Hi all,

My brother is looking at buying a 1992 400E with about 80,000 miles on it that's for sale locally. We went and looked at it the other day, it looks like it's in OK shape but there were a few issues I couldn't track down the source of in a parking lot (oil leaks, mainly-or possible oil leaks, at least), so he's having a pre-purchase inspection done on it.

The only major issues that I recall these cars having were that the A/C evaporators had a higher-than-normal tendency for developing leaks, the camshaft oiler tubes get plugged and brittle, the engine wiring harnesses go bad, and the potentiometers on the throttle position sensors wear out. Am I missing anything?

This particular car has a few minor (or at least I think they're minor-if I'm overlooking something that could be a major issue, by all means let me know) issues:

• It doesn't seem to reach operating temperature; even after a run up the freeway including several WOT runs from 55-80ish the gauge never moved beyond about 70*C; the owner has records for a thermostat replacement a few years (and about 6,000 miles) ago, I'm thinking the thermostat may just have been weak. The fan clutch isn't locked up or anything, and unless it's a sender issue or a cluster issue I can't figure out what else it could be.
• The transmission shifts a lot harder @ part throttle than my 300D or my 560SEL, and it shifts harder than I remember it shifting in any other 4G-Tronic equipped car that I've driven; basically it has the same firmness that a normal WOT upshift would all the time. The fluid is clean and was replaced recently, according to the owner.
• Has some seepage from the left and right axle seals. I'm thinking that just cleaning the breather tube on the diff might be enough to let this go for a year or two; it's not that bad.
• Cam adjuster magnets are leaking (normal)
• Engine mounts are collapsed (normal)
• Engine takes a bit longer to start than I'd like-maybe 7 seconds or so (+/-2) of cranking; it idles fine, it runs smoothly otherwise, power is what I'd expect out of the 4.2 (though this is the first 4.2L M119 car I've driven), it revs willingly and doesn't exhibit any abnormal characteristics otherwise. I'm thinking it may just be worn distributor caps & rotors and worn plugs/wires.
• Throttle pedal is stiffer than it should be; linkage probably just needs lubrication.
• Steering is looser than it should be; I'm figuring it needs a steering damper like almost every Mercedes of this age I've dealt with does, might need tie rods, a center link and idler arm bushings.
• Inside of gravel shield is wet with oil; can't see where it's coming from without pulling it. Could be due to PS leak that the owner has records of being fixed, that never got cleaned up properly. Driver's side valve cover is seeping. The 119 didn't have head gasket issues to any significant extent as I recall... is my memory correct on that?

I don't see anything on that list other than the transmission that strikes me as unusual for a 400E in average condition (mechanically, at least) at this mileage. And the interior is excellent; it's a two-owner car and it's been garaged at least since 1995, possibly since new, so the interior is basically flawless. Gauge needles are still orange and everything.

The paint has a LOT of swirl marks, but it's black, and given the car's age and the way most people wash their cars (badly), that's not unexpected. Just needs to be buffed out.

But yeah, thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. Thanks.

__________________
-Kevin
Past: '67 250SE, '86 & '87 560SELs
Projects: '73 Buick Riviera, '75 350SE (grey market, stick shift)
Cars that actually run under their own power:'87 300D Turbo, '03 Corvette Z06, '07 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited