Test Driving Today. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

GradyService · #1 11-01-2007, 07:43 PM

Well guys, I was in Greenville NC today on business, and had a few hours to kill, so I decided to drop by a used car guy, and see what he had. I drove a 95 S420 (ugly purple-blue color), 115k, cold AC, but had a leaky power steering pump, rode hard, seats seemed hard and stiff, and I didn't really like the car. The coolant level light came on while driving, but the temp gauge was ok. On the other hand, I drove a 97 E420 (nice, clean silver), 140k, rode good, drove great (like driving a 4 door vette), cold cold air, easy to operate car. The only problem is that the check engine light came on, and on the display it said "Check Engine- Electronics". It also seemed to have a slight miss at idle. The guy said 8k for either one, and that he'd have the cel and the coolant lights taken care of. No books or records on either.

Thoughts, Guys?

Dave.

waybomb · #2 11-01-2007, 08:02 PM

Why doesn't he fix those things BEFORE he puts it on his lot if he is going to fix it anyway?

Run, don't walk, away.

manny · #3 11-01-2007, 08:08 PM

Hopefully the slight miss at idle is related to the Check Engine light.
Maybe a misfire code for 1 or 2 cylinders.
Remember , we can help you fix anything here !

GradyService · #4 11-01-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waybomb

Why doesn't he fix those things BEFORE he puts it on his lot if he is going to fix it anyway?

Run, don't walk, away.

Well the S420 was in the prep part of the lot, and the E420 was a repo, (the PO had been busted for dealing drugs, and the car was got back from the impound yard), so I guess I should have waited until they were ready.

Dave.

Hatterasguy · #5 11-01-2007, 09:28 PM

Those guys are junk dealers I'd never buy a car from them.

If I wanted to buy a W210 today I would go to MBUSA's website, and do a CPO/dealer inventory search. I have seen some cherry, cherry late 90's E320's on the dealers lots for like $12k. The dealers only keep the cream of the crop, the rest of the trade in's go to the auction and these guys buy them.

Last year MB of North Haven had a 50k mile 1996 E300D that looked brand new, one owner, full records, bought, serviced, and traded in at that dealer. That was a nice car.

Texholdem · #6 11-01-2007, 11:51 PM

I would distrust any warning light on the dashboard.

In my case the warning lights for Check Engine and Exterior Light Failure were switched behind the dashboard (instruments cluster). That means I took the CEL for bulb failure warning, which I thought would be a small issue. After the purchase I tried two months testing around all exterior lights without getting the warning light fixed (because it was actually the CEL) until I got a real signal light failure then the CEL on the dashboard (actually not the CEL) was on.

Now having both CEL and Exterior light warning on I changed the signal bulb and the CEL is fixed. Only then I got supsecting and opened the dashboard and found out that the 2 small bulbs were switched from their locations.

That means I have been driving around with CEL for 2 months. I fixed the problem by changing a temp sensor.

I read about CEL being disabled to cover the problem too.

Hatterasguy · #7 11-02-2007, 12:29 AM

The W210 is much more computer controlled. When a bulb fails it says "exterior lamp failure" on the dash. If a fualt code shows up it tells you. Their is no CE light per say, its a display.

What the dealer may try to do is pull the battery to clear it for the test drive.