In order to help me....please post what model MBZ and what you paid for it and did you think that it was a good deal.

tkamiya,
I long for a good deal, my '88 190E cost me $11K with 42K miles on it in 1994 and it was pristine then. Got full service records, and
new spare snow tires for it. Then some dealers were selling them
for $18,000 and private parties were selling them for around
$13,000. Average cost of repairs so far is $300 year and that covers all parts and oil changes. It has 243K on it now and starting problem, I fear it will have to go in shop for diagonosis and work. I have tried all fixes that members suggested so far that i can do but no start yet.

1994 E320 wagon bought in 1998 with 66,000 miles = $28,500
1999 E300 Turbodiesel bought in 2001 with 36,000 miles = $42,000.

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dtf
1994 E320 Wagon (Died @ 308,669 miles)
1995 E300 Diesel (228,000)
1999 E300 Turbodiesel ( died @ 255,000)
2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 AC 4X4 (115,000 miles) rusted frame - sold to chop shop
2011 Audi A4 Avant (165,000 miles) Seized engine - donated to Salvation Army
BMW 330 xi 6 speed manual (175,034 miles)
2014 E350 4Matic Wagon 128,000 miles
2018 Dodge Ram 21,000 miles

'72 220D bought in 1996 for $1700, too much considering the condition.

88 300TE bought in 2000 for $4500, good deal, although I'm still not done with reconditioning.

87 300D bought in 2001 for $5000, probably needs a head, so good price, but not a steal

'72 280 SE 4.5 bought in 2002 for $50, not running. Pretty good price, but not a steal since the block was freeze cracked. Glued together with JB Weld and holding....

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

95 C220 with 58K bought in mid 2002, $9,300
Car had just received 60K service at MB dealer 200 miles prior to purchase, including new MB battery, brake fluid flush ($1,100)

90.5K miles now. Love the car.

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98 e430, 55K

I bought my 1994 C280 three and a half years ago. I paid $15,300 USD and the car had 54,000 miles at the time. It came with two sets of tires, and every option but ASR. It now has about 80,000 miles. In terms of physical condition, I would rate the car at the time of purchase as an 8+.

It already had the head gasket and wiring harness done by the orginal owner. Since then I have done the routine maintenance, which is largely a bunch of oil changes, plus the 60,000 mile major service, two brake fluid flushes and two coolant flushes. I have replaced the lower control arm bushings, lower ball joints and OVP because I have had to, and have upgraded to Brembo cross-drilled rotors, Porterfield R4S pads and Goodridge s/s brakelines because I've never liked the brakes on this car.

I'm sure I could have worked a better price, but at the same time I got more than my trade-in was worth, so I don't feel like I was ripped off. The car has been expensive to maintain, but it still puts a smile on my face every time I get behind the wheel and look at that three-pointed star on the hood. I guess it is the ages-old question of price vs. value.

Jonathan

-1995 E320 Wagon, $24k, purchased with 55k miles on 12-2001, from dealer with StarMark warranty, now has 99k <--For Sale <--

-1991 300E, $12k, had 129k miles on 7-2001, now has 220k miles (Great car!)

-1987 190E, $1k, "the rescued car" one step from being dismantled on 7-2002 with 207k miles, now has 220k AND a new heater core etc etc etc etc etc etc.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

1973 280SEL 4.5, bought in 1997 for $1,300.

1986 560SEL, bought 12/2001 for $2,500. Brought it home in pieces on a trailer, saved it from the crusher. Took 4 months workign weekends and night to make it road worthy. By the end of this month I will have posted 25K miles on it.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

112'000 mile 1992 300CE for $9'800 2/14/02. New trans. at 128K miles for $2600. Yeah it was still a pretty good deal, KBB was 13'800 when I bought it.

My 1987 190E 2.3 I paid $11,000 and sold it for $9000.

My 1987 190E 2.6 I paid $15,500 for and sold it for $15,000.

My 1987 190E 2.3-16V I paid $24,000 for and sold it for $19,000.

My 1988 190E 2.3 I paid $10,000 for and sold it for $8000.

My 1995 C36 AMG I paid $31,000 for and traded it for the 1998 E300.

I sold the 1998 E300 for $46,500.

I bought the 1998 C230 new (only new MB) for just shy of $50,000 including taxes.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

1986 420SEL, 96k miles - purchased in 1999 for $10200. Nice car but I paid about $2-3k too much


1997 E420, 67k miles, all records - Purchased two weeks ago for $14500. I felt like I stole this car from the dealer. Did the brakes on Friday and the tires come next week. The car will be near perfect then.

1994 E320 - 100K miles, bought in June 2003. Exterior is immaculate. Original hand painted pin-stripe is crisp and sharp. Interior would be perfect if not for slight wear at the driver's seat cushion. The car was bought new and serviced at the dealer I work for, until it was traded in on a new 211. I got a kick when I looked through the service file. I've worked on the car several times over the years. I paid $5,500 for the car and replaced the engine wiring harness($350), L/R window regulator($110), antenna mast, and headlamp wipers the first week I owned it. I'll be putting on a new set of Michelins and doing the 105K service after the holidays.

Paid $5300 around 2 months ago for my '91 300E with 192k (mostly highway, ex rep's car, dealer serviced it's whole life). Have spent around $1500 on it since (new front brakes/rotors/calipers, acc. belt, tensioner, rear shocks, bushings, having a radio installed.

In hindsight I think i paid too much for it for the condition, had i known more about these cars before i bought one i could have got a better deal. The car, for it's age, is generally in very good condition. The body and interior are testament to Mercedes quality. The parts that are failing and i have less confidence in are rubber, plastic etc.
I had a car with similar mileage before, with no major problems, so I thought buying another car that had been looked after with similar miles would be ok with just regular issues to attend to - oil & filter changes etc- wrong! These cars are like a pretty girl- high maintainance, though they look good. They're over engineered, but some problems are 'quirky' and bloody annoying.
I can't really afford to spend more money on her, but I've always wanted a Merc so I'm putting up for now. I think i've just had bad luck with the car being at the point where some parts are wearing out.
I wholely intend to keep her going from now on without draining my bank account, and getting my $$$'s worth out of it before the engine blows up! (hopefully, with regular looking after, this won't happen:-)

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

94 E320 58K miles. Bought 3/2003 for $10500 at MB dealership. Dealership replaced engine gasket, EGR valve, Aux Fans. One owner, like new condition.

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Zafar
94 E320 58000 Miles

Just paid about $15.7K for my 1998 C280 with 73,000 miles on it from CarMax. Ha ha ha! When I first saw the car, I got the VIN and researched it; found the one previous owner and talked with him about the car. He referred me to the service manager at the local Mercedes dealership who did all the work on the car. I called and talked with him! Both were very helpful. The car was in mint condition and it is my first Mercedes. It is a wonder to drive. I am hooked forever on Mercedes. (plus, it helped to find this forum! These guys are simply wonderful, so helpful!).