Any Mercedes owners/enthusiasts???

[Colo Springs E]

As I'm liquidating some gear and freeing up some cash, I'll be putting my trusty '92 Subaru Legacy wagon (with 200k) out to pasture (actually to a friend of mine who needs cheap, reliable transportation), and I'm flirting with the idea of an old Mercedes.

I'm thinking something in the sub-$5k range, which basically means 80s-90s era Mercedes, everything from old reliable (and slow!) 200D's to even 450 SLCs that need a little TLC.

Anyone here got advice? Any Mercedes enthusiasts here? Good years/bad models? A lady I work with is making it her mission for me to buy one--her 1982 240D has over 400,000 miles and she wouldn't trade it for a new one--she's obsessed!

-E

[zook]

We have had a number over the years, several 300Ds, 300SDs and one 1990 300SE. Currently we have a 1982 300D. They are very neat cars, all were turbos except the SE. You get a lot of car for the money. The Deisels do need help in the cold country. We live in Vermont, use a block heater and sometimes need to thin the deisel with kerosene so it doesn't gel.

They all went over 300K miles. The SDs tend to have shorter lived transmission, probably due to the extra weight.

Winnie

[Telelicious]

Older Mercedes are unique cars. The way they feel is totally different. From the doors opening and closing to the steering and acceleration. Totally different from U.S. or Asian cars.
AS far as quality and depedability you cant really go wrong no matter which model you get. EXCEPT> Stay away from the 380 models. Its a motor issue that shows up at higher mileage that you dont want to deal with.
Any of the 300 series are great cars (diesel or gas) and they made so many throughout the world that the parts are semi-cheap also. The gas models arent exactly thrifty.

Ive had a couple over the years and my Ex has driven one for the last 10 years (3 different ones).
Im partial to the 80's 280 or 300 CE. I had a 82' 300CD (2 door 300 diesel)

I also had a 81' 380 SLC that was a smooth ride but I did have to deal with the motor issue. 450's are 70's era. I always wanted a 560SLC but that was euro spec and only a couple are in the country.

Dont forget that these are old cars now.

[eddiewagner]

my wife has a 40 year old 200 diesel and i have a mb 100 camping truck. i really dig mercedes. if you can get a pretty rustfree /8 that would be a killer car. also the ones that where made until the mid 80ies, the last ones with ther real cooler in chrome. rust can be a problem. GO FOR IT!!!!

[ehawley]

Yup..got one..my wifes name is ..MERCEDES!

[superchicken_VI]

I have a '78 300D sitting dead in the driveway. It was a great car, but at 187k has been having issues. Right now, I haven't been able to deduce the problem, but it's likely the fuel injection gone kaput. This car was driven heavily for years, and then parked, and then I got it. During the parked time, I'm sure it wasn't happy and things started going bad from disuse. It has been in my family since new, and has always been a good car, but subject to odd things. 4 water pumps, the cruise never worked quite right, the air conditioning quit functioning well after a few years.

All of that said, it was a great car. I'm kinda sitting on it until I can afford to get things fixed and get it back on the road. If I can get the mechanicals fixed for reasonable money, I'll probably repaint it myself and have it for fun again.

As for diesel fuel, get the additive to keep it from gelling. It also keeps fungus from screwing up the fuel guage. The fuel guage didn't work on this car for 20 years, and then when the additive was used, it magically started working.

[CharlieO]

If you are serious about owning an older Mercedes, consider the 300E series cars that were offered in the U.S. from about 1986 to 1992. In Mercedes model designations, they're also known as the W124. They're solid and dependable, and a nice car to drive. I bet you can find a low-mileage one if you look hard enough. There are plenty of them sitting in carports and garages here in Florida.

I'd stay away from the 380's for sure because they had a timing chain issue that could result in very expensive repairs, and I'd also avoid 450's just because of lousy fuel economy.

Check out the link below for more information on the 300E:
http://www.mercedesshop.com/300e.htm


Here's one on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-MERCEDES-BENZ-300E-FL-ULTRA-LOW-MILE-BEAUTY-NO-RES_W0QQitemZ170195734971QQihZ007QQcategoryZ6330QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have absolutely no use for a 16 year-old Mercedes at this point, but that one looks so nice that it's tempting.

[Guitarzan]

Any older car is going to present maintenance issues and costs that are not present with newer cars (obviously there is the occasional lemon). With the more expensive cars like Mercedes and Porsche that means more expensive parts and service when something goes wrong. I don't disagree with the proposition that the older Mercedes were good cars, but stuff happens with age. The prospect of getting into a trap with an old car is there, i.e getting ahold of a car that has problems that are more expensive than the car is worth. I know a guy with that exact issue with a Mercedes right now. I raised that with him before he bought it, he said what the heck and bought it anyway, and now he has a lawn ornament. He is educated and is an earner, he has other cars to drive and he can afford to get the Mercedes fixed if he gets over his disappointment. The fact that it didn't work out is not a huge problem to him, but it would be if a guy only has/can afford one car and really needs it to get to work. There's my $.02.

