1990 260E Advice Please
Discussion
I spotted this Mercedes Benz E Class on a local driveway the other day. It's a 1990 260E saloon with 90K miles and FSH.
I spoke to the owner’s father who told me it was reluctantly for sale as his son now lives in Cornwall and now has nowhere to store it. It has a very full service history with all the old tax discs and MOTs etc. The MoT has expired but it has only done a few miles since passing the last one. The ABS warning light has come on but I don’t know if this is due to the car being stood for a few months or a more serious issue. It does appear to be a very original and well-cared-for car. I like the interior and it has an electric sunroof and boot spoiler. I don't usually go for autos but I quite like it and it's almost Shed money. Is the 2.6 engine a good one? Anything else I should look out for? Thanks.
I spoke to the owner’s father who told me it was reluctantly for sale as his son now lives in Cornwall and now has nowhere to store it. It has a very full service history with all the old tax discs and MOTs etc. The MoT has expired but it has only done a few miles since passing the last one. The ABS warning light has come on but I don’t know if this is due to the car being stood for a few months or a more serious issue. It does appear to be a very original and well-cared-for car. I like the interior and it has an electric sunroof and boot spoiler. I don't usually go for autos but I quite like it and it's almost Shed money. Is the 2.6 engine a good one? Anything else I should look out for? Thanks.
Rust is the main thing to look out for. Wheel arches, jacking points, rear axle mounts.
The ABS light is most likely a bad sensor or reluctor ring or front hub. Not the end of the world.
The 2.6 litre m103 is extremely smooth but not very powerful (160bhp) nor very efficient (25mpg). It makes a fine cruiser but no hot rod.
That rear spoiler is questionable.
If it is as good as it looks and if it floats your boat then at not-much-more-than-shed money it is a good buy.
The ABS light is most likely a bad sensor or reluctor ring or front hub. Not the end of the world.
The 2.6 litre m103 is extremely smooth but not very powerful (160bhp) nor very efficient (25mpg). It makes a fine cruiser but no hot rod.
That rear spoiler is questionable.
If it is as good as it looks and if it floats your boat then at not-much-more-than-shed money it is a good buy.
Yay. Geek time.
It looks kinda nice - but could do with some changes to appeal to the aficionados! The rear spoiler is yuck (but probably original/dealer fit) and the wheels aren't right for that year, I don't think. 15-hole alloys would suit better. It looks tidy from the pics though. Not a bad spec but not great either. Keep it tidy and you'll probably sell to some enthusiast type for the same money as you buy it for. More, maybe.
The 2.6 is middle of the road isn't it. It's the most powerful-per-litre of the 2-valve engines. I think it has 167bhp to be specific. At least it's smooth. It wouldn't put me off by any means.
The ABS light... Have to differ slightly with r129sl (and feel bad about it buddy) - Very commonly the OVP relay (and/or the fuse on top of it) in my hands-on experience mechanicing 201s and 124s. Did it perchance only come on after the seller had jump-started it? You said it has been sitting - and jump start can blow that fuse. Not expensive if so.
What else? I dunno. Yay enjoy? I have a Ferrari 360 now but still hanker after one of these - funny that.
It looks kinda nice - but could do with some changes to appeal to the aficionados! The rear spoiler is yuck (but probably original/dealer fit) and the wheels aren't right for that year, I don't think. 15-hole alloys would suit better. It looks tidy from the pics though. Not a bad spec but not great either. Keep it tidy and you'll probably sell to some enthusiast type for the same money as you buy it for. More, maybe.
The 2.6 is middle of the road isn't it. It's the most powerful-per-litre of the 2-valve engines. I think it has 167bhp to be specific. At least it's smooth. It wouldn't put me off by any means.
The ABS light... Have to differ slightly with r129sl (and feel bad about it buddy) - Very commonly the OVP relay (and/or the fuse on top of it) in my hands-on experience mechanicing 201s and 124s. Did it perchance only come on after the seller had jump-started it? You said it has been sitting - and jump start can blow that fuse. Not expensive if so.
What else? I dunno. Yay enjoy? I have a Ferrari 360 now but still hanker after one of these - funny that.
No use to you but I seem to remember reading the main reason for the 2.6 existing was for tax band purposes in certain countries. Same reason the facelift 4 pot became a 2.2lt. Interestingly I spotted a 260E in Chorlton at the weekend complete with leather interior. In fact Chortlon seems to a bit of a hot spot for older Mercs, including a 560SEC and 230TE near the trendy Beach road area.
Pentoman said:
The ABS light... Have to differ slightly with r129sl (and feel bad about it buddy) - Very commonly the OVP relay (and/or the fuse on top of it) in my hands-on experience mechanicing 201s and 124s. Did it perchance only come on after the seller had jump-started it? You said it has been sitting - and jump start can blow that fuse. Not expensive if so.
I agree. 
r129sl said:
Pentoman said:
The ABS light... Have to differ slightly with r129sl (and feel bad about it buddy) - Very commonly the OVP relay (and/or the fuse on top of it) in my hands-on experience mechanicing 201s and 124s. Did it perchance only come on after the seller had jump-started it? You said it has been sitting - and jump start can blow that fuse. Not expensive if so.
I agree. I wonder if he bought it?
Other than what's been mentioned already, the head gasket is about the only serious engine issue that this era of MBs frequently has. Mayo in the expansion tank was my car's symptom. But not to be confused with the very common and lesser issue of a slow seep of oil from the rocker gasket.
There can be all sorts of won't-start or idle properly issues that can be ... er... 'fun' to chase down. Many is the W124 and W201 owner who's replaced almost everything related while tearing out their hair.
Hope it's a good one.
There can be all sorts of won't-start or idle properly issues that can be ... er... 'fun' to chase down. Many is the W124 and W201 owner who's replaced almost everything related while tearing out their hair.
Hope it's a good one.
I have an H plate 300E and really enjoy it, even after going out in the SL that has plenty more power I still enjoy the drive and always note how smooth this era of straight 6 Mercedes engine is.
90k is tiny mileage, mine is on 180k and drives very well thanks to a suspension refresh. A basic refresh can be done for reasonable money if required (dampers, steering damper, shocks and so on), the risk is going too far because you become attached to the car.
As above rust is the issue, but it sounds like it's cheap and you could buy it and flog it with minimal losses should you get bored of it.
90k is tiny mileage, mine is on 180k and drives very well thanks to a suspension refresh. A basic refresh can be done for reasonable money if required (dampers, steering damper, shocks and so on), the risk is going too far because you become attached to the car.
As above rust is the issue, but it sounds like it's cheap and you could buy it and flog it with minimal losses should you get bored of it.
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