Potential barn find CLK 240 owner - stood for 15 + years - Advice?

[ChrisCLS55]

I run a property clearance company and we regularly come across old and not so old cars which we either have to call in a scrap guy to remove, can help sell for the customer, or take on ourselves. On Wednesday I could potentially be the owner of the following vehicle:

CLK 240
CONVERTABLE
BD04 CWT
Chassis number WDB 2094612T 031417
Last tax expired 31/8/09

It’s stood on the drive for 15 + years and is lo mileage patently, from the photos it seems relatively clean.

Obviously it will need a new battery, service, MOT, maybe new tires etc. But what else should I be looking for with a car like this stood for 15 + years, what will need fixed/replaced?

If it’s not going to cost too much to get it back on the road, I may well keep it, if it’s going to cost a lot I probably won’t bother.

Any advice most appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

 

[Will]

Can’t have been standing 15+ years - firstly it’s not quite 15 years old (will be in May ) but it was MOT’d and taxed back in 2009 so I guess it’s been unused for about 10/11 years at most.

Mileage when last tested in July ‘08 was 56,564 so although unused for all this time it’s not particularly low mileage (in fact was relatively higher mileage for a 4 year old car at the time!)

Personally I don’t think it warrants much hassle. An ‘04 plate CLK240 with 56k isn’t worth a great deal anyway, add in the cost of the recommissioning and unless you’re keen to DIY this with plenty of time to strip and replace brakes, all consumables etc batteries tyres fluids and the rest for some sentimental reason it makes no financial sense IMHO.

Sell it for spares/repairs to someone else I would suggest?

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Thanks for your input, yeah customer has said 15 years, I’m obviously not the best reader.

 

[DSM10000]

As said, , it's nothing special, will almost certainly have corrosion issues, seized brakes, perished seals ruined tyres etc

Value in good order maybe £2k.....

 

[ChrisCLS55]

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Some photos!

 

[Edd1968]

If its been sat there for so long the roof may also have leaked. And will certainly need some tlc. It looks like an Elegance with the wood trim.
I wouldn't say it's worth £2k though, not in its current state. It probably needs a grands worth of 'sundries' to get it roadworthy again. Worth £1500 tops.
A half decent 240 Elegance in full running order with mot FSH etc is worth about £2k

 

[Abb]

Get it advertised on the bay of dreams....genuine barn find, appreciating classic, will be worth £20k+ in 5 years time, and the deal clincher.....put a AMG badge on the boot lid possibly even a black series version, etc, etc, then sit back and enjoy the enquiries!

On a serious note, it looks like more trouble than it is worth. Water most definitely will have found its way on, looking at the garden growing in the scuttle panel area blocking all the drainage holes.

Again, why would you let it get to this

 

[DSM10000]

If its been sat there for so long the roof may also have leaked. And will certainly need some tlc. It looks like an Elegance with the wood trim.
I wouldn't say it's worth £2k though, not in its current state. It probably needs a grands worth of 'sundries' to get it roadworthy again. Worth £1500 tops.
A half decent 240 Elegance in full running order with mot FSH etc is worth about £2k

I said worth around 2k in good order not as stands.

 

[Edd1968]

I said worth around 2k in good order not as stands.

Yes I missed that bit, sorry.

 

[SW18]

Curious that it got abandoned at only 4 or 5 years old when it was still worth quite a lot! Presumably someone died or fell ill and it (and a whole house?!) got left and forgotten.

 

[grober]

Cars that are "laid up" are usually there for two reasons. Either the owner has broken down financially or health-wise or the car has. Identifying which may help put a value on it?

 

[DSM10000]

Yes I missed that bit, sorry.

No worries!

Also, what state are the bores, piston rings etc in plus almost certain rodent damage to wiring ..... It is a lost cause now.

 

[Oli]

Could always try and fire it up see if it runs!, but unless they were giving it away I'd walk, in fact I'd run away!.

 

[a111r]

If it had been in a barn, possibly...
Not left on soil for 'Wilfreds' to grow up into it, was it on Oil Drum Lane?