[Guitarzan]

I always loved Ferrari Testarossas when I was a teen and wanted to get one. Today, they are out there on the used market in the $80k range for low mileage. But, I had a client with a new Ferrari (I forget the model) with a big engine and vicariously became well acquainted with the expense of ownership. Those things require beaucoup maintenance, and you have to figure a $1 per mile. There is not a lot of competition out there for service work on Ferraris and parts are not widely available. You need to warm up the engine 20 minutes upon the first cranking of the day before you drive it. I have been pretty much cured of my desire to own a Testarossa.

[unclearty]

I owned a '98 C240....absolutely loved the car.bought it with 105K on it... 4 cyl engine. The only thing I didn't like was..it used premium fuel. It got almost 30mpg hgwy...felt great..parts were relatively cheap. She gave her life saving my wife's..she got wrapped around a tree in a snowstorm...folded the pass door into the console.....my wife had some seatbelt rash...that's it.

[eddiewagner]

Originally Posted by unclearty

She gave her life saving my wife's..she got wrapped around a tree in a snowstorm...folded the pass door into the console.....my wife had some seatbelt rash...that's it.

thats a good mercedes story. i have to tell my wife what a benz will do for her when things get rough.

[unclearty]

My wife called me while waiting for the police..I drove up on the accident scene and was horrified...I figured it would be bad, but there was my wife..sitting in the ambulance being checked out ..smiling and waving at me...car was folded. If my wife had been in a little car...........sheesh

[CharlieO]

Originally Posted by Guitarzan

Any older car is going to present maintenance issues and costs that are not present with newer cars (obviously there is the occasional lemon). With the more expensive cars like Mercedes and Porsche that means more expensive parts and service when something goes wrong. I don't disagree with the proposition that the older Mercedes were good cars, but stuff happens with age. The prospect of getting into a trap with an old car is there, i.e getting ahold of a car that has problems that are more expensive than the car is worth.

What you are saying is true, but it is possible to have an old car inspected prior to purchase, so that you can anticipate future repairs. It's also possible to find cars with very complete maintenance records.

I was just discussing this with a guy in the office who owns a 10 year-old E430, and we concluded that it makes a lot of sense to buy something like the 16 year-old 300e in that eBay listing from my earlier post. Yes, you might get hit with a $2000 repair bill at some point and you might have more money invested than the car is worth, but it's still likely to be very inexpensive transportation. Once you have bought the car, it really doesn't matter what it is worth if you're not planning to sell it. Someone could buy that car today for $5000 or $6000, and drive it for another 10 or 20 years and 250,000 miles. Normal maintenance like brakes and oil changes cost pretty much the same as most other cars. If you get hit with an expensive repair at any time, you can decide whether you want to fix the car and keep it going for another few years, or sell it for parts.

I have known several people who have owned a Mercedes for periods as long as 15 or 20 years. There must be a reason why they have kept them that long.

One more point - Colorado Springs E's obviously not unaware of the issues of owning an older car. He's currently driving a 1992 Subaru with 200,000 miles. If he buys a Mercedes with 50,000 or 75,000 miles he'll be fine.

[neocaster]

One of the very few cars I have ever lusted after (and still do) is the 1979 Mercedes Benz 450SL. Tasteful.

[CharlieO]

Originally Posted by neocaster

One of the very few cars I have ever lusted after (and still do) is the 1979 Mercedes Benz 450SL. Tasteful.

Yes, it's tasteful, reliable, built like a tank, and probably worth almost as much today as it was when it was new. Well, actually, prices for cars were rising pretty rapidly in the 70's so a 1979 450SL probably cost a heck of a lot more new than a 1972 or 1973 450SL, which would be my choice. I prefer the smaller bumpers on the '72 and '73, and the emissions control stuff is probably simpler, too.

[Colo Springs E]

Originally Posted by CharlieO

What you are saying is true, but it is possible to have an old car inspected prior to purchase, so that you can anticipate future repairs. It's also possible to find cars with very complete maintenance records.

I was just discussing this with a guy in the office who owns a 10 year-old E430, and we concluded that it makes a lot of sense to buy something like the 16 year-old 300e in that eBay listing from my earlier post. Yes, you might get hit with a $2000 repair bill at some point and you might have more money invested than the car is worth, but it's still likely to be very inexpensive transportation. Once you have bought the car, it really doesn't matter what it is worth if you're not planning to sell it. Someone could buy that car today for $5000 or $6000, and drive it for another 10 or 20 years and 250,000 miles. Normal maintenance like brakes and oil changes cost pretty much the same as most other cars. If you get hit with an expensive repair at any time, you can decide whether you want to fix the car and keep it going for another few years, or sell it for parts.

I have known several people who have owned a Mercedes for periods as long as 15 or 20 years. There must be a reason why they have kept them that long.

