I have a friend who is selling his 1995 E320. It has 140K miles and is in good condition. He is asking 3K for the car. This seems like a buy to me but I hesitate because I have heard that these cars had problems with the wiring harness and that this is an expensive fix. Can anyone who owns one or knows the car give me some feedback on this and the overall reliability/quality of this particular model.

Antonino

Be sure to check the following:

Head gasket leak--approximate cost if needed $1500.00
AC evaporator--approximate cost if needed $2200.00
Wire harness--approximate cost if needed $1100.00
Throttle actuator--approximate cost if needed $800.00 (for a reman unit)

It is my opinion that the above items are pretty much guarenteed to fail, especially on cars with 150,000 miles or more. With the help of this site, I have done all 4 of the above items DIY.

I have a 94 E320 Wagon and a 95 E320 Sedan. Both are great cars, but the above mentioned items need to be taken into account, especially if you are not the DIY type.

J. M. van Swaay

Don't buy an old Mercedes unless you want to pay to play. Get it checked out by an MB mechanic with particular interest to the above mentionings. I expect to pay $1500 a year in upkeep on my Mercedes - most times I get well under that, but sometimes I go over.

__________________
- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Thanks for the replies...I own a 91 300CE coupe that is in pristine condition, so I know it costs to keep these cars running. The good thing is that I do all my own work which dramatically keeps the cost down. I will take all your suggestions into consideration.

Antonino