E320 Coupe (W124) reality check
Discussion
Hi all in the Mercedes Forum.
I've been driving round in a £300 snotter for 6 months after selling my 997S and quite frankly I can't bear it any longer.
So I've set myself a £6k budget as, since owning said snotter, I've come to appreciate how much car you can get for not a huge amount of money nowadays.
The E320 Coupe has always been on my wish list, and I think I'm ready for a Auto Merc now I'm approaching my mid 30's.
To cut to the chase, I looked at a 106,000 miler yesterday, with 70% service history that needed almost full paint and all wheels refurb'd. There was some delamination of rear screen but it had the wiring loom replaced in 2007 so has been looked after to some extent. It drove remarkably well and seemed mechanically sound, but was just a little tatty both inside and out.
The car was up for £6k and had been for some time. Upon calling back to decline, the seller said he appreciated the work it needed and that he would drop the price to £5k. In fairness, the lack of history and the money that needed to be spent on it put me off regardless, and I had already made the decision to pass.
So, am I being too picky or is this the kind of E320 I should expect at this budget? The problem is, I know there are not too many out there, especially in the spec I'd want (ideally Blue or Black with Mushroom Leather and AMG kit, preferabbly Sportline).
This would be my daily driver too (12k miles per year), so would looking at car around 150k miles be madness?
Thanks
I've been driving round in a £300 snotter for 6 months after selling my 997S and quite frankly I can't bear it any longer.
So I've set myself a £6k budget as, since owning said snotter, I've come to appreciate how much car you can get for not a huge amount of money nowadays.
The E320 Coupe has always been on my wish list, and I think I'm ready for a Auto Merc now I'm approaching my mid 30's.
To cut to the chase, I looked at a 106,000 miler yesterday, with 70% service history that needed almost full paint and all wheels refurb'd. There was some delamination of rear screen but it had the wiring loom replaced in 2007 so has been looked after to some extent. It drove remarkably well and seemed mechanically sound, but was just a little tatty both inside and out.
The car was up for £6k and had been for some time. Upon calling back to decline, the seller said he appreciated the work it needed and that he would drop the price to £5k. In fairness, the lack of history and the money that needed to be spent on it put me off regardless, and I had already made the decision to pass.
So, am I being too picky or is this the kind of E320 I should expect at this budget? The problem is, I know there are not too many out there, especially in the spec I'd want (ideally Blue or Black with Mushroom Leather and AMG kit, preferabbly Sportline).
This would be my daily driver too (12k miles per year), so would looking at car around 150k miles be madness?
Thanks
Edited by Burnham on Monday 19th April 15:26
Hiya
Cor blimey that sounds a tad pricey.
I bought an E320 w124 Coupe about 2/3 months ago and have just done 3k miles in it
178k miles
Full history up to 160k then bits and bobs
Mushroom leather (bit cracked and seats are a bit tatty) But apart from seats good conditon
Bodywork met blue, the odd little mark and 2 20p size bits of rust on front wings., overall nice condition bodywork considering mileage and age.
Given loads of people lifts and they all comment on how nice it is and A. Cant believe how good it is for mileage and B. how cheap I got it for!
I paid £1400
Thought it was a gamble, but after 3 k miles as my only car, all I have done is replace the wiper and topped up the oil!! Going to treat it to a full service as I really really like it, such a grower of a car.
I can write a more detailed post later if you fancy it, on what to watch out for (well imo after 3 months!)
Cor blimey that sounds a tad pricey.
I bought an E320 w124 Coupe about 2/3 months ago and have just done 3k miles in it
178k miles
Full history up to 160k then bits and bobs
Mushroom leather (bit cracked and seats are a bit tatty) But apart from seats good conditon
Bodywork met blue, the odd little mark and 2 20p size bits of rust on front wings., overall nice condition bodywork considering mileage and age.
Given loads of people lifts and they all comment on how nice it is and A. Cant believe how good it is for mileage and B. how cheap I got it for!
I paid £1400
Thought it was a gamble, but after 3 k miles as my only car, all I have done is replace the wiper and topped up the oil!! Going to treat it to a full service as I really really like it, such a grower of a car.
I can write a more detailed post later if you fancy it, on what to watch out for (well imo after 3 months!)
