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If this is against a forum rule then feel free to remove it. Not quite sure how some forums feel about this.
Anywho, these are the scans of the 99 E300TD I posted about a couple days ago. To summarize, the current owner says he got it from a man who was either a shop foreman, or his dad was, at the Benz dealership in South Atlanta, while he lives in another part of town and had it serviced at another dealership. He doesn't have their service records, only his own, which appear to be balanced tires, 2 oil changes (judging by the mileage), and then another service of some kind.
I've always heard Benz cars are in the shop quite a bit and can be very costly to keep on the road, but this seems a little crazy. With the mileage gaps these services are reported at, if you can even call some of them a gap, it seems this car was breaking down or throwing a code and causing an issue every few hundred miles or so. Perhaps the previous owner drove it to work everyday and would just put it in the shop for preventative maintenance quite often. Do any of you other guys have to put yours in this much? I wish there was a way I could call the dealership it was serviced at, give them the vin, and find out what exactly was being done so often.
If you are buying a 200K+ mile E300TD "remote".... frankly - CarFax or even Mercedes "VMI" is not going to tell you what I think you "want to know".
If the E300TD is in GA - then google for the closest Mercedes indie service shop - call that shop and ask how much for a Pre-Purchase-Inspection" (PPI) and decide whether or not you will pay for that - and if the seller agrees to take it there...
With this mileage - your question is "what will it need next" ?
Exactly...what will it need next is valid. Also, what has it had done would be too. If I can't tear myself away from this one, I'll take your advice on the inspection by Mercedes mechanics, hadn't even thought of that one. Thanks!
A experienced Indie MB shop should give you solid feedback - especially if you talk with them in advance in on what you want to know - and so you can confirm that shop has experience.
Unfortunately - MB dealers don't have shop techs experienced in W210's
Have a PPI arranged and if the car seems solid take it in. Call up a shop and let them know what the situation is.
Honestly, if I was selling my wagon and a buyer wanted me to take it in for a PPI before they'd even seen the car in person I'd tell them to pound sand. Not worth the hassle on my end for a sub-$5,000 car. My E63, that'd be a totally different story.
I happened across the Peach Parts forum and found a good regional forum there. I've asked if anyone knows a good shop in Atlanta that is familiar with the W210s. Maybe I can get the ball rolling on this.
lol Someone on there also mentioned them. I emailed them last night around like 7 or so maybe, after normal business hours whenever it was. I had a response from them within 30 minutes.
02-09-2019, 04:54 PM
