Got into an accident... Time for a project
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 308
Likes: 8
You can not fix that car at home.
See how the fender sticks out by the passenger front door?
Your frame might not have been hit but that front end is waaaaay the **** over.
Scrap it.
Source: Body shop estimator for almost 3yrs and SA at a MB dealer for 8yrs.
See how the fender sticks out by the passenger front door?
Your frame might not have been hit but that front end is waaaaay the **** over.
Scrap it.
Source: Body shop estimator for almost 3yrs and SA at a MB dealer for 8yrs.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 308
Likes: 8
That car will never be the same, W211 are stupid cheap to buy. He will spend countless hours trying to get that to look like a decent car. He is better off finding a car with a blown motor or trans and swapping his drivetrain and if his interior is really nice, swap that over. That could be done in a weekend or 2 and for maybe $2k for the used car.
Or he could buy that same used car. Then start by taking off all his bad parts on his wrecked car, tow it to a body shop to be put on a frame machine. Once the frame is square he can remove the rear glass, cut the pass rear quarter panel off, brake down both front doors and rear doors for blending of the paint. Tow the other car up to the body shop remove all the body panels, readiator, condenser suspension etc, cut the pass quarter off that car. Now weld the used car quarter panel on to the wrecked car install all the body panels, headlights, radiator, condenser, suspension yada yada yada, then paint 3/4 of the car, why not paint the whole car now. Then comes the prayer that there are no warnings, everything works and it drives straight. So after about 3 months, $2k for the used car, ~$1500 for a cheap paint job, $6500+ for a good one, a few tow bills and providing he did all the body work and part swapping labor he now has a car worth $5k.
Now if he tries so souce parts individually multiply the cost by 10. Its not the big parts like fenders and bumpers that are expensive when you buy them used its all the little bits that MB uses that break in a wreck like this that you might have to buy at the dealer.
my $0.02
Last edited by BryanW203; Apr 28, 2016 at 12:09 PM.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
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From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
It's not hate. It is love.
The kind of love that where you tell your friend to just open a new jar instead of just scraping the mold off the top of the salsa.
Sometimes you just need to buy a new toaster instead of always using a fork to pull the toast out of the old one.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,133
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 55
Likes: 4
From: Mid-Atlantic
W211 - 2003
You had a beautiful car for sure, man. I looked up to yours, and you helped me out when I was trying to decide how my car would look tinted.
That being said, don't give up the goose trying to get it back. In my area, there are lots of w211's for sale that will cost less than repairing this guy. If you're looking for a project, sure, go for it... even if you're looking for a learning experience. Just don't get too involved financially or you'll get too emotionally committed to see that it's eating your wallet alive.
If you wanna keep it around, by all means, do so. But I'd spend your money toward a new one in the meantime and making that car equally beautiful.
That being said, don't give up the goose trying to get it back. In my area, there are lots of w211's for sale that will cost less than repairing this guy. If you're looking for a project, sure, go for it... even if you're looking for a learning experience. Just don't get too involved financially or you'll get too emotionally committed to see that it's eating your wallet alive.
If you wanna keep it around, by all means, do so. But I'd spend your money toward a new one in the meantime and making that car equally beautiful.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2015
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From: dmv
2009 E550 2000 Honda civic mash n' go
Back to the subject however, how much progress has been accomplished on this project so far?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,133
Likes: 134
From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
But various people have already tried to convince him otherwise and in his OP he said he wants to fix it. So if others have tried to sway him and in his OP he says he's going to fix it why are people still trying to "help" as you would call it? And i Understand what others including you are trying to do/say but idk, it's hiscar his money.
Back to the subject however, how much progress has been accomplished on this project so far?
Back to the subject however, how much progress has been accomplished on this project so far?
for me but, main reason i join forums like this more than to educate is to be educated. i may decide on something in the spur of the moment but as soon as others with more experience puts in their 2 cents, i come into a realization that they might be right and i could be wrong. and a lot of the older members on here can say that that happens more often than not.
but youre right, his car, his money, his headache, his funeral. some of us can only shake our heads.
IB Staff
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 664
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Front page coverage
Not sure it's the best idea in the world, but we'll certainly be following along...
https://mbworld.org/articles/another...ou-rebuild-it/
https://mbworld.org/articles/another...ou-rebuild-it/
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 85
From: New Jersey
2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
I always lean towards doing whatever makes you happy. Just be prepared that you might not be so happy after you put all the effort into a rebuild. Regardless good luck
MBWorld God!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 31,273
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From: on my way
2012 CLS63
the writer of this article just had to add an insult huh? typical......
"even against common sense, he’s decided to rebuild it."
https://mbworld.org/
"even against common sense, he’s decided to rebuild it."
https://mbworld.org/
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
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From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
I hope he is successful, and still want to see pictures along the way.
I'm just chiming in after putting in way too much time and effort on a Audi that was not near as bad.
I'm just chiming in after putting in way too much time and effort on a Audi that was not near as bad.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
I bet every angle of this debate has been covered and I only skimmed through most of it, but I sort of agree with N_Jay... we wish him luck but it makes relatively little sense in the long run.
Just be sure you won't kick yourself for deciding to rebuild it in the future OP, just as a financial decision. Most times things are quite a bit clearer in hindsight... and it's a sad reality but these cars are pretty much a dime a dozen. Not sure why you'd want to start from such a flawed platform, but that's your prerogative I guess.
Just be sure you won't kick yourself for deciding to rebuild it in the future OP, just as a financial decision. Most times things are quite a bit clearer in hindsight... and it's a sad reality but these cars are pretty much a dime a dozen. Not sure why you'd want to start from such a flawed platform, but that's your prerogative I guess.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 299
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From: Colorado
'03 SL55 AMG | 2021 AMG GLE 63s Coupe
Some people build elaborate bridges and such from toothpicks.
The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.
Combine those two truisms and one output is:
The OP wants to build a car from a pile of 54!t
+ 
= 
The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.
Combine those two truisms and one output is:
The OP wants to build a car from a pile of 54!t
+ =
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
Likes: 628
From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,381
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Acura TL 2008 - Acura MDX 2012
Due to the we extent of the damage, if it were me, I would buy another w211 and put all the parts I can swap out that made my car sentimental(emblems, ECT.). This way I would feel like its still had the essence of the original car. It would be much cheaper, you would feel like you got your car back, and you'd have a car you would have a parts car. After all, even when you fix your current w211, it so will be different now that it was smashed. Only you know just how much you love your baby. With that said, YOLO!!
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
Likes: 628
From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
Likes: 628
From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
Due to the we extent of the damage, if it were me, I would buy another w211 and put all the parts I can swap out that made my car sentimental(emblems, ECT.). This way I would feel like its still had the essence of the original car. It would be much cheaper, you would feel like you got your car back, and you'd have a car you would have a parts car. After all, even when you fix your current w211, it so will be different now that it was smashed. Only you know just how much you love your baby. With that said, YOLO!!
Could a E350 make a good body donor?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,133
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From: Down Unda
W204 C63 AMG, W212 E250 CGI, C207 E250 CGI
guys, OP has been silent for a while, either he's gonna surprise all of us with his fixed like new 211 or came to his senses and sold it as is and moved on. until then...
