An insurmountable opportunity - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Botnst · #1 09-02-2007, 04:28 PM

E.R. doc says I'm okay.

But I need a new car.

I was turning left off a main street onto a secondary and another car pulled out of the street and hit me pretty hard. Mushed-in the left quarter panel behind the wheel and crushed the door. Buckled the hood. After the police did their thing (other guy got a careless and reckless and expired DL) I was able to drive my car the 3 blocks home. This is my first acccident in 30 years, damn it. And the best car I ever owned. My '95 E320. I'm pretty sure they're gonna total it.

No Ted, not gonna get the AMG this year.

I'm thinking of getting a car that I'll drive this year and give my youngest when she turns 16. Maybe a 626 or a Camry. The wrinkle is that I'm having to drive about 300 miles almost every weekend to deal with issue of health in elderly parents & in-laws, so I really need a high cruiser. Ideally, John Doe would give me his car so he could feel good about himself for having done me a great favor and then go get that M Class he's dying to own.

Anyway, I can afford a late 1990's or early 2000's E-Class. But given all of the *****ing here and elsewhere I just don't think I'd be as happy with one of those as I was with my 124.

I'm following in Suginami's footsteps, looks like. Maybe I'll go for an S Class.

Bot

Brian Carlton · #2 09-02-2007, 05:01 PM

Sorry to hear about that old man............but, the sheet metal took the beating.........thankfully..........and not you.

What about extending that garage another six inches...........

Dee8go · #3 09-02-2007, 05:11 PM

Sorry to hear that, Bot. Glad you're okay. Mistress nearly got creamed by some nitwit in Maryland this morning. Thanks to her quick reflexes and new brakes, she avoided him. Hope you can find something nice to replace your 124 with.

Jim B. · #4 09-02-2007, 05:17 PM

Damn it man, that's bad, I am really sorry about that.

But, I am really glad that you aren't hurt - that is the ULTIMATE reason to buy a Mercedes, they'll really protect you in the way that lesser cars, the Fords, Subarus, could never possibly do.

Those E class W124 cars are awfully hard to beat. It sounds like your budget could handle a really really nice replacement of one. After all, you know their virtues well, and most likely if you got a really good one, you could drive it comfortably from the git-go.

Fer instance, this one is on sale right here. It's the legendary W124 E500, and is offered by a seller/MShop member with a REALLY plausible reason to be selling it. The price is about $6,000 to $8,000 under market, too, because the seller is really motivated. (Note: I have no personal connection with it)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=175041

Now, I don't know if you know much about these, but they are a cult car, too with a really devoted following. (see www.500Ecstacy.com) If you were really lucky, you could buy it, drive it for a couple of years and not put anything into it, have some fun with it, and sell it for a big profit.

Depreciation on these is practically horizontal. Sounds like a no brainer to me. If you like the W124, this little honey looks like a real bargain. And with the '92, the wiring harness problems on them are unlikely.

Nice color on it, too, (black was pretty much the default color on these) and this one has the W140 eight-hole standard S class wheels on it for a nice upscale touch, too.

But be warned, these things are VERY addictive. I have tried them. Their Porsche blood makes them a screaming sports sedan in the truest sense. They are a real sleeper. Enthusiasts love 'em. They accellerate, handle, corner and brake FAR better than some E320, and most other four door sedans - but still have the magic W124 cost-no-object engineering, longevity and build quality and prestige as standard equipment.

I'll go on a a limb, here, and suggest that you'd never find another one this good at the price, thereby making it arguably a possible investment.

Check the comparable prices on them if you don't believe me...

Meantime, take your slow, sweet time with the insurance claims adjusters on settling if your ride was totalled. THEY are having to pay daily storage charges on the car, if it is on a lot. (not so if it is a driveable total loss and you took it home) so they are under pressure to settle in 30 days.

They often try to lowball you on settlements, so be ready with books and records, "comparable" sales figures, and a stubborn nature (which I KNOW you can muster)

Just be sure and recogize that your auto claim and (possible) injury claims are distinct, and each can be settled separately - and IMO should be.

Keep a watch too, though, on your pain. Sometimes, the pain doesn't show up for a day or two. Maybe keep a diary to be sure. If it turns out you have an injury, even if slight, EVERYTHING changes: The WHOLE claim will get bucked over to the BI department, with the really experienced ajusters, who will over allow on a settlement with the car, and hope you will be so ecstatic, that you will UNDER allow yourself a fair "pain & suffering" settlement on the injury.

How do I know they will do that?

Cause a long time ago, I was one of "they".