Thanks for the post - I have certainly seen some really well priced ones for sale and just assumed they were all dogs! There must be some real bargains out there, hopefully as yours proves to be.
I generally keep my cars for at least 2 years or so, so really want the best for what I can afford (Ok, a premium for a mint one I suppose). I'd rather pay for one thats had a lot of TLC as opposed to buy a cheaper one and have to spend out immeadiatly on it.
Any more info would be appreciated, though I've done the usual searches and scoured the web for pre-purchase info.
How does your interior look? The one I saw yesterday was a tatty inside which was a shame, as it let the car down. The bodywork issues could probabbly been fixed relatively easily but the inside would no doubt have been more complicated.
I think these will become future classics...well, I hope
I generally keep my cars for at least 2 years or so, so really want the best for what I can afford (Ok, a premium for a mint one I suppose). I'd rather pay for one thats had a lot of TLC as opposed to buy a cheaper one and have to spend out immeadiatly on it.
Any more info would be appreciated, though I've done the usual searches and scoured the web for pre-purchase info.
How does your interior look? The one I saw yesterday was a tatty inside which was a shame, as it let the car down. The bodywork issues could probabbly been fixed relatively easily but the inside would no doubt have been more complicated.
I think these will become future classics...well, I hope
Hmm, your last post seems to cover everything I would say!!! Def buy the best you can, projects will lighten the wallet!!
Prices imo *can* be all over the place, some people see them as a truly brilliant modern classic, one of the last brilliant benzs. Whilst others seem to think they are just old past it cars, that drink fuel and are expensive to repair if they go wrong.....
I think mine was a very good price, a week before I saw the same model car, same engine and colour with much more rust and a few issues for £3 grand.
I actually wanted to buy a nice condition 280/220 saloon for 2grand, as I thought coupes were out of my price range , but I snapped up mine up through a Trade-it ad which didnt really do the car justice
Engine is a peach, loads of low down torque to cruise round with, yet really revs to the redline when you put your foot down....it flies in a striaghtline, likw guided missile
Handling is good on more flowing A-B roads, you only notice the weight up the front on tight bends and roundabouts. Turning circle is ace, I have a very tight garage from a narrow alley way and it wouldnt fit in without such a great turning lock.
Mpg: 15 on cold start stop journeys. I can get up to 30mpg on longer motorway runs at 70/80mph
Heres some links to pics of mine, I would love to sepnd a few days waxing/polishing & clay baring it to get it to a good standard, simply dont have the time.
The pics dont show the worst of the interior, the drivers bolster is very worn. I haved used the car everyday for 3 months, some long 100-200 drives and commuting 15 miles each way.
At the end of the day I didnt want a mint car, I dont mind a bit of wear, Id worry too much if it was mint, plus i regularly chuck my bike in the back and lug stuff around.
In addition to all the advice online heres my personal experience:
The engine gets VERY hot, check all cooling and obviously the loom
Check for rust, front wings arent too bad as they are bolt on bolt off, but rust can be a killer
Check all electrics, everything. I did but missed the sunroof when I did a test drive. When I picked the car up in darkness, I went to turn on the interior light but opened the sunroof by mistake!! I then couldn't shut it!! The switch is a bit knakered, it shuts but will not return to closed by default, I panicked I would have to drive back down the M4 with it open when it was 0 degrees!
The electrics are imense on mine, but they can put a strain on the battery, alternator and belts.
Linked to the above mine idles a bit funny when the engine is cold and there is a load on the battery, its OK once fully warm, but can get a bit anoying at times. Issue goes away once in P or N. So watch out for dodgy idleing
Check windscreen wiper on intermittant setting, after about 3 mins mine fails to return to the resting position, instead it stays halfway accross the screen
Check the boot for dampness.
Mine has the rear screen lamination issues. TBH doesn't really worry me, Ive hear it can cause dampness in the boot (see above lol) or for the heated rear window to cease.
Engine mounts, mine ar eon their way out, but againafter a long journey the issue goes away, ie a bit of vibration into the cabin
Check turning at full lock, the wheels and car are very heavy.
Check for suspension noises, mine has a slight clocnk , think it is a bush that needs doing.
Chck for break wear, they are heavy autos that can put a lot of stress on the brakes, depending on the driving style of the previous owners.
