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  #16  
Old 06-11-2002, 03:28 PM
yosshimura's Avatar
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Cool Test drove the 320E

Well, I went over at lunch and took the MB 320E for a test drive... ....... very nice, typical quiteness, solid, suspension doesn't feel like it would be sagging at 102K miles like on an American car...

The last service at the MB dealership (has their stamp on it is 82,500, but between 45-50K miles and the 82.5K there are no stamps nor notations that services were performed, although I am confident it was based on the overall condition of the unit. Then from 82,500 no service documents .A/C cools (but it could very well have a slow freon leak and work fine for now as I have read in the archives) .

The dealer offered me an extended warranty from www.buyerschoicewarranties.com (lyndon insurance) for $1255 for 24/24 and they will cover this unit with the 102K miles. Dealer said he would eat half the cost on the insurance . I have some questions on it , but will post a seperate thread for that insurance question.

I am totally

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  #17  
Old 06-11-2002, 03:34 PM
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Re: What about...

Quote:
Originally posted by Jim Anderson
Crash worthyness.
Resale value.
Higher potential of electrical troubleshooting costs.
-Crash worthiness - They are both , bmw and mb, adequately built to be very safe cars.
-Resale Value- Are you kidding? The 320E was $45K new, and 7 yrs later, they are at $10K-$15K........same depreciation percentage as the bmw or probably most other cars....all vehicles depreciate. That is actually what attracted me to MB, well one of the reasons.... the nice depreciation they take, great for the used car buyer as I
-Higher "potential".... vs the MB-You ARE going to have evaporator problems, you ARE going to have to pay the 15-19 hr labor to fix it, you ARE going to have the head gasket problem, and you ARE going to have the wiring problem......... I'll go with "potential"...

Note , that those are facts, and I STILL STILL STILL Love the MB, just looking at facts, as I stated before.

Maybe with this warranty thing I will be ok..
thanks for you comments
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  #18  
Old 06-11-2002, 04:06 PM
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<>

Knowing these faults before-hand makes one a smart buyer.
But consider that the E320 is now becoming of age that many have had these problems early on and they have already been taken care of.
Wire harness and head gaskets more so than evaporators...



So, if a service history search shows these repairs, this is a good solid car well worth the going market.
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  #19  
Old 06-11-2002, 04:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Arthur Dalton
[B But consider that the E320 is now becoming of age that many have had these problems early on and they have already been taken care of.
Wire harness and head gaskets more so than evaporators...

So, if a service history search shows these repairs, this is a good solid car well worth the going market. [/B]
You have a point, but being that the last serice logged was at around 85K (I think carfax showed a sale at that time), and now 102K, the window for fault/repair on those items would only be 15K miles or so .... My point? not sure..,

Let's see what happens...... If I can get a decent price on the car, and get the service history at the MB and do the pre purch insp ( I got a nice extensive list from one you guys..thanks) comes out OK, then it will be mine.

I am in no hurry, he has had the car sitting there 90 days, and this week is hectic....hopefully we can negotiate a deal next wk. ACTUALLY, I am going to wait for HIM to call me
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  #20  
Old 06-11-2002, 06:38 PM
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If you're really concerned you could agree to have the appropriate leak detection dye added to engine oil, cooling, tranny, powersteering, and A/C system, and agree to a reputable/honest shop to detect these leaks.

You could even do a R134a or R12 sniffer in the vents.

Any leaks could be FIXED or you could negotiate a lower price.

:-) neil
1988 360TE AMG
1993 500E
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  #21  
Old 06-11-2002, 07:21 PM
Donny
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Yes, I own a 96 328 i before. I experienced all problems you listed plus some more:
1. Change my battery only after 2.5 years( no alarms )
2. Crankshaft cracked
3. Oxygen sensor 2 times
4. The rest I forgot
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  #22  
Old 06-11-2002, 07:29 PM
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hey yoshi,

first of all i originally was going to buy a bmw 735il, 540i, or a 5 spd 96 bmw 325i....but after sitting and feeling the benz's drive and overall feeling..i opted for my 92 300CE which has the m104 engine...i am pending a gasket change too but when i do that i'm doing valves etc...but i don't have to worry about that for at least a year or two...
one thing i hated in all of the bmw's was how hollow, twangy and whiney their engines sounded...not the case with my benz...
also bmw's are high on the theft list...way way higher than mercedes is...

