1998 300e $1600?

[jyl]

Walked around the block and see one of my neighbors had this for sale. 1989 (edit: corrected) 300E 224K $1600 OBO. Called the guy, he and his wife bought new cars so this one is for sale. Second owner, had it 10 years. AC compressor seals bad, power windows not working, clear coat failure RR quarter panel. He's done some stuff to it recently, new plugs wires, a fuel system part, etc. Sounds like it has been nickel and dimeing him a bit.

What do you think about this for my daughter's first car? I'm thinking it should be safe, not sure about the reliability. She doesn't even have her license yet, is one of these kids who is at risk of never learning to drive, but she wants to get her license in the coming year. I figure I'd have several months to fix whatever it needs and get comfortable with its reliability before handing it over. My son could also use it to learn, he is 16.

Where would you go in Portland OR for a PPI?

[scottmandue]

I will wait for the MB guys to give you advice as to if that is a good/bad deal and/or model as I know nothing about MB's.

Just FYI my brother did the same thing, bought his daughter a old MB figuring it would be safe and reliable... she hated it and refused to drive it... my brother ended up buying my dads Honda and giving that to his daughter.

That MB is sitting in my brothers driveway with a cover... has been there for a few years... I drove it for a week when my car was in the shop, nice car but horrible gas mileage.

[Shifter]

How about this place?

Portland's Mercedes & BMW Auto Repair Service Center| PDX

I know nothing about them, but they have a coupon for a free brake check on their site, and I am sure they will give you a list of other things to be fixed!

[stinkindiesel]

Doesn't look like a 1998 to me. Maybe a 1988?

BTW, in 1998, it would have been an E320, if I remember right. They switched up model number in 1994 to put the vehicle class first and engine size second.

If it is a 1988, it will be the W124 chassis, in my opinion, the finest, most bullet-proof road car Mercedes ever made.

Gary

[jyl]

My bad, 1989. A little dyslexia there.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by stinkindiesel

Doesn't look like a 1998 to me. Maybe a 1988?

BTW, in 1998, it would have been an E320, if I remember right. They switched up model number in 1994 to put the vehicle class first and engine size second.

If it is a 1988, it will be the W124 chassis, in my opinion, the finest, most bullet-proof road car Mercedes ever made.

Gary

^^ This. If it has a clean interior, and you know how to wrench. No brainer.

[aigel]

If they are already not interested in driving, I'd definitely get their input in what they'd like. From reading about your kids before, it may be more "grunge" than this.

I would self-PPI this after learning what the common issues are. Not worth spending an hour shop time. If you run into an issue, just sell it off for what you paid.

Mine are starting to drive soon. I don't have a good plan yet. My older one wants a vette. Right!

G

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by jyl

Sounds like it has been nickel and dimeing him a bit.

What do you think about this for my daughter's first car? I'm thinking it should be safe, not sure about the reliability.

As has already been said... to our generation MB's are cool (queue Janis Joplin) but todays kids... not so much.

Todays kids are also not big on having to wait... as in waiting for the "old car dad bought" to get fixed so they can go to the movies.

YMMV

[greglepore]

No a/c and the windows don't go down?

They are great, solid,safe cars. Window regulators are an issue. I'd price the a/c and keep in mind that the evap's do fail on these cars and its a $$$repair. They do need tlc though. For the most part diy friendly. Mercedes of this era were actually engineered with an eye toward eventual repair.

If the clear is failing on one panel it was likely a repaint at some point, although MB's of this era if parked outside a majority of the time can have the clear die everywhere.

[jyl]

How is parts availability and pricing?

Edit: well hot dang if Wayne doesn't sell W124 parts now. AC compressor about $350. Okay so I'm guessing AC and power windows will cost $500 "ish" to fix DIY.

Neither of them have their license so the car will be ready before they are :-(

It is weird to me but I know a lot of kids here who don't get their license until very late. It is easy enough to get around by bike, bus, rail, and the mommy taxi is always there. My kids have never been interested in going out and partying late, so they haven't champed at the bit for "freedom". That was comforting; now it is irritating . . .

[stinkindiesel]

The A/C evap issues were more common in later W124 models, when MB went to a copper/aluminum core structure. Can you say dis-similar metal migration? I want to say this came about in 1993 or 1994.

When was the R12 refrigerant cut-over? I'd say this is a bigger issue with older cars than the evaporator. A bad conversion could mean a fork-lift repair (i.e. pull it all out and start over).