Check for moisture in the front headlights (could be an easy fix never looked into it)
The leather seats are ace, really comfortable and hold you in place and let you "breathe" BUT I have found wearing jeans and a belt can really add a lot of wear and dig into the leather. I havent found this with other cars I have had with leather
Good luck on the search, unfortunately AMG wheels and Sportline suspension commands quite a big premium , sellers will tell you it "makes the car". Can't say i'm too bothered about eithers, plus beggers cant't be choosers!
Prices imo *can* be all over the place, some people see them as a truly brilliant modern classic, one of the last brilliant benzs. Whilst others seem to think they are just old past it cars, that drink fuel and are expensive to repair if they go wrong.....
I think mine was a very good price, a week before I saw the same model car, same engine and colour with much more rust and a few issues for £3 grand.
I actually wanted to buy a nice condition 280/220 saloon for 2grand, as I thought coupes were out of my price range , but I snapped up mine up through a Trade-it ad which didnt really do the car justice
Engine is a peach, loads of low down torque to cruise round with, yet really revs to the redline when you put your foot down....it flies in a striaghtline, likw guided missile
Handling is good on more flowing A-B roads, you only notice the weight up the front on tight bends and roundabouts. Turning circle is ace, I have a very tight garage from a narrow alley way and it wouldnt fit in without such a great turning lock.
Mpg: 15 on cold start stop journeys. I can get up to 30mpg on longer motorway runs at 70/80mph
Heres some links to pics of mine, I would love to sepnd a few days waxing/polishing & clay baring it to get it to a good standard, simply dont have the time.
The pics dont show the worst of the interior, the drivers bolster is very worn. I haved used the car everyday for 3 months, some long 100-200 drives and commuting 15 miles each way.
At the end of the day I didnt want a mint car, I dont mind a bit of wear, Id worry too much if it was mint, plus i regularly chuck my bike in the back and lug stuff around.
In addition to all the advice online heres my personal experience:
The engine gets VERY hot, check all cooling and obviously the loom
Check for rust, front wings arent too bad as they are bolt on bolt off, but rust can be a killer
Check all electrics, everything. I did but missed the sunroof when I did a test drive. When I picked the car up in darkness, I went to turn on the interior light but opened the sunroof by mistake!! I then couldn't shut it!! The switch is a bit knakered, it shuts but will not return to closed by default, I panicked I would have to drive back down the M4 with it open when it was 0 degrees!
The electrics are imense on mine, but they can put a strain on the battery, alternator and belts.
Linked to the above mine idles a bit funny when the engine is cold and there is a load on the battery, its OK once fully warm, but can get a bit anoying at times. Issue goes away once in P or N. So watch out for dodgy idleing
Check windscreen wiper on intermittant setting, after about 3 mins mine fails to return to the resting position, instead it stays halfway accross the screen
Check the boot for dampness.
Mine has the rear screen lamination issues. TBH doesn't really worry me, Ive hear it can cause dampness in the boot (see above lol) or for the heated rear window to cease.
Engine mounts, mine ar eon their way out, but againafter a long journey the issue goes away, ie a bit of vibration into the cabin
Check turning at full lock, the wheels and car are very heavy.
Check for suspension noises, mine has a slight clocnk , think it is a bush that needs doing.
Chck for break wear, they are heavy autos that can put a lot of stress on the brakes, depending on the driving style of the previous owners.
Check for moisture in the front headlights (could be an easy fix never looked into it)
The leather seats are ace, really comfortable and hold you in place and let you "breathe" BUT I have found wearing jeans and a belt can really add a lot of wear and dig into the leather. I havent found this with other cars I have had with leather
Good luck on the search, unfortunately AMG wheels and Sportline suspension commands quite a big premium , sellers will tell you it "makes the car". Can't say i'm too bothered about eithers, plus beggers cant't be choosers!
I would say don't buy a tatty one. Like all W124s it's possible to buy a car that needs lots of money spending on it and you need experience to assess a car
A good one is a great way to travel, won't cost much to run and won't depreciate if you keep it nice. Classic insurance is cheap & very good
Coupe prices are rising and the number of really good cars is falling. So buying at the bottom or the middle of the market is a bad idea. Buy towards the top of the market, get a car with exactly the right spec, mileage & history and you'll be in a good position
Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
A good one is a great way to travel, won't cost much to run and won't depreciate if you keep it nice. Classic insurance is cheap & very good
Coupe prices are rising and the number of really good cars is falling. So buying at the bottom or the middle of the market is a bad idea. Buy towards the top of the market, get a car with exactly the right spec, mileage & history and you'll be in a good position
Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
Don't be disheartened, decent 124 Coupes are out there and for a lot less than the one you were looking at.