For the AAA, in fact, known as one of the better insurance companies, too.
(I am assuming you are dealing with the opposing party's insurance adjusters)

People used to ask me, "Oh, you work for the AAA? What are they like?"
I'd always reply, "They are like my old girlfriends: Tight but fair"

Kuan · #5 09-02-2007, 05:41 PM

Oh man, bad news/good news I guess. It should work out for you. All the evidence is in your favor.

Take care, and take every little pain seriously.

A264172 · #6 09-02-2007, 06:11 PM

Glad your not hurt.
You don't want to saddle her with an S class.
Get your Mazda or a pristine 123 300D... just make sure the AC works... on second thought forget about the 123.

A264172 · #7 09-02-2007, 06:15 PM

Oh Oo...
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=175041

The Swede · #8 09-02-2007, 06:16 PM

Bummer, but at least you weren't hurt. Can't replace good health.

A....M..... ah never mind.

Paul went for the W210 E class, don't mess around with early W220's (00-02 S class) too much trouble.

Look at the E430- Paul's car. If you want to get a little crazy, check out the sport model.

If you need help finding one, let me know.

In regards to a 500E, good luck finding a GOOD one. There are a few okay one's floating around. The two I have in mind are in the classifieds section of the 500E site Jim mentioned. However, they're both $20-22K, have spotty service records, and one has something like 4 owners.

Look at cars.com, autotrader and eBay and see if you can kick up some E430's!

The Swede · #9 09-02-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A264172

Oh Oo...
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=175041

Darn good deal, but... That's the kind of car I'd be interested in if it was a local sale. Really make sure it doesn't need an immediate $3K to get it right.

A264172 · #10 09-02-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

Darn good deal, but... That's the kind of car I'd be interested in if it was a local sale. Really make sure it doesn't need an immediate $3K to get it right.

Holeshot seems like a well known guy around here... but those cars can suck up a few bucks... he does say transmission recently "refreshed"?

If your interested bot PM him and read through his old threads on the car... this could be a sign from god.

Jim B. · #11 09-02-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

Darn good deal, but... That's the kind of car I'd be interested in if it was a local sale. Really make sure it doesn't need an immediate $3K to get it right.

This is the same car I mentioned above. It looks good, and the owner said he looked 3 years to find one before he grabbed this one, and the reason to sell sounds plausible, and he is a credible Mercedesshop member. What more do you want - an incredible price? Check.

I really think it would work for Bot. He likes the W124, and he would go nuts for a good one of these, if he ever drove one.

Even the $800-$1000 extra in shipping in an enclosed container from Washington to Louisiana would still put him waaaaay ahead. Maybe he would even find someone who lives around there to go take a look at it.

Or better yet, he'd have the road trip of a lifetime, if he flew out to Seattle and drove it home. I once drove an almost brand new 1985 500SEC AMG euro car from San Francisco to Denver for a multimillionaire who "wanted his new car in Aspen for him to drive around in at Christmas"

That experience hooked me so hard on them that I eventually bought one for myself, which I still have.

A trip like that, and you'd really bond with the car by the time you got home.

Hell, I'd be half tempted to do it myself if he would take applications for something like that. Usually only magazine car editors and writers get to cross country in a super car. And without question, a 500E is without doubt. a true sport sedan, by any reasonable measure.........

If Bot got it, it would be a rotten idea to drive one for a year and give that rocket to a 16 year old.

Likely a moot point though, as if he ever got his hands on one, I'd bet he would be loath to ever let go. Not like a Camry or something.

tankdriver · #12 09-02-2007, 07:01 PM

Glad you're not hurt. If you're going to give it up in a year, what about an Accord? Comfortable for the long drives, and then you can replace it with a Benz you can keep.

Medmech · #13 09-02-2007, 07:22 PM

Glad your OK B,

I will make your decision easy...Ferrari.

Once JD is through with dealing with the guy who hit you.

Angel · #14 09-02-2007, 08:50 PM

Bot,

One more time - its good to hear that you are okay and can still pwn noobs on this forum =)

Plenty of W124's out there, let us know what you are looking for, too many bored people on this forum to NOT find anything close... =)

...wait, didnt someone just get a job at a factory dealer up in New England somewhere ?

-John

Hatterasguy · #15 09-02-2007, 08:54 PM

Glad your OK! Seems like the car did its job!

Bot I'm going to be the odd one out, get a Camry or Accord for now, around 2000 should work. No maintaince, easy to take care off, and not powerfull enough for a new driver to get into trouble. Drive it for a year and make sure its properly sorted then give it to your kid.

Than buy something for yourself.... how about an SL600 or a 456?