pmmartin11

Hey Guys,
Hoping I could tap into your knowledge a little.
My wife's car just quit, and we are getting rid of it(non-Mercedes). Very expectant, not a lot of extra money laying around, so we are looking for a good replacement deal.
My wife works for a doctor and his family that is offering us a deal on their 2004 Mercedes C240. I know next to nothing about the brand, and was hoping someone could give me some pointers as to high-mileage repairs that I can expect.
Details:
2004 C240 Royal Blue. Looks great!
127,500 miles
They are offering it at $3,000
1 owner. The Doctor bought it new in 04.
So scuffs in the bumper. The wife backed into the garage. No cracks, just paint scuffs. Also looks like she often pulled front to far over curbs.
Full service records from day 1. All service done at MB Dealership
Inspection pass in March, new brakes and rotors.
It had allot of suspension work done from the dealership around 110,000 mile mark.
Valve seals replaced, just under 100k miles, engine mounts replaced, AC system replaced...They actually put a fair amount of $ into repairs over the years. I guess that is to be expected with getting all the work done by the dealership.
The last service was around 120,000 miles. The MB tech noted that there was some corrosion on the rear fuel line. Stated no immediate service needed, but to check at next service. However there was no mention made of it in the March inspection. Should I be worried?
Also, the there is a creaking noise in the front right corner. Based on what I have read here, it needs new ball joints? Aprox. cost for this repair?

Good deal, or am I getting into the money pit mileage of this type of vehicle?
Thanks so much for your time and insight.

Paul M

VVF

$3k? it would cost more like 7 here in Texas... Check the book value on it.
Looks like a no-brainer, if they are not hiding a major repair that's awaiting you

cameron1292

thats a fantastic deal. i paid more than that for my w202 2 years ago. i paid 8500 for my 03 c320 with 101,000 miles so that kind of shows you the deal your getting lol. like the above post said as long as they're not hiding anything its a no brainer. you could even flip it and make some cash lol

Alswag

3 grand is a fantastic deal, especially for a car that has a near-perfect service record.
The C240 has the bulletproof M112 V6 that will continue to run for many years down the road. The only downside to the C240 is that it's not that quick (~165 HP), and the fuel economy isn't the greatest either (~21 MPG combined).

You will likely not run into ANY major engine problems in the life span of the vehicle. Check to see if you have the Valeo radiator. If you do, replace it with the Behr radiator. The Valeo radiator causes loads of problems with fluid mixing.

Also, small electrical gremlins will show up. It's expected in a ~10 year old German vehicle. Otherwise, they're solid cars which will last a long, long time if you keep up with maintenance. These cars don't take too well to neglect. Find a Mercedes-Benz Indy shop or an indy that specializes in German cars. It'll save you thousands down the road.

EDIT:
Also, with 127 000 miles, expect the catalytic converter to go at around 160-180k. Anything past that is borrowed time. And for the love of god, use at least 91 octane gasoline. Personally I use 94.

Akhafeez

BUY NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Moviela

I would get the transmission serviced first, then have a different Mercedes mechanic check it out. Pay them to do it.

Then you can steal the car for $3K.