I should know, I bought this E320 Coupe which would fit your spec (Sportline plus AMGs) last year for £2700:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11827721@N05/sets/721...
Beautiful car. It was well over 130k when I bought it, but with a FSH and big jobs done. I sold it a couple of months ago for £2500 and approaching 150k, only because we moved house and could get it up the unsurfaced road during the snow, plus it would knock the hell out of the car doing it year round. It was my daily driver and had no major issues whatsoever. The only things wrong with it when sold were a bent aerial (sorted for £30), minor delamination on the rear screen, one of the headlight wiper motors didn't work and there was a *tiny* piece of rust on the door. My profile lists all the costs.
Keep an eye out on here, MBClub and some of the classic sites. Using a 124 Coupe as a daily driver is definitely possible as long as you keep on top of important maintenance and don't mind the MPG.
Further to what's already been mentioned, avoid anything with chrome arch liners (they WILL be hiding rust) and watch for rust just above the plastic bits on the doors.
Best of luck.
I should know, I bought this E320 Coupe which would fit your spec (Sportline plus AMGs) last year for £2700:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11827721@N05/sets/721...
Beautiful car. It was well over 130k when I bought it, but with a FSH and big jobs done. I sold it a couple of months ago for £2500 and approaching 150k, only because we moved house and could get it up the unsurfaced road during the snow, plus it would knock the hell out of the car doing it year round. It was my daily driver and had no major issues whatsoever. The only things wrong with it when sold were a bent aerial (sorted for £30), minor delamination on the rear screen, one of the headlight wiper motors didn't work and there was a *tiny* piece of rust on the door. My profile lists all the costs.
Keep an eye out on here, MBClub and some of the classic sites. Using a 124 Coupe as a daily driver is definitely possible as long as you keep on top of important maintenance and don't mind the MPG.
Further to what's already been mentioned, avoid anything with chrome arch liners (they WILL be hiding rust) and watch for rust just above the plastic bits on the doors.
Best of luck.
Edited by Highway Star on Tuesday 20th April 09:35
I bought a 1995 E320 Sportline in December 2009 for £830.
I have done 6000 miles, driving in europe, and it spend the worst of the winter in Denmark with night time temps of -14 and day temps of -5 C.
It has never failed to start and drive without fault.
The interior is mint except for the cracked centre armrest, interior temp guage bleeding and the steering wheel being worn
exterior the wings were going and are now pretty shot and there is a little blister around the aerial.
Its been so good tho that I will spend the extra to bring it up to scratch.
oh its on 160k now.
For 5 to 6 k I would be wanting a very very good car with less than 80k miles, with only routine work needed if anything at all. I would certainly want an immaculate body and interior. Maybe some small jobs such as the headlamp washers, window mech's etc.
There seems to be more pre facelift immaculate cars than post available.
I have done 6000 miles, driving in europe, and it spend the worst of the winter in Denmark with night time temps of -14 and day temps of -5 C.
It has never failed to start and drive without fault.
The interior is mint except for the cracked centre armrest, interior temp guage bleeding and the steering wheel being worn
exterior the wings were going and are now pretty shot and there is a little blister around the aerial.
Its been so good tho that I will spend the extra to bring it up to scratch.
oh its on 160k now.
For 5 to 6 k I would be wanting a very very good car with less than 80k miles, with only routine work needed if anything at all. I would certainly want an immaculate body and interior. Maybe some small jobs such as the headlamp washers, window mech's etc.
There seems to be more pre facelift immaculate cars than post available.
Hi Melon, thanks for the detailed info. I'll add the checks those I knew about already (the list is getting longer!). The interior of your car looks to be in better condition that the £6k one I saw! Bargains are obviously available if people are prepared to put up with small issues or plan to fix things themselves. Unfortunately I'm no good with a spanner but do have a good indy Mercedes garage close by to me. You owe it to that car to give it a good clean, make the time!
