lionboy

I'm in a dilemma. I have the opportunity to buy a 1999 Mercedes Benz E300 Turbo Diesel with 95k miles. For around $18,500.... is this a good price?

My issues with this car:
1 - I don't have the service records.

2 - The car has dime to silver dollar sized rust spots in various spots around the car (it was from Illinois). The underside appears to have no rust....and the ones around the car are just surface rust, not through the car.

3 - An oxygen sensor was bad in it, it got replaced (is this common?)

4 - It was due for a major service when it came in.... is that a bad sign at 95k?

5 - What kind of major costs may I encounter with this car in the next 50k miles?

6 - Anyone know how this car will run on B99 or B100 bio diesel (one of the major reasons for purchasing). I've heard BAD things about people doing the SVO conversion on them.... so I don't want to do that to such a beautiful car.

7 - Honestly... how long do you think this car will last? I mean I want it for the long haul... and I don't want to go broke keeping it serviced/repaired.

Sorry for all the questions...but you all seem very knowledgable .... and I want to make an informed decision! Thanks!

gstigler

Sounds great except for the following:

1. The rust, mine has this and it will only get worse. If its got rust it's immediately priced $5k too high

2. No records and due for a major service - forget it, who knows if this thing was cared for at all. Knock another $3k off the price.

3. Oxygen sensor is common and not to be a concern.

4. You don't want to run B100. I don't know MB policy but generally you do not go any higher than B20. Even with B20 there is not an accepted specification so you are trusting the fuel supplier. B5 is acceptable.

5. You want a car that will last and won't be expensive to maintain then get one with records and lower mileage. Or get a Honda Accord (boring but inexpensive).

Bottom line it sounds like a $10-11k car.

EdzBenz

You can run any blend of biodiesel in the E300. Make sure you continue to use fuel additives. Cold weather requires you to mix it with a higher percentage of diesel. I just converted mine to WVO with a Greasecar system.

Any Mercedes requires time and money to take care of. Preventive and regular maintenance will cost you a decent amount of money to begin with.

Here are a few tips on this car:
-Have a compression test done on the engine.
-Check for leaking oil
-Check for oil in the radiator
-Look to see if the exhaust smokes after the engine warms up. Some smoking is o.k., but anything too dark is not good.
-Check the engine mounts. These go every 40,000 miles or so. I just replaced mine at $900.

Mercedes-Benz19

Reply

The thing with service records is they may not be available maybe because the last owner lost the owner’s manual or etc. What you should do is take the VIN number (#), go to the dealer, that will pull up everything about the car, and service history of the car. It could be after sometime the car was being serviced and repaired at an independent repair shop and all that service wasn't being recorded. The rust spots really freak me out though, i mean there is no a car like this should have rust problems, BMW warranties rust proofing on a car for 7 years, and now after 2000 12 years. We have a 1996 318i that has been through all types of weather and still has very minimal rust spot at the back. The car being in Illinois gives it no reason to have any type of rust; I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has much worst weather than Chicago. It looks to me from this standpoint that the car has been through a lot if it’s already having rust problems. What i would do is, get rust proofing on the car, and get a new paint job from a professional shop to take the rust out, and apply rust proofing every year to avoid this problem again. By the way whats the color of the car????? A sensor being replaced is a regular thing with these cars. The service of the car, if a big service is due on the car at 153,000km is not a big deal. A car needs a major service every year or 20,000km. That’s not bad. If a car runs, it needs service, and hey its good thing it needs service now, so the dealer can take care of it, rather than you down the road. In the next 80,000km, you can't be sure how the car will be, because first off its 7 years old, and it has 150,000km+ so you would kinda expect it to start needing new parts regularly. And honestly how long will the car last??? One word for you buddy DIESEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Diesel’s run forever if you take care of them, just see those 25-year-old Mercedes Benz diesels on the road today in good running order with about 600,000km- 800,000km (believe it). This car is good atleast for the next 20 years, i guarantee it. One thing you need to do, which most important is to get the car checked out by a Mercedes Benz technician, that is the most important thing you need to do to see how the car really is, because if it has rust than it might have been through ruff driving conditions, and also have them take a look at the engine and electrical components of the car. Right now with the body, I wouldn't pay more than $16,000 (practical offer), because the car will need some rust proofing and removal of prior rust on the body and under carriage. Anyways, The model you’re getting is in really good demand, and has a strong market value. I say if I were you, I would buy the car, of course after all the inspections and price negotiations. Best of luck, and i hope everything goes smoothly in your purchase.

ed-E300TD

I bought mine from a dealer.
It had full records, and had been well maintained, but I did not get the 100K warranty.
The quality of the earlier Benz models is not there.
I cannot recommend it to you.

rsatmans

i got mine for $18,000 with 81,000 miles on it. I love the car and have no problems with it. The car is perfect with harldy any flaws i would definelty recommend this car and consider getting it chipped.

humbley

engine mounts $900 you have been ripped of . the mounts here in england cost £65 inc all our taxes each,and to fit took me half an hour a side to fit, replaced one set in 200,000 miles. Have words with your garage !