another point...why i bought my benz over the bmw...well...it's a benz...
the idea that a friend of mine got a 328i for graduation from high school kinda jilted me...to me 3 series are too small too...if you want to compare a m104 benz, do it with a 5 series....
also another point...
i heard that bmw diagnostic machines are so expensive (to keep non-dealer mechanics at a handicap) that only bmw dealerships have the proper equip to fix...and dealer rates for repairs? to give you an idea...i was quoted 425.00 to replace a tensioner and belt....at mbz of beverly hills....a non-dealer quoted me 380.00

my friend was charged 300.00 to replace 4 brake pads on his 525i....(non-dealer mechanic)....he was quoted 500.00 at the dealer....
hope this helps...
p.s.
the suspension thing is a joke on bmw's...talk about overly overly expensive....3000.00 just to overhaul the rear suspension...no way jose...especially living in a town where potholes are the norm....
p.s.s.
why do we love driving mercedes benz's? (answer on the license plate below)......
Attached Thumbnails
M104 problems vs BMW problems-richridesmokerear.jpg  
__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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  #23  
Old 06-11-2002, 08:45 PM
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oh and furthermore...

bmw's just don't look too special inside...
5 series feel so cramped and coffin like....
7 series has a bunch of gadgets that don't work....
same with 5 series...
800.00 to fix a speedometer lcd screen/light...on 5 and 7 series....
3 series again..design...blah...size...blah...excitement factor...blah....
i had a german trained bmw mechanic tell me that the "ultimate driving machine" moto is crap...
he told me to go with benz if i didn't have cash in the bank to keep up the bmw....
__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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  #24  
Old 06-12-2002, 09:03 AM
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Thanks for the comments, I will keep them in mind as I get closer to decision time...... the cramped, blah interiors are subjective based on the person.

I will give you my opinion on the interiors.... The BMW has it going all the way....I like the layout and has alot more info for the driver, I feel. The MB, on the other hand is more traditional and simple, I would say looks less modern than the BMW. The MB dash, looks the same on a 79, for example, as it does on the 95. MB didn't spend money on making look more modern. Not a problem, remember I DO like the MB also, just 2 different interiors based on taste.

Interior cramped? My opinion...the BMW is a more sporty car, therefore tighter interior, seats contour you, you feel you sit IN the car. The MB has comfort and ROOm, which the BMW doesn't. Matter of taste. The MB is more of a luxury car, period. And the BMW is more of a sports/luxory car, bottom line.

You can't keep comparing the 5 series to the 320E because of price. I am comparing apples to apples based on price. You can't pick up a 95-96 528 for the same price of the 95-96 328 / 93-95 300E/320E, guess the BMW depreciates less, since I have to compare the MB to a 3 series. That doesn't say alot for MB, I guess.

Let's keep brainstorming on this..... So far it hasn't become a flame war, just comparison/discussions.

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  #25  
Old 06-12-2002, 12:30 PM
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CHECK KELLEY BLUE BOOK TO GET THE TRUE!!!! STORY ON USED CAR VALUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

for someone who SEEMS well informed...you're not doing your homework.....if you go to kelley blue book and look up a 95 530i BMW.....(NO SUCH THING AS A 528 IN 1995)...THE value of the car would be 20,400.00 (url: http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ur?kbb;922206&;r&40;BMW;1995%205%20Series&8;BM;M1&) ....do the same comparison with a E320 sedan and well guess what?
same price $20,400.00.... (url: http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ur?kbb;646966&;r&40;Mercedes-Benz;1995%20E-Class&8;MB;AC&)...before you make statements like depreciation is less for a bmw is less you should really look at the facts...if you're basing your opinions on what you see on the windshield of a car on a lot...well then i've got a bridge to sell you in the middle of the mojave desert... and just to show you how different the 3 series and E class are: Kelley blue book puts the 95' 325i at $17,500.00 (url: http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ur?kbb;994948&;r&40;BMW;1995%203%20Series&8;BM;A2&)....i don't know where you see the pricing being the same...maybe you can tell that 17,500 is the same as 20,400?
best thing to say is this...seems like the salesperson has really got you sold on a measley 3 series bmw which is wonderful, he's done his job...believe me i used to sell cars...

and on the final note:

no such thing as a 528 in 1996 either...
the next up would be a 1997 528i BMW...which sells for 27,700
and guess what!!!!!!