One more point - Colorado Springs E's obviously not unaware of the issues of owning an older car. He's currently driving a 1992 Subaru with 200,000 miles. If he buys a Mercedes with 50,000 or 75,000 miles he'll be fine.

I'm with you Charlie... I can also acknowledge Guitarzan's input--and I've of course weighed that in my thought process. But as you pointed out, I do own an older car. My beast is worth maybe $800-$1000 on the open market. About 8 months ago, I had to make a decision on a costly repair. The repair was about $600, and at the same time, I needed to buy a full set of tires (a full set because it's All-Wheel-Drive, and buying individual tires not recommended). So I dropped about a grand on a car that's worth maybe a grand. On the surface, this might not seem logical.

Well, I've driven it 8 more months with no repairs, so that $1000 spread out over this 8 months--and probably another 12-24 months in my estimation--is a pretty good investment.

Contrast that with a new 2007 Scion tC we have which my wife loves. Well, it's now got only 15k miles on it, and of course has had no issues in the two years we've owned it. But, we've also paid $300 per month for 24 months, and that's a LOT of money, and we got a lot more months to go.

Frankly, I'll probably never buy a new car again--financially, it really doesn't make much sense.

Mercedes do seem to have good reliability; it does concern how expensive a repair might be when one is inevitably required. I'll of course factor that into how much I'm willing to spend up front, condition/miles, etc.

Thanks to everyone for your well-thought out opinions, I value the input.

I'm off to look at an '87 300E in about 15 minutes!!

[getbent]

alright, since there have only been good common sense opinions.... this is what you NEED E!

[<jbc>]

love my 'S' Klasse. w116 '79 280s, m110 motor.

Thick metal, real steal bumpers and outstanding fit and finish. Almost no plastic. AC still blows cold. Smooth confident ride. Huge huge trunk.



http://w116.org

Older limosine class MBs are sometimes estate sale items. Some old guy may have given himself one for retirement, then proceeded to become too old or dead to drive it. Many low mile well cared for cars are out there. Lots of spares available from the breakers.

Silly good value when you find a correct one. (Depending on you local emission regulations and fuel availability). I'll be getting mine converted for dual fuel CNG this spring. That should cut the fuel costs to about 1/3 what I pay now and also make the car emissions exempt. Ready for the next millennium baby.

[Joe-Bob]

I would say not to buy a 450SLC. There are some 380SLCs. Buy a 560SL instead.

There's nothing wrong with 380 engines as long as they have been maintained.

Don't buy any SL with wire wheels or non OE mags and tire sizes. Don't buy a European model. Do not buy a Rust Belt car. Central and N. Texas cars, for example, do not rust.

Get it checked out buy a Benz technician first.

BTW - They will all eventually need a valve job with new (O.E. only valve guides), but you will still be able to see the cross-hatching on the cylinder walls...the Germans aren't the ones who invented the ridge reamer.

[CharlieO]

Originally Posted by Joe-Bob

There's nothing wrong with 380 engines as long as they have been maintained.

You are right "as long as they have been maintained." If you are going to buy one, you'd better be very sure that it has been maintained correctly.

Here is a quote from an article in Road & Track magazine about the various SL models:

"For model year 1981, Mercedes substituted a lighter, more efficient all-alloy 3.8 liter V-8 for the old reliable iron-block 4.5-liter V-8. And along with it came trouble.

The engine has a single-row timing chain, which as the miles piles on, tend to stretch. Unchecked, the chain can jump its sprockets, causing pistons to collide with valves, leaving the 380SL owner facing a $6,000 repair bill. During 1984, Mercedes switched to a double-row chain and solved the problem.

Though it was not announced recall, Rugg says that at one time Mercedes did convert some of the early 380SLs, free of charge, to double row chain for some customers. "The only way to know if a car is converted is to take off the valve cover and look."

Converting one now is a $2500-$3000 proposition, said Marx. But Marx added that the conversion is unnecessary if the owner changes the chain and tensioner every 40,000 miles -- a $300 job.

Owners of 380Sls -- and later 560SLs, another SL with an all-alloy V-8 -- may also find that if their cylinders heads need to come off for any reason, they'll face an extra expense of several hundred dollars, in addition to a valve job or work needs to be done. Mercedes suggests that once the head bolts are removed, the aluminum block must be helicoiled to provide new threads. Otherwise, the bolts may pull out.

However, Marx said he's successfully replaced the head bolts on several 380 and 560 engines without helicoling. "You just have to torque them down very carefully, according to the book," he said. "But maybe I've just been lucky so far," he added."

[CharlieO]

How about a 1996 E320 sedan with only 33,000 miles in Pompano Beach, Florida? Edmunds.com says that the "Private Party Value" with the low miles is only $6072, and Dealer Retail is about $7200. It will be interesting to see how much it sells for.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-E320-THIS-IS-THE-ONE-ONLY-33K-ONE-OWNER-BOCA-FL_W0QQitemZ220204043305QQihZ012QQcategoryZ6335QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[blue water girl]

Originally Posted by CharlieO