 

[clk320x]

It’s worth £500 at a push!

 

[GeordieN]

The underneath, suspension ect will be bad (rust), in a barn is one thing, grass growing underneath is another story. its a shame this happens but i would also question why a perfectly running car would be abandoned in a garden like this, was it in fact a runner when left there.

 

[Edd1968]

It’s worth £500 at a push!

I'd have it for 500 Abs.... A new resto project

 

[chrisk2010]

I would love to clean that thing!

I know it's weird right but i see car like that i think one week and a bit of elbow grease and it would be shining

That being said heed everyones advice above if you went for it it would be a labour of love and you could easily drop £2000 grand on it just to get it to an ok state assuming it has no rust though sat where it is i imagine it may have.

If the customer said £200 and it's yours it's worth trying to clean it up without spending anything as long as it starts but your not the DIY type then give it a miss.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Quick update, my business partner (who is also my best friend and cousin) decided to take it on for his partner whose dad is a bit of a DIY mechanic. He fixes up bikes, services his own cars and has a huge garage with all the right kind of tools.

The car itself has no visible rust in terms of the bodywork, although we’ve never had a look underneath. Having a feel around though there is no rust bubbles on the arches, under the sills, around the doors and under the bumpers etc.

The interior is immaculate, no rips, no mould, no sign of rain damage. The roof liner is immaculate as well. We couldn’t get the boot open, but there is no rust signs around the boot and all rubber seals seem intact. The engine bay looks pretty clean as well. The roof itself is faded and mouldy, but in good shape.

We thought it was too good to scrap and although the customer has had lots of interest in the car with offers topping £500 even, our offer of £300 was accepted which we took off the bill. I think they were happy we would give it a good home and get it back on the road.

Whatever my cousin’s father-in-law can’t do, our own mechanic who keeps our fleet of commercial vehicles on the road will do the rest. Hopefully nothing too major. A budget of 2k has been allocated to spend on getting it road worthy.

My nephew is a professional detailer with Audi so he will be able to give it a good clean.

It hasn’t even been recovered yet (Monday), but my cousin’s father in law has already ordered a new battery, pads, discs, tires, filters, oil, plugs and other stuff. The tires look brand new as do the alloys, but are obviously needing replaced. As this is his daughters car, he will make sure no half measures will be taken.

It will hopefully be on the road within a month or so, I’ve requested they catalogue the restoration with lots of photos so I can send them to the customer and to post on here.

A bit of background on the car...

The customer’s dad bought it 10 years or so ago, apparently paying 15k cash for it. He couldn’t drive and has never had a licence, but he come into a bit of money and loved cars ever since he was a kid, especially Mercedes. We removed lots of old car magazines and books. Up until he lost some of his mobility and faculties he would regularly polish and clean his pride and Joy. Sadly he died recently and we were emplyed to clear his property for his family and as car lovers, myself and my cousin couldn’t let this particular car end up on the scrap heap or let someone else get their hands on it, not when we knew we could put it back on the road.

That option only worked if we were going to use it and keep it, I would have used it, but wouldn’t have kept it, but it will be enjoyed by my cousin’s partner for a good few years once it’s fixed who will cherish it I’m 100% certain. Even if it ends up costing 3k to fix, it will be worth it in his eyes.

I’m happy because I’ll get to use it sometimes and given my love of the brand and older cars especially, I feel just as happy knowing a 15 year old car will be given a new lease of life which may well see another 15 years of motoring out of it.

On a human level, this is also for the former owner who never got to drive it, but driven it will soon be.

I’m not sure it’s stood for 10 years exactly in that it’s just been left standing for 10 years, from what I gather the owner would start it, keep it clean, and listen to the stereo when attending to the garden, popping the hood back whenever the sun came out.

Thanks for all the advice and feedback by the way, this forum is a great source of knowledge, help and advice. A real community of passionate people. I’ll be sure to update this thread with any progress reports and hopefully photos as and when.