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  #1  
Old 02-01-2002, 10:00 PM
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Ought I Buy This Car?

I feel a bit out of place over here in the Tech Help section, since I'm usually over on the Diesel board, but I'm considering(perish the thought) a non-Diesel purchase.

A woman in my office building is selling her 1992 300TE Wagon(is saying 'wagon' necessary or are all TEs wagons?), says she's going to be moving to Switzerland soon to join her husband who's already there. I'm not really in the market for another car but since I love my '82 300TD so much, I thought if this deal looks good enough, maybe we'll trade in my wife's Taurus for the TE.

Here's the scoop on the car as far as I know: 6 cylinder(don't know the displacement),ABS, AM/FM Cassette, Driver's side airbag, memory seats, Power Locks/Seats/Steering/Windows, Sun Roof. It has 82,500 miles, looks great on the outside - I haven't driven the car or even been inside it, but guess the interior to look as good as the exterior. She's asking $14,990 - says the price is negotiable. I've checked kbb.com and they list this car as $15,805. Assuming the car runs perfectly - I'd have my tech go over it - is this a worthwhile car? What are the known problems with this model? Can it be a daily commuter(100 miles/day - in lots of stop and go traffic)? Reliable(okay - I'm sure it's better than the Taurus)? What's difficult to work on on this model(I do ALL the work on my W123 except A/C and Transmission)? Hell, I don't even know if the engine is a V-six or inline - I don't know anything about Mercedes except my own car!
Can I pull the engine out and drop in an early '80s 5-cylinder Diesel(okay, I'm kidding here - I love my Diesel)?

I'd really appreciate whatever info is out there.

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Old 02-01-2002, 10:07 PM
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benchracer:

Yes, the TEs are wagons. I think the T stands for Touring and E is the E-class.

If you do a search for "103 engine", "rear suspension", etc., you will find a lot of information.

<<
Can it be a daily commuter(100 miles/day - in lots of stop and go traffic)?
>>

This is a heavy wagon and the gas version does not get good gas mileage.
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  #3  
Old 02-01-2002, 10:10 PM
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benchracer:

I forgot to add it drinks premium gas. Point out to diesel drivers just in case.
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  #4  
Old 02-01-2002, 10:15 PM
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Gas is that funny-smelling fuel, right?
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  #5  
Old 02-02-2002, 12:22 AM
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Yea, you will not be able to fill it from the heating system oil tank!
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  #6  
Old 02-02-2002, 02:07 AM
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I'd say buy it if it checks out ok. Sure, the gas mileage will be worse than your diesel and probably your Taurus (I used to get 19-20 mpg, but after installing Yokohama AVS db performance tires, it has dropped to 18 due to my inability to keep my foot off the gas while cornering. ), but it's a big, solid, safe, quiet car.

Having also owned a Taurus, I'll mention the 300TE is MUCH easier to work on and doesn't seem to break as often. IMHO, a Taurus with 90,000 miles on it is well on its way to being worn out whereas the 300TE (and any other Benz) is just getting started.

I have found the wagon (and my other 300E) to be extremely reliable, and when problems do occur, the help at this site is superb!! (I've never come across www.taurusshop.com ).

I think a 300TE would be perfect for a daily 100 mile commute as long as you're ok with the fuel mileage. It's comfortable, quiet, and has adequate passing power. BTW, the engine is a inline 6.

Make sure the air conditioning, transmission and sunroof work perfectly as these are expensive to fix. About $2000 to $2500 each if they don't work. Complete service records are a huge plus to verify the car has been well maintained.

Having recently purchased a '91 300TE with a little over a 100k on the odometer, it seems $14,990 is about right if the car really is perfect. I'd start subtracting if I found scratches in the paint or more than just one or two door dings. If it needs tires, console or dash wood, interior trim pieces, a new radio etc, keep subtracting. If any of the big 3 (previous paragraph) don't work, consider passing on the car or dropping the price a bunch.

Hope this helps.

Gebhard
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  #7  
Old 02-02-2002, 10:55 AM
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This thread has linjs and comments on that vintage 300E. I love mine. Sure, there will be issues, but every car I ever owned has had weak spots. Entropy always wins!

Need advice on a 300E
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  #8  
Old 02-02-2002, 02:28 PM
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Buy it, you'll love the comfort, quiet and luxury compared to a 123 wagon. These are really nice. That year was the first I believe for the aluminum head. They were prone to head gasket failure. Check to see if this one has been replaced. Also, if it is a 4-matic, they can be expensive and unreliable. ( I don't know if they even made a 4-matic in '92)

Other than that, it you will love it, I'd offer $12,500 and meet somewhere in the middle. BTW, wagons seem to hold their value better than sedans. Finally, I think E stands for Estate.

Good luck,

Bill
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  #9  
Old 02-02-2002, 02:38 PM
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hmm..... I thought the E was for "fuel injected" in german... Im not sure though, cause I don't speak german...
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  #10  
Old 02-02-2002, 02:40 PM
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E is for Einspritzung. Injected. But I think that only applies to older models where each letter stood for something specific as opposed to the automobile class designation. In the case of the W124, I bet it stands for E-class.
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  #11  
Old 02-02-2002, 07:09 PM
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hehe...E-Class... good call Or, as my friends put it... E for Economy... and then I have to yell at them and say my benz isn't economy... its different (Or I just ask what THEY drive.... )
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  #12  
Old 02-02-2002, 10:40 PM
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It sure sounds like a good deal if its $13,000.
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  #13  
Old 02-02-2002, 11:51 PM
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"TE"

the "T" stands for "Transport"
the "E" stands for "Einspritzung" meaning Fuel Injected
"TD" "Transport DIESEL"
NOT TURBO DIESEL!

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