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Is a '95 300E Diesel w/65k miles worth $8500?

3K views 28 replies 15 participants last post by  Derek E320 1995 
#1 ·
Just like the title, I am looking at a '95 300E Diesel with only 65K miles. The car is in great shape as far as the interior, paint, leather, etc. It is a sharp car. I know the AC was recently replaced at a cost of nearly $2k. I do not know about the wiring harness. It is said the car will bring a premium above any book value because of condition and miles...?

Is the car worht $8500? I'm sure it will need basic maintanance items like glow plugs, etc, which will add up fast also...

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Older, low mileage cars are very cool! I hope you get it, but, keep in mind that low mileage cars have their own sets of problems due to inactivity and they are just as expensive to fix.

~$4000 is a much safer/reasonable price depending on your area/ cost of living. Just keep in mind: the "purchase price" probably won't be the "drive everyday price". It's easy to have $4000 in repairs in one of these before you know it.

Good luck!
 
#3 ·
Bought mine for $4,000 in April, but I have put motor mounts, tires, return fuel lines, correct coolant, thermostat, overflow cap, new brake fluid, new battery before winter, oil change, new armrest, stop leak in the a/c evaporator and freon and it's holding. It doesn't take long to hit $2,000 additional grand, even with a good example. Just saying, have money left over from the purchase to make it right and make it yours.
 
#8 ·
I paid $12,xxx in May '08 for my '95 diesel, but I did it for a couple of reasons.

The car had 48K all original miles.

It was 100% original down to the factory tire valve caps.

AND the biggest reason, it is the very last US-spec W124 diesel (according to the MB classic center) with a build date of MAY '95.

It's all about how you feel about the car and what it does for you. IMO, I find the diesel s more desirable than the V8s just because they're simpler and less strangled by electronics and also because I do a lot of driving for my job which makes the diesel the only game in town.

However, as stated, I also did do a moderate restoration consisting of new engine electrical system, overhauling the fuel system & cooling system/fans, suspension, brakes, steering, etc, etc. So be prepared for that, regardless of how low the miles may be. But after all the work was done, all it needs is fuel, oil and filters.
 
#9 ·
I'd consider 6k, these are great - desired cars and those miles plus the AC service would suggest "favorable care" for the car. If I were looking hard, I might consider 6500.

8500 is too high, but keep an eye out for 65k versions of that car...see what you find. (nada) :)
 
#10 · (Edited)
Even a sub-10K mi car will likely need stuff such as brakes, suspension, steering and the wiring harness due to the age factor, IF you could even find a car with that low mileage that is 100% genuine (no odometer tweaking). Mine needed ball joints shortly after purchase. The rubber boots had just rotted & cracked simply from sitting in dry storage. I just overhauled whole component systems at a time so I won't have to futz with it again anytime soon.

Even though the AC was fully functional, my car had the AC evap core replaced as part of the purchase deal along with a new windshield and a full set of Michelin tires done @ a MB dealer. If not, I probably would have paid just south of $10K back then.
 
#11 ·
I have several lower mile versions of these cars...and I get that they have needs...but the $2k spend on AC suggests to me that this one has been cared for...so I would look real hard at it, if the harness HAS been done, odds are good that the former owner kept the car "right" hence an extra $1000-$2000 "earned at time of sale, imo.

I am suggesting further review, not a purchase based on this limited info. If the car is TRULY up to date on service, I think 6500 is realistic, and possibly on the low side if interior/exterior are original and excellent.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the replies. I have the car for the week. It is going to a local MB mechanic this week for a bumper to bumper exam.

The car does need motor mounts (I assume) as the motor rattles/shakes when turned on/off, and has a light vibration. I have not confirmed the wiring harness, but it would appear to be original to me.

I noticed a fuel leak from the belly pan when I started the car...it had been sitting for two months. Owner says they never noticed a leak in the past, and I take this to be true. They are willing to have these issues repaired (aside from wiring harness, was not discussed).

The interior wood, seats, carpet, radio, electronics, sunroof, power seats, etc are all in excellent shape. Body/paint looks great. Car has never been wrecked. He did have the car repainted (white), from the top down to repair a few dings chips and color match the bumpers. The bumpers and side skirts are all white. Looks really sharp. Drives, handles, brakes, steers, shifts, excellent.

I must say I am surprised at the lack of power on hills. A running start or manual down shift gets it done. Not a big concern, just an unexpected observation.

I like the car, and feel it is a solid, nice vehicle. I simply don't want to be unrealistic on the purchase price. If I can get the car 100% up to par, down to a brake fluid flush, etc, I am thinking $8500 is a do-able price...

Thanks again for the input.
 
