1995 E320 Wagon Potential Purchase: Talk me out of this one too - Page 2

TylerH860 · #16 11-20-2008, 11:44 AM

Thanks, though I believe my 617 300D is the ultimate highway car, its nice to know the wagon could be an adequate substitute.

I apologize for my previous post. Individuals posting are only trying to be helpful, and I got crotchety.

deanyel · #17 11-20-2008, 12:37 PM

All people know about you is that you asked elemental questions, which will tend to beget elemental answers.

Paul T · #18 11-20-2008, 08:38 PM

I own one. Its a great car, with 142k miles. Any machine will hiccup at some time. Buy it.

94Wagenmeister · #19 11-20-2008, 11:14 PM

I wouldn't buy it unless it was a daily driver. Offer low and be prepared to spend the money you saved in getting such a deal to fix the inevitable things that go wrong with a 14 year old vehicle. It's been my experience (with a 201, a 202 and now the 124) that it takes some driving time to figure it out so you can stay 'one step ahead of the sherrif' to keep these things running for 2 or 300K.

TylerH860 · #20 11-21-2008, 03:07 AM

Update: Everyone should be happy to know that I did make an appointment with a local shop for a PPI. I'll give them a few pointers on where to inspect, and do my own, of course, to make sure the car is worth spending $$$ for a PPI.

I'm meeting the seller at 2:00 this afternoon. Wish me luck.

daw_two · #21 11-21-2008, 10:25 AM

good luck

Will_w202 · #22 11-21-2008, 01:42 PM

You're obviously trying to talk yourself into buying something, and you already know it's not going to be cheap. These are absolutes and there are no ways around them. The only questions are:

1) do you truly like older cars, something to work on and make better or keep pristine over time?
2) do you have the budget for $3k in repairs for every 15k miles?

If yes to both, just buy something. Do your best due diligence; even the best car is a crapshoot. I bought a 93 400e a few months ago, which I needed like a hole in the head, but I missed the 202 I sold, and I like buying cars that look and run better than before I bought them. It checked out "just fine, one of the better ones I've seen" said the tech, and that was after a new throttle actuator and wiring harness by the PO. Since then, I've spent $3k myself taking care of maintenance and seemingly minor repairs. And it is on the original trans, and needs a paint job, but hey, whatever. These will be addressed at the proper time.

You can ask a million questions, and pontificate all year on this forum, but sooner or later you just have to $hit or get off the pot. Use your best judgment in light of your personal situation, and make a decision.

J. M. van Swaay · #23 11-21-2008, 07:16 PM

To best of my knowledge, all 94 & 95 Wagons have ASR.

My 94 Wagon does not have ASR.......

J. M. van Swaay

deanyel · #24 11-21-2008, 07:35 PM

ASR was standard on 124s only on the E500E.

TylerH860 · #25 11-21-2008, 11:55 PM

This should be the thread to link to when someone questions the value of a PPI. It was the BEST $125.00 I have ever spent.

My friend Zach and I arrived in Kansas City a little before 3:00, and met the seller at Aristocrat Motors, a gorgeous MB, Porsche, Maserati and Range Rover dealership. The test drive of the E320 was amazing. It was incredibly powerful, smooth, and nearly silent. Though Ol' Turbo's air seals are in very good shape, it couldn't hold a candle to the sound insulation built into this car. Despite its size, the wagon felt incredibly agile, and had no unusual noises over rougher roads. The only issues I could find were worn rear brake pads, and moderately low coolant levels.

The PPI took about an hour, but the time flew by looking at the fantastic selection at the dealership. The seller, Zach and I went around drooling over everything. I developed a very good rapport with the seller through the process, which proved invaluable when the bomb was dropped.

The inspection proved that the wagon did indeed have a slight head gasket leak and a small list of easily treatable issues. The bright side was the car's electrical components appeared to be excellent. I informed the seller of the results, and he was clearly shocked. I had the service adviser next to me confirming the approximate cost to replace a head gasket; the guy literally slumped his head in disgust. I tried to sympathize, explaining the ordeal I went through with Ol' Turbo, but added that I could not purchase the wagon without a dramatic drop in price.

His response was very candid and honest, stating he could not sell it to anyone without disclosing the issues now, which would scare everyone off, and asked me to make an offer.

The wagon is in my driveway right now for the grand purchase price of $2,500.

Since the car drove fantastically otherwise and had no other serious issues, I figured it was worth purchasig. Even if I found another one without a failing head gasket, chances are it would happen eventually. With the low purchase price, I can easily deal with the issue and likely have an excellent car for many years.

The 3 hour drive home was amazing. It will be hard to favor my W123 for road trips as I had originally planned.

Here are some pictures of the wagon, and the sellers unusual home. It sits suspended by the roof on a ledge overlooking the city.

I welcome any pats on the back, as well as good potential names for this one.

A proper photo shoot will come tomorrow after some vigorous exterior cleaning.

pawoSD · #26 11-21-2008, 11:59 PM

We both bought an E-Class on the same day!

I'll post some pics of mine tomorrow, as I bought it in the dark.....

That guy sure has an interesting house! Weird!

I agree on the ride and feel....wshew. I couldn't believe the ease that it went 75 on the way home.....its just....effortless. The poor diesel seems to be working sooo much harder. I can see myself using the 300E on trips....

iwrock · #27 11-22-2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

This should be the thread to link to when someone questions the value of a PPI. It was the BEST $125.00 I have ever spent.

My friend Zach and I arrived in Kansas City a little before 3:00, and met the seller at Aristocrat Motors, a gorgeous MB, Porsche, Maserati and Range Rover dealership. The test drive of the E320 was amazing. It was incredibly powerful, smooth, and nearly silent. Though Ol' Turbo's air seals are in very good shape, it couldn't hold a candle to the sound insulation built into this car. Despite its size, the wagon felt incredibly agile, and had no unusual noises over rougher roads. The only issues I could find were worn rear brake pads, and moderately low coolant levels.

The PPI took about an hour, but the time flew by looking at the fantastic selection at the dealership. The seller, Zach and I went around drooling over everything. I developed a very good rapport with the seller through the process, which proved invaluable when the bomb was dropped.

The inspection proved that the wagon did indeed have a slight head gasket leak and a small list of easily treatable issues. The bright side was the car's electrical components appeared to be excellent. I informed the seller of the results, and he was clearly shocked. I had the service adviser next to me confirming the approximate cost to replace a head gasket; the guy literally slumped his head in disgust. I tried to sympathize, explaining the ordeal I went through with Ol' Turbo, but added that I could not purchase the wagon without a dramatic drop in price.

His response was very candid and honest, stating he could not sell it to anyone without disclosing the issues now, which would scare everyone off, and asked me to make an offer.

The wagon is in my driveway right now for the grand purchase price of $2,500.

Since the car drove fantastically otherwise and had no other serious issues, I figured it was worth purchasig. Even if I found another one without a failing head gasket, chances are it would happen eventually. With the low purchase price, I can easily deal with the issue and likely have an excellent car for many years.

The 3 hour drive home was amazing. It will be hard to favor my W123 for road trips as I had originally planned.

Here are some pictures of the wagon, and the sellers unusual home. It sits suspended by the roof on a ledge overlooking the city.

I welcome any pats on the back, as well as good potential names for this one.

A proper photo shoot will come tomorrow after some vigorous exterior cleaning.

Why do you think I have such a hard time whenever I think about getting rid of my wagon and getting a new car...

The W124Ts are excellent vehicles. Fun as all hell to drive, and gets decent MPGs. I love my wagon, and its a toughie for me to seperate from it.