keepmelow

hi guys im just new here at mbworld. i hope u guys can help me with my questions and with my doubts in my mind. im from canada by the way.
here's my thoughts with the e-class. im looking to buy a 99 e320 with 147kms on it for $8k. i really love this generation of eclass, but my only concern is:
*is it really expensive to keep the car?
*does this generation has a lot of issues and problems(mechanical/ electrical) stuffs?
*do i really need to have lots of money to own this car?
*and how hard are they to keep and maintain?
*and based on your experience, like how much do you spend for the maintainance in a year? just to give an idea if i can handle it.

thank you so much for your inputs and comments. godspeed! more power to mbworld.

tmandel

Good to find this forum and ask questions before buying -- well done!

147k miles or kilometers? IMO, unless this is a one-owner, meticulously maintained car in perfect condition that you are buying from the first owner him/herself and getting all maintenance records -- and probably even then -- you are paying too much money for this car. I don't know the conversion rate between Canadian and US dollars at present, however.

As to the cost of ownership -- unless you are a DIY person or have an independent mechanic you trust (i.e. *not* the Benz dealer), an E class may well turn out to be more expensive to maintain than you would prefer. If you *do* have a reliable, trusted and experience independent mechanic w/ MB experience, then it should be affordable.

Most important by far is to *buy right.* Don't fall in love w/ a car, and *do* get an extensive pre-purchase inspection on any car before buying it.

RichardM98

Welcome to the forum...

Your questions come up a lot so if you use the search engine you'll find lots of opinions.

As far as maintenance goes, a lot depends on how handy you are and how willing you are to do your own routine maintenance. Most of it is not that hard but you do need a few tools. As for procedures there are plenty online (some even have video) and you'll get lots of help if you ask.

As to your questions, the price on the one you are looking at seems a little high. Someone out here just bought a similar model for $3500 but it had some issues including a little rust. With an older car, condition -- both mechanical and cosmetic -- is everything. These models were quite popular and finding used ones should be easy unless you live in a rural area.

When you narrow down your choice, find a professional MB mechanic to do a pre-purchase inspection. It may cost a couple of hundred bucks but almost any serious repair will cost far more so it's money well spent. Also, look for a car with complete or near complete service records. If well maintained these cars (E-class) can almost last forever.

There's a thread here called "Common Problems" or some such. Just do a search with those terms. And remember most owners don't experience any of those issues and no one has them all.

As for maintenance costs, I do all my own but only with factory approved fluids and filters. In the two+ years I've owned my wagon I've spend about $750. That included one A-schedule service, one B-schedule service, transmission service, replacing front brake pads and a wheel alignment (at dealer). If I had used an MB independent mechanic that might be double and if I had gone to the dealer that might have been triple or more roughly.

Take your time and get the best one you can for your budget. The driving experience is truly memorable.

Good luck.

keepmelow

thanks for the inputs guys!

@tmandel
its 147kms bro, not miles.

@richardm98
yes bro its $8k firm including taxes , safety and emission and 2yrs powertrain warranty (engine & tranny)

here's the link to give you the exact pix of the car. 1999 benz e320 $6980 posted.
http://autoislandinc.com/showroom.html

problems i saw/heard with the car: (i dont know if this is just minimal problems)

*ticking sound under the hood that comes from the ABS module(right side of the engine bay near the positive battery terminal) after a few minutes then it'll be gone for a moment,then it will come out again.

*when i rev the engine and let go of the pedal, there's a rattling sound coming from underneath the car, i think its the exhaust pipe.(i guess so).

*warning indicates (lamp malfunction) in the cluster gauge.

aside from that the car is in very good shape, no dents, no faded/chipped off paint, no rust(just a rust stain on the front fender lower part,but not noticeable,).


everything working fine, electricals, etc..

by the way, im just curious about the key, its got the infrared type of key for the ignition, not the conventional steel key. are those durable and not prone to malfunctions?(sorry for this stupid question, its my first time to own a benz)

and also, is this the top of the line trim that the e-class has?

thanks everyone.

RichardM98

Ticking is most likely the MOT purge valve. It's part of the emissions system and goes off and on when it needs to. Normal.

Could be catalytic convertors. The media can lump up and rattle. That would be a major expense.

Common problem with these cars. Probably loose contact between bulb socket and holder causes system to think bulb is burned out. Usually can be eliminated with a little TLC to the socket.

Not sure what a rust stain is but I'd inspect carefully. Areas to check are the underside of the doors, where you grip the trunk to open and the underside of the trunk lid. Look for rust and evidence of fresh paint (coverup).

Keys are pretty durable but expensive to replace. Dealer only with special coding to your car. You should receive 3 keys. Two keyless remote keys (actually they have IR and RF) and one emergency key (no remote capability). All three should have a steel key insert which you can open the car with. Also make sure the Owners Manual package is there and look for a small card with the radio code.

All E-class (W210) come fully equipped. There was an Elegance package but I think all NA exports had it. Also, all of the options listed by the seller except the heated seats (nice for Canada) are standard on this model.

Better deal than I originally thought. But I would investigate 2 year drivetrain warranty. Who does the work? Does it cover MB authentic parts and labor? Can you take it anywhere for repairs?

Still, I would still try to find and drive a few other examples.

tmandel

At least in the US, the car has *black* paint around the bottom, under doors, trunk, etc. all the way around (until 2000 facelift model). This car looks to have a different paint treatment. This might indicate repaint.

