Here are some photos of the car - everything works, no rust, never wrecked, garaged since new, ice cold A/C, never smoked in, etc...


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3112175513.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3112175420.jpg


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3112175436.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3112175326.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3112175306.jpg

Looks like S320-same color.

Fold the mirrors back, and look at the mirror wiring. 92-96 came with bio-degradable wiring harness through-out the car. Check around the engine area. The insulation will crack and expose the copper wiring it will look like candy cane wiring. Time multiplied by heat makes it worse. My 96 S320 has it on the mirrors, and when I fold the mirrors the fuse in the rear passenger quarter-panel. Try to fold the mirrors.

I see the antenna does not go down(just by a new element for twenty bucks instead of several hundred bucks for the whole thing), or the engine was on.

Early W140s scare me because no OBDII, and the wiring problem.

Best of luck,

Martin

The engine wiring harness was replaced in 2002 by a Mercedes shop, which is a good thing, I didnt realize the inside of the car also had the bio-degradable
wiring harnesses, I have never heard tell of no one ever replacing it anyway? Funniest thing is that my uncle has a 1992 300SE that his dad bought new, its a daily driver and the car has 180K and has never had the wiring harness replaced and AFAIK, he has never had any issues... not yet anyway.

I am just not a fan of the 97-99 S-Class. I dont know if its the tail lights or the wheels, or both, but I just prefer the 92-96 models. What a shame.

I always heard that the 96 models didnt have the bio wires, so guess that may be the best year for me to look in to.

The owner wont come off of the price of this car anyway, so looks like I wont be getting it anyway.

I have a 1999 s320 I have just oil changes and brake pads.It has preformed well for 3 years.I even have it breathing nitrous for drag racing only.

I think if you find one that has been well cared for and well maintained over the years, you would be fine. Most of these money-pit cars are ones that were neglected. IMO.

Well we settled/agreed on a price, so if all works out well next week, I will be the new owner of this beauty. :)

Thanks again.

Well, it may not be the grand deal I thought it was. I called and spoke to the MB tech today that services it and asked him if he thought the car needed anything. He said it was mechanically sound, nothing major at all and confirmed the new engine wiring harness and A/C evaporator, but he said that the car needs motor mounts. I could not tell it, but he said it had an unsmoothness and he felt at the miles/age it needed them. Basically said it was not going to be cheap, so not sure if this will be a deal breaker or not. :(

I didnt realize the car needed anything at first, so this may be a game changer.

Welcome to the world of 140's. Once again.....they always need something. Ours was well cared for and maintained over the years and was STILL a moneypit.

Not trying to scare you, just looking out for you bud. I've been there.

Thanks. Well the shop is going to give me a quote on motor mounts (parts and labor) and I am going to call another shop
tomorrow to see what it will cost.

I hate to try to get them to come down any lower on the price, he is already selling it to me for about $200 LESS than what he paid for the evaporator replacement in 2005. lol.

I drove the car and could not tell anything was wrong, felt quite smooth to me... maybe the MB mechanic was trying to make a little $ on it? lol.

On the chance that a twenty year old car might be due for engine mounts replacement, you want to suggest that the mechanic might be trying to take you for a ride?

If motor mounts are a potential deal breaker for you on a used car, then just buy a new car with a warranty.

Motor mounts are liquid filled on cars, and they cn fail at any mileage.

Frankly, passing on a 20 year old car because it might need motor mounts just seems silly and naive to me.

agreed Paul... motor mounts are a form a basic maintenance, not a repair , per se'.

Im not saying that they dont need replaced, I was just saying that I could not tell anything was going on with the car, it felt very smooth to me, but I guess the MB tech that has worked on it since 1996 would know?

Normally it would not be a "deal breaker", had the mechanic not tell me it was going to run about $2000 to do this, parts and labor, I guess I should have said that. The price we agreed on was before I had spoke to the mechanic that works on the car and I was not under the impression he recommended new motor mounts and the way he was talking, it could cost $2000 to replace them. I am sorry, but that seems a little steep for me for motor mounts, even if it is a Mercedes W140.

I am going to call another local MB shop tomorrow and get a quote from them.

$2,000 seems insane for motor mounts.