artbissell

Very interesting thread below here: {Looking to purchase 2004 e500.} I have for a month a 2005 e500 4matic actually built and sold in 2004. I have always had MB S and SL models for last 20 years. Never any expensive repairs. Always bought from fussy original owners or through dealer and original owner confirming with complete service records. Have now 73 450SL and 90 300SL near 100K miles each and perfect mechanically and nearly so otherwise. At 90K the 300SL got new clutch and allother driveline wearing parts and shifts like new before I got it.

These 2 are very different cars to drive and fun. Girls and older women really like bright yellow 450SL. And I like it as a cruiser. The 300 with its smooth 6 cyl. is a great mountain road car. A very fussy owner could get only $11k for his showroom condition e500 fair weather use car with fine reliability and service record for 90k miles as trade in for BMW. So I gave $12k. I never intended to buy a modern MB because of reliabiliy reputation. Too many buttons, fuses, relays, computers and other processors with leaky airbags and shocks; and 2 batteries, 2 fuel pumps, etc etc. But the E500 is such a nice thing in every respect for use and operation i bought. After a few days starting got erratic and quit.
Easy to determine a bad $15. relay for fuel pumps. Everything works properly I believe. Wonder if failing relay prompted the sale? Dealer service mgr for it I talked to said they had suggested new fuel pumps for $1492. I am priviledged to have a friend independent MB servicer who has $10k MB fault finder. I may be safe with maybe my last car at age 81. Driver license good for 5 years.