Are you looking at a full set of maintenance records? Do you have any history (e.g. carfax)? Have you taken it to a reliable, experienced Mercedes technician for a pre-purchase inspection?

This is a pretty common car; it's not hard to find them. Maintenance and condition are also more important than miles on the clock. People around here usually suggest that you at least *try* to find a one-owner car, with records, that you can buy from the owner. Likely to be less expensive as well.

BigBoss

Seems like it sits lower than stock suspension.

Musikmann

Ditto. That car has been lowered, at least compared to mine.

raymond g-

here are technical service bulletins which i pulled up for the 99 E320. some
are small ticket items, some are 'recalls'.

BigBoss

Maybe it's worn out? Or is it too soon? Mine doesn't sit that low.

Do you have recalls for 2002?

raymond g-

yes, but since i did that last one free, the one for 2002 will cost about $1500.
but I take Paypal. are you comfortable with that arrangement?

jk jk BB. just trying out a little dealer humor on you. for 99 and 02, I have
full descriptions I pulled off AllData, but the mods said I'd be banned if I
posted them, so you just get the title pages.

BigBoss

Are you serious? Lol.

raymond g-

BigBoss

Well hey its the internet and you never know. Thanks a lot.

So this is only a list of them right? I don't see any explanations.

dsmith

Front right looks like it's been repaired. Check the carfax, and the paint depth on the panels to verify. Worst color combo too. I'd pass.

keepmelow

guys before i make a comment on your feedbacks and some helpful tips which i greatly appreciate. i would like to share this little argument/debate with my mother and her friend regarding the benz...

i told them that im planning to buy this car. and when they found out that it was a "benz'', they immediately make some very annoying comments..and i can feel that they're trying to discourage me in buying this car.

these are the comments;
*if you buy that car you'll regret it for sure bcoz of the maintainance.
*if you want to buy that car, you should set aside atleast $500-$1000 a month just for the car itself for the parts blah blah blah...
*if you buy that, it's like your buying a headache
*we know its a nice car because its a benz, its a status, but only people with disposable income can afford to have that.
*just buy another japanese car to stay away from headaches..(my 1st option before the benz was the 2005 accord,but i really love the e-class that's why i don't mind the accord at this time..)

***guys, honestly i don't want this kind of feeling, i don't know if i would believe them, or not.. but i know they have a point...as you can see in my first post, i asked how much do you guys spend in a year to maintain the car. i already have plans with the class, but these motherly comment keeps me from avoiding the car.. can you counter/defend these comments? i hope so, to give me some back-up in buying the car. thank you mbworld sirs!

BigBoss

My opinion on this car: Something doesn't seem right about it. I could be wrong though. It sits way lower than any other E-class I've seen but that's probably/hopefully a mod. But who does suspension mods and nothing else? Dirty engine bay. This is also my least favorite color combo. I like tan interiors, but definitely not on same color exteriors.

Interior looks great and clean. Heated seats, good for Canada. Don't let my opinions stop you from buying the car if you really like it but I say just inspect it closely.

I definitely don't listen to anyone calling my car a status symbol. I bought my car because I'm European, I like European cars, and the E-Class is a great car. I didn't buy the car to impress anyone, I bought it for myself.

Everyone else can add in on the mechanical aspects of owning the car since I just got mine recently and don't know much yet.

dsmith

The fact is that modern cars start costing money over 100k miles. EVAP systems clog up, standard components start to fail (alternators, starters, relays, power options, etc) all rubber parts begin to fail (ball joints, bushings, rubber hoses) and worst of all, prior owner neglect begins to show in premature engine, transmission, brake, cooling system and differential wear. The latter is mostly from infrequent fluid changes that can even happen when following factory schedules, which have been lessened to show lower cost of ownership to first owners.

Yes, the Benz will cost more, in general than most other similarly sized cars, the exception being a BMW 5 or 7 series (Break My Wallet applies here). Shops that work on these cars charge more for their services, parts generally cost more and more items generally fail vs something like a Camry or Accord.

If you can work on cars, you can work on an E320. It's actually one of the easiest cars to maintain and repair, and there is an extensive knowledge base on the internet for support, unlike say Volvo and Audi.

So, the cost to maintain an 11 yr old, technologically advanced car is mostly based on its past maintenance history and your ability to fix it on your own. On average, I would expect someone to spend under $1000 per year doing their own maintenance and repairs, and $2000-$3000 per year if having a proper shop maintain the car.

The only way to know if it is worth the extra money to you is to own the car.

Bottom line is that your Mom has about a 50% chance of being right, if you buy the wrong car.

hflavell

Funny. Purchased my 98 E320 last November. Nothing mechanically wrong with it after 140,000 miles (paid $5,000). Have not spent anywhere near what you are being told by your family on monthy expenses. Worst case I bought a second key from the dealer for $250. Rust has been my major problem. I will be replacing the rear doors and trunk lid from salvaged car and will repaint the whole car after the other body rust is cut out and replaced. I also just recently bought a 03 Acura TL sport (well it's a Honda). I love the way it handles and with 120,000 miles it has no mechanical issues and no rust.

Shaggypoo4u

Can 235/35/19 wheels fit my 1997 E320?... I really need some help deciding on an upgrade...