Need Your Opinion On 1996 C280 I Might Buy - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Baby Benz Sandra · #1 10-22-2018, 06:27 PM

Hello,
I have the opportunity to purchase a 1996 C280, this is what the ad read:

1996 C280, 129K miles, $1150
"Original owner, leather upholstery, 4 + 1 Michelin MXVplus tires, in good condition inside/outside. Heater / air-condition are working. All maintenance services were done at authorized Mercedes dealers. Registered to be driven in California until Jan. 2019. Engine is clean and runs well. No oil leak. ABS light, Engine Check light and front wiper sometimes come on while driving. Sold as is."

My current daily driver has been a 1984 190D 2.2 for the past ten years, and she has been faithful and reliable until recently. Last month, the injection pump started leaking, and the diesel fuel has leaked on the rubber bushings in a frame part (I thought it was the control arm, but not sure) and the rubber is disintigrating and must be replaced. I am not confident I can replace the seals in the injection pump myself - I know I can't do the rubber bushings, so I'll have to have a shop do these two repairs, and it will be costly. My Baby Benz is banged up cosmetically, but the engine and transmission are solid (except for the injection pump). The car has about 285,000 miles on it. The state of California will pay me $1000-$1500 to 'retire' my car, which I could use to buy a replacement - although I dread seeing her being smashed to smithereens - maybe it's because I'm a female that the thought of that really bothers me. However, I'm retired now and basically survive financially month-to-month, so I don't really have much choice but to retire my Baby Benz, as I can't afford to repair it. This C280 is in impeccable cosmetic shape, but I actually had intended to purchase a Diesel Mercedes, not a gasoline model; for several reasons: no smog check required here in CA on a diesel engine, my experience with my 190D diesel has been exceptional - I just replaced the original alternator and starter last year, which means they lasted 33 years! I get extraordinary mileage. Even with the leak from the injection pump, the car still runs great. I just inherently feel that perhaps it is wiser to stick with the diesel because I understand how it works - I have no knowledge about the gasoline engine.

I would greatly appreciate the opinions of all my fellow Benz Enthusiasts who probably understand my position, and who appreciate my reluctance about sending my faithful Baby Benz to the junkyard. Thank you so much

97 SL320 · #2 10-22-2018, 08:00 PM

96 is the second best year, it has the good fuel injection, metal keys, minimal CAN network. The down sides are half electronic / half linkage throttle and older 722.4 hydraulic shift transmission both of these can be fiddly and $ to fix.

97 is the best year as it had a better fuel injection system with full electronic throttle, metal key , minimal CAN network, electronic shift 722.6 transmission. The transmission is used on similar era Chrysler products so the knowledge base is larger and parts are readily available.

With all of that, buying a broken, expensive to repair car on a month to month income isn't prudent. Your needs would be much better served by a mid 2000's domestic car, like a retired persons Buick Century / LeSabre . Cheap to buy, cheap to fix.

Have a look at my posts on the topic here:

https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/387439-wtb-daughters-first-car-socal-inland-empire.html?highlight=daughter

Also, the 69 bug at $ 1,799 is now $ 12,408 , the 3 lowest cost new cars in the USA are Ford Fiesta S: $13,660 Nissan Versa Sedan S Plus: $14,130 Hyundai Accent SE Sedan: $14,745

Inflation calculator https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

Baby Benz Sandra · #3 10-22-2018, 11:46 PM

97SL320 - Thank you so much for your input - I appreciate the information. I am not at all familiar with gasoline-powered Mercedes, and the fact you shared about electronics is concerning to me - one thing I actually prefer about my '84 190D, is the absence of electronic parts in it - because it's easier to troubleshoot a problem without having to consider electronics in the equation. The C280 isn't 'broken' - it runs great - I was thinking that the idiot lights appearing intermittently would be a short or grounding problem - but being unfamiliar with the C280, I could be way off base. But a Buick? Nah. Just because I'm older doesn't mean I gotta act like a retired person, cause I surely don't - retaining a bit of the child within you keeps you enthusiastic and the inclination to remember to have fun in life. Establishing a mindset of "I'm retired and I should act like it" is the quickest route to feeling old rather than not. My primary interest in Mercedes is the construction, and the safety factor if involved in an accident. I think I'll hold out for an older diesel, but I thank you for your suggestion.

Baby Benz Sandra · #4 10-23-2018, 12:03 AM

97 SL320 -

I just read the thread to which you gave me the link - the post I identified with was by ChrisArnt, who said, "About the only thing I might trust would be a well-maintained Diesel 123, 190, or 124 before the 1990's when they started putting in lots of electronics."

I actually don't know what I was thinking to consider a '96 gasoline model - I guess it was because he said he's had every maintenance done at dealerships, and it is in impeccable shape and within my means. But I really want a diesel, so a diesel it shall be. My 190D hasn't had one problem until the injection pump, so I got 10 good trouble-free years of service out of it. Thanks, SL

97 SL320 · #5 10-23-2018, 07:36 PM

Your welcome.

On the Buick I was not saying that you should become a slow retired person, Buicks ( or similar ) are a good deal when someone stops driving and are cheap to fix. Sure they may have a few dents and a torn off side mirror, but generally have low miles and more left in them.

I get really concerned when someone is living month to month (especially in a high cost of living area ) or in the case of my link, set on buying a old / complicated car that is physically out of touch of someone familiar with it.

As for the link I posted, be sure to look at the real world collision study / ratings I posted. 80's and older MB were good for their day but have since been eclipsed in terms of crashworthyness by even basic cars.