1997 E320 sells for 30,000
(even the M3 sedan sells for less than the E320 at a mere 28,800)..

so please check on your statistics before posting...also
psst.
get the bmw...seems like you love it more....
versus ending up hating a benz....

hope this helps...
and remember text tends to be very unemotional

woo hoo!!!!
w124's rule!!!!
__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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  #26  
Old 06-12-2002, 02:35 PM
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If BMWs depreciate less then why do you see $39k 00 and 01 7 series. I remember seeing a 01 BMW 7 for 43k at a dealer's lot. Go to Mercedes and you will see that their 99 S500 sell for 48k. Yoshi, it's your choice to buy any car you want but don't tell us we didn't warn you.
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  #27  
Old 06-12-2002, 02:38 PM
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why do we love mercedes benz????

*read the plate...
Attached Thumbnails
M104 problems vs BMW problems-richridesmokerear.jpg  
__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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  #28  
Old 06-12-2002, 02:46 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
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the saddest thing is i know so many bmw owners that wish they had mercedes benz's....
my boss' wife drives a 325i that she owns (96) and they've already had to sink 2000.00 into the auto tranny...1,200.00 into the cooling...and she hates driving it...totally loves driving my boss' 1998 C230...and that's a baby benzo...so you tell me....
why would a satisfied 325i owner like driving a smaller benz?

i dunno..
maybe it's because the benz is not a bmw...?
hehehehheehehehe

when i was looking to buy i was looking at a 95 735il and a 96' 540i
well the funniest thing was that the owner of the 735il was selling his because he didn't drive it anymore...what did he drive instead? a E430....what did his wife drive...E320....

in the case of the 540i....
the guy bought it for his son who then wanted to get a C240 mercedes...so dad was stuck with selling the 540i....

i've even had reputible bmw mechanics tell me that if i don't have the money in the bank dedicated to keeping up a bmw...best idea would be to LEASE and keep jumping into a new one when my lease is up....

so there...
i hope this helps yoshi, you future BMW owner you....

p.s.
here at the law firm that i work at (75% mb drivers) out of those 75%, 25% used to be BMW drivers...
three of the attorneys here that have bmw's currently are waiting for their leases to allow them a transition to mb's...
so go figure!!!
__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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  #29  
Old 06-12-2002, 03:07 PM
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THanks again for the info. I am only playing devil's advocate... guess no one reads the tech area with all the problems on Mercedes? I guess there will be problems with either brand.

Here is the deal/.....
If $ were no object and I didn't have to worry about a .... oh forget it , I don't want to cause any waves, I might be here forever if I buy the Mercedes .

To confirm how much I want the Mercedes not to have problems, so I would have no exuse NOT to buy...the background on my pc is the interior of a 95 320E . So, I am not trying to be confrontational. As for the prices I have.... forget kbb, I only go by my local market's price ( I have been looking at my auto traders going back to Feb, when I started looking and lurking for the car), so those are the realistic prices in this area (S. FL). KBB , for example, says the 320E 1995 w/102K miles is way more than anyone would be able to sell on for in these parts, maybe we have alot of Mercedes Benzs? Who knows.....

If all goes as planned, I will buy something by next week. If things go unrealistically well, it will be this week..... ..... To be honest after test driving the 320E yesterday, it sucked going back into my Chevy to drive back to the office :p
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  #30  
Old 06-12-2002, 03:13 PM
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hey yoshi,

keep one very very important thing in mind about kbb...
if your car gets stolen
totaled
mangled
trashed, etc...

your insurance gauges the value of your settlement on the kbb value of your car...so if your market value is 5000 for a bmw but in kbb it is 2000, your insurance would give you something closer to the 2000 dollar mark...

you've got to keep all these factors in mind....

market on my car is 10-11K
but my insurance guy had my car insured for 18K as the value cause kbb says it's that high
so if i get into a cruncher (God forbid)
i'll have that on my side....

__________________
~there is no spoon~

1984 300CD Turbo Diesel (soon to be "powered by VEGGIE") - dolphin silver

1999 e430 Sport blk/blk, my sexy ***** ;-)

(my other girls)
1992 300CE 24V 3.0L (w124) (R.I.P. "she was killed 7/12/03 by some ricer kids speeding in a honda accord")
1990 Acura Integra RS (w/94' engine)
1966 Cadillac Sedan de Ville (Hardtop)
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