#13 ·
Almost exactly one year ago I purchase my black on black 95 E300 diesel for $7700. With tax and whatever fees it came out to $8300 or so. The car had 86,000 miles on it when I bought it. It had one owner and I would call the condition of the car pristine for a 3 year old car, much less a 15 year old one. I mean the mechanics who have seen it have told me they haven't seen one as nice as mine in 12 years (hence the 3 year old pristine rating I give it). Bottom line, enough bragging about my ride...So far, and I now have 103,000 miles, I have done the following:

1. Right and left ball joints ($347.17)
2. (2) $100 oil changes--Mobil1 15W40 Full synthetic (~$220)
3. (4) coil springs & (4) struts/shocks (~$1000) includes front strut mounts
4. Right and Left Tie-Rod Assemblies (~$300.00)
5. 90,000 mile service--Replaced air filter and all fuel filters (~$150.00)
6. Transmission flush and whatever they do lol ($200.00)

TOTAL: $2,217.17

Now, I have put 17,000 miles on the car and I consider these expenditures somewhat high..The best advice I can give (and I have a couple friends with the identical car) is that these things are like the business cycle in that expenditures versus time will fluctuate significantly. You'll have periods when you have a lot of expense in maintainence/repair and then go for a while smooth sailing. Find out exactly what has been done to the car and who has been servicing it. If it's the miles are that low I would only consider getting it if it was a one owner car. If there's been more than one, you may have a hot potato, all be it a smooth and handsome one.

I don't mind the expense I put into my car thus far because it looks and drives like a car I should have paid $35K for. Plus, I'm close to graduation so I expect to have an income stream to service my debt and my car in the very near future. lol

Just remember, these fully depreciated automobiles are like aircraft, if you replace the parts as they need replacing they will go indefinitely (more or less).
 
#15 ·
1. Right and left ball joints ($347.17)
2. (2) $100 oil changes--Mobil1 15W40 Full synthetic (~$220)
3. (4) coil springs & (4) struts/shocks (~$1000) includes front strut mounts
4. Right and Left Tie-Rod Assemblies (~$300.00)
5. 90,000 mile service--Replaced air filter and all fuel filters (~$150.00)
6. Transmission flush and whatever they do lol ($200.00)

TOTAL: $2,217.17
grossly over inflated prices..why were springs replaced with shocks?

if you have the car 150k-250k miles it's a no brainier to buy. that's roughly 10-16 years of driving it is well worth the price at $850 a year/ $70 a month. and it will run it easily into that. disregarding brakes/shocks/fluids the car won't need much....you might need a trans rebuild in 100-150k from now but that's still cheap.paying a bit more for significantly lower mileage cars is usually a win:)
 
#14 ·
How many other 70K mile E300 Diesels do you have to chose from? None you say?

How long do you plan to keep the car? 100k or more miles?

Can you do basic maintenance yourself? Simple repairs?

Lastly, what other car could you buy for $8500, and could it last 100K miles?

Evaporator replaced (did they replace at least 2 of the six vacuum pods?), wiring harness is easy DIY when needed, and yes the 12 or so fuel line O rings and likely the braided fuel return lines need to be replaced soon. Check the 2 flex disks, and change the 30A blower fuse and cabin air filters.

Of course it's worth $8500! My opinion is way biased though:)
 
#16 ·
Verdict is in..........I'm the proud new owner of a beautiful Benz Diesel :D

Mechanic did a complete inspection; the necessary repairs needed are: motor mounts, front flex joint, fuel stop valve &return lines, fuel filters, drive belt, rear differential complete reseal, new battery, and all fluid changes. Mechanic said car is in excellent shape, and with the repairs made, should be brought up to spec and clear to go for years to come (no major issues). The wiring harness is original, but shows zero signs of problems thus far. Of course he was very familiar with the issues. Said it will likely need replacing, but no time soon.

Seller agreed to have all repairs performed, so the car is up to speed. I feel it was a fair deal.

On a side note, why the mention of the blower fuse? I will replace, but is there a particular reason? Also, how many cabin filters are there, and how do you replace them? Difficult?

I do plan to have this car for a long time, just as a fun commuter car. I own several vehicles, mainly trucks, so this car is just a fun classic sedan for me. I only had an interest in it because it's a diesel!

Thanks for the input. This forum has been very helpful. I knew ZERO about Mercedes, yet with the 30 hrs of research I've done, I feel much more comfortable in my purchase and the car :thumbsup:
 
#20 ·
Apparently the compressor was repalced first as a cheaper fix attempt, and when that did not reslove it, the dash had to be dropped to fully correct the problem. So I would assume that would entail the evaporator? And at a cost of nearly $2k, I would hope that would include the evaporator as well.

