12k mile E55

[Deleted member 149005]

Ermmm

Old cars have usually become more valuable in the same ways as lots of old stuff becomes valuable.

Supply and demand, fuelled by nostalgia

And a W210 is not an analogue car

does it have active yaw control, active aero, multiple suspension settings, multiple traction control settings with drift mode, infinitely variable delay on switching off the headlights, augmented sat nav? 360 can?

no

it’s analogue and all the better for it.

old shit becomes valuable because people want it and drive up demand

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Old cars don’t become valuable.
Old cars with insanely low mileage, superb provenance or preposterously uneconomic renovation become valuable.

They’re pieces of art, not motor cars to be driven and enjoyed.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Looks fantastic. It may take a while to find a buyer though.

 

[ChipChop]

Appreciating Classics they may well be. Not much room for appreciation though when you are asking £65,000 for a Capri. Do people really expect to make a profit buying modern classics at such inflated prices?

 

[Will]

does it have active yaw control, active aero, multiple suspension settings, multiple traction control settings with drift mode, infinitely variable delay on switching off the headlights, augmented sat nav? 360 can?

no

it’s analogue and all the better for it.

old shit becomes valuable because people want it and drive up demand

Every generation of cars become more complex and reliant on electronics as time goes by.

I remember the 124 brigade for years wouldn’t give the 210 time of day, considering it over complicated and difficult for the DIY mechanic without access to stuff like star diagnostics etc. In the sense of cars though it’s hardly what you’d call analogue

Ironically it’s corrosion not complex electronics which calls time on most of these cars now.

To me, the 211 was a better car all round, how do you define better?

 

[Will]

Old cars with insanely low mileage, superb provenance or preposterously uneconomic renovation become the most valuable.

They’re pieces of art, not motor cars to be driven and enjoyed.

FTFY,

Ever seen the ‘barn finds’ that sell for tens of thousands of pounds?

Depends on your definition of valuable I guess, but I think we both understand what we mean

 

[ioweddie]

Nice

 

[glojo]

Supposedly ordered from Aachen dealer, so either BFG or Diplomatic - Maastricht is just up the road.

Whilst there is a small possibility a member of the armed forces bought that car (could they have afforded that beautiful beast?) Might I suggest it is more likely this might simply be an imported vehicle? NOT disagreeing with the suggestion, just playing the odds game. Back in the day, it was cheaper to buy a car in some European countries and then import it into the UK.

Someone may well buy this car for a museum but as a daily user!! We thankfully sold our 210 before that awful corrosion raised its ugly head, but the 210 has a deserved awful reputation for corrosion and whilst some folk may be lucky, thanks but no thanks.

 

[E55BOF]

My first Mercedes was an S210 E55, and I liked it well enough, but by today's standards even the performance is fairly mundane, and the looks inoffensive but uninspiring. Iconic it is not, and never has been. The E55K that I replaced it with was a much better car in every way.

"...mixing luxury with fantastic performance, on a great handling chassis..." Bollocks...

Only a loon suffering from severe nostalgia would put his rose-tinted specs on and pay £65K for a Ford Capri. When you look at what else you could buy actually to use for that E55's asking price, you'd need the same sort of loon to buy it, but I rather doubt the W210 E55 has or will ever have inspired the sort of devotion the Capri seems to have done. The ad is angled towards a collector, but I doubt there are many collectors lusting after a W210.

Scrap metal collectors excepted...

 

[Will]

The ad is angled towards a collector, but I doubt there are many collectors lusting after a W210.

Scrap metal collectors excepted...

Ouch!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Your source has got their records crossed, that's the figure for the Carrera auto. I'm not sure the Turbo came in anything but manual?

You're right. Strangely Wikipedia was wrong this time (cough): no automatics back then

Manual 964 Turbo: 0-62 in 5 seconds.

My CL500: 0-62 in 4.9 seconds (auto box)

(UK price of a CL500 at 7 years old: one tenth of a 964 Turbo)

But, to be fair, any 964 Turbo will have had an absolute fortune spent on it, all through its life, while a CL500 will just have been "serviced."

 

[Will]

I would think comparing like-for-like, over the years, the depreciation and maintenance on a similar aged CL outweighs the maintenance on a 911 turbo.

Most 911s ever built are still on the road today, and whatever the owners of a 1994 911 have spent in maintenance over the years, they will have suffered pretty much zero depreciation - some will have made handsome profits!

Depreciation is the biggest motoring expense for most Mercedes drivers.

BTW, a 1994 964 Turbo is quicker than that

 

[Doodle]

Whilst there is a small possibility a member of the armed forces bought that car (could they have afforded that beautiful beast?) Might I suggest it is more likely this might simply be an imported vehicle? NOT disagreeing with the suggestion, just playing the odds game. Back in the day, it was cheaper to buy a car in some European countries and then import it into the UK.

It was more in reference to ChipChop's statement, if it were the case who would the likely culprits be. However, there were/are substantial discounts available for Military/Diplomatic purchases in Europe - it would be easily within reach for senior officers/diplomatic staff. If buying carefuly one could drive it for a while and then bring it back to the UK for profit.

The majority of the import business you mention was conducted through Belgium and Holland at the time, being close to the ports/tunnel and a good level of English speakers. By no means impossible but Aachen seems a bit of an unusual place on that basis.