Mint '89 300CE: Should I buy?
 

hi folks,

I'd really appreciate your input on this. FYI, this is the first CE I have looked at. It truly is a beautiful car to behold even if it's in a sub-optimal color for me (I think it's Champagne or something, it's like a dark beige).

Facts of the matter:

PROS
--116K miles
--exterior and interior virtually flawless
--driven as an 'executive car'; two owners, both CEOs in my town who drove the car occasionally on business trips
--has service records for at least the past two years, possibly for fifteen (will at least be able to speak with first owner)
--owned and serviced in my town for ~5 years by a well-respected shop; always kept garaged.
--all electricals work
--steering neutral on highway
--engine, transmission sound clear and sharp
--no travel or shipping expenses to check it out
--asking price: $4250

CONS

--I had my heart set on black/grey exterior
--it's not a 24v, so it's down 40hp
--it's the very first CE I've seen in my life

Tell me if I'm wrong, but is this car is underpriced by ~$2K? I almost think I could get it repainted for that price, but I don't know. Your thoughts?

I have a 300CE Sportline and the one you describe sounds like a nice one. They are fun to drive and a head turner. You won't get a color change paint job of any quality for $2000. My SEC restoration paint job was around $7000 and that was original color. It's a good price. If it checks out, buy it and enjoy it!

buy it...it's priced about right...


i paid 4800 for my 89 3 years ago..it had 124k on it.

we have a black/grey.. it's nice

you will like yours . i would buy it tomorrow..if it was located near me

don't try to change the color

My friend, you cannot special order a used car's color:)

It sounds like a great deal, I'm glad it's not in my town or we'd be fighting over it...;)

Please post some pics when you get it, I'd love to see what you found... The car is priced realistically, go for it. Check for oil leaks and cruise the service records carefully, it would be a bonus if the head gasket was already addressed...

Also--do NOT repaint it!! You will loose value...

-GH

300CE deal looks very good.... don't repaint it
 

I have a 92 300CE which I love to drive and I paid $9500 for it 2 years ago. They are remarkable cars and will increase in value if taken care of. I agree with all the other members comments; don't repaint the car. If you decide to sell it the new buyer or dealer will notice the different paint job and downgrade the cars value. If you can just get used to the beige color, you will find it to be a winner in terms of driving, etc. etc.

I agree that the later 300CE's have a "better" engine and lots more power. If that matters, look for a later model that would have the higher compression engine with 24 valves.
You may pay more than the price you have on the 91 tho' ........

BC

Steve, have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) performed by a MB-trained tech so you know if there are any potential expensive repairs pending. Forget about repainting ... it will never be as durable as the factory paint.

I am on my second 300CE. The previous one, a 1991 300CE, gave up its life to save my hide in a rear-end collision.

I love the 300CE cars. In fact, I love all the W124 series cars. In addition to the 300CE, I also own a 1989 300TE with over 215k miles on the clock.

The price is about right, if you have not bought it yet, I would push for $4000.00. Not that big of a difference to make or break the deal, I just like to negotiate, plus I always assume that the asking price is always going to be higher than the eventual selling price.

I would only paint the car if the paint is showing signs of wear. Otherwise leave it alone. That color combination is very elegant and easy to maintain. My 1998 E320 has the same color and I love how easy it is to keep clean. My first 300CE was signal red, which I loved. The current one is that dark grey (I forget what is called, I am sure that JimB remembers because his SEC is the same color) with light grey interiors. A nice color combo, but not as sexy as signal red. :(

The engine in the 300CE that you are looking at is the same as the engine in my 300TE. It lacks the same acceleration as the engine used in the 300CE series from 1990 on. On the other hand, the earlier engines are simpler and nearly bullet-proof (no leaky headgasket issue as with the newer engines).

If the car is well-maintained, has a good service history and passes an inspection by your local mechanic, then go for it! You will really enjoy driving this car. I recently took a weekend trip to Monterey, California and then on to San Francisco. I have several cars at home to chose from. I took the 300CE and had a real nice trip.

Finally, keep in mind that the 300CE has potential "collectible" value. Benz did not sell many of these in the U.S. I think that for 1991 they only sold 1920 300CE in the US. You will find that even if these cars do not "appreciate" in value like other models, they will certaily not lose their values as quickly either. In a recent article published by Mercedes Enthusiast, they rated the 300CE as a good investment in a used Benz.

If you get it, I would suggest one upgrade that will make the car look better and "see" better. Get Euro lights. The conversion is simple and prices for aftermarket Euro lights have never been better. There are lots of articles here showing you how to do the upgrade. If you need help, I can walk you through the process, step by easy step!

Good luck!

Hey Steve,
If the car is as good as it sounds buy it. Don't change the color, just restore what needs attention.

How is it as far as rust? ... I grew up in Concord Mass., before moving to Californication (irony intended), I've seen what road salts can do to a nice car. If the car is rust free and runs well, with service records, you can't really go wrong... that's a sweet ride.

Enjoy it!

Buy It ......:)

Mistress, your enthusiam for buying cars knows no bounds.

Steve,

Go for it. You can't lose. FWIW, my $.02:

If it's been in MASS it's whole life, get it on a lift and with a magnifying glass go over it for rust.

As Lee suggested, if you don't have all the service records, have a ppi done by an MB dealer. Is a carfax available?

Don't repaint it. Don't worry, you'll still get stares from women cruzin down the road. Trust me!:D;)

Check out the 300CE owner's roll call over in the OD forum.
There's some nice info and car pics over there, including BenzLGB's late great red one.
Texholdem also has a thread here or in OD with pics of his coupe after doing several flips in TX. Find that and you will be impressed with the safety of this car. Amazing. His family unbuckled, got out and walked away virtually unscratched iirc.

Good luck.

edit.
I wouldn't part with mine for 4,200.:rolleyes:

Especially with OPM? ;)

If it is in excellent condition, it is about $1,000 under market price.
For $4200 if it checks out, it is worth the money. But DO have it checked out, to be sure of it, before buying.

Champagne is a nice color, it doesn't show dirt as much as a black car does.

Don't repaint it unless you for some reason are forced to. the original Mercedes Benz paints of that time were extremely durable.

And whatever you do, don't ever repaint it a different color.

You can sometimes persuade the shops that worked on the car, to give you photocopies of the records.

BENZ-LGB is the expert on these. Heed his good advice. And take him up on the Euro lights, he knows how to do them. They really do look better and light the way much better. It is the single most important and worthwhile modification you can make, on them.

They are elegan, stylish, very nippy little coupes. They are even faster than the SL equivalent (the 300SL) because they are lighter.

Sounds like you should nab it right away, if the PPI checks out. It is a huge plus that you know the car's history and it is a good one.

The mileage on the car: very modest for the model year.

Shoot when it comes to other people's money, I'm pretty liberal myself!:D

Steve, don't let Jim fool 'ya...he gets his women while riding his bike. The 300CE is just icing on the cake. :D