Please help a newbie who never experience MB
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 606
Likes: 4
From: Bellevue, WA
.... nothing to brag about, it is a previous model....
Please help a newbie who never experience MB
A neighbor who is moving away is selling his 98 E430 with 180K on it AS IS (yes, that's high mileage)
Overall the body looks perfect and new (always garage kept)
Me on the other hand, always a Volvo guy (cheap and reliable) I was thinking buying it from him.
What are the things I'd expect to look for or ready to replace or any common defective issue, please let me know.
I really appreciate that
thanks,
Overall the body looks perfect and new (always garage kept)
Me on the other hand, always a Volvo guy (cheap and reliable) I was thinking buying it from him.
What are the things I'd expect to look for or ready to replace or any common defective issue, please let me know.
I really appreciate that
thanks,
Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 178
Likes: 4
From: Austin, TX
2012 C250
Mass air sensor (~$300 from dealer, ~$150 on ebay, buyer beware though).
Rear window regulators (~$60-80)
catalytic converters (~$900 each from the dealer. I've read posts on the board indicating aftermarket/racing cats are significantly cheaper)
Harmonic Balancer (do a search on the board. if this car was built with the defective component the part has probably already been replaced, but it can't hurt to check)
motor mounts are probably collapsed by now. expect around $200 for parts.
there's a spacer on the transmission that can cause a slow leak. it's cheap (6 dollar part) but you'll need to drop the transmission pan and do a little work to replace it. Speaking of transmissions, if the car has never had it done, you'll want to change the transmission fluid and filter (~$8-9/liter, ~$6-8 for the filter, ~$30-40 for the transmission dipstick).
Oil changes are going to run you around ~$50-60 for parts. around $100 if you pay someone to do it. good news is you can go 10k miles between changes with the fleece filter.
Don't let these costs deter you though. if the car has been well maintained, it'll far and away beat your volvo, I expect. I'm a volvo refugee myself. I had an old 300E (1987 model) and went to an 2001 volvo S40, which unfortunately was a lemon. I went back to Mercedes and haven't looked back since.
Rear window regulators (~$60-80)
catalytic converters (~$900 each from the dealer. I've read posts on the board indicating aftermarket/racing cats are significantly cheaper)
Harmonic Balancer (do a search on the board. if this car was built with the defective component the part has probably already been replaced, but it can't hurt to check)
motor mounts are probably collapsed by now. expect around $200 for parts.
there's a spacer on the transmission that can cause a slow leak. it's cheap (6 dollar part) but you'll need to drop the transmission pan and do a little work to replace it. Speaking of transmissions, if the car has never had it done, you'll want to change the transmission fluid and filter (~$8-9/liter, ~$6-8 for the filter, ~$30-40 for the transmission dipstick).
Oil changes are going to run you around ~$50-60 for parts. around $100 if you pay someone to do it. good news is you can go 10k miles between changes with the fleece filter.
Don't let these costs deter you though. if the car has been well maintained, it'll far and away beat your volvo, I expect. I'm a volvo refugee myself. I had an old 300E (1987 model) and went to an 2001 volvo S40, which unfortunately was a lemon. I went back to Mercedes and haven't looked back since.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 606
Likes: 4
From: Bellevue, WA
.... nothing to brag about, it is a previous model....
Thanks guys.....it sounds scary to own one though.
He was been very nice and offer me $8K for it.
The car comes w/ all the gadget, such as factory Xeon lights (although the headlight lens definitely need to be replace - so.......unclear) , full AMG body conversion, including so-call 2000 model tail light and trunk (Although kind of too mean-looking for me) and 18" AMG wheels, bumper sensor, yedi yada... But my concern is the "after care" for this car. The car seems to run perfectly smooth, and yes, amazing powerful. ( well, I don't drive over 70mph at any given day)
So if there is more you can think of, please do let me know.
p.s. I don't know anything about car, if you like to quote the possible repair, can you fellows including the possible labor cost? Thanks~~~
He was been very nice and offer me $8K for it.
