1994 e320 wagon
 

I found a 320 wagon advertised in auto week this week:213000 miles, $5000.00,owner states uses a little oil but does not smoke.Could not tell me how much.No leaks , interior near perfect.,body very clean,no rust.Could not tell me if it will pass emissions (not required in his area).Head gasket and wiring harness aside,what other issues should I look for with this mileage?Evaporator was done 6 months ago. Thanks, Dan

On my wagon with 235,339 miles:

Fan clutch at ~200,000
Ball joints ($800 a side on this year and model)
Water pump (~$750)
EGR valve tube clean out
Tensioner (~$400)

lots of little things but expected with this many miles...
Any history on transmission services? This car has a 30,000 mile service interval for fluids and filters.

good luck.

Owner states all maintenance was performed as recommended,all records available,head gasket,wire harness,evaporator have been done.Not sure about trans services.Any input as to the price?Any idea on the life of this engine and trans ? It is using 1 qt of oil every800-1200 miles.Thanks,Dan

Look at front lip seal and passenger side of head for oil leaks.. Even with that milage, these do not burn oil.
Great engine.
What I would do is look in the archieves for info on a led/sw flash code tool /procedure and go check the codes on the car as it sits.
If no codes , looks good..
Ask to see repair order for wire harness and gasket, cuz if they were not done , you will be doing them..

Thanks for the replies.Owner states he has all documentation for the car,that it uses about 1 qt of oil every 750-1100 miles.Valve guide seals?Says it does not leak.Car is in Detroit, I am in PITTSBURGH.I am trying to decide if it's worth atrip to check it out.What do you guys think?Car was in Md. until 2 years ago. Thanks,Dan

Be sure to also check the rear self-levelling suspension. You have to ride the car and see if it is bumpy at the rear. There are many threads on this forum that cover this issue.

Arthur is right. My '94 with 235,000 miles burns no oil at all. Sounds like a leak. Personally, I wouldn't drive to Detroit for that car without asking him to bring it for a PPI before you make the trip.

I wouldn't give him more tha 2500, regardless....

by 275-300k, the car is likely to be worn out....you almost have to factor in an a/c job as well.

Thanks for the info...turns out I cant cut loose from work until after the holidays..guessI'll just wait..thanks,Dan

Ya know, seeing your from Pittsburgh, my wagon with hakkapeliitta snow tires on it is excellent in the snow, all types, even without adding weight in the back. It has a lousy traction control system that can be disengaged from a standstill but if you are planning on keeping the car a long, long time this engine and transmission properly serviced won't quit. What year is it?

This car is a 1994.Its black with grey interior.Do all wagons have the level ride suspension???I was interested because all maintenance has been documented from day one . I would be replacing my trusty beater 88 honda civic with this car(HONDA'S getting rusty!).Icurrently have a 1991 300e(145k)and a1991 300sl(39k...summer car) and thought the wagon would be a natural addition to my fleet.I put 3 bags of tube sand in the back of the 300e and mount 4 blizzaks for the winter .They go well in snow but arent the greatest for dry pavement.

Yes, all wagons do have the rear self-levelling suspension as standard. On the wagons it is particuarly difficult and expensive to switch from this system to the regular setup, hence most wagons owners are stuck with it forever.

Check it out in detail, the system has a definite limited life span and depending on the maintenance it has received, there are some quite expensive things to fix.