estate buying advice (W123, W124, W210, W211), auto diesel preferred

[grahamperrin]

https://www.diigo.com/list/grahamperrin/list-2014050319222211 there's a list of cars that I have in mind. Mostly Mercedes-Benz. The list will change over time.

Overall preferences at the head of the list, to the left. General comments at the foot.

My budget for initial purchase is limited – aiming to spend no more than £2,000. A few more costly listings are included to remind myself how I might benefit by getting a little into debt, but I prefer a life that's entirely debt-free.

Photographs of my 1986 230TE automatic, taken when I tried to sell it in 2008, should give people an idea of where I'm coming from. Whilst the 300TE that's with me now should be good until at least November 2014, I'm quite motivated to get another car fairly soon.

Any thoughts?

If it helps: long and short introductions to my driving history, including my reasons for preferring Mercedes-Benz.

Cheers

 

[GordonTarling]

You're probably not going to find a decent 211 for 2k. You'd definitely find a 210 for that sort of money, but it'll almost certainly have the dreaded tinworm - 'decent' examples seem to go for 4 - 5k these days. I would have thought that 123's are getting a bit old now to be worth considering, but you never know. 124's appear to be the car of some people's dreams, so I'll let them chime in with their virtues, as I know next to nothing about them.

 

[trapperjohn]

I have had 124 Estates and a 210 Estate (went straight back to the 124 Series)

All my engines have been 300Ds. The 210 was lovely, silky smooth 300 turbo'd engine with a five speed auto box. More room in it than the 124. But I could not get comfortable in the drivers seat. I tried for at least six months trying to get it right. Sold it in the end and went back to a 124 300D 24v. Slower to cruising speed ((no turbo) Need to move on in a hurry? kick it down or drop the gears with the auto stick)) Uses more fuel but tell you what. Ill put up with that for the return in comfort and less to go wrong with it. Get one with cruise control if you can. 123? Never had one so cant comment.

Watch out for this one coming round again on ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261464775746?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[grahamperrin]

Thanks, everyone.

There's a cross-post of this topic at Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums, I'm taking all replies into consideration.

Also, as background:

• Low budget S124 (300TE) total cost of ownership: reflections

… Doing the sums today, I'm pleasantly surprised.

More than happy with less than £2,000 for routine maintenance and repairs over the six years.

The exceptional £2,200 (if that's what it was) for custom fluid pipe and axle work, not bad. I'd rather that, than rust trouble.

 

[grahamperrin]

2000 E280 Elegance Tiptronic purchased for £695

Details at estate buying advice (W123, W124, W210, W211), auto diesel preferred - Page 2 - Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums

Happy day!

 

[219]

I had a 300TE from 3 years old and kept it for 14 years , during which I took it from just under 50,000 miles to 200,000 miles .

Apart from routine maintenance : fluids , filters , discs , pads , several dizzy caps , exhaust parts etc , I replaced the drivers door window regulator twice , replaced rotten SLS pipes underneath , running the system dry caused failure of the tandem pump ( in itself over £400 some fifteen years or so back ) and finally the ASD diff packed in and repair/replacement was not economic ( the diff alone was £1300 for a new one and converting to a standard one was looking like a major conversion job with new driveshafts and rejigging the electronics to cope with the change ) - the SLS running dry may have been a factor in the failure since the diff used the high pressure hydraulics to actuate the lock up when triggered by the ABS sensors . In the end I sold the car for parts and got a 190 as a stopgap , then I got the 300TE-24

Every one of my estates ( including the W123 280TE ) has needed the SLS pipes replaced , they ALL rot in the same place , along with brake lines and fuel lines .

 

[turunch]

Deisel options

You haven't mentioned the W203 - whilst I've had the C270 - & they are around £2k now , just make sure they haven't had, or got the black death , leaking injectors .
I really enjoyed my 2002 auto estate , fast & frugal , but it was a money pit that cost approaching £2k in bits over 3 yrs , over 30k miles : all injectors had to be redone, in 2 lots & the HP pump .
If you find one with all those probs having been attended to - buy it - & you'll probably have about 70k relatively trouble free miles !!

 

[grahamperrin]

You haven't mentioned the W203 …

Easily missed, amongst the comments at the foot of the list:

> … just occasionally I'll sleep very happily in the back, on a camp bed (easier than putting up a tent, and so on) so with the back seats down I need 6' in the rear. …

C-Class probably doesn't have that much length. (True?)

----

I drove the E280 home around an hour ago

 

[SilverSaloon]

£2k..... i'd go for a W124 estate. You should get a pretty decent one with that, not perfect but certainly only needing a few bits here and there.

 

[grahamperrin]

Thanks, I already got the E280 Elegance for just £695 (see above). Early indications are that this S210 will consume far less fuel – I'll add details to a relevant topic in one of the UK forums.

 

[dadgad]

For anyone lurking on this thread an contemplating a petrol W124 Estate, make sure the electrics are good - ideally that the wiring loom has been replaced. Otherwise random and inexplicable faults are likely to occur!

 

[219]

You haven't mentioned the W203 - whilst I've had the C270 - & they are around £2k now , just make sure they haven't had, or got the black death , leaking injectors .
I really enjoyed my 2002 auto estate , fast & frugal , but it was a money pit that cost approaching £2k in bits over 3 yrs , over 30k miles : all injectors had to be redone, in 2 lots & the HP pump .
If you find one with all those probs having been attended to - buy it - & you'll probably have about 70k relatively trouble free miles !!

I have the misfortune of owning a C270CDI Avantgarde estate : worst car I've ever owned and an absolute money pit : injectors , door lock , electronic keys , tailgate wiper , rotten brake pipes , warped discs , suspension arms ...

I now have a 190E and am enjoying proper Mercedes ownership again .

 

[219]

For anyone lurking on this thread an contemplating a petrol W124 Estate, make sure the electrics are good - ideally that the wiring loom has been replaced. Otherwise random and inexplicable faults are likely to occur!

Only if it has an HFM injected M104 ( 280 and 320 models ) the others are not affected .

 

[dadgad]

Only if it has an HFM injected M104 ( 280 and 320 models ) the others are not affected .

Perhaps I should have got a diesel after all...

 

[grahamperrin]

S124 loom

For anyone lurking on this thread an contemplating a petrol W124 Estate, make sure the electrics are good - ideally that the wiring loom has been replaced. Otherwise random and inexplicable faults are likely to occur!

I do have a few issues with electrical items on a petrol 300TE, but I never suspected a faulty loom for any of those.

I doubt that a previous owner replaced the loom … but I wonder … the fuse guide (underside of the cover) does not fully correspond with some of what's fused. Without relevant paperwork, would there be an easy way to tell whether the loom is not the original?

Thanks

 

[trapperjohn]

May I just say DO NOT check the loom or poke around to see if it is worn yourself if you do not know what you are doing. Its a brittle old thing and you could do more harm that good (eek) You have you very own expert in your neck of the wood in the shape of Nick Froome. Google him and Im sure he will help.