E-Class (W210) 1995-2002: E 200, E 220D, E 240, E 290TD, E 300TD, E 200, E 240, E 280, E 320, E 420, E 430 (Wagon, Touring, 4Matic)

1998 E430

Old Dec 12, 2006 | 10:23 AM
  #1  
ZedStyle's Avatar
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 8
Youngtimer
1998 E430

Hey guys,
my friend has the opportunity to buy a 98 E430 for 8k cash. I know blue book says one thing, nada says another, etc., to me the best guage of the true market value comes from people who own it.
it's white with grey interior, and is in good condition. still need it to get checked by a mechanic, but how much do you think it would be worth, assuming it was in great shape?
oh yeah, it has 140k on it!
thanks!!!
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 10:49 AM
  #2  
slk55lvr's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
Any well cared for, formerly 60 thousand dollar sedan will always be a bargain at 8k. If it's a train wreck of a car, it could be too much even if it was free. If you know the owner and the car checks out during an inspection then it's worth it.
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 11:00 AM
  #3  
420cap_N's Avatar
Almost a Member!
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
actually thats not a great deal i bought my 97 e420 for 7k off of cars.com
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 01:44 PM
  #4  
Tommy_s4's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,017
Likes: 0
From: The city that never sleeps
ML320, Looking for my S4
Originally Posted by 420cap_N
actually thats not a great deal i bought my 97 e420 for 7k off of cars.com
i agree, even though it sounds like a good deal. Take it to the nearest mercedes benz dealership and get that car inspected from bumper to bumber and find out every problem. on top of that you can look a little harder and fine one with even lower milage.
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 03:08 PM
  #5  
4runner's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
There are some better deals out there, even with lower mileage. 2 months ago I purchase the wife a 1999 E430 Sport Package w/90k for a little over $11k off of ebay of all places. Met the guy half way and drove it 3 hours home. Within the first 2 weeks, check engine light came on and a day later an ESP (Anti-Lock Brake System) light came on. Surfed the MB forum and changed the MAF sensor insert, got rid of check engine light and changed brake light switch, got rid of ESP light. Brake light switch $16 at dealer and MAF sensor insert $100 on ebay, changed myself from viewing MB forums and she has been purring right along. Changed all internal oil's as I had no documentation showing when changed last. I've been lucky so far. Good luck in your search.
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 03:36 PM
  #6  
ProV1's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 1
From: Baltimore MD
MB, BMW
be sure to get the service and maintenance history, if those check out you'll be good to go. I'm realizing that MBs are not that hard to work on, so even if a few things break you can replace em pretty easily. but if the car was neglected she will bite you in the a$$, so beware!
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 04:14 PM
  #7  
Richard / E320's Avatar
Super Member
20 Year Member
Photogenic
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 669
Likes: 1
From: North Bay Area, California
2001 E320
Originally Posted by ZedStyle
Hey guys,
my friend has the opportunity to buy a 98 E430 for 8k cash. I know blue book says one thing, nada says another, etc., to me the best guage of the true market value comes from people who own it.
it's white with grey interior, and is in good condition. still need it to get checked by a mechanic, but how much do you think it would be worth, assuming it was in great shape?
oh yeah, it has 140k on it!
thanks!!!
ZedStyle;

If you look long and hard enough, you will always find a better, cleaner and less expensive vehicle. I think it's more important to know the service history, doing a complete mechanical and body inspection.

Based on mileage, and you can't tell by looking at a vehicle, one with 120k miles that did a lot of highway driving is probably better than one with 90k miles but never left the city limits. Stop and go traffic means more transmission shifts, higher RPM's rather then steady RPM's, and harder on the cooling system.
Reply
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 05:43 PM
  #8  
ProV1's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 1
From: Baltimore MD
MB, BMW
when shopping used cars nowadays, be especially weary of where the car was driven in the past! hundreds of thousands of flooded cars from the south are cleaned up and shipped to all over the country and sold for top dollar, dont be a victim!
Reply
MB World Stories

The Best of Mercedes & AMG

story-0

New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Dec 12, 2006 | 10:19 PM
  #9  
ZedStyle's Avatar
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 8
Youngtimer
much love guys, truly appreciate the help. this girl really wants a w203, but she found this and thought it was a good deal, so thought we would check it out.
i think we might end up passing on this one, but i'll let you know...!
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:
You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:47 AM.

story-0
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes-AMG's new electric GT 4-Door Coupe trades combustion for software, synthetic noise, and more than 1,100 horsepower.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 20:08:15


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-2
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-3
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-4
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-5
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-6
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-7
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-9
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE