jimand7

My Dads best freind just passed and left a buch of cars one of which I always had my eye on...a 1992 500e with 3000 miles on her.
i think i can get it for 22k.
what do you guys think?
It could be fun to have i think

SLK55R

I love that car ... and only 3k miles???!!! AWESOME

EUROTEK//AMG

Do It!

Nitrous911

Lucky man...that car is a needle in a haystack now and days and with 3000 miles on the clock, there will be no other out there with that miles. I would take it if I were you. What is the condition like? Pics?

jimand7

no pics but the condition is MINT i mean mint. sitting in temp controlled wharehouse with a cover and was never driven in winter and mostly highway miles of the 3423 miles.
It is just so cool.
black with a lighter black interior

SLK55R

stop making me drool.

If you don't take it hook me up so I can. Would be the perfect starter car for my son I think!

zoink

LOL... your son? Either you look very young or you got married very young or you would give your son 20+ years old car by the time he got a license.

OK, I take 2nd dibs after SLK55R if you don't take it. LOL.

SLK55R

well I'd drive it once in a while too!

But I'd store it until he hits 16 ... only 4 years away.

In my opinion this model was back when Mercedes still made bullet proof cars. That stuff lasts forever.

zoink

Wow... didn't expect you have 12-yr-old son.

Take this as a compliment. LOL.

ENDSMTG

O/T-what type of boat is that in your sig?

baldmike73

PUT THE LOTION ON!!!!!!

if you don't buy it you are insane. beautiful car. i was looking at one here in the bay area with 80k on it and they were asking 18K.

just saw this one on craigslist.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/car/601117968.html

DO IT and keep it for yourself and get your son a honda when he turns 16.

jimand7

70 hatteras (dads really but i use it and the crew whenever I can)
but i ride a 22' sea ray in chicago and a 283 grady white In FL.


I think i might do it. Update....now 24k as the low end of the wholesale price is what i was going to get....but still 24k seems perfect.

jimand7

Are there any really expensive replacement parts?

SLK55R

Damn you! its a mercedes parts are always expensive.Great thing about this model is very little breaks.

Please post pics once you get your new acquisition ... and let me know if you ever want to sell it.

mbenzman

Oops right guy, wrong quote. try this one.
Don't dream too much about the old days. These car had their own issues and have lots of vinyl/leather covered plastic parts that get brittle.

Has this car received any service since it's been parked it's entire life? The tires should be replaced. The brakes fluid will absorb moisture and rust/corrode all brake hydraulic parts from the inside. A/C evaporators rot out and the seals/hoses dry rot. Coolant turns and eats the engine, cooling system and heater core from the inside. Seals on trans, power steering, and SLS system rot and on and on. The suspension accumulators go bad. The 500E only plastic aux. high beam lens check crack and turn opaque. The leather is probably dried out and ready to split if you force it into service without treating first. Belt tensioner will crap out right away.
Still a great catch, but don't dream that it's new car condition, it probably not and will cost lots of $$ to start driving again. It can't be a well oiled machine at it's ultra low miles.
I love mine and have spent a fortune on it.




Whatever you decide good luck.

J 2OOI

Blacksport350

It will be expensive to get it back on the road with only 3500 miles in 15 years as you will have to work out the bugs. That aside, I would buy a 3500 mile 500E for $24K any day of the week!

Good luck!

CWW

+1

The best "catch" on an 80s/early 90s benz is one that has been driven around 5000mi/yr or so.

Thats low enough for the odo reading to make you smile, but still sufficient for you to know that the car has been used regularly and everything isn't on the brink of total collapse.

Mercedes didn't use synthetic oil in 1991 when this car was delivered, and there's a very good chance that the vehicle has had only 1 oil change, or worse....none at all. Think about the sludge in that oil pan....the same crap has probably been sitting in there for 20 years. If you buy it IMMEDIATELY drop the pan and clean everything out.

Also as other people mentioned, antifreeze turns acidic, the a/c lines and seals will all dry out after awhile if they don't get lubricated with the oil that's supposed to circulate through the system when it runs, the tires will have flat spots, the spare will be rotten, you will need to flush every fluid in the car (especially brakes), and I am sure I am forgetting a lot of stuff.

My dad had a rolls that he bought new in 1987 and by the time he sold it in 1999 it had something like 4800mi on it and the thing was absolutely falling apart. Every time you would try to take it out something would be wrong. MUCH better bet to just buy one of these with low but still appropriate mileage. As good as it looks, it's going to be a restoration project.

jimand7

t5hanks for the comments It will be awhile before the estate can sell it.
I agree I am going to take to the dealer and have it inspected. It is just sooo cool for 24k.
the door's open and close like vaults.
exhuast is a great purr.

F_Porsche

3k?? that is freaking awsome. We had 320TE in the mag with about 10k and they wanted to sell it for 50k euros

but an 500E is just so sick. Personally my choice if I would be in the 15-20k market.

mbenzman

You can inspect it all you want, the problems will show when you start trying to drive it, they are hidden. Get your wallet ready! Change all the fluids first, lube the throttle linkage of which half is hidden, soaks the seats/leather with leatherique, and then change the fuel and filter. Replace the tires, crank her up and get ready to drive it short trips until things stop crapping out and she's reliable. A well oiled machine she's not, hell it aint even broken in.

CynCarvin32

If you dont buy it I will!

That is the best MB of the last 30 years easy.

I have a friend with a 6k mile old car and he thinks its the lowest mile car around. I like the idea of one with 3k miles!

You MUST buy it.

What color is it? If it is 040 black you really must buy it as those are extremely rare!

Joshdude

If you have the time and money to bring the car up to full operation, then it should be an easy decision. The 500E goes beyond superb and would reward you every day if you got it to run.

I Like Soup

That is a beautiful car and I certainly understand the drooling enthusiasts in this thread!

With that said, a fun car for me on the cheap, is gonna have a 5 or 6 speed, handle like a dream, be readily upgraded horsepower-wise, etc. You know, a sports car. Like maybe the old '95 RX-7 Twin Turbo or something...or a 15 year old Ferrari...

jpohl402

The 92-94 500E's were actually designed by Porsche.........
Curious - little known fact OR common knowledge?
Thanks!