I have a problem, my car is getting close to its first magical odometer feat, 100K miles. The problem is I want to keep it below 100K I don't want my baby to get old. I've had the car since 59K miles 8 years ago. It's my keeper and the car I plan to drive to my funeral. So I'm glad it's winter and I'm much less tempted to drive it (salted roads). What would you do?...
99,650 What would you do?...
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Just drive it. Enjoy it. Makes me laugh as out of the 9 cars i have owned, Only 2 have had under 100k. My VW i bought last year and my 300E i bought in 2003 with 78K on the clock. Sold that with 170/180 i believe.
Like a fine wine...
My 300E is one of a very small number of cars I've owned under 100K, makes it even more sentimental...
Personally I'd drive it in good weather (unsalted roads), keep the maintenance tip-top, and enjoy it.
The 100,000 mile barrier is only psychological.
My Porsche is close to turning that (thanks to having to daily it for a while), and my E320 is almost double that.
The 100,000 mile barrier is only psychological.
My Porsche is close to turning that (thanks to having to daily it for a while), and my E320 is almost double that.
What would be best for the car would be to drive it and maintain it. With the possible exception of the cylinder walls, most wear items will continue to degrade from sitting as much as from driving. If you can't stand to see the car turn 100k you would be better off to sell it than let it sit. Drive it:thumbsup:
"It's my keeper and the car I plan to drive to my funeral."
If you drive that car to your funeral, I'm leaving this forum and buying a used Kia.............
If you drive that car to your funeral, I'm leaving this forum and buying a used Kia.............
My predicament matches yours.
The new car salesman @ the Mercedes dealer where I bought the 2011 e350 Sport a while ago told me that people don't like to buy used cars over 100,000 miles, or over 200,000 miles.
So if the resale value is a worry, sell it now, for some dollars more.
Otherwise just keep driving it.
****
My 1991 560SEC AMG, (seen below) that I bought certified pre-owned from a Mercedes Benz dealer in Southern California near Disneyland, back in 1996, now has EXACTLY 199,457 miles on the odometer, so my predicament is exactly like yours, but, I have put a fortune into it, in repairs, upgrades, accessories and maintenance, and almost certainly will let it roll ove4r to 200,000 and then enjoy it some more.
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It was my "someday car" from the day back in 1985 I drove the nearly brand new boss's 1984 Lapis Blue euro spec 500SEC AMG from San Francisco, where I lived, to Denver for him to drive on his Aspen skiing vacation.
The new car salesman @ the Mercedes dealer where I bought the 2011 e350 Sport a while ago told me that people don't like to buy used cars over 100,000 miles, or over 200,000 miles.
So if the resale value is a worry, sell it now, for some dollars more.
Otherwise just keep driving it.
****
My 1991 560SEC AMG, (seen below) that I bought certified pre-owned from a Mercedes Benz dealer in Southern California near Disneyland, back in 1996, now has EXACTLY 199,457 miles on the odometer, so my predicament is exactly like yours, but, I have put a fortune into it, in repairs, upgrades, accessories and maintenance, and almost certainly will let it roll ove4r to 200,000 and then enjoy it some more.
It was my "someday car" from the day back in 1985 I drove the nearly brand new boss's 1984 Lapis Blue euro spec 500SEC AMG from San Francisco, where I lived, to Denver for him to drive on his Aspen skiing vacation.
I don't care WHO you are; that's funny!:yelrotflmao:"It's my keeper and the car I plan to drive to my funeral."
If you drive that car to your funeral, I'm leaving this forum and buying a used Kia.............
Understand. But the less you drive it the more problems will pop up that's for sure. Most cars that are 15 years or older tend to start running into major issues when they sit. Even with occasional weekend use the seals, rubber, cooling system etc start to deteriorate alot quicker. You obviously love the car. So drive it. Enjoy it at it's absolute best.
As far as re-sale mentioned above too. I was in communication with a owner of a 1992 300E with 75K when i was looking. It was in great shape. They was firm at 4K which i thought was too much for a pre-facelift inline 6 W124 Sedan even with the millage. My reasoning - Its still 21 Years old and will still have the same issues as a 21 year old car. So even with Half the miles of most current cars out there for sale the premium was $1500 give or take. I don't think your gunna sell it so this is irrelevant really.
There was a recent auction in Nebraska of the contents of a Chevrolet dealership that had closed about 15 years ago. The owner had a policy of only selling the newest models and rarely sold trade ins. As a result there were about 500 cars and trucks to be auctioned. Most were trade ins that the dealer had stored outside on his property, the others were new unsold or low mileage trade ins that that had been stored inside since the early sixties. They pulled out 63 and 64 Impalas with less than 5 mi on the odometer, assembly line protective plastic still on the seats, window stickers still in place. Could any of these time capsule cars be driven? No! The fuel, brake and suspension systems at a minimum would have to be replaced before the cars could be safely driven. Pretty much the same things that would have to be done if you found a similar car with 100k on the clock. Those time capsule cars sold for big bucks and will probably end up in collections with care taken not to disturb the accumulated dirt and grime from all those years of storage. The better used cars sold for considerably less and will probably be restored. The more weathered cars went as cheap project cars, demo derby and parts cars. This is an extreme example of long term storage but my point is that whether a car is stored or driven, it is not immune to the ravages of time.
You should have thought about this 10K miles ago, and made plans then. You have a few other cars listed in your sig that you should have been driving to limit the miles on the 300E.
OK, so I'll roll it over to 100K. Any ideas on how? Maybe while doing 100mph, maybe while doing smokey donuts in the parking lot. How else to celebrate?...
new years is coming ..
take it out for a spin ..
take it out for a spin ..
W124 1993 280E, W123 1980 280E, 2009 BMW E60 523i, 1998 Alfa-Romeo 146 ts
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I'm planning to see how many hundreds of thousands I can put on mine like those guys in the Mercedes ads with the high mileage badges for 500,000 kms
I think that's more of a meaningful accomplishment than keeping the mileage low
I think that's more of a meaningful accomplishment than keeping the mileage low
Current, 90 300CE, 92 400E (Sold 95 E320,70 250C, 91 190 2.6, 91 420 SEL, 95 300D, 87 TD)
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1,767 Posts
+1 She is worth WAY more to drive it and keep her up than to "SAVE" it ....As thay are worthless to save. Unless of course it is a 500E or maybe a coupe with less than 100 miles.
For example there is a a E320 T at the classic center in Irvine, CA with 29,000 miles on it and the seller wanted $29,999 for it. Lowered it to $19,000 and it still hasn't sold. Soooo... What does that tell you. I'd pay $10,000 fro it but it would need $$$$ worth of work still such as wires, rubbers, OVP, etc., etc.
That car is "normally" a 3 to 5 thousand dollar car in really good condition with @ 100,000+ miles on it.
How do you plan to accomplish this?
posthumously, of course
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