Need a car at short notice. S600 turbo at £6,500?

[Pentoman]

Yesterday I sold my 190E 2.5-16 (sob). So while the new owner enjoys it, I really need a car for next week's commute.

Worst case I can borrow one, but I really hoped that being stuck in need of a car I would find something for sale locally to do the job.

I've been searching, and this came up 3 miles away from me:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...





2004PetrolSaloonAutomatic97000 miles
Chauffeur Driven & Maintained FULLY LOADED ! Metallic Silver , Rear TV, Reclining & Heated Rear seats, SO much more! Cool Box and window blinds., SILVER, 2 owners, Next MOT due 08/03/2015, Tax expires 08/01/2015, Full service history, £6,499

Seems to be enthusiast owned with an R129 in the background.

So, how bad an idea is this?! How unsellable is it?

[GTIR]

Chauffeur driven 54 plate S class with 97k?



Leave it out!
I'd ad minimum 100k on top possibly even 200k.

Mercs really don't show miles. That's not to say the components don't!
I'd expect it to be immaculate at that mileage and the seats showing no wear.

(as a reference I do 75k a year as a chauffeur. Even if the previous owner only did it part time that's still low.)

ETA. If it's been privately owned and they've employed a driver (in a 54 plate Merc?) it might be genuine but it's had two owners so... Those seats all look well worn.

Edited by GTIR on Sunday 6th April 12:51

[Pentoman]

A fair point that I hadn't really considered - thanks. I've driven one of these in 320 form with 220k miles, and apart from cracked seat plastics it wore the age well I agree.

That said, I work in London and the many chauffeur driven S-classes there are all 320s/350s. It seems likely that a 600 would not be used as a general taxi in the way the 320s/350s do get used as taxis. i.e. a 600 should have lower mileage than your average 320.

But yes interior does look somewhat used and less tidy than you would expect.

Would be good to get more of its history and understand its past a bit better.

Who buys these new, traditionally? Any ideas GTIR?

Edited by Pentoman on Sunday 6th April 13:20

[GTIR]

Don't know tbh but I doubt it's not the genuine mileage even if the FSH matches up.

Saying that there's no harm in taking a look and asking about history. It should feel tight and the brake discs should be original.

[cptsideways]

Speak to the owner, have a look & speak to the chauffeur. Far better chance of finding a genuine car from the original owner than a dealer or trader.

Potentially a nice find!

[markbe]

I have run an S600 Biturbo for the last 8 years now done 93k.
The interior perforated leather is not worn it is the way they are.[Pictures not helping].
I changed the discs and pads on mine at 70k.
If this car has a Merc history everything that has been done to it will be on record
with Merc.
They need at least 97 octane fuel and will do 16mpg round town and 25mpg on a gentle run.
They are easily upgraded to 600+bhp!

Mark.

[HumbleJim]

Pentoman said:

Who buys these new, traditionally? Any ideas GTIR?

Edited by Pentoman on Sunday 6th April 13:20

Company chairman, maybe a chauffeur during the week and uses the car themselves at weekends.
Not the sort or car used by a chauffeur company.

[GTIR]

markbe said:

I changed the discs and pads on mine at 70k.


Mark.

I doubt you drove it like a chauffeur!

Tbh any low mileage Merc I always assume it's been clocked, unless I know the owner.
But yes, that's not a normal car for a chauffeur company to own unless it was a car used for chauffeuring with a company, if you get my drift.

If the seats were ok I'd reserve judgement but they ain't!

[slk 32]

I would go for this... C32 estate with kleemann upgrades and 400 bhp - was owned by the owner of the UK concession so it's been looked after
http://www.mayfieldgarage.co.uk/showcar.php?id=106...

[Lost soul]

Bargetastic

[Paddymcc]

markbe said:

I have run an S600 Biturbo for the last 8 years now done 93k.
The interior perforated leather is not worn it is the way they are.[Pictures not helping].
I changed the discs and pads on mine at 70k.
If this car has a Merc history everything that has been done to it will be on record
with Merc.
They need at least 97 octane fuel and will do 16mpg round town and 25mpg on a gentle run.
They are easily upgraded to 600+bhp!

