W124 E320 convertible...not worth £8K?

[JumboBeef]

I was following this:

1993 MERCEDES E 320 CE CABRIOLET / CONVERTIBLE AUTO on eBay (end time 25-Aug-09 18:46:40 BST)

It didn't have a bid even at it's starting bid of £7,995. Why was that? It looks (to me) a really nice motor.

I was always lead to believe these cars were very valuable.............

 

[BTB 500]

Does look nice. Wheels are possibly replicas (hard to tell), short MOT might put some people off (if he was that sure of it passing why not sell with 12 months MOT?).

 

[The Boss]

i was watching this too.. simply re search..

on a mainstream level, these w124 cabrios can be bought for cheap.

To the generic buyer, whom dont know the dif between 220, and 300/320 or between sportline or standard, they will want a cheap run around or an old motor.. and being old and high mileage... this is is what it is..

to the disconcerning owner, there are things that hold serious value..

low miles,
low owners,
limited nature of a model (ie - sportline/ or AMG),
air con,
high spec,
history,
etc
etc..

this car fails on many of these, plus, it has updated lights on a pre facelift, thus this might not hit the spot with some, and the clear indicators are nice, but may not suit again at front.. personal opinion is the clear lenses on pre facelift look out of place.

4 owners.. too high
115k miles.. u r now into standard territory, where i have previously in other threads said that when u leave nothing exclusive about the car, it falls into histories trap of depreciation..

spec good, but not amazing and also not a sportline, thus this is very standard and nothing excpetional to even justify the £8k asking.

In my opinion Only.

 

[JumboBeef]

Out of interest, how much would a new hood on one of these cost?

 

[JumboBeef]

spec good, but not amazing and also not a sportline, thus this is very standard and nothing excpetional to even justify the £8k asking.

How much would one like this be worth? What about if it had the 2.2 engine?

 

[The Boss]

How much would one like this be worth? What about if it had the 2.2 engine?

hood? being the roof or the bonner lol..


in 320 guise of this nature.. £4000 if that...

there is nothing excpetional about it, which is why it has no value...

220, prob near £3000.

just my opinion

 

[JumboBeef]

Thanks.

I mean the soft top. What about the roof mechanics, do they often go wrong and are they expensive to fix?

I'm tempted!

 

[The Boss]

Thanks.

I mean the soft top. What about the roof mechanics, do they often go wrong and are they expensive to fix?

I'm tempted!

Soft top.. very durable.. do they go wrong?

yes!

in the boot, pistons and controls for the pnematics etc etc can become sticky, or in some cases, water logged..

replacing hood is expensive... nothing cheap about it!

But as u all know, for a cabrio of class and distinction, only a bentley azure (original, not the new one) exceeds the w124 model

anything else is not in the same league!

my w124 is one of the finest cars i have ever owned... wont ever sell it, unless my high asking price is met.. one day... just not for another 10 years i guess, dont mind

 

[Will]

I'm afraid that I don't really go along with much of that

It's a very clean looking W124 cabriolet, with a 3.2 engine, climate and electric seats. Has to be worth very close to the asking price unless it has major faults. Number of owners (4) for a 16 year old cabriolet I would say is below average, mileage is average to slightly on the high side - nothing for a W124 though really and it's not as though he's trying for £15k+.

Swap the lights back over, original wheels and it's a great looking original car.

I'd say that maybe the reason it didn't get any bids is because it's up in Scotland, probably puts about 75%+ of prospective buyers off. Amazing how many people won't travel for cars.

If I was on a more limited budget and wanted a nice 124 cabriolet for realistic money I would give that one some serious thought.

Will

 

[bolide]

The reason he's had no bids is that the starting price is too high

The reason it's not sold is that no-one's travelled to see it because he's in Scotland... and the starting price is too high

It's a very nice-looking convertible, though, and deserves to do well

Nick Froome

 

[The Boss]

deserves to do well

Nick Froome

I agree, but £8k on that car? i dunno mate!

 

[Will]

I bet that it'd sell comfortably for £7995 or above back in London with the original bits back on it. It certainly doesn't strike me as expensive at all.

Going by what we've all seen it's a very nice looking car at an attractive price.

Will

 

[Smiley]

hood? being the roof or the bonner lol..


in 320 guise of this nature.. £4000 if that...

there is nothing excpetional about it, which is why it has no value...

220, prob near £3000.

just my opinion

If that 115k mile car is worth £4k then it makes your 27k mile less desirable colour one about £9k - just my opinion.
I reckon the 115k mile blue one would actually SELL (ie change hands) at somewhere between £6500 and 7000. So at 7995 (and in scotland) it is just a few quid over.
Buyers of these cars are now in the enthusiast camp well and truly as the newest one is 13 years old, and enthusiasts do their homework and know their stuff. They know that they are great cars but they also know that they can be expensive to fix in a number of areas and that will hold prices down.
In another 10 years time it will probably be a different story.

 

[d w124]

I agree, but £8k on that car? i dunno mate!

I don`t understand why you make such big deal about sportline!!!I though you like all w124,and regarding price:You should be the last person on earth talking about what is a high price.

 

[wemorgan]

Good Ebay auctions need to start with a low price. This then attracts the watches. As the end time nears those watches become bidders. It then only takes a few bidders to quickly ramp up the price.

So without a low starting price the car will miss out on the auction fever.

 

[The Boss]

I don`t understand why you make such big deal about sportline!!!I though you like all w124,and regarding price:You should be the last person on earth talking about what is a high price.

1. How i have chosen to price my car is no concern of yours.

2. I have absolutley 100% the same rights to talk about anything, everything i choose, just as you mate

3. why i make a big deal about sportline is that the standard w124s suspension wise were a big spodgy.., the sports suspension enabled the handling on the cars to be a little more on par with how the cars today handle.. has a big step away from the standard set up, though this was the last car they did with the recirculating ball steering, which had its own issues hence the change over to rack and pion... etc etc..

4. i do like all w124s, but as stated, its only "My" opinion, and thus being an individual, i can state "My" opinion, which no one else on this planet or forum has to agree with. I have never asked anyone to agree with me or else.. have I...

5. The big deal in my view about sportline, is that these were the next niche after AMG E36 Cabrios... and they changed the characteristics of the car... and to be honest, i personally believe these make the sportlines highly prizes, part of the reason i would only consider sportlines in any w124 guise, and also why my own cab was a sportline.. Just my opinion, that they were a better feeling/driving/handling version.

Sure u can put after market stuff on the car to enhance the standard car, but that again has its own downsides..

Like i have always stated, its Only my opinion, which i will always voice

thanks for reading!

 

[d w124]

That was my opinion to..............

 

[The Boss]

That was my opinion to..............

haha

good one.. lol

 

[MD5]

Apart from the other issues mentioned here, the seller states he bought it to sell on, so I would assume it needed a fair bit of work when he bought it. New wings are mentioned (along with light upgrade), so it's anything but unmolested! Knowing his original motive for purchase (profit), I would question the standard of the (unfaithful) work carried out so far (genuine wings etc?), and wonder what else needed doing. The fact that he hasn't even mot'd the car suggests he's not even a competent "trader", never mind not being an enthusiast, so I wouldn't waste a lengthy trip to see it unless others were close by.

So as stated; too far and too dear, but at least his timing is spot on for selling a convertible.