Considering a w124 coupe

[Grahamcol]

Hi,

Thinking about going to see an e320 auto coupe which it is claimed is more or less mint having won best car at a recent show it seems. Mileage is 96k and it has cream leather, tilt sliding roof etc. and histort is complete including old MOT's. Asking price is £7450 but I'm wondering whether this is considered a bit high here and I would have thought closer to £5k or £6k. It's for sale by a Merc classic dealer complete with warranty so I guess there will be a premium for that. Also, I've been quoted £393 on a 3k miles per year classic insurance policy which again I feel is a little steep.

Comments please and thanks in advance.

 

[d w124]

I don`t know what spec that is,but the price is to high i think

 

[vin230]

Hi,

Thinking about going to see an e320 auto coupe which it is claimed is more or less mint having won best car at a recent show it seems. Mileage is 96k and it has cream leather, tilt sliding roof etc. and histort is complete including old MOT's. Asking price is £7450 but I'm wondering whether this is considered a bit high here and I would have thought closer to £5k or £6k. It's for sale by a Merc classic dealer complete with warranty so I guess there will be a premium for that. Also, I've been quoted £393 on a 3k miles per year classic insurance policy which again I feel is a little steep.

Comments please and thanks in advance.

Defintiely too high. I would think around £4K - £5K tops if its a decent one.

 

[buccal]

I'm not so sure its too high. Auto barn etc etc seem to have no problem selling them if it has the right provenance

 

[Bill_33]

Car price - all "old" car prices can only be determined by considering condition, specification and history.

Insurance - depends on your age, where you live and your driving record.

To be fair, I cannot see how anyone can comment on either without further information.

 

[The Boss]

hi

firstly, the w124 coupe is one of the best coupes still on the market. Simple and classic in design, it has aged very well and so much so, that Audis are starting to have the simple clean lines that mercedes was renowned for.

I agree with Bill, that more info is required on the car.

Aspects to consider is

number of owners?
full spec?
year of manufacture?
colour?
sportline or standard?

etc etc

let us know, but price wise could be a lil on the steep size. Warranty should be usual with dealers anyway, but for example, a 16,000 mile e320 sold recently for 16,000.

There are too many variables.. thus tell us as much as you can!

 

[del320]

Trouble is, opinions as to what constitutes "mint" may not coincide with yours - or mine. C124 coupes are approaching classic status but there are still stacks out there you wouldn't touch with the proverbial. I thought mine was "mint" until I started to pull it apart. See my C124 refurbish thread.

A truly excellent car with lowish miles, no worries about gasket or loom and a high spec with at least leather, cruise and electric seats - better still with climate control - will easily be worth £7k +.

But as with any old car - they are now a minimum of 13 years old - do your homework (plenty of threads here to search) and make the vendor really justify his price. If he can prove to you just how good it is, it'll be worth the money.

Insurance, of course is dependant on age, location and driving record. I pay £160 fully comp etc for 6k miles pa.

 

[Grahamcol]

Thanks for all the replies. I'ts had 3 owners from 1 family plus 1 other owner. It's a 1993 on an M plate. Not sure about whether its sportline or not but suspect its not as that's not part of the description. It has original alloys, brand new radio/cd player. It's pale blue metallic with cream leather which is described as virtually unmarked.

Regarding insurance, I'm 57 no points but with 1 claim 3 years ago not my fault but hit by an uninsured twit who escaped the clutches of the law despite witnesses etc so my NCB was affected.

Thanks again to all for your input

 

[grober]

Shop around for your insurance since I reckon as a 57 year old you should be paying that for an all year round policy not 3 months restricted! I always say this but its true body condition is paramount on these cars as they are getting on for 13years + old. For that price you should be getting a car that's fairly clean underneath. I would expect to see an exhaust in good condition,the start of rust on some seams, suspension components, rear subframe, brake pipes etc but not extensive widespread corrosion. The underside is a good indicator of what the rest of the car is really like behind those nice plastic trim sections. Get it up on a ramp and have a look before laying out that amount of money.

 

[dougal74]

Having seen Del's car in the photos, without its underwear (brave man) and having just sold mine (for a lot less than the numbers you are thinking) there is absolutely no way I would spend that kind of money on a "mint" one. Del's is pretty much as good as they get if they are actually driven and not dry stored.

These things will get costly to look after in the next 2-5 years I know mine did. Accordingly, £7k is madness, they are not bulletproof and they do rot.

I would look to pick a very nicely looked after one which has had attention to the bodywork etc. for £3-5k and then use the £2k+ you save to keep it in good condition during the next few years.

 

[Will]

^^^ Wise words from a man in the know.

These 124 coupés are lovely cars, but as we know, even the nice looking ones can have hidden issues.

