MBWorld Forum Member Brings $1500 E500 Back to Life on the Cheap
When someone else has given up on a car, it might be your perfect opportunity to strike.
Wrapping one’s head around the thought of a car from 2004 being a “fixer-upper” takes a bit of time, but remember, 2004 models are now edging closer to 14 years old. After only 5 years of neglect, some of these cars can get into a rotten mechanical state, but for ambitious DIY-minded people, they can offer a great opportunity to get huge value for the dollar.
That’s exactly what MBWorld forum member kaane has done. After finding an E500 on Craigslist with a “bad transmission,” kaane didn’t assume worst-case-scenario. Instead he thought it could simply be a valve body or conductor plate. He was right.
After having the conductor plate repaired, there were some other odds and ends to take care of. A massive valve cover leak was fixed with a new kit that also included some new EGR breather hoses, which are known to rot.
Suspension work also needed to be done, but surprisingly, not on the air suspension. Just a few bushings needed to be refreshed with new ones. As well, the SBC brake module had been serviced just a few years ago, so the two biggest headaches on the W211 were already taken care of before purchase. Obviously that sweetened the deal.
On top of all that the car was in overall great shape both inside and out. The leather wasn’t really cracked or torn, and only the front bumper had a small blemish.
Kaane is also looking at upgrading the radio head unit in the near future as well, which will be interesting to see what solution he finds to mate with the fiber-optic system from the upgraded Harmon Kardon amplifier. We look forward to seeing it progress!
