Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeremy5848
Bought my '96 E300 in '07 with 249,000 miles and a complete set of service records so I knew what had been done by the three POs. Not knowing makes the car a crap shoot.
If the engine mounts have not been replaced they will need it. Easy DIY. Ditto the shocks. Check the dual aux fans. One has a motor, the other is belt-driven from the first. If the belt slips or breaks it won't spin when the other does. Almost impossible to see the belt.
Michelin tires are great in spite of the nay-sayers. Dirt can accumulate on top of the spring perches, collect water, encourage rust. Clean them off as a preventative.
Thought all USA-sold W210s had leather seats. Sure it's MB-Tex?
The glow plugs are the big question mark. If you have to pull the head and have several plugs extracted and the holes machined you will regret paying $4000 for the car. It's not a trivial job like the engine mounts.
The W210 is far more electronic than the W124. You'll want a code-reader / resetter. The w210 electrics are also less repairable.
Plus side, the cabin air filter is easy to replace. If the charcoal filter is the original, keep it! The aftermarket replacements are poor (too little charcoal) and don't work. Your nose will thank you.
Jeremy
|
It probably is leather. I'm not a snob. Either is good for me. Thanks for the pointers.
I heard or felt no indication of bad engine mounts. Doesn't mean it won't have them in a 1000 miles. The glow plug thing is scaring me. But it presents itself as a fairly well maintained car. I really want to get rid of that can of ether I'm carrying as I play out the string on my 300D. Honestly I'm much less worried about this one then the 97 I drove that obviously needed motor mounts and a can of ether was in the door. It is a gamble though, not sure about the cost effectiveness of pre-sale inspections on this age of a car. I would say transmission is the biggest unavoidable risk.
Still I think this car can get me through the next 7-8 years or more with reasonable maintenance over that time period