I'd only pay strong money for an absolutely mint, top spec low mileage car with proven attention to all of the common weak spots.

New loom
New head gasket (or at least 100% leak free)
Perfect bodywork - no rot or rust
Mint wheels/tyres
New/excellent original MB exhaust
Overhauled or perfect working air con
New screens with no delamination...etc

Low ownership, sensible/lowish mileage, full service history etc

Once you're talking £7-8k+ you really have to want a mint 124 and you've got a right to expect an A1 straight car with no expenditure for the forseeable future. Warranty and all that as well

IMHO

Will

 

[Grahamcol]

Thanks will / grober. Interesting stuff and I take your points about loom, gasket and rot. Yes, I think I will leave this one a while and see if it comes down in price or hangs around a bit - I can always make an offer on it if it hangs and if it has been on the market for a while this will put me in a better position.

 

[Bill_33]

Graham

Insurance - from what you have said most people on here seem to pay half what you have been quoted.

The W124 (E320) Coupe - I think that they are great cars - a true modern classic. "Good ones" can only go up in value as more and more are being "scrapped" - (no not under the scheme), but because of rust and neglect which has led to engine, gear box and electrical problems.

I looked around before I bought mine......but mine is a pre face lift 300CE, with a value much less than the one that you are, (maybe), considering.

Depends what you want from the car, but I am very happy to spend £2,000 to £3,000 on a buying a car, (any W124 6 cyl), and have some fun and interest driving and "tinkering" with it

What I would say if you can find a mint one, (inside and out), with a full specification, with original panels and paintwork plus a very good service history, low owners and no mechanical and electrical problems.......and you really want it - money should be a secondary, although very important, consideration.
Clearly if you go for a 320 it is very important that the few, (I nearly said all the problems), problems that have been highlighted do not exist or have been dealt with.

At the prices that they are selling for today, for me there is little to compare with it , even at prices of £7k, £8k and higher........but more so when you can buy a "good" one for £3,000.......just a bargain

 

[Bill_33]

Slightly off topic, but I thought that I would post it as it's topical

W124 – as a Daily driver

Just to add a comment about how good the W124 can be as a “daily” driver

I have a friend who has just visited us out here in SW France. He has a G reg 230TE which he bought new. He has not looked after the body and there is rust in all the usual places, particularly around the rear window, in the rear wheel arches and on the front wings.

Although he bought it new he has never let anyone, (not even MBZ in the 3 year warranty period), touch the car. He has serviced it every 6,000 miles and done all the stuff on the maintenance schedule. The car is coming up for 170,000 miles and he still gets early 30’s and mid 30s plus mpg on a run

He has just driven from the west of Ireland to SW France and back up to Paris. He regularly drives it across Ireland, back to the UK and back to Ireland.

Why am I telling you this?, because he could use his new Honda…….but he only uses the Honda as a “second car” for his wife and shopping. Any serious motoring is done in the almost 20 year old Merc, which as I said has been looked after mechanically, but is seldom cleaned.

I am sure there are many stories like this……….old W124s being used daily for up to 10,000 or 20,000 miles per annum.

 

[The G.F.P]

linky ?

im after one and might counter bid you

 

[buccal]

Sky is the limit if you have deep enough pockets:

Autobarn - Classic Mercedes Benz - Cars for sale

Imagine the hit if you sold in a year or two to your average trader

 

[The G.F.P]

Sky is the limit if you have deep enough pockets:

Autobarn - Classic Mercedes Benz - Cars for sale

Imagine the hit if you sold in a year or two to your average trader

thats exactly what i want

thing is would they take my car and £3k

i doubt it as my car is only worth 3-4k

 

[Apial]

Autobarn - Classic Mercedes Benz - Cars for sale and this one sold too!

Same mileage and colour as my 300CE-24 but poorer spec. Time to up the agreed insurance value perhaps.

 

[The G.F.P]

makes me wonder how much they paid for them, where they found them and how much the would sell them for for cold hard cash

 

[grober]

Older is better??

A couple of comments here. You might think it a contradiction in terms but pre 1992/3 ??? cars like your friends 1989?? car are often in better condition body wise than later cars. The reason was a change in Mercedes paint technology from a solvent based system to a water based system. Its widely held these earlier solvent paint cars seem to hold up better rust wise. The MOT structural failure vulnerabilities on these W124 cars seem to centre round the rear sill jacking points/ rear subframe front mounts/ rear wheel arches so your friends faithful chariot may be living on borrowed time. Cars not subject to the attack of salt and road grit will be at a distinct advantage although living in an area with high agricultural fertiliser use, high rainfall or proximity to the coast would also be a risk factors.