The car comes w/ all the gadget, such as factory Xeon lights (although the headlight lens definitely need to be replace - so.......unclear) , full AMG body conversion, including so-call 2000 model tail light and trunk (Although kind of too mean-looking for me) and 18" AMG wheels, bumper sensor, yedi yada... But my concern is the "after care" for this car. The car seems to run perfectly smooth, and yes, amazing powerful. ( well, I don't drive over 70mph at any given day)
So if there is more you can think of, please do let me know.
p.s. I don't know anything about car, if you like to quote the possible repair, can you fellows including the possible labor cost? Thanks~~~
Last edited by no_clue; Mar 26, 2006 at 03:55 PM.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 669
Likes: 1
From: North Bay Area, California
2001 E320
Originally Posted by no_clue
A neighbor who is moving away is selling his 98 E430 with 180K on it AS IS (yes, that's high mileage)
Private Party Retail:
Excellent condition: $12,290
Good condition: $11,285
Fair condition: $9,880
Trade-in:
Excellent condition: $8,475
Good condition: $7,620
Fair condition: $6,160
180k miles is a lot of miles on any vehicle; how much money might you spend on it for future repairs?
Last edited by Richard / E320; Mar 26, 2006 at 04:26 PM.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 606
Likes: 4
From: Bellevue, WA
.... nothing to brag about, it is a previous model....
Originally Posted by Richard / E320
Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com) shows that typical 1998 model-year mileage for this vehicle is 81,000 miles.
Private Party Retail:
Excellent condition: $12,290
Good condition: $11,285
Fair condition: $9,880
Trade-in:
Excellent condition: $8,475
Good condition: $7,620
Fair condition: $6,160
180k miles is a lot of miles on any vehicle; how much money might you spend on it for future repairs?
Private Party Retail:
Excellent condition: $12,290
Good condition: $11,285
Fair condition: $9,880
Trade-in:
Excellent condition: $8,475
Good condition: $7,620
Fair condition: $6,160
180k miles is a lot of miles on any vehicle; how much money might you spend on it for future repairs?
Thanks for the info!!!!! wow...........
To be honest, I am perfectly happy w/ my current Volvo. (besides regular oil change, brake pad, it has yet to give me any trouble..and it is 96 MODEL!!!!)
The MB is great, obviously, more than what I can carried on my current social status. I plan to spend no money on repair, though.. ok ok..maybe NO more than $800.
p.s. Does the info apply to E430 model?
Last edited by no_clue; Mar 26, 2006 at 05:06 PM.
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Super Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 669
Likes: 1
From: North Bay Area, California
2001 E320
Originally Posted by no_clue
p.s. Does the info apply to E430 model?
Way too many miles for me... I'd rather pay a higher price upfront for something with a lot less miles. But you could use the mileage to negotiate a substantially lower price. I can tell you that dealers hit that type of vehicle really, really hard because of those miles.
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 606
Likes: 4
From: Bellevue, WA
.... nothing to brag about, it is a previous model....
Originally Posted by Richard / E320
Yes, that information is specific to a 1998 E430 with 180k miles. Unless it comes with a huge stack of receipts showing a lot of work has already been professionally done, I don't think it’s a great deal.
Way too many miles for me... I'd rather pay a higher price upfront for something with a lot less miles. But you could use the mileage to negotiate a substantially lower price. I can tell you that dealers hit that type of vehicle really, really hard because of those miles.
Way too many miles for me... I'd rather pay a higher price upfront for something with a lot less miles. But you could use the mileage to negotiate a substantially lower price. I can tell you that dealers hit that type of vehicle really, really hard because of those miles.
THNAKS!!!!!!!!! I mean this really really helps me.
I guess I am not ready for MB yet.
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City
97 E420 90 300E
Originally Posted by purplegrog
Oil changes are going to run you around ~$50-60 for parts. around $100 if you pay someone to do it. good news is you can go 10k miles between changes with the fleece filter.
.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by no_clue
THNAKS!!!!!!!!! I mean this really really helps me.
I guess I am not ready for MB yet.
I guess I am not ready for MB yet.
If you paid him 5-5500 for the car it would be a fair deal. He's not going to get his door knocked down for 8k, trust me.
