About to buy a pre facelift E280 (with SBC). Should I run a mile?

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JohnnyE

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May 17, 2013
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4
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E280 CDI
Hi

Sorry to delve straight in with my 1st post - but I'm in a bit of a flap at this small hour of the night! :wallbash:

I've been looking for a clean E class diesel and spotted a really lovely example in a local independent dealers. Its a 2006 E280 CDI Elegance. 1 owner, 76k, full black leather. Mostly MB stamped service history except the past 2 which were independent. Took it for a test drive yesterday and was smitten. I left a small deposit.

However, after a look through the classifieds tonight, and despite thinking it was a facelift model... its not. I'd mistakenly thought that E270's were pre facelift and E280 V6's were facelift (ie. no SBC brakes).

Its definitely a pre facelift. The grille, the mirrors. No question.

So... now that I've realised this, and scared the crap out of myself via a series of Google searches... what would you advise?

I'll happily walk away and lose the £100 holding deposit - but if MB stand over these for 10 years, I guess theres 3 years of cover there (assuming that the MB stamps are enough to get a free replacement).

Should I get a diagnostic scan done on it to see how many actuations it has done? Do MB do software resets on the units (and is that wise)?

My gut (despite LOVING how it drove) is telling me to walk. :wallbash:

Thanks.
 
well... does it have a valeo radiator? what spec is it... whats it priced at? any damage? what warranty is the dealer giving you? where are you located? do you know any good indie? perhaps you can show it to him...
mb stamps probably wouldn't get you a lot...perhaps a bit of corrosion warranty if you were lucky...
if there is no rust AT ALL, ANYWHERE and the car checks out ok and the dealer is giving you (say 6 months) warranty and your trusted indie reckons it's a goodun and the price is right... lol
 
personally if i was paying for a 2006, i'd get the facelift. if it were a 2003 for example with price to match; i might find the difference in price a temptation!
 
I'm in NI. I've got a really good mechanic who's expert in Mercedes, so I'm giving him a call this morning. The car was advertised at £8k but in real terms, ~£7500 as I was given an over value trade in against it - a good £400 more than my current car is worth.

Not one bit of rust anywhere. HPI clear and no damage. Spec wise:

Full Black Leather Interior, Electric Seat Adjustment, CD Player, Dual Zone Climate Control, Traction Control, Cruise Control, Alloy Wheels, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Front Foglights, Headlight Washers, Electric Windows x 4, Electric Mirrors, Remote Central Locking, Multi-Function Steering Wheel, Automatic Headlights, Rain-Sensitive Wipers, Front Centre Armrest, Rear Centre Armrest, Rear Headrests, Trip Computer, Seat Height Adjustment, Lumbar Support, ISOFIX, ABS, Front Airbags, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags, Immobilizer, Perimetric Alarm, Adjustable Steering Column, Power Steering, Tailored Mudflaps, Tailored Carpet Mats. HPI CLEAR, Excellent Condition Inside and Out

Valeo?.. well I forgot to check that one out. Thinking it was post facelift I thought it was clear of that risk.

Link to the ad and pics.
 
The easiest and quickest way to tell a facelift version externally is to look a the front fog lamps..
The face lifts have 2 chrome strips that run through the fog lamps as in the photo below.
 
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Well, a few phone calls and my mind is back at ease (ish!).

No Valeo radiator thankfully. My independent mechanic has diagnostics that can check the counter on the pump and he'll do that today to see where its at. Also.. he has had a couple of older cars get the brake warning and our local MB dealer has replaced them free of charge so long as it was within 10 years old.

Looking at the positives.. the car drove like a dream and was obviously well cared for in its life so far. The interior was ridiculously clean. Not a fade, crinkle nor mark.

The test run was only 10 mins and I had a lot to take in.. but aren't I right to say these are the 5 speed auto? (and not the 7 speed). And would I also be right to assume no DPF on this one?

Edit: The one for sale linked above looks great.. but, not in NI and I really need to trade in my current car. 407 HDi with 80k and the dual ticking timebombs of dual mas flywheel and DPF!
 
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The V6 diesel engines all had 7 speed auto
 

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