Mercedes 320 CE - Buying help

[Rav]

Greetings.

My bro is looking to buy one of these (1994MY). Anything in particular to look out for this type of car?

Also, does anyone know of an MB independant that will do an inspection near Whitechapel London?

Cheers in advance...

Rav

Edited by Rav on Tuesday 18th November 11:54

[iluvmercs]

Head gaskets are the main thing to look forward. High oil consumption, oil leaks around the cylinder head and sometimes a high running engine temperature are the give away. (~£1,000)
If the gearbox over-revs, a clutch has gone - this means a gearbox overhaul, or a new gearbox (~£2,500).

Also there is an issure with rust on these cars, but only superficial - ie. on the leading edge of the front wings, and sometimes on the rear arches.

The car MUST have a Full Service History. Have a decent Merc Specialist lined up to take care of the car. Dealers seem to have very little clue about these cars nowadays.

They're the main points I can think of.

Darren

[74merc]

I'd also check the condition of the engine wiring loom as the insulation can break down over time. The replacement part is £550 but can be fitted by anyone with some DIY skills. Don't let that put you off, they're wonderful cars. When I had mine, the driver of a CL55 AMG stopped me once to tell me that he had one, and it was the best car he ever had.

[mickyveloce]

All previous posts valid and accurate - they`re all , by definition , an older motor car now so expect age related ailments such as the odd rust spot . The window seals are worth a close look as well as the seat belt butlers , both of which are potentially labour intensive to fix .
I have a 1995 E220 coupe which I bought for winter use whilst my C36 is resting and it certainly attracts more attention ( of a good kind) and is usefully brisk . I`m averaging 34mpg too which is a bonus .

[bolide]

Problems specific to the coupe include non-locking seatbacks (an MOT fail), failed seatbelt presenters and delaminating rear screens (expensive)

The rest is pure W124, so condition & history are paramount. The best cars justify their high prices and there's a huge gap between a really good one and an average one

The sports chassis option, or Sportline pack, is a good option to have. These cars are very spec-sensitive - a 320 has to have leather & a/c and round 100k miles to be a credible purchase. They look particularly good in Azurite Blue, Blue-Black and Midnight Blue

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Edited by bolide on Friday 21st November 23:35

[Rav]

Thanks All. Your information is very helpful.

I will try to go and see the car in question this weekend and report back my findings.

[philcray]

NOt sure if of interest but about 3 years ago i bought a K reg 1992 CE230 in blue/black with mushroom leather, 53k miles, 1 owner + MB demo - i paid c£4,5k which is probably over the odds in todays money but have done c32,000 trouble free miles so cannot really complain. Fuel economy is 30mpg on a run, never got much more than that out of it.

Highly recommended car but i imagine there are a lot of rough ones out there - although usually a few nice, genuine looking ones on autotrader so good luck!