I guess you didn't believe me.

 

Paint chrome all in excellent condition: History of body repair and rust bubbles on the rear quarter panel.... End of the story.. I am not buying this car even if it's for $5000. Just 'coz one sold for $7100 and just 'coz the seller says, it's like brand now doesn't mean anything until one gets a PPI.

These 3 guys not counting myself, must be idiots paying $17,000+ for these cars in the past 4 months. Of-course there will always be E55's sold for $2500, or may be $4000 but then there are reasons why one car cost $17,000 and the other $7000.

Evidence of rust, most sellers done hence the car only had 4 bids.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...enz-e55-amg-2/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...enz-e55-amg-2/

?ytcheck=1&new_session=1

 

When I bought my E55 it was in good shape. It'd had paint work and I knew it at least needed engine mounts. My friend that works at an indy came to look at it with me. We knew it needed some work and it still cost me over $2k to get everything taken care of. He said if I'd gone through their shop it would have been well over $6,000 to have all that work done. I paid $12k for that car in 2011 (I think, maybe 2010). It was on the cheaper end of the price range at the time as well. Aside from the engine mounts it actually drove nice and ran great when I checked it out. Without having gotten a PPI done on the cars you checked out you can't say what they actually needed. You need to get the car on a lift to know what's up with it, a quick test drive doesn't tell you much. You're not going to know that certain bushings may be getting worn and should be replaced soon.

These cars can obviously be worth a lot more than you think. You've never owned one and you're in here defending the cheaper ones saying they're just as good as the ones that are pulling a premium.

It's like that 2001 E320 wagon that sold on BaT recently for $18,000. I didn't think it'd go for anywhere close to that, but I own one and I get it. I paid $3500 for mine and it doesn't really need anything mechanically (got sway bar links and fog light lenses in the garage). I wouldn't sell it for less than $5,000 but it doesn't mean other nicer ones aren't worth a lot more.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...s-benz-e320-3/

 

These BAT examples are the exception and not the norm. As far as never owning one, I don't see how that prevents me from making educated comments on this forum. I keep an eye out on W210 E55s and pay close attention to what they sell for on eBay and Craigslist. If you guys want to believe these 16 year old cars are worth $17k so be it.

 

I rest my case and like I said earlier buy me a nice example of E55 that has the original paint, is rust free and doesn't need any work for $7000 and I will pay you $5000 for a finders fee, deal. I am sure as much as you know W210 E55, you really shouldn't have any problem finding one.

I am sure you won't have paid more than $3000 for that W210 wagon, right?

Yes, the BAT cars were probably exceptions and that's what we are talking about. Cars that are well maintained, taken care off, has no rust and any accidents, can't be classified with low priced cars and, If you can comprehend that, we are done.

 

I'm sure these cars on BAT are in showroom condition with not a single thing wrong with them. Geeez.

 

They could need little work but not thousands as those low end priced cars could/would or else they would be asking higher prices too. There's a reason why one car sells more than the other. I have a Porsche 911 Turbo and I follow that market too. The 997.1 TT (2001-2009) commands $75-$85) and get this, white color commands another $5-7 grand and yes, people buy them all day long.

Bottom line is, it all boils down to Supply and demand. Now the E500 that you have were produced by millions while the E55 was produced in few thousand hence many more people willing to pay for nicer, well maintained cars.

Hope that clarifies things up.

 

Thanks for clarifying, I can rest easy now. If you're trying to make me feel bad about owning an E500, you failed miserably.

 

We're not talking about the norm now. It's about the clean ones that command a premium. I could watch Ferrari or Porsche prices all day and I still wouldn't know how much it costs to actually own one.

It's like watching whatever sports ball game you like vs. actually playing it.

 

 

Please post some pictures, let's see the beauty.

 

I'm getting in on this toward the back end of the discussion. I too have seen the BaT auctions for the 2002, 2001 and 1999 E55 that sold recently. I think the 2002 went for 17K, the 99 for 12K and the 01 had high miles went for 10k? Then you go on Auto Trader or our own Buy/Sell forum here and see other W210 E55s listed for 5-7k and they all seem to be sitting for weeks and months.

The hardest thing to do with a W210 is keep it clean and rust free. If you live anywhere that has bad weather and you daily drive the car you are going to get rust. Maybe that is why those BaT cars went so high? Then again maybe not. My personal opinion is drive them. Enjoy them. Take care of them, but be realistic. Unless you put it in a low humidity temperature controlled bubble inside a garage it's going to get bumps and bruises.

Below is my 2002 with 134k miles on the clock. Put close to 30k miles on it. I've owned it for approximately 5 years. Paid $9,800 for it from a local dealer that took it in on a trade. It is daily driven every day of the week. In the winter it rides on a set of 17" Blizzaks. I do my best to constantly clean and keep everything dry. It has been meticulously maintained but it's got battle scars. The original owner hit a deer back in 2004. Front end was repainted. I hit a raccoon a year ago and again had the front bumper repaired and repainted. Paint isn't great in places. Rust is a constant battle. See a bubble, pop it, get out the dremel, get down to clean metal. Get a small paint brush and dab on some rust inhibitor, then primer then paint. Constantly keep it waxed and sealed.

At the end of the day, I can't think of a more comfortable, reliable, solid feeling, better looking vehicle than the W210 E55. I doubt it's worth anywhere near what those cars sold for online. But I honestly don't care. It's paid for. Insurance is cheap. Indiana plate fees are cheap. It idles in 95 degree traffic with the AC blasting on hi and pulls strong.