Nick, I see from here and MBClubUK that you are a bit of a guru on these...so no doubt we'll speak at some point! Your thoughts on values and condition of cars falls in line exactly with what I'm thinking and hoping.
Highway Star, I was starting to get disheartened, only because my budget it at the top (ish) of where these cars are, but the only one I've seen did not justify the cost (even when dropped to £5k). I'm in no really hurry to buy other than my own impatience...Your old car looked to be in fantastic condition, a absolute bargain for £2,700 surely? I'm surprised it didn't go for more when you sold it! Oh, and I'll certainly avoid chrome arches!
Benjfrst, that's just a whole lot of car for the money...madness. How does it feel with 160k miles under its belt? One I have my eye on has this much...so I'll need to check its had the head gasket and wiring loom replaced at some point.
I'll wait for the right car I think...I have a couple of leads but am in no real hurry (apart from the fact I hate the Renault I'm driving).
Nick, I see from here and MBClubUK that you are a bit of a guru on these...so no doubt we'll speak at some point! Your thoughts on values and condition of cars falls in line exactly with what I'm thinking and hoping.
Highway Star, I was starting to get disheartened, only because my budget it at the top (ish) of where these cars are, but the only one I've seen did not justify the cost (even when dropped to £5k). I'm in no really hurry to buy other than my own impatience...Your old car looked to be in fantastic condition, a absolute bargain for £2,700 surely? I'm surprised it didn't go for more when you sold it! Oh, and I'll certainly avoid chrome arches!
Benjfrst, that's just a whole lot of car for the money...madness. How does it feel with 160k miles under its belt? One I have my eye on has this much...so I'll need to check its had the head gasket and wiring loom replaced at some point.
I'll wait for the right car I think...I have a couple of leads but am in no real hurry (apart from the fact I hate the Renault I'm driving).
Burnham said:
Your old car looked to be in fantastic condition, a absolute bargain for £2,700 surely? I'm surprised it didn't go for more when you sold it! Oh, and I'll certainly avoid chrome arches!
Thanks, I was pleased with the price. The previous owner had it for about 3 years, he paid only £3500 and was willing to let it go for less than that. He was on MBClub, really nice bloke, though I did travel for it (about a 3 hour drive). It needed a new aircon condenser, so we agreed that price. When selling, I put it on for £3000, needed a quick sale and a friend offered me £2500 so went for a quick sale and I know he'll look after the old girl. Call me sentimental, but I'd rather take a couple of hundred quid less and know it had gone to a good home than it end up slammed to the ground, rolling on chrome 20 inch rims with a bad boy exhaust.I see you are in Maidenhead. I don't know who the local Merc specialist you refer to is, but I use Star Motor Services in Caversham (still use them on the wife's SLK). I've heard good things about John Griffiths in Caversham also.
Edited by Highway Star on Tuesday 20th April 12:39
Highway Star said:
Call me sentimental, but I'd rather take a couple of hundred quid less and know it had gone to a good home than it end up slammed to the ground, rolling on chrome 20 inch rims with a bad boy exhaust.
I see you are in Maidenhead. I don't know who the local Merc specialist you refer to is, but I use Star Motor Services in Caversham (still use them on the wife's SLK). I've heard good things about John Griffiths in Caversham also.
I know what you mean, I think an AMG kit is about as bling as these cars should be...I've seen some real sorry states for sale. Its almost tragic!I see you are in Maidenhead. I don't know who the local Merc specialist you refer to is, but I use Star Motor Services in Caversham (still use them on the wife's SLK). I've heard good things about John Griffiths in Caversham also.
Cheers for the garage info. Osbournes in StMarks (Maidenhead) is supposedly a Mercedes Specialist but I've not had 1st hand experience (yet!). They are within walking distance which is useful...but at least now I have some back ups, and Cavershams not too far away.
I bought my CE230 from Avantgarde Cars about 4 years ago - he is a decent chap to deal with and usually has a good selection of quality cars at reasonable prices. No 320's at the moment though from what I can see.
http://avantgardecars.co.uk/main.asp?type=Merc
I paid about £4,500 for mine so top dollar for a 230 but it was a 1 owner with 53,000 miles, FSH and good spec - been a great car and done an average of 11,000 miles pa since I bought it. I think cylinder head gaskets can be a problem, mine changed at 53,000 but fine since and now on 97,000.
