded too good to be true
uncertain history could have been a rollback...

Arrrgh
how disappointing
but they r out there

Hatterasguy · #25 08-21-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamelotShadow

he had it 9 yrs put on 60K
said sunroof leaked at one time so perhaps problems w headliner & have to check upolstery
he hasn't done much to it but brakes
& he's anxious to make a deal...as it's extra insurance

hmmm?

he knew nothing bout tining chain..is that ok if he had it from 70 Kmi to 127K mi?

Translation: "I havn't done jack to it, and its getting to the point where a lot of things are broke".

Between 100k-150k you need to have the timing chain, tensoner, and rails done.

Sunroof shouldn't leak, he didn't keep the drains clean.

CamelotShadow · #26 08-21-2007, 08:05 PM

All part of trying to find a gem in a barrel of hay.
I might look at that one still just for the heck.

I guess you really never know
they can say anything

The one ownwe Euro looks like a nice solid car
rust free
looks like everything works
yet car sat 6 mo
battery needed a jump
no license plates
says father in law took them
the car was titled since 87 to someone he says is his mother in law.

The car is on 90 smog one day transport
if its transferred soon its ok

The title is not in his name
itsupposedly is his father in law car.

It was signed for sale on 7/9/07 as a donation
from cause4 cars or etc & had someone's signature
wasn't the owners signature
wasn't his signature
so was it given to the charity or did he get it from the charity & is selling?

The title he showed me already has a signature on the back
so it would seem he really isn't entitled to transfer it??????
The title was an old pink one dated 87 to 88
The transfer on the back was dated 7/9/07
same day as smog check.

Is this a big problem
he seems to think its nothing????

He will take $3K for it
I has a brown painted front bumper
nice looking car

Engine took a few times to start second time
it idled fine
oil pressure & temp was fine
idles at about 900 & with AC on it dropped to what 600 700 which is what someone quoted was normal

tires are 55 profile 16 inch
can't remember the first number
could have been
255/55/16

the wheel have SMD on them if I recall

body is clean of rust
rubber gaskets around door jam are starting to harden & crack.

All in all I guess for someone who doen't mind sinking money into it
its a good start point at $3k
but I am concerned about title & the engine milage
All the wires & boots look pretty old
When I look under my hood
there is a big difference
mine looks like new

He says he never would clean engine as sometimes things go wrong with water etc.

Curiously he was selling a E 190 MB that was his sons?

He had a guy drop by to see that

He could be just selling.
The guy said don't you sell cars all the time?
He didn't answer
The guy wanted to trade his car
then he wanted to pay him in diamonds

He let the guy take the car out for a test drive by himself
Wasn't worried about him stealing it
He left his olf Ford Mustang in the driveway
the same one he wanted to trade.

Hmmmmm

then the guy saw the SEC hidden in the back
He said oh you are hiding the goodies!

His story is he's buying the car for his son & he doesn't get off work til 6pm.
He even said maybe he'll like the better MB.
Guy said again its tied up he can't sell it right now.

I wonder if it could be set up
Have a guy come over & show interest in the car I was looking at
LOL

Boy it was better than a soap opera.

He seemed genuine
took alot of time with me
though unfortunatley the records to the car were at his place of business & he was home from work that day.

So that's the story

I bet everytime I look at a car
there will be another story

He seems like a decent guy but I just don't know what to believe.

The car also had a emission stink
you know the big engine kind of give you a headache smell?
Is that reason for concern.

Supposedly it passed smog w flying colors
but I think those things can be arranged for a few extra $.

At first I thought I heard a slight tapping clicking sound from top heads
thing is upon listening to my Volvo I have the same sound but worse
so perhaps its just nomal operation
I guess an engine can;t be totally silent
this wasn't noise but it was sort of a distinct tap or click if you really got your ear at a certain spot

All numbers match
also has origianl tool kit & spare
Just wonder who changed the wheels & they did look a bit close as in high
compared to my Volvo 14 wheels which has more fender well.