In any case, the bottom end on these motors was very strong. They did tend to need head work at 250K miles. Mostly valve guides.

My kids learned to drive in a 1984 300D. Talk about a tank. My daughter hit a deer at 60 coming home in the dark one night. Drove home afterward, and a $600 trip to the salvage yard and a sledge hammer got it back together. Try that in a Toyota or Honda. Do the kids want to drive their "old" car? Hell no, but that's a plus in my book. They weren't pressured to chauffeur their friends around all the time. Slow and ugly rules the day for teenage transportation.

Gary

[aigel]

Originally Posted by jyl

It is weird to me but I know a lot of kids here who don't get their license until very late. It is easy enough to get around by bike, bus, rail, and the mommy taxi is always there. My kids have never been interested in going out and partying late, so they haven't champed at the bit for "freedom". That was comforting; now it is irritating . . .

This seems very common now. I worry who is going to buy my 993 when I die? They probably will be $10k cars like the model T are now ...

I will insist they get their license, so they are flexible taking a good job / volunteer position that's more than flipping burgers or babysitting. Of course I will also want them to be my designated drivers! - ssshhh

G

[bleucamaro]

What can you get that's better for $1600?

Also, why would you spend 10% of its value, or more on a PPI? Take it for a test drive, make sure it drives straight, stops straight, doesn't have any bad driving dynamics. Look under the hood and check that it has oil in it, and that the oil looks like oil, not milkshake. Look at the other fluids. Look underneath to see if it has any major leaks.

Then buy it and drive it.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by aigel

This seems very common now. I worry who is going to buy my 993 when I die? They probably will be $10k cars like the model T are now ...

I will insist they get their license, so they are flexible taking a good job / volunteer position that's more than flipping burgers or babysitting. Of course I will also want them to be my designated drivers! - ssshhh

G

Daughter works summers at a Berkeley city family camp in the Tahoe mountains. She's head of kitchen now, supervises kitchen staff of 11, makes three meals a day for 140 campers and staff, my friends who went to camp this year say the food is the best ever, so she's doing a good job. Not a bad job for a college freshman, pay is okay considering she gets room/board. Next summer she will probably be promoted to head of all meal operations, so that's dining hall, hiring, admin, ordering, etc. She has got to have a car then. Really can't be the boss and be begging rides into town from her underlings.

Son gets around on his bicycle and wants to ride my Vespa. No way, not until he drives for a couple years and learns the road and how invisible motorcycles/scooters are. He doesn't have his license either but he's just a high school freshman.

[WPOZZZ]

I think getting your license and a car was our generation's rite of passage. For us it symbolized freedom, and the ability to get out of the house. What I have seen with my nieces, nephews and neighbors growing up is, a license or a car isn't as important to them as it was to us. Kids these days are happy catching rides from others, using public transportation and riding mopeds, skateboards...

That said, hold off on getting a vehicle for your child until you know what they want.

[aigel]

I don't think I'd buy my kid a 25 year old beater to take up to Tahoe from Oregon, unless they were well versed mechanically. Not so much for when they break down, but to ensure they can tell early warning signs of things going astray.

Maybe you are up for a project and want to whip this thing into awesome shape? That's of course okay then to take to Tahoe. If that's the case, i'd look for something with better paint, so you aren't throwing money at an ugly chassis. And if you do that, you might as well look for something a litte newer with some fewer miles and have a much better start, say at $5k.

G

[Shaun @ Tru6]

John, find a 94 or 95 E320. Better car. Easy to work on, parts are inexpensive, BMAparts.com is the best (ask for Yves, tell him I sent you), no safer car on the road.

My old 94 wagon




My grandfather's 94 that I'm getting this weekend for a daily driver

[greglepore]

Yes, the 320's are nice if the wiring harness is done, the head gasket is done and ...

I have a 95 wagon that's identical to the blue car above. Great vehicle, and when the head gasket blew on the highway it was worth the almost 3k to fix it.

Tanks, but not cheap tanks.

[Nostril Cheese]

Get a Volvo instead.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Don't get an 01 to 06 S60 automatic, especially an 01 and 02. Transmissions should have been recalled though you can flush, update a servo cover and get the latest software update from Volvo, let the transmission learn how to shift again and may be OK. Roll of the dice.

My current daily driver, an '01 with 94K on it. Check out the video. 17 quarts flushed and filled to get it red. The cabin filter...dealership said they changed it 3 times in last 10 years.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/132859093@N05/sets/72157655224261880/