Mark.

This!

I have a CLS with 65k on the clock and the perforated leather for the cooling seats doesnt picture too well to be honest.

It always looks worn in pics but in reality you are seeing the little holes and the cream hyde below showing through in the pics making the seat colour look less 'black' and thus worn looking.

[Pentoman]

Thanks for the explanations w.r.t. seats, chauffeurs, etc.
Still seems like the interior could photograph better. Maybe it's just a bad photo or needs a good scrub.

GTIR - they are that easy to clock, then? And get another service history for?


I was really into cars - but unable to afford a fast one - back when these came out. I remember them very well. At the time the 500bhp was unbelievable. Even BMW's fastest car only had 400 - and none of the torque. I wanted any Mercedes with this or the 55AMG motor. Badly. I still have some videos saved from this American dude called Treynor who bought one, back then, tuned it and used it at his local drag strip (!!) to see off Vipers.

Now that I can afford it, though... I don't think I have the guts.

Markbe - any further descriptions of owning such a machine are welcomed. Apologies if you've posted this a million times elsewhere.

[Egbert Nobacon]

Pentoman said:

GTIR - they are that easy to clock, then? And get another service history for?


Markbe - any further descriptions of owning such a machine are welcomed.

Easily clocked, goes on all the time. No need for new service history if flocked before each service...

Potential for expenditure is vast with these V12s. If want this style of S class then try finding a nice S500 or if really up for it

- go see Jay at Mercland and try this ...



http://www.mercland.com/model/1337-2002(02)-MERCED...

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Wednesday 9th April 08:45

[Pentoman]

It's strange but it's the V12 aspect that appeals to me, that's the problem.

It has to feel like I could be an Arab Sheikh .

I also believe the 600s are always better appointed inside, with things like upgraded headlining materials and such?

[ralphrj]

GTIR said:

it might be genuine but it's had two owners so...

With that registration there is a good chance that the first owner was MBUK.

If so then it was either:

1. Press demonstrator
2. "Exotic" demonstrator (dealers would not be expected to register a V12 demo car)
3. The MBUK CEOs car. He had a company Chauffeur so perhaps that is where the "Chauffeur driven" part comes from.

[rassi]

A 500 bhp S class for £6500? That is a third of the price of what it would cost in Belgium, and frankly an insane amount of car for that money, regardless of mileage. At that price, and if willing to accept the potential for borkage, just buy that monster!

[XB70]

Agreed - at that price, buy it.

Looks to have some other options (the wood is the grey colour, not the usual brown) and the door cards are suede when usually leather.

Side blinds at the back (nice) but no rear air con (not a big issue and duovalves play up in any event).

Should be easy to determine if the miles are genuine (the seat leather does not wear well in the W220 so I could be looking at the service history etc to determine mileage).

They go like absolute stink and were on my 'to get list' before we left the UK but never got around to it.

However.....if the ABC has any problems then there the borkage lurks. It will represent a large % of the purchase price to fix:

UK hat on: madness
OZ hat on: that is a pittance for the car - but it and risk the ire of the bork gods

Flick the indicator, pull out to overtake and you will need something very powerful and very fast to keep up with it. They don't stop accelerating, just shift to next gear and keep pulling.

[agxster]

I think you should get it, amazing car. These threads about a guy in Canada buying a very worn example and then doing a lot of DIY to get it back into shape might inspire you:

http://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w220/429206-my-f...


http://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w220/431985-ongo...

[Steviesam]

For another view regarding chauffers driven cars......

My wifes boss has a driver and only does 7 miles each way to work.....his cars are very low mileage.

[NPI]

GTIR said:

Don't know tbh but I doubt it's not the genuine mileage even if the FSH matches up.

I've seen (on one of the MB forums) a print out from MB's Star tool which shows the mileage at which oil changes took place.

I think the mileage can also be read from the gearbox ecu.


The two owner thing doesn't stack up with the chauffeur story.