W210 E55 buying pointers

[Marneus]

Good Morning all,

I'm in the process of looking for a family car as we have a 12 month old. I've been thinking about the E55 for a long time & have almost got to the point of going to view cars.

Are there any specific things to check? I know rust is an issue on the 210 platform but what else should I be aware of?

I'm sorry if this has been done to death.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Timster]

I put up a buyers guide to the 210 not so long ago. Not e55 specific but relevant none the less. Search for "210 buyers guide"

Good look

Rust is the main issue and it lurks where you'd least expect it. A very thorough check over is what id recommend!


Good luck!

 

[Marneus]

Thanks for that. I'll have a look now

 

[Will]

Rust is the absolute killer. Anything else is just nuts and bolts. I can't think of a single repair nowadays that would cost more than say £1000 (eg secondhand engine or gearbox etc) whereas rust repairs could easily exceed the cars value.

Five years ago it was just stuff like bubbly wings and doors - with the odd broken spring perch etc, nowadays there's a fair few with crusty jacking points and rot setting in deeper.

Don't get me wrong, I've got an S210 as a runaround. But I'm not sure I'd invest heavily in a W210 these days.