advice needed for tomorrow please

[andyb77]

hey guys

i've got a test drive booked for a 54 plate ml 270 cdi auto tomorrow and was wondering if any of you had any pointers on things i should look out for?

the car has covered 40k and has had 1 previous owner. it is well specced with powered alcantara/leather seats, sat nav, etc and is priced at £12.5k. is this about right?

thanks in advance

andy

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

Its a late model being a 54, price sounds ok if a tad steep. Pleanty about so try not to rush in.

Brakes take some hammer as its a heavy car, check the front discs for groves and pad for wear if you can.

Make sure everything electric works

Check for any rust bubbles, look under the rear handle for the boot release. Under arches.

Make sure the owner isn't passing items off that are standard as expensive options, Power seats are on all of them.

When you press the left millage reset button breifly it should change from Millage, trip and next service. worth checking when this is.

Check all the tyres, should be even wear.

Nice options are:-

Xenon lights (should have screen wash jets if this option)
Parking sensors F/R
Sat Nav
6/7 seat option (good for resale)
Sunroof (v Rare)


I have an inspiration model which has some nice goodies, Mines a Petrol but my father inlaw has an older model ML270Cdi and he likes it, gets over 30mpg also.

What do you drive now?

welcome in advance if you buy

 

[andyb77]

thanks - some usefull info and advice.

i'm hoping to get the car for less than the screen price - about 12,000-12,250 would be good. it's in a garage so we'll see

it has a sunroof and parking sensors and on first inspection today (i had a quick look before i went away for a think and do some sums!) no rust or paintwork defects were apparent but i'll have a good look in the areas you mention.

thanks again and i'll let you know how i get on.

p.s. i drive a toyota avensis at present - it's a company car so not really my fault and it goes back on thursday anyway!
i do also have a 1970 bay window vw camper which rocks

 

[gIzzE]

You want to be aiming at £2k off mate not £250! Things are terrible out there and these cars are loosing £400 a month still!!

 

[Satch]

£12K!!! £10.5k max and that is being generous in the current market.

A quick search on Autotrader reveals things like this:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...del=M+CLASS&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=40000

 

[andy_k]

I agree with the others, considering the prices of cars at the moment that's over the odds.

Go for a big discount, the worst thing can happen is the dealer says "No"

 

[Adam230K]

too expensive i thought too, bring it down or find another one.

 

[gIzzE]

New ML280cdi are changing hands for £12k in the trade at the moment, so I would guess the one you are looking at shold be priced at £10k and you should be aiming at getting it for £9k, trade value would be around £6 or 7k at the moment.

Far better to buy something like this, knock them down £1000 and finance the difference if you have to.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...NZ&model=M+CLASS&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=

 

[gbjeppm]

Yes, and it doesn't have leather, I assume that you dont mind that, which is fine, but tell the dealer you want Leather (without leather it will be more difficult to sell), and use it as an excuse to knock more money off.

I have just bought an ML500, and got what I thought was a good deal with a P Ex, i know that the car has not been taxed since may (OK its a 500), but they are difficult to shift in the current market, so silly offers will be listened to, and they might just bite your arm off.

 

[grober]

No mention of documentation? If its one owner has it got a full MB service history? Check MOT status- relevant to CAT/converter status. Top specced clean cars with an immaculate history and I stress immaculate still fetch money over the odds BUT lots of dealers "try it on" for cars that don't come up to that standard. I would check the rear discs also since together with the front discs they form an integral part of the 4wheel drive system and are high wear items in this car as has been said. The rear shock/spring units are usually replaced as complete units and are quite expensive so check for leaks. Tyres are not cheap so should have considerable mileage left on them. Good cars tend to have big named brand tyres on them. If they have cheap eastern european/far east tyres on them its an indication the dealer/previous owner has been penny pinching? If its a 2004 it will probably have been built in Austria and have bremo brakes. Check the vin plate for details. Have look underneath for evidence of "off roading activities" which can accelerate component wear rates to levels higher than the mileage would imply.

 

[Chattonmill]

Off roading in a 4x4...... are they quite mad

 

[A210AMG]

New ML280cdi are changing hands for £12k in the trade at the moment


Can I buy one from a trader please

 

[andy_k]

possibly if you talk to a friendly trader they will let you "underwrite" one of their deals - ie, they move one of their cars in exchange for something else from another dealer because they have an immediate buyer lined up for that type of vehicle.

You'll need to have the money sitting in the bank waiting and probably have no choice relating to spec, colour etc.

It can be a good way to pick up bargains but you have to move quickly when the offer comes in

 

[gIzzE]

New ML280cdi are changing hands for £12k in the trade at the moment


Can I buy one from a trader please

Of course, but he will charge you £15k for it.

 

[andy_k]

Of course, but he will charge you £15k for it.

£13k on a good day

 

[Tan]

If that is the figures that the new shape is going for, I would try and get a bargain on the new shape! Some dealers are very desperate now!

 

[dougal74]

Good advice on the new shape front but I also saw this old shape: -
http://www.cargiant.co.uk/search/details-396830.asp
and these guys generally have very keen prices (as they source at auction). So I'm not sure prices are quite as week as has been generally suggested for the right car with the right options (in this case, 7 seats, leather, Comand, Parktronic).
If it were me I'd go for one of the Toerags they have for the same money.

 

[gIzzE]

2004 ML270cdi
49k miles
Silver
Black leather

£8500 asking price, should bag that for just under £8k??


http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-u...del=M+CLASS&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=60000

 

[gIzzE]

No nav, but add a decent system that sounds good, has bluetooth, plays and lists MP3's and will take an ipod for £500-1000.

The New Pioneer has 32k colours so you can mtach the interior perfectly too.

 

[A210AMG]

What head unit is that above, does the surround come with it?


Mines probably worth a cupa tea and a biscuit so I'm keeping it a bit longer

Love driving it so just as well