[citruspilot]

Just got a 01 E430 this past Tuesday. White with Gray interior. One family owner bought new at Beck Mercedes in Charlotte on 5/17/01. No title issues, never wrecked, clean, always garaged, not smoked in, no abuse marks or door dings. Inside is just as clean with little or no wear anywhere. Just a very nice cared for E. And I got a very good deal. Lets just say I paid less than $7,400.........considering a few items listed below.

It has 115K and most all the records since new. The Service Book has about 7 or 8 entries with stamps. Not all of them are MB stamps but a local shop I have heard of and consider acceptable. The previous owner had the tranny flushed, new brakes and fluid, cabin filters, a "B" inspection at 106,000 miles. The computer shows the next "A" inspection is due in 4,200 miles.

Upon paying for it I immediatly went to work pulling my fine tooth comb thru it. After a thorough bath and wax, engine bay clean and interior wipedown, the first thing on my list was to replace the windshield which had a nice stone chip right in the drivers view. Got a good price thru my friend who is a car dealer, GlassMasters, $134.00 his cost. Bought a MB window sticker too, $6.00. The new style. It looks better if you ask me. Its not the white box style with black lettering but the signature style which is clear with white lettering. Matches the car color.

The original wheel center caps were pealing so I replaced those too. I got the version with the chrome star emblem. The fog lights were burned out so I got those too. The tires are fairly good but Toyo's and they howl so I give them until the end of summer and they're gone. Maybe some Michelins or Pirelli's.

There was a slight oil leak from the cover on the drivers side valve cover. There is a removable inspection cover (?) which incorporates the oil filler neck and oil cap. I found that a small torx bolt had the head broken off so I replaced that one, snugged the others up, and no more oil leak. The MB parts guy gave me that......oh boy!

The right rear door window regulator broke the second day. Closed the door and heard something fall to the bottom of the door from the inside. I knew what it was instantly. New regulator, installed by me, $92.00 bucks. Again my dealer friend saved the day. Retail is $115.00.

Now, the only thing left to do is replace one of the cats. It rattles a bit. I believe we have singled out the right side to be the culprit. Cost, $360.00 bucks from an online cat warehouse. Can't do that yet as I am in ATL going thru 737 training and have the car with me. I wont be home until the 30th of the month. The cat can wait. It does not effect the cars performance at all. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

The drive down to ATL on Thursday from Charlotte where I live was perfect. The computer indicated at one point a 28.0 MPG at cruise with the A/C off averaging about 65 MPH. Not bad for a V8!

Sorry for the long story but this is a blog about Benz's so I am blogging. But its time for bed...........

I am enjoying the ride! What a difference there is between a 97 E420 with 175,000 miles and an 01 E430 with 115,000 miles. I am truly happy now! :thumbsup:

I'll post a few pics after my schooling is over................

Jeff

 

[E430SportMB]

Are you replacing the windshield with original blue tint or just after market. i too have a leak on the those areas of the engine . Maybe a good adjustment after my change in spark plugs, will do the job. My 2000 is going on its 123k miles and going ok, except for a noisy tik tik tik, on cold starts.

 

[stevejensen]

Sound like a really great car !
Wow that is a great price on the replacement glass !
My 2001 E320 need the glass replaced (sand pitting from Connecticut).
The Mercedes shop estimate: $885
My local glass shop estimates (using Mercedes glass): $684 or using PPG glass $557.83

Do these prices for glass sound reasonable ?


Thanks--

 

[Check Codes]

Congratulations, Jeff, sounds like you got a great car and it got a great new home.

One thought, though, if it's the rear cat just order the Magnaflow 53005 from allexhaust.com, about $65 and free shipping, you can have any decent exhaust shop do the cut and weld usually for $30-50 and it will work just fine, and you'll be legal as long as you don't register it in CA.

Take care and enjoy the NEW ride,
Greg

 

[unitfreebie]

E420 VS E430 Engines?

:thumbsup: Congrat on your new car!

After your Training and you had some time getting used to the new car, please let us know how you like or dislike the differences between the two V8 engines (420 VS. 430)?

 

[citruspilot]

E430Sport, the cover I mentioned is held on by about 6 or 7 torx. The large ones are outside torx, the small ones are inside torx. Sorry I dont know the exact sizes. This cover does not use a gasket. Its uses a "gasket-in-a-tube". I bought a tube from MB and they charged me $16.00 bucks. When I finally get her back home I'll remove it, clean it then re-install using the new gasket sealant.

The windshield looks like an exact replacement. I have the rain sensor but the price I paid was only the $134.00 I posted. GlassMasters is a national chain, I think. If you have one near you give em a call. Now like I said, my best friend is a car dealer so I got his price. But even still the retail price was only about $175.00 installed. Good luck but do your homework. They are available if you call around for much less.

As far as your tick/tick/tick when you start up cold. I would put a can of SeaFoam in the crankcase. Drive the car about a week or so then have your oil changed. SeaFaom is magic in a can, trust me. That might clean your lifters of carbon or dirt making them stop ticking. :thumbsup:

Greg, thanks for the heads-up on the cat. I was cautioned about using a cheap cat meaning it might not last too long. How good are those you mention? If you say their good I might do that and replace both instead of just one.

Only 9 more days of training then its back to the real world!! :surrender:

Jeff

 

[raymond-]

which is more fun to jocky? 430 or 737? congratulations on both !!
i'm just a single engine VFR guy...plus aerobatics for giggles.

 

[citruspilot]

Raymond, what your flying is more fun that what I fly. What I fly is just like driving a Greyhound bus. Only difference is I'm going 10 times as fast but the passengers are the same!

I flew the B-717, more commonly known as the MD-95 which was a new fangled DC-9, for 8 years. We got 737's about 3 years ago and the flying they do is now getting much better. At first the hours earned flying the 737 were much less than flying the 717, scheduling. Now that the 737 is doing more flying I can change aircraft without losing any pay BUT get the west coast trips, LA, San Fran, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, along with Cancun and San Juan. More airtime, better layovers, and different scenary. Did I mention we get to know our flight attendants better too. It gets old flying between ATL, Moline, BWI, BOS, MIA, FLL, Flint, Dayton, etc.... Basically up and down the east coast like a boomerang. Not anymore.

So far the E430 is MUCH nicer than the E420. The power is there and instant. The E420 was an excellent car mind you but they improved the E class with the later model W210's. And I like the classy face-lift bug-eye.

Speaking of bugs, I kill lots of bugs flying a jet. Not only do I smash em in an instant, I burn em up with the jet blast! Just doing my part to rid the world of those pesky little gnats.......:flamg:

Jeff

 

[Musikmann]

Congratulations on the new ride Jeff, and I'm glad you like it so far.