I'm really nerw to this model & titles & things
Its just a bit scary

He said if I came back later he'd take it out as it has no plates & it was hot & he thought less noticed at night????

OOOH welllll....

Whew

London380sl · #27 08-21-2007, 08:59 PM

Boy after reading that I can think one thing -This sounds really Sketchy. My advice to you is:
.
1) Throw away the phone number of that guy and never go back.
2) If you can only afford 3k for a car and are hoping for a GTO type of car (gas, tires, oil) look for a Jap car such as a Maxima. Rule of thumb is to expect to spend a thousand a year to keep a benz on the road.
.
I'm not sure where you live but in some areas its possible to take a vin number down to the Motor Vehicle branch and get the history of the car such as the previous owners name. If you're really interested in the car and you can do that I would find out the previous owners name, contact him, and get the scoop on the car. It's possible that the car is in decent shape and the guy just didn't have the room for the car at his place. Usually though donation cars are cars that are either on one step from the boneyard or they need something done to them.
.
You can find buys if you look around. I bought a 1988 420sel last fall for $3500 with 130,000 miles on it. I ended up spending another $1500 putting a new exhaust system on and having some small stuff done it. The difference between it and your car is the stack of invoices that came with my car. I even had the original sales invoice of the car (a demo car bought for $72,000 in March 1988). I was able to see that the car was well maintained by its three previous owners and one evening I totalled up all of the invoices that I had - $29,000 and change! Yikes.
.
Love the car though. I'm now facing the dilemma that a lot of owners face - sink money into the car and try to keep it as perfect as possible or treat it like any other car and put money in as needed and let it slowly fall apart.

CamelotShadow · #28 08-21-2007, 09:06 PM

You got a good deal on yours
I was expecting a one owner CA car but I just don't know
Perhaps I am just hypersensative

I can ask the neighbors across the street if I see one
maybe they would know if he;s always selling cars.
Maybe the car was donated & he bought it cheap & is reselling
It would still almost be a one owner car except for the 6 weeks he's had it.
But why the grand story.
Still the 10 days has lapsed
I don't see anything with his name
How can he transfer something in someone elses name???

I want to think its ok
but why have a charitable organization on back of pink slip?

Odd thing when I checked Cars 4cause site for sale
I saw a truck an unusuall truck
just like the one inthis mans front yard
I;m tempted to go back just to see

If his story is a flat out lie
then who knows what about the car
& everything he said is suspect...

I'm thinking about contacting this agency
something as they say smells rotten in hamburg

OOOH no one has ever smoked in car
yet he smokes...
why make a point of it?

CA law states you have 10 days buyer & seller to trasfer & release liability..
just looked that up

I just can't understand why if its his father inlaws car that he's used for 20 years & is selling..I can't unnderstand why it has a charity donation on back
unless of course its a way for his fasther inlaw to take a big deduction
but then again how did he get the car back again to resell it if he donates

OOOH boy
sounding worse

Good thing is I can get a 2nd car like it on my insurance for $140 a 1/2 year extra...

Hatterasguy · #29 08-21-2007, 09:43 PM

Wow that car has a story, I run away from cars like that.

Tapping sound from an M117, can you say head work and cam shafts.

crhenkel · #30 08-21-2007, 09:45 PM

I would be very careful with that guy and IF AND ONLY IF he comes up with the history and maintenance records and if the DMV can give you any info on it...IF it is in good shape cosmetically and it runs well, it is worth $3000-$3500. The eruo model is more desireable and the milage is not a concern on that car, it will go lots further. Maintenance is not bad at all on it, but if you pay a shop to do all the work, well, you will be paying shop prices for easy to do work. German engineering was made to be accessable and easy to work on. The euro is typically what someone who is "looking" for a SEC would like to find, the bumpers look better, the engine outpu is typically better, and the fire extinguisher is a favorite with all of us MB dorks. I looked forever for one for my MB that isnt even a real Euro. If you like the car and the Brown grows on you, the Wheels are a great find and look very clean. If you like it and want it, buy it. For that cost, it should be an easy resale if things get bad for some reason.