So, I might seem like a Newbie, but I've been lurking in these forums for longer than I'd like to admit and I'm finally getting ready to begin my search for a 1994 or 1995 E420.
A little background (for those of you who care)-
My W124 obsession began when in 1986 when I saw my first 300E. It looked completely futuristic to me at the time- unlike anything else on the road. In 1988 my parents were in the market for a new car and upon my recommendation drove the E-Class and loved it. They bought a 1988 300E Smoke Silver with Pal MB Tex. We eventually outgrew it and sold it for something bigger, but I always loved that car. In a lot of ways, I actually prefer the looks of the 1986-1989 W124s before they added the cladding in the later models-- the cars have a much cleaner, less dated look. That said, practically speaking, it makes more sense for me to get a newer/more up-to-date model.
Now that I've been working for a few years, I have found a renewed interest in the cars I was obsessed with in my youth (the W124, the Series III Jaguar XJ6, and the 1990-92 Lexus LS400 will all eventually be mine--all three for less than the price of a new Accord!). My current car is a BMW X5 but I don't really plan on leasing another new car when my lease expires in a few months. I walk to work and really only drive on nights and weekends. So, this seems like the time to begin my quest for the perfect E420.
In my mind, the perfect E420 is a 1994 or 1995, in either Brilliant Silver, Black pearl, Black, Navy, Black Opal, or Moonstone Grey (which is pretty rare) with anything other than Blue interior (Palomino would be ideal). Less than 100K miles and well maintained. I don't really plan on any mods other than some AMG 17-inch wheels, a new stereo w/bluetooth/sat/ipod connectivity, and possibly remote locks (I know it can be problematic with the vacuum locks, so we'll see if that works out---at the very least I'lll get a switchblade key!)
I've been looking in the classified sections of the benz forums (here, mbworld, mercedesshop) as well as Craigslist, Ebay, Autotrader, and Cars.com. Are there any other sites I should be checking out?
Thanks in advance! These forums are excellent and very helpful.
A little background (for those of you who care)-
My W124 obsession began when in 1986 when I saw my first 300E. It looked completely futuristic to me at the time- unlike anything else on the road. In 1988 my parents were in the market for a new car and upon my recommendation drove the E-Class and loved it. They bought a 1988 300E Smoke Silver with Pal MB Tex. We eventually outgrew it and sold it for something bigger, but I always loved that car. In a lot of ways, I actually prefer the looks of the 1986-1989 W124s before they added the cladding in the later models-- the cars have a much cleaner, less dated look. That said, practically speaking, it makes more sense for me to get a newer/more up-to-date model.
Now that I've been working for a few years, I have found a renewed interest in the cars I was obsessed with in my youth (the W124, the Series III Jaguar XJ6, and the 1990-92 Lexus LS400 will all eventually be mine--all three for less than the price of a new Accord!). My current car is a BMW X5 but I don't really plan on leasing another new car when my lease expires in a few months. I walk to work and really only drive on nights and weekends. So, this seems like the time to begin my quest for the perfect E420.
In my mind, the perfect E420 is a 1994 or 1995, in either Brilliant Silver, Black pearl, Black, Navy, Black Opal, or Moonstone Grey (which is pretty rare) with anything other than Blue interior (Palomino would be ideal). Less than 100K miles and well maintained. I don't really plan on any mods other than some AMG 17-inch wheels, a new stereo w/bluetooth/sat/ipod connectivity, and possibly remote locks (I know it can be problematic with the vacuum locks, so we'll see if that works out---at the very least I'lll get a switchblade key!)
I've been looking in the classified sections of the benz forums (here, mbworld, mercedesshop) as well as Craigslist, Ebay, Autotrader, and Cars.com. Are there any other sites I should be checking out?
Thanks in advance! These forums are excellent and very helpful.