Very high mileage - is buying a mad idea

[DrNick]

I've got an option on a 1999 E 300TD estate. The downside is its very high mileage ~400,000.

Its obviously been serviced regularly (probably the only time its been off the road!) and Mercedes have a reputation for being able to cover high mileages, but is this amount of miles just asking for trouble?

What are peoples opinions on the value of such a vehicle, given its general condition looks fine ie no dents / cracks etc. There doesn't seem to be much around to compare it with

many thanks

Nick

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Depends what the asking price is...

 

[NormanB]

Assuming it was registered at the mid year point of 1999 then it has covered 250 miles every day.

For me that is too much mileage, but of course it depends on price and what has been replaced during and out of servicing. I would not think the running gear could take that without some significant swap outs. I would be wanting to build in a margin to allow me to slap a new auto box at least.

 

[jaymanek]

to be fair, 400 is a helluvalot...

I would be tempted to walk away whtever the price... get ureslef something older with sensible mileage. Although ive seen mercs pass the Million mark, You really are asking for hassles for such a new car.

Jay

 

[John Peerce]

I think even a low price such as £100 would not tempt me to buy a car with this mileage.

You have to remember its not what you pay *now* for the car that is the issue, its what you need to pay after you bought it to keep it running. With this mileage your guess is as good as mine .. you colud end up needing to spend anything from £200 to £2000 in the first year.

Its just not worth it. No matter how well built this car is and how well it has been taken care of..

 

[Will]

TBH, I would say that when a car passes say, 200K+miles, the rest is irrelevant as it would be bound to of had replacement parts etc.
You only have to look on here and see how many people have had problems with lower mileages etc.
The only way I would buy it would be if it was really cheap and I was going to use it as a workhorse. It all depends on what you want it for and what you want out of a car!
Apart from general wear, ie interior etc, the mechanical parts of the car can be checked/tested at the time of viewing.
Ie, if it has done 400K, smokes, rattles, whines and judders walk away.
Otherwise, its anyones choice as to how reliable it will be! If it has done that many miles it MUST have been well maintained and can't have been of the road for long!
My opinion anyway!
Cheers,
Will

 

[DrNick]

Thanks for all your replies. Its nice to find a forum where you get sensible well thought out opinions!

To add some more detail, its an ex-chauffeur driven limousine company car (so a high class taxi) and it will be around the £6k mark.

As many have mentioned the mileage does intially make the blood run cold, and the remaining lifetime of the wet mechanical bits must be questioned, but then 300k is a large mileage and its made it past that without any known probs, so no particular reason why it shouldn't keep going to 500k, but then no particular reason why it should either.

I think I'll have a look and listen and probably get it put through an MOT. Are there any general E 300TD probs I should be looking out for. Whats a ball park price for a reconditioned auto box (if such things exist) and engine.

It will have a relatively easy life with me, just trogging up and down 50 miles of motorway. (I got more than 50,000 miles out of my last set of Goodyears on the front of my current vehicle.)

 

[Shude]

Originally posted by DrNick
Whats a ball park price for a reconditioned auto box (if such things exist) and engine.

About £2k for the auto box, not sure about the engine.

I think this could be an opportunity to take advantage of the higher mileage pulling the value down by a LOT! (like, about 12 grand cheaper compared to a normal mileage example! ) This car has done it's major depreciation now, as others have said, it will be mostly a new car after all the services and replacements it will have had! I say go for it! Don't expect to ever be able to sell it afterwards though, it's yours forever once you've bought it, check the replies in this topic - for all the approving messages there are about 10 disapproving ones.

 

[samuelellis]

in my opinion (& i dont know mercs so i could be talking out of my rear end

but this is what i would do

get a mechanic to give it the onceover see if he can sport anything likely to fail

take it for a test drive, if you like the drive of the car & they way it feels then consider it

with the cars weve had (my dad is a hgv driver so we have had a hell of a lot) if there anywhere near breaking down they will show it in the drive

but i wouldent pay 6 for it tho

 

[markku]

Why dont you buy it and dump the service booklet. Do some cosmetical make up and use the creative tuning instrument of these guys:

http://www.megachip.de/en/index.html

After that you are able to sell the car with the reasonable profit.

 

[sym]

Originally posted by markku
Why dont you buy it and dump the service booklet. Do some cosmetical make up and use the creative tuning instrument of these guys:

http://www.megachip.de/en/index.html

After that you are able to sell the car with the reasonable profit.

because its illegal ?!

 

[markku]

I understand the question, but where is the problem?

 

[sym]

My apologies . . . its legal in Germany apparently

Is buying and using the offered products legal ?
That depends on the country and legislation you live in.
In Germany buying and using our odometer programming computers is legal. In Germany people can do with their odometer whatever they want. When selling a vehicle, the buyer has to be informed of any manipulation or tampering of course.

For other countries check with your local legislation.

All devices and products on these pages are for lawful and legal repair only!
For further details read our Legal Disclaimer.

assuming you tell the buyer it has been manipulated . . . which kind of defeats the object, doesn't it !!

The UK has a different view of this practice though !

S.

 

[markku]

You do import German second-hand cars to U.K. as far as I understand.

We do as well into our country.

The car subject to the original question is perfect for tampering of the mileage and documents,

You say they never do not do it in the U.K.

Believe in Santa Claus as well?

 

[sym]

No, I didn't say that people don't do it . . . did I ?

I'm just saying that to advocate doing it would be illegal.

So please don't.

 

[markku]

Seriously, MB diesel with low age= no rust and high mileage is a viable option.

Engine, transmission, suspension and other mechanical stuff are easily repairable to the original condition with, say, reasonable costs.

The result being a nice car with prestige and life expentancy exceeding most of the mass produced cars of today.

 

[RichardM]

Originally posted by markku
You do import German second-hand cars to U.K. as far as I understand.

Very few people do as they would be left hand drive!

Most people would only buy this sort of car if it came with a full complete service history.

 

[samuelellis]

Originally posted by markku
Why dont you buy it and dump the service booklet. Do some cosmetical make up and use the creative tuning instrument of these guys:

http://www.megachip.de/en/index.html

After that you are able to sell the car with the reasonable profit.

highly illegal

put yourself int he buyers shoesmate, you think you jsut got a crackign bargin but then whent he engine fails as it hasent ad (vital component) changed as you didnt think it was anywhere near the milage of that component faliure - then you find out you were ripped off bad style

am i the only one who thinks the whole car manufaturing trade may ahve taken a step backwards giving the only milage record a digital readout that can be changed by anyone

in my opinion on the merc in question, take a look at it, run it go for a drive see how it sounds & feels, it is a diesel right, well diesel engines are nearly bombproof anyway (dontlaught but i have a 1.9 diesel rover - saving for a merc & the engine si basically just finishing bedding in at 114thousandso the merc block wil probably go round the clock before it goes boom)

 

[Dieselman]

I have a E300 TD at present and as long as the price was right ( low) wouldn't be too bothered about high mileage of ANY decent diesel.
For the car to have done this sort of mileage it must have done loads of motorway miles which are easy on the whole car.

Check for easy cold starting and excessive smoke, any odd changes from the gearbox, and RUST.

Other than that there isn't anything that should be too expensive to fix.

I guess the car has been a Chauffer hire car so check the interior as well.

I looked at one car with 90k on in 18 months. Mechanically great, a few chips and some water marks on the seats but still good all round.

 

[db1]

I am surprised that they are asking £6k. I just had a valuation on an L-reg E280 in reasonable condition with 120k. They offered my £1000...on a trade in...I think nearer 2.5 would be reasonable. A long way off £6k though.

DB1