Coming soon to the fleet, a 1990 300E! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pawoSD · #1 11-20-2008, 12:44 AM

It has happened, I test drove, inspected, and (love) a gasser MB.

Don't worry, I will ALWAYS drive diesel (as my primary driver), this car is for my wife. We went and looked at it this evening, it has 133k on it, super well maintained. Started up instantly and idled dead silent...amazing, and creepy. Took it for a drive, steering tight, suspension is tight, rides like its on rails. I like W124s! Seats are comfy and nice (and all the power functions work!) The interior is beautiful....its just an all around fine example. Trans shifts firm and nice, even the headlight wipers are in perfect shape and work! 0 rust at all, and I looked all over it....a worthy buy in my opinion. The owner is meticulous....also good.

So tomorrow I'll be calling and making an offer on it, its quite a nice vehicle....and I am extra extra picky. I have a feeling he will accept the offer and it could be ours by Friday evening! Should this all go smoothly, pictures will be posted Saturday.

Goodbye to the junky Rav4! Just have to find a sucker to sell it to....

TylerH860 · #2 11-20-2008, 12:56 AM

Nothing like saying farewell to overrated Japanese plastic.

Here's a few Germans bidding your RAV4 adieu. Gotta love the Von Trapp family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HECJLH4onZk&feature=related

iwrock · #3 11-20-2008, 03:48 AM

Long live the W124.

Ferdman · #4 11-20-2008, 07:07 AM

pawoSD, recommend having a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by a MB-trained tech so you get a professional evaluation of this 300E. It's unusual for someone to be selling an automobile that's in perfect condition unless the asking price is extremely high. Request service records so you can review the history of this automobile.

pawoSD · #5 11-20-2008, 07:50 AM

Its not cheap, he wants $3300......it has clear coat issues on the trunk and part of the hood, so I'll have to tend to that. The passenger side window motors are also dying. Thats all I could find wrong with it though....it ran perfectly. No weird noises or squeaks....it was the guy's daughter's car....so it probably hasn't been driven very hard....everything feels tight. WAY tighter than my W126...thats for sure.

babymog · #6 11-20-2008, 09:01 AM

Rear-door windows in the 124 are sometimes the wiring flexing/breaking in the door-hinge side. Usually a switch, if the window doesn't work until you open/move the door, ... or stops working, it's likely the wires.

pawoSD · #7 11-20-2008, 09:14 AM

Does $3300 sound like an OK deal for a real nice W124 with 133k on it? Or should I try to haggle....

nissanzx1 · #8 11-20-2008, 09:24 AM

The price is pretty good, I'd try to own it for about $3K...

Good Luck, I hope you get it...

-GH

optimizer · #9 11-20-2008, 01:49 PM

I agree to get a second set of eyes on the car. And if 2 minds think its in great shape then $3300 is a *stellar* deal. I have a w124 in great shape (in my opinion) and would never sell it for so cheap. Its a pity people sell my car for so low - and in fact couldn't think of what else I would buy. But hey, I'm keeping a lookout for a similar deal and I hope I find one!

babymog · #10 11-20-2008, 02:10 PM

You know what I paid for my needy 117k mile '94, ... but if that car truly needs nothing but a window switch and paint work, I'd say it's in the ballpark.

Knowing that a trip to a normal bodyshop will cost him $2,000, and that used car loans aren't exactly easy to get these days, I'd say he has to be flexible.

If there's competition for the car, you might be in trouble. If not, start by telling the guy that he's taken nice care of the car, get him to like you, and that you'd love to make it really nice again for your wife/"family", ... if he likes the car he'll like hearing that, ... but that a proper paint job is going to bury you in the car and you are a little afraid of where you'd be if it were hit or just being upside down in the car ($$) in general.

Best thing is to have the money with you, tell him that you've got the money and there's no worrying about whether someone can get a loan approved, "bird in the hand".

If the paint issue is noticable, it will drop the trade-in value of his car to nearly nothing, and might be why he's trying to retail it. Not a bad thing to indicate you're afraid of the same thing. I think the price is high for the market on an 18-year-old car with paint issues, even though there is a lot to like. Remember also that it is pretty common to get into a purchase like this, and want to change all fluids, possibly tires, belts, filters, ... that's already about a thousand, if you have documentation that this stuff is all complete and up-to-date with good rubber you're hundreds ahead and it can weigh into your decision to pay slightly more.

Most important of all, be sure you determine your "walk-away" point before you get there, it's very easy to pay a little more than you wanted to and regret it later.

Also, I probably have a rear window switch, and a regulator, if nothing else I surely have parts we can swap around to troubleshoot, you know where to find me.

I might be in the GR area today or tomorrow also to look at the 140.

pawoSD · #11 11-20-2008, 02:18 PM

I think I will offer him 3k this evening. He does like me and saw that I am a MB person and he said he'd rather see it go to a MB person than some random guy that knows nothing about them. I will highlight the paint issue, and the cost of the window motors, as well as fluid costs. I bet I can get it for 3k. Plus I will tell him if he'll take 3k, I will be there tomorrow night with the $$ ready to buy.

terminator · #12 11-20-2008, 03:51 PM

Hope ya get it!

pawoSD · #13 11-20-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terminator

Hope ya get it!

Thanks! I hope so too.

Its gotta be the nicest car I've seen in MI aside from my dad's super nice SD we nabbed. (only because it needed an engine swap...otherwise it'd have been super expensive)

johnathan1 · #14 11-20-2008, 05:10 PM

He'll probably take your offer...sounds like a nice car!

pawoSD · #15 11-20-2008, 05:22 PM

Well, the settled deal is $3250....he won't go lower because that is what he paid his daughter for the vehicle a couple months ago. Oh well, not a bad price...still managed to scrape $50 off...technically 250....original price was 3500.