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"classic" Mercedes - Sell or keep ??
Mr Fox
on 7 July 2005
Hello,
I am in a dilemma I hope someone can help me with...
I have 2 relatively old Mercedes cars, which are not used very much, One of which was used by my sister until recently but she has moved to London and so no longer has any use for it.
The oldest is a W123 230E saloon, automatic from 1984,B registration, this was owned by a family friend from 1988 and so its history is known, and it has been fitted with a brand new engine around 4 years ago at a cost of over £1000.00 It is in almost perfect condition, requiring a couple of small bits of rust treating to make perfect. it seems to drive very well indeed and feels as though there is plenty of life left in it.
The second car is a 260 E saloon automatic, from 1988, it is also in very good order but needs a new motor in one electric window, this also drives very well and has a very powerful smooth engine which gives very good performance when needed.
Both have MOT for almost another year.
The difficulty for me is putting a value on them, and knowing the best way of selling either one or both of them.
Any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Marcus
I am in a dilemma I hope someone can help me with...
I have 2 relatively old Mercedes cars, which are not used very much, One of which was used by my sister until recently but she has moved to London and so no longer has any use for it.
The oldest is a W123 230E saloon, automatic from 1984,B registration, this was owned by a family friend from 1988 and so its history is known, and it has been fitted with a brand new engine around 4 years ago at a cost of over £1000.00 It is in almost perfect condition, requiring a couple of small bits of rust treating to make perfect. it seems to drive very well indeed and feels as though there is plenty of life left in it.
The second car is a 260 E saloon automatic, from 1988, it is also in very good order but needs a new motor in one electric window, this also drives very well and has a very powerful smooth engine which gives very good performance when needed.
Both have MOT for almost another year.
The difficulty for me is putting a value on them, and knowing the best way of selling either one or both of them.
Any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Marcus
Comments
madf on 7 July 2005
Try one of the well known Mercedes Benz club forums. Sorry I have no URLs but I am sure someone can help.madf
Roger Jones on 7 July 2005
MarcusYou can join the MB Club for a mere £35:
www.mercedes-benzownersclub.co.uk/
You have to be a member to get into the forum, but once there you would get plenty of responses and perhaps a few expressions of interest in purchasing. You may even be persuaded to keep one or both of them.
For sale in the back of this month's club magazine:
* 1985 230E ?k £1000
* 1984 230E 118k £1750
* 1981 230E 45k £1350
* 1984 230E 128k £2750 ("gorgeous example")
And from the April issue:
* 1986 230E 95k £1750
* 1983 230E ?k £1150
* 1984 200E 110k £2750
* 1984 230E 156k £1100
* 1983 230E 170k £1500
* 1989 260E 98k £1600
* 1990 300E 150k £3750
Hope this helps.
You have there two of the most robust and durable cars ever constructed. I'd be strongly inclined to keep them for many thousands of miles of satisfying and trouble-free motoring. I have a W124 E320 Coupé and a W126 300SE saloon for exactly those reasons. With care, they're good for half a million miles and more.
THe Growler on 7 July 2005
If I had another 1984 230E I'd keep it forever. It would probably outlast me. Only car I ever had which I sold for more than I paid.
Mapmaker on 7 July 2005
>It would probably outlast me.Yup, because you live in a hot climate. For the rest of us poor devils, they rust!
Tomo on 7 July 2005
"Yup, because you live in a hot climate. For the rest of us poor devils, they rust!Growler may correct me, but I think this avoidance of corrosion is only true in a dry hot climate (and would be even more so in a cold dry one).
In the presence of moisture, that is in a humid climate, corrosion reactions go ahead, and the higher the temperature,
the quicker. Hence advice NOT to heat the garage in which a cherished classic reposes. Salt, of course, is another and very relevant issue.
THe Growler on 8 July 2005
Tomo is right. SE Asia climate is intensely humid and rust on anything at all is a major concern. I am always having to replace household items like guttering, piping, etc every couple of years for that reason and my front iron gate needs de-rusting and painting anually. I spent a fortune re-roofing my house with imported US plastic roofing after getting fed up with the local galvanized iron rusting away every 2 years and leaking. You Brits don't have it all your own way, y'know!Fortunately we have brilliant mechanics who do superb bodywork as required in little corner shops.
The W123 I owned was 4 years old when I bought it. This was in Bahrain, where a summer day can top 45C and 90% humidity. Add that to the salty air and some corrosion will be setting in after a year or so, although the later Japs got a good handle on that. A Jag would be a basket case after two years (probably mechanically as well!) for example.
You may be interested to know that the W123/4's are very much sought after in the Philippines for their prestige and longevity and are thus usually well cared for. The diesels especially, because of their lower fuel costs. A good 123 will fetch about P500,000, or 5000 of your money, which is a small fortune here, when that will buy you a 2 year old Civic.
uk2usa on 8 July 2005
Well, here in Arizona (hot and dry!), cars do seem to last for ever. Not uncommon to see ancient VW beetles, old Ford pickups etc. Old Mercedes diesels from the early 80s? seem to have a cult following. Given the scarcity of diesel cars, they go for a premium among the tree hugging types.Add a comment
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