I looked at selling mine last year for about £2,500 and would have been a bargain for someone....!
http://avantgardecars.co.uk/main.asp?type=Merc
I paid about £4,500 for mine so top dollar for a 230 but it was a 1 owner with 53,000 miles, FSH and good spec - been a great car and done an average of 11,000 miles pa since I bought it. I think cylinder head gaskets can be a problem, mine changed at 53,000 but fine since and now on 97,000.
I looked at selling mine last year for about £2,500 and would have been a bargain for someone....!
Another thing to be aware of is that the vents in the centre of the dash only blow outside air. I certainly did not realise this so could easily have been fooled that the air con was working fine and blowing ice cold when i tested the car on a cold day....!
Not surprisingly air con tends to fail on cars of this age and is expensive to fix so many people (myself included) live without it.
Not surprisingly air con tends to fail on cars of this age and is expensive to fix so many people (myself included) live without it.
This is a nice looking AMG E36 Coupe http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/classifieds-cars-sa... Not many of these around. If it had the full AMG kit it would look great and I would be tempted myself. But still has a great engine under the bonnet. £7500 so a little bit over your budget, but should hold its money very well.
A good Merc specialist that I've used is Chris Gray. He's in Princes Risborough 01844 345008. He's a good honest guy and does a good job and knows his Mercedes.
A good Merc specialist that I've used is Chris Gray. He's in Princes Risborough 01844 345008. He's a good honest guy and does a good job and knows his Mercedes.
Edited by TVR Tommy on Friday 23 April 13:52
Also avoid if you can the 5speed auto,it was MB's first electronic box and can suffer failure and is expensive to fix.What about an older 300ce,theres also very little perfomance difference in daily driving between the later 220ce (16 valve)cars and a six pot.Alot of late 220 coupes are also well optioned ,come in under budget but are getting just as rare.
Cheers for the posts guys.
After seeing another E320 with AMG kit last Thursday (which had not been looked after and would have required a fair amount spent on it), I've finally found one!
Funnily enough Tommy, its not that E36 but another car owned by the same poster, Aka$h, on the MB forum. The car was not going to be up for sale until later this year...but we agreed a price anyway and I cant wait to collect it. You can see the actual car in the pic at the bottom of his signature on the link....I'll add pics of my own when I collect it.
The car has had a full re-spray in Crystal Cassiterite Black and is in excellent condition, with nearly new shocks and springs all round, immaculate interior (this was a bit of a bugbear for me)...the car originally had grey leather but this was changed for mushroom taken from another E320 and its in great condition. It has excellent history and decent stereo set-up (Focal Utopia 3-way component, MP3, I-POD connectivity and Bluetooth).
Although the car started out as a E320 it was fitted with an E36 engine and therefore has the earlier 4 speed box (Bob, I really wanted a later 6-cylinder car, so the AMG engine with its 4-Speed is a nice compromise). It drove really well, not a single rattle or squeak anywhere...and everything seem to work perfectly..... The cars a real credit to the owner who's an enthusiast to say the least.
OK, so its not an original E36 and no longer an original E320, but its special in its own right and was by far the best I've seen.
The last decent car I owned cost seven times the price of this Mercedes, but after driving the Coupe it made me feel like a million dollars (well, I have been driving a Laguna for 6 months remember)...so again, it just seems excellent value for money, even if it was a little over budget.
After seeing another E320 with AMG kit last Thursday (which had not been looked after and would have required a fair amount spent on it), I've finally found one!
Funnily enough Tommy, its not that E36 but another car owned by the same poster, Aka$h, on the MB forum. The car was not going to be up for sale until later this year...but we agreed a price anyway and I cant wait to collect it. You can see the actual car in the pic at the bottom of his signature on the link....I'll add pics of my own when I collect it.
The car has had a full re-spray in Crystal Cassiterite Black and is in excellent condition, with nearly new shocks and springs all round, immaculate interior (this was a bit of a bugbear for me)...the car originally had grey leather but this was changed for mushroom taken from another E320 and its in great condition. It has excellent history and decent stereo set-up (Focal Utopia 3-way component, MP3, I-POD connectivity and Bluetooth).
