Opinions wanted: 1993 300ce Sportline

[lee polowczuk]

Asking price 2800. 130k miles

Lots of issues:

1. Needs to be started in neutral
2. Overheats... the plastic container bottle is broke where the radiator overflow hose goes into the container.. so it's not holding pressure
3. Oil light stays on, even though there's plenty of oil in it.
4. Black paint with clearcoat: Faded, not sure if the clear can be buffed
5. Radio doesn't work
6.. Needs a rear view mirror
7. In park, the idle fluctuates between 500 and 1500 rpm's
8. Probably could use swaybar bushings and maybe a idler arm bushing.

ok stuff:
1. The car starts right up and drives nicely. Good pickup. M104 engine
2. Wiring harness done in 1998
3. Seat belt extenders work
4. Cool rear sunshade works.
5. Hey it's a Sportline.

I am thinking about just letting her sit on it for awhile until I can research some of these issues. I can't see paying more than 1800

[suginami]

The only two items that sound plausibly expensive to me are the faded paint and the fluctuating idle.

I suspect the clear coat is shot, and no amount of buffing is going to bring it back.

The idle problem could be something as cheap as a vacuum leak or as expensive as a throttle actuator.

[Ferdman]

Lee,

2. Confirm that the head gasket is OK ... no external leakage, no oil in coolant, no coolant in oil. Not sure why any owner would not replace a cracked coolant expansion tank. That would really concern me. What other items has the owner neglected?

3. Replace the oil level sending unit on the left side of the oil pan ... a simple DIY item. Be sure to use a new gasket.

[Gilly]

I'd pop on it. I'd try to get it down to $2000 or a little more, thats not a whole lot of miles for a 93, and the sportline is cool. How are the seats and carpet, and any rust?

[lee polowczuk]

Originally Posted by Gilly

I'd pop on it. I'd try to get it down to $2000 or a little more, thats not a whole lot of miles for a 93, and the sportline is cool. How are the seats and carpet, and any rust?

drivers seat has some wear....probably typical of the year..... no rust..

the owner is a divorced who takes care of her elderly father... she now drives his nearly new truck. She needs money to pay for a November wedding for her daughter... she doesn't want to put any more money into the car after recently doing a radiator and fan clutch.

She says she has all the receipts of the last five years in a storage unit that is packed.

I would have jumped if I had a chance to see the service records. She claims she paid 10k for the car 5 1/2 years ago.

I am just concerned that the idle is a throttle actuator problem... i am trying to track down one from a wrecked car.

It is just very strange that she didn't replace the radiator expansion tank which appears to be the cause of the cars overheating issue.... I took it out for a run...and at about 110 degrees turned the a/c off and heat on so it wouldn't go any higher.... both aux fans came on at the proper time....

I found the tag for the wiring harness..and it's new born on date was 3/1998, so at least i know that is done.

there does not appear to be a head gasket issue... no signs of oil in coolant or water in the oil.

it's a shame...common maintenance items that we would take care of she didn't... i.e. oil level sender, keeping a shine on it, and a neutral safety switch..

[deanyel]

No check engine light? Is the bulb working?

[lee polowczuk]

Originally Posted by deanyel

No check engine light? Is the bulb working?

no cel, bulbs work

[deanyel]

Still there must be a fault code for the idle fluctuation.

[suginami]

Originally Posted by deanyel

Still there must be a fault code for the idle fluctuation.

That's right. There can be a lot of stored codes, but if it doesn't affect smog, it won't trigger a CEL.

[lee polowczuk]

well... i got a code reader.... she said she will part with it for 1700.... i sent an email to go see it again...and haven't heard from her yet.

[lee polowczuk]

Well, I went back and looked at this car. I took polish with me and the paint came up nice. That's the good news I guess..

That and she has a bottom line of 1700 now.

Anyway I copied down the codes it spit out....

My main concern is the rpm issue

Pin 8 code 11... easy enough O2 sensor..but no CE light

Pin 14 code 2... could be a bunch of things including the dreaded ETA

Pin 14 code 5 Stop lamp switch

Pin 14 code 11 closed throttle recognition signal to engine control module..

I have no idea what the last one is....


any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Ferdman]

Lee, pay a MB-trained indie for a PPI so you know exactly what you're buying and what it will cost to make the 1993 300CE right. Remember the adage "There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes".

[Gilly]

Not sure what the exact question is.
These years are always tough as things were changing so much. But assuming the car has EA (e-gas, or a throttle motor in other words), there are a couple switches internal to the throttle motor, so more than likely a switch that closes when the throttle flap is at idle. I can see where if there were a problem with that switch or it's wiring (a-hem), that you could get a weird idle like you earlier said the car has a problem with. ALTHOUGH there may be a switch on the throttle PEDAL which could cause a problem as well, most EA cars do have this, inside the car on or above the pedal.
In regards to the stop lamp code, IF you drive the car please make sure the stop lamps are working, but these pin 14 codes could all be related, and related to lousy rotten wiring on the engine harness. NOT hard to do a quick inspection yourself for signs of cracking wiring insulation, plus you could almost rest assured that an engine harness will fix the problems. The rotten wiring is no reason to pass on the car, with some coaching you might be able to DIY it. I love those 124 coupes, the sportline is an especially rare bird.

[lee polowczuk]

[QUOTE=Gilly;2552628]Not sure what the exact question is.
These years are always tough as things were changing so much. But assuming the car has EA (e-gas, or a throttle motor in other words), there are a couple switches internal to the throttle motor, so more than likely a switch that closes when the throttle flap is at idle. I can see where if there were a problem with that switch or it's wiring (a-hem), that you could get a weird idle like you earlier said the car has a problem with. ALTHOUGH there may be a switch on the throttle PEDAL which could cause a problem as well, most EA cars do have this, inside the car on or above the pedal.
In regards to the stop lamp code, IF you drive the car please make sure the stop lamps are working, but these pin 14 codes could all be related, and related to lousy rotten wiring on the engine harness. NOT hard to do a quick inspection yourself for signs of cracking wiring insulation, plus you could almost rest assured that an engine harness will fix the problems. The rotten wiring is no reason to pass on the car, with some coaching you might be able to DIY it. I love those 124 coupes, the sportline is an especially rare bird.[/QUOTE

I guess the exact answer i was seeking was: "i had these exact symptoms and X solved it". It appears the order of the idle problem is 1. eta 2. vaccuum lines 3. maf 4. o2 sensor.. based on no CEL, and the way the car zooms on the road, i think i can almost eliminate 3 and 4.

gilly the wiring harness was done in 1998....but I don't know about the eta wiring. I also can't pull her car apart in the driveway and seek out vacuum problems.

I do have someone who will sell me a used eta for 150....

I think I will offer 1500....she wants 1700... i will split at 1600 if she lets me hook up a used expansion tank to see if this is the problem with the overheating issue... pretty sure of that the expansion tank problem (refer to first post)

yes, the sportline is nice.... especially that little rear screen that comes down....

[Gilly]

Oh hey, on the idle problem, does it rapidly fluctuate, sort of like rum rum rum rum etc?