Can a 1991 500E ever be worth £70k?

[Will]

Mileage is only a number, it's not directly related to condition. This is why mileage shouldn't be relied upon heavily with older cars like this.

As these cars age, correct maintenance is probably more important than the mileage recorded on the cluster.

Anyone who overpays for a car *just* because the mileage alone is low and the condition not outstanding is walking straight into that trap.

I agree that it's hard to verify the mileage of cars coming from far overseas with limited history etc but I would just view the car and buy on condition alone. If it's better than the average 200k kilometre European cars and the body is corrosion free then '48k' Japanese mileage doesn't really matter too much in reality

 

[John Jones Jr]

The market is being flooded with Jap imports at the moment. Lots of classics coming over.
No way the mileage can be verified.

I recall the Irish market being flooded with direct imports from Japan in the 90's. They were coming in at a rate of hundreds at a time, literally a ship load - one dealer was selling 50 plus cars a week. The same situation as importing now, mileage couldn't be verified but condition could be. The cars always sold, I actually bought one, so did plenty of U.K. residents. The price was right, condition was right and usually the spec was away above anything that could be purchased in Europe.

I certainly wouldn't knock Jap imports just because the mileage can't be verified.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Agreed Will. However, when selling my 95 Bentley Continental R, my dealer took 4 calls within a week about mileage. All baulked at a car with 100k on the clock, despite 24 main dealer stamps in the book with everything done that RR recommends! What too many people forget is that components degrade if unused and mileage seems to be a bit of an obsession.

£50, 60 or 70k are all silly prices.

 

[jaymanek]

I recall the Irish market being flooded with direct imports from Japan in the 90's. They were coming in at a rate of hundreds at a time, literally a ship load - one dealer was selling 50 plus cars a week. The same situation as importing now, mileage couldn't be verified but condition could be. The cars always sold, I actually bought one, so did plenty of U.K. residents. The price was right, condition was right and usually the spec was away above anything that could be purchased in Europe.

I certainly wouldn't knock Jap imports just because the mileage can't be verified.

Yes and we were one of those that took the ferry over every Wednesday to fill our boots with these Jap Imports.. good times...

Its really how I got into the car sales business.

 

[grober]

As someone said at the beginning its worth what someone is prepared to pay. For that car £70K is dreaming -- but you never know. Only way its price might be boosted is by individual history --- either by competition record as previously mentioned [ and the 500 was never a competition car] or perhaps long term ownership by someone famous. Ex Michael Schumacher-his daily driver for 5 years?? But that's going to put thousands on the price rather than tens of thousands.

ps I often wonder if the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. [ Ferrari ] used in C'était un rendez-vous is still around???

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[Uberwagon]

As a 1991 500e owner myself, then it is surprisingly undervalued haha

If there just isn't another low mileage one around in this spec then it's worth every penny, whether it will ever sell is another matter as I don't think the 500e will start appreciating properly for a good 10 years yet, they are high mileage cars as they are GT cars, not using it seems silly.

Dave!

 

[MD5]

wrong link deleted

 

[bing]

This is a bargain in comparison then, and considering it's face lifted and only 63kkm :
Mercedes-Benz E 500 as Saloon in Zagreb


I'd be checking this out if i had a bloody garage :wall bash::wall bash: