W124 230TE price advice sought

[Charles Morgan]

I looked over a very low mileage 230TE from 91 this weekend that a friend of my father was looking to sell having stopped driving through advanced age. It had 29k on the clock, in white, blue interior, auto but no other luxuries, one small rust patch after a rear ding, bumper scuffing consistent with old driver, and flat battery the result of hardly being driven more than 5 miles once a week for 5 years. Full MBSH.

I offered £2k yesterday which I thought had been accepted, but advised by his nephew (who hasn't seen him in years) he turned round today and said it was worth £5k and had decided not to sell it because he wanted to drive it (he can't walk more than 10 yards). I withdrew, as I wasn't going to waste any further time, but of the two of us, who had a better handle on pricing? I thought I was being reasonably generous for a car that would need some recommissioning but was I that far off?

Back to square one though on the W124 front!

 

[d w124]

With that mileage and a clean body i`d say 5k is about right

 

[bluevenetian]

I would have thought 2k was nearer the mark. Surely a car that has had such an inactive life over the past five years could throw up all sorts of problems when its put into regular use?

 

[Charles Morgan]

That was my concern Bluevenetian, especially as the previous 5 years to almost total disuse showed about 10 miles per week usage.

 

[bennesspipers]

What is its general appearance like ? things like wing edges, seat covers, engine compartment, load area.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Seats in very good condition, engine compartment clean and tidy, load area cluttered with junk but fine.

All the bumper corners showed signs of intimate but slow contact with other vehicles and bollards such that the black insets were deeply scratched. On the rear passenger side rear wing a large chip had been left untreated and rust had appeared, probably because nothing had been done to it for two years. The front wings were sound, but I didn't have the chance to do a decent inspection on the underside (where the rust I believe starts).

Engine sounded fine when jump started, pulled well, slightly knobbly ride and a very slow then abrupt accelerator pedal action.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Easily worth a high value, definatly £5k i would say with the mileage as long as the rest of the condition matches it.

just take a look what the specialists would market the car for with the mileage.... £5k is probably a bargain.

its worth a lot more than £2k with that mileage..... but good luck with negotations and hope you get a bargain.

Derek.

 

[BlackC55]

5k is way way too much.

Even with that amount of miles white exterior and blue (cloth?) interior is not exactly sought after. The engine is a little wheezy only being a 2.3 and again not very desireable in an estate.

2k is about right.

 

[bennesspipers]

To me it sounds more like a restoration project than a properly looked after car,
doesnt sound like the owner has spent any time whatsoever looking after it.
I know car colour is all down to personal choice but to me it doesn't come worse than white with blue interior. With that fact & not many accessories i feel it should be sub 2k.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Seats in very good condition, engine compartment clean and tidy, load area cluttered with junk but fine.

All the bumper corners showed signs of intimate but slow contact with other vehicles and bollards such that the black insets were deeply scratched. On the rear passenger side rear wing a large chip had been left untreated and rust had appeared, probably because nothing had been done to it for two years. The front wings were sound, but I didn't have the chance to do a decent inspection on the underside (where the rust I believe starts).

Engine sounded fine when jump started, pulled well, slightly knobbly ride and a very slow then abrupt accelerator pedal action.

ah ok, not so "mint" condition then.... i still reckon its worth a bit more than 2k though, but suspect he'll sell it to one of the specialists who'll do the work and then market it much higher.... but obviously as a private sale with "unloved" condition not a huge amount more.

 

[bennesspipers]

One thing to remember in this equation, these specialists dont like having a lot of work to do on a sales car, especially paintwork.

 

[SilverSaloon]

One thing to remember in this equation, these specialists dont like having a lot of work to do on a sales car, especially paintwork.

dunno about that, £2k worth was spent on mine by the specialist prior to selling the car.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Some very useful feedback, thank you all. My family have known the seller for 20 years, and I was keen not to offer something that looked bad, but it wasn't worth much more than £2k to me and if I were to spend £5k, it would be on a higher mileage but much higher spec and larger engined W124 with a minimum of air-con and leather. I am more afraid of no use than decent use vehicles, possibly irrationally.

I fear that it will be sitting unsold for some considerable time though as he won't put it on the market, and it would be a big shame if it began to rot.

 

[bennesspipers]

Plenty of MB's around for sale Charles, have a look on e-bay,auto trader etc to give you an idea of whats about & the prices.
Both mine came off e-bay.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I shall have a wider look now benesspipers, although I seem to be drawn to Nick Froome's site like a moth to the flame.

 

[d w124]

I shall have a wider look now benesspipers, although I seem to be drawn to Nick Froome's site like a moth to the flame.

He is a member here also,but just wonder what w124 are you looking for?

 

[Charles Morgan]

D W124 - my ideal would be a decent E280 estate or even E320, air-con and leather in decent colour scheme, full history and used regularly. It would be used as the main car, so about 10k mixed urban and long distance driving. My current comes off lease in June, so I would really start looking in a month or so.

This came up, despite it not quite being what I wanted, and perhaps in retrospect I should have left it alone.

 

[d w124]

This one look`s very good 1994 MERCEDES E320 7 SEAT ESTATE AUTO BLUE on eBay (end time 26-Feb-10 16:53:05 GMT) and also have a look at this one 1994 MERCEDES E320 ESTATE AUTO 7 SEATER on eBay (end time 28-Feb-10 18:12:52 GMT) aircon not working a taty seats,but i just thought it might be a bargain.

 

[Ade B]

Having 'recommissioned' an erratically used formerly low mile 124, I'd recommend you give Nick a call, he's very friendly and not far from London. I've seen a few of his cars in the past. They're thoroughly prepared and worth the money imho.


Ade

 

[SilverSaloon]

This is exactly the same reason why i purchased my car at about 175k iirc, and i couldnt care less about the mileage on the clock. it was all about the overall condition and also the spec to me. Its been used and nicely run in by the time i got it i'd too be worried about such a low mileage car as its all the other stuff that will perish with time that hasnt been dealt with.

good luck with the search!