Cheap do-it-all car

[100%Bitch]

I'm looking at this 210and to me it seems like an okay car. I know about the front spring cups and the crossmember, but can anyone see anything wrong with this car?

https://www.thatchammotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/mercedes-benz-e-class-3-2-e320-cdi-elegance-5dr-thatcham-202109167434957

 

[ALFAitalia]

This years MOT was fine (straight pass).....last year?....not so much. So I can only assume some money has been spent on it recently.

​

FAIL​

Do not drive until repaired (dangerous defects):​

• Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

Repair immediately (major defects):​

• Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))
• Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):​

• rear exhaust box corroded
• Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

What are defects and advisories?

​

 

[Stratman]

Defects mean a fail, advisories mean pass this time but will need repairing before they become defects.

 

[100%Bitch]

This years MOT was fine (straight pass).....last year?....not so much. So I can only assume some money has been spent on it recently.

​

FAIL​

Do not drive until repaired (dangerous defects):​

• Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

Repair immediately (major defects):​

• Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))
• Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):​

• rear exhaust box corroded
• Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

What are defects and advisories?

​

Yes, I saw that and one would hope that as it's from a dealer, that the only thing left to sort was the rear box.

Anyone know anything else I should look out for?

 

[grober]

21 YEAR OLD MERCEDES BUILT IN AN ERA OF DUBIOUS QUALITY AT £3k IS NOT A CHEAP CAR!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

No disrespect to W210's, but an early W211 would be far "cheaper," once you allow for inevitable maintenance at six figure mileage.

Ditto the W212.

 

[100%Bitch]

21 YEAR OLD MERCEDES BUILT IN AN ERA OF DUBIOUS QUALITY AT £3k IS NOT A CHEAP CAR!

But the same think could have been said about my 18yr old CL600.

 

[100%Bitch]

No disrespect to W210's, but an early W211 would be far "cheaper," once you allow for inevitable maintenance at six figure mileage.

Ditto the W212.

View attachment 127431

I've been looking at a couple of those too. That 210 does look like a clean car though.

 

[Petrol Pete]

With respect OP .

Cheap do-it-all car....​

You are on the wrong forum.

 

[Smiley]

You would need to have a good look at any 210. It looks like there are several different shades of silver on that car - like most silver 210s; most panels will have been repaired at one time or another.

 

[JamRocky]

Yes, I saw that and one would hope that as it's from a dealer, that the only thing left to sort was the rear box.

Anyone know anything else I should look out for?

I would not be sure of this! I bought a Mercedes from a dealer prior to the one I have now. It had a years MOT with no advisories which the dealer assured me was “brilliant” and that I was buying “a good car” … It had quite a few advisories the year before and I could not get a straight answer if they had all been sorted. They clearly had not. That car broke down 5 minutes after I picked it and had a really loud offside wheel bearing which was one of the advisories from the year before. It was riddled with problems and the dealer was just as full of shit as the bogus MOT he had organised. When I rang the MOT station they did not want to even talk to me and at one point claimed they never even had the car in for MOT, but later could no longer deny. I’m not saying it will be as bad as what I went through, but I am saying just because it’s a dealer that all previous MOT advisories have actually been fixed. FYI I got all my money back for that car.

 

[fabes]

Shouldn't say this on here, but you could consider a Saab 9-5 estate from a capable 1.9tid to a pokey 2.3 HOT, several years younger, with more modern creature comforts and the same load space, give or take.

Friend bought one (diesel) as a stop gap in lockdown and it's stayed as the tip trip hero, big stuff carrier and even serving as muddy sons football team mover.

It's not a Mercedes admittedly.....

 

[jamesfuller]

I've recently bought an E320 CDI Avantgarde.
The 210 series never really did much for me but I fancied a new project and decided to go for it.

I can honestly say I love it. It drives more like an old W124 than a newer generation MB, has a lot of character and the classic single wiper.
Spec wise it's got electric seats and steering column, auto wipers, climate control, heated and cooled seats. It has so much room in it, it's incredibly comfortable and an effortless drive.
The engine is smooth, easy going and economical but will still out drag the new 2.0 diesel repmobiles.

