Any one else shopping a W210 and finding prices too high?

[raywbo]

OK, so I have been trying to scout a clean W210 for the past month and a half.. and I mean scouring the Internet almost every day. In fact, I have learned so much about them at this point I almost feel obligated to get one as I have all but abandoned my 2nd choice (Volvo s60).

My target is 2000-2002, 2wd or 4matic, 100k miles or under no rust and not beat to hell. Extra points for 2 owners or less and service records.

Prices are all over the map, but the clean ones are generally asking/going between $8K-$12K when true market value would seem to be around $2K less.. My budget for something this old is up to $10K for an under 50K mile "cream puff" and down from there, depending on mileage, condition and service records.

Asking price and selling are two different things, but I have walked away from more than a few deals due to unwillingness to negotiate much on the sellers part, and they are actually selling them getting premium prices.

I don't know if it's the present used car market or what, but I'm not having much luck!

[Kajtek1]

11 to 14 years old car with less than 100k is hard to find in the first place, so you have to expect to pay premium.
Strange what you are saying as I bought clean diesel in Connecticut last fall for less than 5 grands, but the mileage was high.
Why you set your mileage at 100K? We have new member here who just joined the crowd with 300k gasser and really likes it.

[MBGraham]

You would think there might be owners, wanting to trade, that being offered ridiculously low trades. Assking an MB dealer might be an idea. They otherwise send these cars to auction.

I have a 98 that looks like a new car. Dealer says on trade, it is worth C$2500. Privately, I can probably sell for more. But these prices are no better than I would get for my 85 300D which is in reasonable shape, but has big mileage. Seem that diesels just command more.

So as a potential seller, I have the opposite problem!

[Kajtek1]

Originally Posted by MBGraham

So as a potential seller, I have the opposite problem!

Me too. I am trying to sell 87 diesel in W124 and even $3k is not selling it. I made the engine bone dry and having the head out inspected it to be in perfect mechanical condition.
But again, we are talking rare cars waiting for rare buyers.
Would that be Toyota or Honda , the topic would not exist

[KarlBenzSF]

high price in this period of time probably due to lots of owners is selling their W210 because they spent too much money repairing it.. W210 has a price hike,,.. it's like a stock..LOL

[raywbo]

Originally Posted by Kajtek1

11 to 14 years old car with less than 100k is hard to find in the first place, so you have to expect to pay premium.
Strange what you are saying as I bought clean diesel in Connecticut last fall for less than 5 grands, but the mileage was high.
Why you set your mileage at 100K? We have new member here who just joined the crowd with 300k gasser and really likes it.

You made a rare find in Connecticut, in fact this whole tri-state area NY/NJ/CT is part of the rust belt, but not as bad as further north.

I have no problem paying a premium.. I have roughly figured that .05 cents/mile is a rough gauge, for example a 50k mile car would be worth 2500 more than a 100K mile car perhaps. Problem is people selling 100K mile cars at 50K mile prices!

Remember that guy selling the '01 w/11K miles for $17K? It's now on eBay for $15.5 on a 3 day auction..

[Kajtek1]

Finding Texas car in Connecticut might be rare, but I have been finding good deals on MB for couple of decades with no problems. Might be time consuming, but surfing the net and driving long distance is something I enjoy.
I saved the ebay listing out of curiosity.
There are lot of dreamers and moon-walkers out there, so we never know.
Good luck on your search, but would I be in your shoes, I would worry about condition not the mileage. Both of our W210 are 98 models and both are 250k mileage. Both are still mistaken for a pretty new cars.
It is not the driving that makes the car looking bad.

[Beverly Sharp]

This is interesting because I have noticed a real dearth of 123's on both Dallas Craigslist and EBay in the last coupla' months. It's almost like the market dried up all of a sudden. Six months ago, you could find at least a handful of 123s in the Dallas area, but now there are weeks going by when there is nothing, maybe one or two (and often they're beaters). My '77 300D is one of the few up for sale hereabouts, and I had a call from a guy two hundred miles away in Oklahoma City who wanted to drive down and buy it. I wonder if the economy and uncertainty about taxes, etc., is a big factor in this?
Hemersam
P.S. The OK City guy backed out after he talked to his wife.

[01blackhawk]

I`m halfway in the market for a W211 for the wife about couple months now, she can`t make up her mind so we are not in a big rush. Checking the prices at CL, Cars dot com etc and keep an eye on some of the dealerships around. Its very interesting, here are a few example from local listings for both W211 and W210.

2006 E350 4M 88K= $15K
2006 E350 4M 105K=$15K
2005 E320 4M 65K=$15K
2003 E320 RWD 116K=$15K
2005 E320 RWD 109K=$13.5K
2001 E320 RWD 59K=$12K (This is at a Benz dealership, and same color and everything as my car except I have 84K miles and grey interior)

2000 E430 4M 122K=$11K
2001 E430 RWD 86K=$9900 (This car is at a reputable import dealership for a while now and price came down from $11.5K )

2000 E320 4M 130K=$8600 (This is also another Benz dealership in the area)
1999 E320 4M 130K=$7600
And here comes the funniest one, 97 E420 224K on the clock and price is $7600 and the ad says "we won`t be beat on the price" Just made my day.

Since she wants a 211, I also started to itch for one and ask the dealer what would be the value for may car if I want to trade it and he tells me $4500, looked at him in the eye and literally told him he can kiss my feet, when they have the same car in the lot for 12K, puzzled he looked at me "but it has only 59K"
Big deal.
I walked away.
I understand dealerships have to make money but c`mon.

Good luck with your search, hope you`ll find a car you like.

[Kajtek1]

Originally Posted by 01blackhawk

And here comes the funniest one, 97 E420 224K on the clock and price is $7600 and the ad says "we won`t be beat on the price" Just made my day.

Aren't they right?
I live in small town and just noticed this week one of the gas station opened tire shop.
"The lowest tire prices in town" says big banner.
The number of tire shops in town? >>>> ONE