Although the car started out as a E320 it was fitted with an E36 engine and therefore has the earlier 4 speed box (Bob, I really wanted a later 6-cylinder car, so the AMG engine with its 4-Speed is a nice compromise). It drove really well, not a single rattle or squeak anywhere...and everything seem to work perfectly..... The cars a real credit to the owner who's an enthusiast to say the least.
OK, so its not an original E36 and no longer an original E320, but its special in its own right and was by far the best I've seen.
The last decent car I owned cost seven times the price of this Mercedes, but after driving the Coupe it made me feel like a million dollars (well, I have been driving a Laguna for 6 months remember)...so again, it just seems excellent value for money, even if it was a little over budget.
Burnham said:
Cheers for the posts guys.
After seeing another E320 with AMG kit last Thursday (which had not been looked after and would have required a fair amount spent on it), I've finally found one!
Funnily enough Tommy, its not that E36 but another car owned by the same poster, Aka$h, on the MB forum. The car was not going to be up for sale until later this year...but we agreed a price anyway and I cant wait to collect it. You can see the actual car in the pic at the bottom of his signature on the link....I'll add pics of my own when I collect it.
The car has had a full re-spray in Crystal Cassiterite Black and is in excellent condition, with nearly new shocks and springs all round, immaculate interior (this was a bit of a bugbear for me)...the car originally had grey leather but this was changed for mushroom taken from another E320 and its in great condition. It has excellent history and decent stereo set-up (Focal Utopia 3-way component, MP3, I-POD connectivity and Bluetooth).
Although the car started out as a E320 it was fitted with an E36 engine and therefore has the earlier 4 speed box (Bob, I really wanted a later 6-cylinder car, so the AMG engine with its 4-Speed is a nice compromise). It drove really well, not a single rattle or squeak anywhere...and everything seem to work perfectly..... The cars a real credit to the owner who's an enthusiast to say the least.
OK, so its not an original E36 and no longer an original E320, but its special in its own right and was by far the best I've seen.
The last decent car I owned cost seven times the price of this Mercedes, but after driving the Coupe it made me feel like a million dollars (well, I have been driving a Laguna for 6 months remember)...so again, it just seems excellent value for money, even if it was a little over budget.
Good work mate!! I don't want to see pictures I will be jealous!After seeing another E320 with AMG kit last Thursday (which had not been looked after and would have required a fair amount spent on it), I've finally found one!
Funnily enough Tommy, its not that E36 but another car owned by the same poster, Aka$h, on the MB forum. The car was not going to be up for sale until later this year...but we agreed a price anyway and I cant wait to collect it. You can see the actual car in the pic at the bottom of his signature on the link....I'll add pics of my own when I collect it.
The car has had a full re-spray in Crystal Cassiterite Black and is in excellent condition, with nearly new shocks and springs all round, immaculate interior (this was a bit of a bugbear for me)...the car originally had grey leather but this was changed for mushroom taken from another E320 and its in great condition. It has excellent history and decent stereo set-up (Focal Utopia 3-way component, MP3, I-POD connectivity and Bluetooth).
Although the car started out as a E320 it was fitted with an E36 engine and therefore has the earlier 4 speed box (Bob, I really wanted a later 6-cylinder car, so the AMG engine with its 4-Speed is a nice compromise). It drove really well, not a single rattle or squeak anywhere...and everything seem to work perfectly..... The cars a real credit to the owner who's an enthusiast to say the least.
OK, so its not an original E36 and no longer an original E320, but its special in its own right and was by far the best I've seen.
The last decent car I owned cost seven times the price of this Mercedes, but after driving the Coupe it made me feel like a million dollars (well, I have been driving a Laguna for 6 months remember)...so again, it just seems excellent value for money, even if it was a little over budget.
taznuv said:
Very interesting thread as I've also been looking at these. One question, what are they like if you're tall (6'6")? I tend to find problems with legroom rather than headroom in even quite large cars. Any pointers appreciated.
You should be ok, my mate who is nearly 7 foot sat in my drivers seat this week and said there was lots of space, on my electric seats you get a lot of adjustment and they go far and down a lot! Not sure about manual seats.Also got a 180k service done this week for £350 which wasn't too bad.
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Sunday 9th May 19:06
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