I paid £1750 for mine, (2001, 190,000 miles, part service history). Mine is quite tatty, a bit multi coloured as wings replaced and other work done. but mostly solid and good interior. So usable without paranoia basically.

I would lift the bonnet and check the inner wings, underneath the rear corners as in the spare wheel well and opposite side, and take the jack plugs out to check the sills.

I would say the one in the add is better condition wise than mine, less miles although lower spec would fetch £2-2.5k fairly easily, a dealer will want more but I reckon if you where waving 2.8k at them they might well accept it.
Im hoping £1-2k a year will keep mine maintained and running well. If that works out, it's cheap and very comfortable motoring I think.

 

[Milton7]

Looks like a nice car but…….. There are a minority of 20 year old Mercedes for sale which are good the majority will be bad. As an example I was lucky buying a one owner 2001 CLK 320 in a private sale six years ago which has been a fantastic car , it‘s been as reliable as a Toyota. I’ve done 50k miles and other than service items I’ve only had to replace four springs, the crank sensor, the battery and had the air con reconditioned. I‘ve been lucky as I bought a good car; it was an executors sale. Buying from a dealer is very different . If you go ahead with this car I’d would recommend you pay for an engineers report.
I would suggest you wait until you see a genuine car from a private seller, they do pop up from time to time.

 

[jamesfuller]

As with many older enthusiast owned cars, joining the Facebook pages can be worthwhile as most are sold here before mainstream advertising.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I'm obviously missing something here . OP asks for 'Cheap do it all car' ...not 'cheap do it all Mercedes Benz' (doesn't exist)

IMHO the 1.8 litre petrol Astra estate in the same advert group as the MB would be a far better option .

 

[fabes]

The above was what I thought and what flagged a Saab....
Astra is a fair bit smaller

 

[Chrishazle]

We had a 1.8 Astra estate for a number of years as our daily driver, tip trip load lugger, taking kiddies to Uni etc, only major problem we had in many years of ownership was a failed alternator, other than that it was normal service items only. Good car, worth a look.

 

[m80]

I'm obviously missing something here . OP asks for 'Cheap do it all car' ...not 'cheap do it all Mercedes Benz' (doesn't exist)

IMHO the 1.8 litre petrol Astra estate in the same advert group as the MB would be a far better option .

With the Viano off the road waiting for the engine to come out and be worked on, later when the weather became warmer, I needed a stop gap temporary replacement.
I started looking at Astra vans, and found Astra estates not only were cheaper but came with more comfort toys.
Comparing models and inclusion the prices looked to be passing the £4k mark.
I then considered that the E class estate was about as close to a van as I could get.
05 / 06 examples with values circa £3.5k were knocking about. The 2.1 engines were robust and feasibly trustworthy. Toys were superior to the Astra. Load lugging far superior. Drive comfort way better.

I was lucky that I came across a 2.1 211, so now facelift and no SBC. It failed to get any bids on eBay and I negotiated the seller down to £2.6k (worth a fair bit more now).
It's far better than I ever anticipated. We still have it 20 months on and run it to London fairly regularly.
I'm hoping it will serve us till the Gov't drones blow it off the road.

From me it's the 211, facelift if pennies will stretch.

 

[ChipChop]

I'm looking at this 210and to me it seems like an okay car. I know about the front spring cups and the crossmember, but can anyone see anything wrong with this car?

https://www.thatchammotorcompany.co.uk/used-cars/mercedes-benz-e-class-3-2-e320-cdi-elegance-5dr-thatcham-202109167434957

The MOT states defects for rear shock absorbers both having serious fluid leaks but the s210 estates do not have rear shock absorbers due to the self levelling suspension system. They are hydraulic rams not shock absorbers and are very expensive to replace. Seems unlikely they would have been replaced due to their high cost (around £500 each) and the low value of the car. Buyer beware - the car has SLS issues. Budget £1000+ to replace spheres and hydraulic hardlines at an MB specialist.

Other faults i spotted include a defect on the offside front wing below the headlight, digital display pixels look to be faulty and the rear e320 cdi script is not correct. You really need to view and drive (to see if the SLS works) the car in person though as the pictures manage to skillfully avoid showing the obvious 210 rust prone areas around the front and rear arches.