Well the latest 600sel we bought got here last friday. Looks great after spending almost 100 hours buffing/polishing/waxing the exterior and going over the interior with Zymol leather treatment (and loads of back to black on all the plastic). It has 34,200 miles on the clock. The car has been driven maybe 3-3.5 miles since we got it, and it already has a mess of parts that need to be replaced. I noticed a slight squeal/screech that was coming from the engine bay... I go to turn it on this afternoon and it starts screaming like a son of a gun! Then the smoke starts coming out and I quickly turn it off. Turns out my water pump either detonated or froze. Which for the approximate minute I had the car on caused a ton of damage to the belt and pulleys. So I'm going to do a complete tune up and change everything that needs to be done. Thermostat, t-stat housing, water pump, shocks, various bushings that have aged underneath the car, all of the pulleys, belt, fan clutch, fan, and lots more. So all in all probably a good 6-8K in parts alone that I am going to install. I knew that I was buying an expensive car but Christ almighty why does a 34k mile car have this many problems? Don't get me wrong I love these cars to death; I just hate hate HATE the repair bills. There is a price for the enjoyment of owning one of the beautiful cars, and aparantly, it comes with many zeros behind the price tag. I'll post up some pictures over the weekend if I can find my camera (it has grown legs and wandered off).
Cheers,
Ricky

On a side-note, I have decided that I am going to turn this into an S73 copy (including tuning my engine to get anywhere upwards of 526hp [which is the "stock S73" hp]). I have located a used pair of the AMG Aero II wheels (but I'm still going to try and find a new set), I've found the AMG bodykit (but again going to try and order direct from AMG), I've found an AMG suspension (yet again going to try and order direct from AMG), and I'm working on gathering information on the engine internals.

 

Alot of parts can age,and not be messed up by mileage.Check your idler pulleys,and tensioner.Also replace your flex disks on driveshaft,another part that can dry rot,causing you to throw a driveshaft.
I'm always leery of low milegae cars because rubber,plastic can rot with age.So when they say $20,000 for a 85 300SD with 19,000 miles. I ask for documentation for replaced rubber componets.Also wheel bearings can flatten out from sitting.

 

I will definitely check the idler pulleys and tensioner. If not just go ahead and replace them with the flex disks and the rubber parts on the rear axles (I have no idea what they're called but they are the rubber pieces on either end of the rear axle? They look old and disgusting so I am going to replace them). I'll check the wheels bearings too but I doubt they need to be replaced (the car was driven about 2k miles per year). Thanks so much for the help! Any other suggestions are welcomed with open arms!!

 

good luck with the work, as im also doing rapair on my radiator after the pulley broke and threw itself on the radiator fins,

 

Oh my that sounds bad, which pulley? Pix? I think I'll change whatever one did that to your car just as a precaution.