BenzHunter

Hello All,

i’m seeking your collective guidance on how I should proceed.

Situation: i have owned two w210 chassis cars for a long time.
Car A - 2003 4matic Wagon - I love the Wagon and plan to keep it forever.
Car B - 2000 4matic Sedan - Needs to be euthanized as it needs $6,800 worth of work for a trans and deferred maintenance matters.

Questions
Do I harvest all the best Sedan parts to save money as I keep the Wagon going?
Do I sell the Sedan as is as a parts car?
Do I take the parts I want off the Sedan then sell it as a parts car?

(I’ll have the help of a friend who earns a living as an automotive tech)
(I’ll have about two weeks to strip the car once I bring it home before my wife loses her $h*t. Hahaha)


If I harvest parts, can you please add to this potential list of parts worth pulling as they are common failure points.
Tail Light circuit boards
AC Compressor and other AC parts (only a few years old)
Seat Motors
Seat Heaters
Spare
AC dash controller
Blower motor
Window actuators
Wiper Motor
headlights
tail lights
Front glass (my Wagon windshield has several chips so it’s just a matter of time)

Additional Context
The Sedan is a one family car since new.
No rust
Will not pass Pennsylvania Inspection
Runs well but can only and drive short distances due to the trans issue.
Unfortunately the car is not worth anything as it has 180,000 miles and is so needy.
As I explained to my trusted independent MB shop owner....If I had $6,800 would I buy another ordinary Silver w210 Sedan? No

Thanks in advance for your time!

fabbrisd1

Why waste time and all that energy - sell as is $1000 - $1500 on Craiglist.

Man - I wouldn't want the job to pull that windshield and expect to use it in your other - same goes for the rest of those parts...

Plutoe

Typically poster 2 never makes sense,however in this instance its a joy that he does---Go getum Mr.Fabulous

kajtek1

Check your market first as I think getting $1000 for non-running car can be hard.
Ebay is flooded with W210 parts and they don't move much.

BenzHunter

I’m still struggling as to what to do with my w210 sedan. After sitting at my local MB specialist shop for a long LONG time (with regular starts and laps in the parking lot) it’s back in my driveway.

Needs $3,300.00 in transmission work and $3,400 in deferred maintenance.
Front shocks, struts, springs
Valve cover gaskets (yet again)
All mounts for the motor and trans
180,000 miles

It makes NO economical sense to fix the car yet I can’t bring myself to junk it. It just seems wrong. It’s like an old friend...almost 20 years of service.

Selling it to a “retail buyer” seems very unlikely.
As an example of the market...A local gas station has been unable to sell the sport version of this car with only 80,000 miles for $1,500 (Needs tires and has a misfire - probably less costly to address these needs versus the $6,700 worth of work my Plain Jane sedan needs)

What to do?
rescue or just put a bullet in it?

kajtek1

I have similar dilemma with my 2008 Bluetec.
The car has pristine paint, very good interior (I have extra skin for driver seat), recently serviced engine and transmission (might need new MM) yet with high mileage BB gives it $2400.
We already have new car, so have to sell this one, but looks like I will have hard time to sell it for $4000.
At this time I am thinking about putting it in non-op status and keep it for rainy days.
Putting bullet in the car is not solving anything.
I would put add on CL "best offer will be accepted in 2 weeks".
Even $1 will save you money for towing it to JY.

Plutoe

As a last resort you can always donate the car to the red crescent. They will have all sorts of uses for an older car.

kajtek1

Maybe in Florida.
On West coast Goodwill will not take "old sofa" even if you bring it to them.

Strigoi

Buy a used tranny and do the maintenance yourself. If you aren't going to get **** for the car might as well learn how to work on your own stuff with it.

Paulcomi

When my silver W2 10 was my only Mercedes I was reluctant to do much of the work on it but this year we bought a W2 12 and now that the W2 10 is not being driven I’m not hesitant at all to dig into issues with the car

So far with the help of people on boards like this I have cleared all the service codes and fixed nagging warning signals on my dash

The paint on the car has problems with the clearcoat and it has a few small body issues but to be honest the car drives well for a get around car and even though it doesn’t have resell value it’s a perfectly good car for getting around town doing errands and stuff like that When my son gets his license it’s a perfect first car.

BruceKoukalaka

I'd say you are trying to convince yourself into doing the work. If so GO FOR IT!!!!!!! There is plenty to learn and having a car to work on helps me when I get antsy!!!!