blackstarr777

Im thinking about buying S430 with 150,000 for 150,000 can anyone please tell me what to look out for or if its a good idea. I know its a good price but I dont want it to be a headache after I purchase so please give me your thoughts.

Quadcammer

If you don't want a headache, you are looking at the wrong car.

What to look out for is well covered if you look at the stickies in the benzworld 220 section and the info in the stickies here.

Fraser

+1

I once read on here that "A cheap Mercedes is the most expensive car you'll ever own".

If you want a W220 start by looking at '03s at the very earliest, '04s are little better yet. The later W220s are much more reliable and even with the slightly higher purchase price will cost you less in the long run.

rondocap

Be prepared to spend some money on maintenance, that $5,500 car will turn into a $10,000+ car very quickly.

The suspension can go, and various other wear and tear items at that mileage.

classyS

+1,000,000,000,000,000,000

i put the same amount of money i spent for the car, in maintenance.. as long as u keep up to it, these are very nice cars.

2H S5

that $5000 car will still cost the same in maintenance pricewise as it did when it was $100k.

tusabes

if it runs good, get it and drive it like its stolen. Forget about maintenance, or fixing things...this is going to end up as a parts car the first time something major goes out. Just keep driving it till its time to part it out. the parts value on that car is over $5000.

Quadcammer

not everybody has the time, skill or inclination to part a car out, and then he has a useless junker sitting in his driveway.

I'd just say buy a better car to begin with.

JoeVal

Blackstarr 777,
Different goals for different purposes: a car to drive is not a car for parts, and also is not a business investment for a mechanic or a junk yard operator.
I'd like to think, since you need third party opinions to make up your mind, that you cannot evaluate by yourself the condition the car is, and therefore you will not be able to diagnose and fix the unavoidable. So find something proven more reliable, such as an '06, or an '04 in good condition and with a decent maintenance history.
Oliverk is right, you don't wish to have a junker sitting on your driveway or garage, but a Mercedes. So, reaching a certain level of car condition is essential to have something worth of the name to be seen into.
Cheers, JV

Supergenius40

Is it a daily driver or a project car? Anything can be fixed if you have enough money. If it's a second car...go for it, but get an inspection.


What to look for if you don't want to pay dealer for inspection?
Water damage (rear seat, trunk, front passenger floor)
Soft close feature not working
Trunk open (soft close)
Airmatic/top seals installed
Control arms-do they look old (year 2000)
Leaking motor oil/rear axle leaking
Motor mounts (engine wobble)
Transmission mounts
That's my $.02