Buying a 10yo car advice please.

[bolide]

Lots of the E61s (and E39s) had removable gooseneck tow bars fitted at the factory. Look in the spare wheel well and you may find one that's never been used..

Both cars also have self-levelling suspension with airbag springs

Nick Froome

 

[219]

I'm sure Nick would also agree that six cylinder S124's make fine towcars too ; especially if you are lucky enough to find a 300TE 4-Matic

 

[John]

Don't worry...only a W211 problem.

Well, only a 2002 > 2006 W211 and S211 problem...

 

[bolide]

I'm sure Nick would also agree that six cylinder S124's make fine towcars too ; especially if you are lucky enough to find a 300TE 4-Matic

I agree, but not easily within the OP's budget. The W124 makes a great tow car, not least due to its amazing turning circle. 4x4s and FWD cars can't compete there

Nick Froome

 

[savo]

Well I bought a car! http://www.usedcarsni.com/2003-Mercedes-E-Class-2-2-CDI-CLASSIC-AUTO-148588262

I went to view a few other cars. I'd have liked an E270 but the ones I viewed were pretty rough, high mileage, neglected. The car I bought looks unmolested with regular service history and low mileage 92000, it's not as flash as others at the price but seems to be in really good condition. I got it for a lot less than the asking price and have purchased a basic 1 year warranty from Car Warranty | Best Used Car Warranties from Warrantywise

We are picking it up tomorrow so fingers crossed I haven't made a mistake.

Regards
Andrew

 

[John]

Looks fine for what you need - looks like it has been looked after as well.

If it all checked out OK, that's as sure as you can be.

Rest seems to be down to luck!

 

[welland99]

Well I bought a car! http://www.usedcarsni.com/2003-Mercedes-E-Class-2-2-CDI-CLASSIC-AUTO-148588262

nice.

 

[welland99]

Don't worry...only a W211 problem.

Ok, but my next car might be a 211 - who knows?

 

[welland99]

Try this Wikipedia entry for an explanation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensotronic_Brake_Control

The issue is the electric pump which has a number of activations limit, which means replacement at the £1k cost AMGeed mentioned above. Apparently, there may be the possibility of a one-time extension of the limit by a counter reset (via STAR, I presume).

Hopefully, someone will post the ins and outs of living with SBC shortly.

Thanks. EEk, that's off-putting when buying an older car. Is there any way to tell if the car is close to the activations limit, or has already had the limit extended?

 

[HB]

Budget another grand into your purchase price for an sbc. It's an amazing braking system. I put a new one in myn and I'd do it again. There are very few used cars as good as a 211.

 

[MikeHartley]

At least they fixed the string vest in the passenger footwell!
Not many sellers even bother to do it and it takes about 30 seconds to pull it straight.

 

[John]

Budget another grand into your purchase price for an sbc. It's an amazing braking system. I put a new one in myn and I'd do it again. There are very few used cars as good as a 211.

Agreed - I used to see the SBC as a negative cost but if you read about the system, it is actually very good.

For a grand, although it is a lot of money, if you keep the car long enough it works out cheap - I just think of it as a consumable should mine ever go.

 

[savo]

OK we got the car today and it's brilliant, can't wait to drive it myself when my leg's out of plaster. There are no funny noises or rattles and its running well but we do have a couple of problems. The rear parcel shelf is damp in the corner and the corner of the armrest is damp. We had thought the car had just had a valet but its obviously a leak. The plastic along the RHS of the boot under the lid which runs up to the window is loose so I presume that there is water getting in there. While at the petrol station I was pressing a few buttons on the dash and when my wife got back in the car and started it we got a malfunction warning something like consumer electric. The dash turned red and it said to take it for repair! After restarting the engine it's been fine. I paid £2500 for the car down from the £2990 asking price and I don't think the seller will be keen to fix any problems, if these are minor faults I'll be happy. However I am am a bit concerned.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[E55BOF]

The car looks good, and so does the price you paid. The problem is probably just the auxiliary battery getting a bit tired; nothing to worry about, and not expensive to replace if it's needed. Both of mine have done it from time to time, though the warning comes up in grey as a malfunction, not in red.

 

[savo]

Yea the red is a bit worrying. Looking through the paperwork there is a £200 receipt from Battery World dated 1/12/14 for 2 new batteries, 1x019D and 1x017D (the writing is a bit of a scrawl). I visited a friend tonight who has owned a 2005 E270 for the last 5 years and he cheerfully told me the only problem he's had was a reconditioned alternator @ £500.
Sadly I am a bit of a worrier but hopefully it'll have been a combination of the car sitting for weeks and us playing with the electricals although we had just taken it for a 10 mile drive just before it happened.

Fingers crossed
Andrew

 

[E55BOF]

That receipt is for two main batteries, for two different cars; yours will probably be a 019. The auxiliary battery is a motorcycle-type, of about 14 or 17 ah iirc.

I'd just keep running it and see what happens.