This car has also been garage kept it's entire life, up until the 2 months before I purchased it, in which it sat outside. It was kept in Florida as a vacation home car, obviously driven very little. Zero rust on the car. For a 15 yr old car, I would rate the interior at a solid 9 (and I'm particular). Seats, wood, dash, trim, carpet all in very good shape. I like that the side skirts and bumper have been painted white to match. Car looks sharp.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Perhaps too much has been made about the deterioration of items on this car due to age. A lot depends on how it was driven, serviced and kept. Both of my cars came from my friend: '90 300E with 68K miles and '77 230 with 151K miles. Both were always stored in a garage, serviced religiously and used only as Sunday drivers and trip cars. Both were stored in Winter and not driven on snowy/icy and salty roads. The stop/start, heat up/cool down cycles were dramatically less than found on same age daily drivers. This fact, alone, reduces wear and deterioration. The condition of rubber, plastic parts and paint is superior to cars of normal use and age. Some things, such as engine mounts, etc need to be replaced regardless of age. A leaky evaporator is just a fact of life with these cars as is the wiring harness for some years. Yes, you do have to factor in replacement costs of those expensive parts. Just because a car is old and has few miles on it does not mean it was neglected and in need of many expensive repairs - perhaps quite the opposite!

Congrats on your purchase. I think your car will do just fine and, if you so desire, give you service for MANY years to come.
 
#22 ·
I'll have to see if I can't snap a few up here. Car will hopefully be repaired next week, and given a good bath.

I do want to tint the windows, just not sure how dark I want to go. I have always tinted my vehicles to match the factory tint, but I dont' want to go too dark on this car and have the ghetto ganster look with it being white. I'm thinking a lighter shade will blend better and not be such a contrast against the paint...
 
#23 ·
Yep, the $2K would include replacement of the evaporator. The evaporator develops a leak and the system won't stay charged with coolant. Hopefully, as mentioned in another post, they replaced some or all vacuum pod control units at the same time. The entire top of the dash must come off. It is a LOT of work and not a pretty sight when the dash is fully gutted!! :crybaby2: It is not unusual for there to be evidence of weeping around the differential seals and many or most folks don't replace them unless there is a major leak. Find out when the tranny fluid & filter was last changed. Those should be changed every 30K miles. I would resist the temptation to replace the transmission fluid with synthetic. Some do but I prefer to use standard formulation transmission fluid. My cars now have Valvoline syn-blend tranny fluid. Of course you want to use diesel grade oil. Valvoline Blue 15W40 is an excellent oil for your engine and has more ant-wear additives than most diesel engine oils on the market today - even rivals some racing oils. Again, my preference is for standard oil, not synthetic for our older design engines. For the cooling system, use only Mercedes approved coolant or Zerex G-05 in your engine to protect against internal cooling system damage and wear.
 
#24 ·
Here's a newbie question: should the lettering on the trunk read 300 E or E 300? Mine says 300 E but obviously the car is labeled "E 300 D" and I see most show the E emblem in front.

I started to think when the trunk was painted, they simply put the lettering back on wrong, but a google image search showed models with 300 E Diesel lettering but where called 'special edition' or some sort.

What gives? That has to be correct...I would never run around with 'HD 2500' on my trucks when they should read '2500 HD' :confused:
 
#25 ·
Congratulations. Very good chance that you will love this car for many years. My first 124s were a bit common, but as I saw from others here, the more desirable versions LIKE YOURS are the ones to buy and invest in imo...IE, keep it in EXCELLENT shape and it will outlast your neighbors next 3 cars. :)

While newer cars have many levels of appeal, none can replicate the stabilizing effect of our substantial weight over bumps, at high windy speeds, etc. It makes for a different drive experience than the quick/light new cars.

FWI, I tend to debadge the model from the trunk, use an updated (s class style) grill and paint the lowers. These tricks provide an updated look and make our cars' age hard to guess for non MB folks.

Most 95s were special edition, a search here will show the minor details that entails, it was more about selling off the last of the breed than any massive upgrades added. :)
 
#26 ·
Thanks! I spent the day detailing the car to make it mine :) It really is such a simple yet elegant piece of machinery.

Funny you mention the grill....I was looking at the car thinking I would have the 'honeycomb' grey insert painted white to match, with the chrome bezel trim. Nothing else on the car is grey. I don't want to paint the door handles, entire miroors, etc all white because I think that starts to get too monochromatic. With the windows tinted, I think the white black combo should look sharp!
 
#28 ·
I'll throw my congrats in the ring, as well. If you hang onto the car for 7-10 years, $8500 shouldn't worry you. It's a sunk cost now, so, the longer you can hang onto the asset (and yes, I think of these cars as assets as every good enthusiast should;)), the higher the annualized "returns" . Also, I've owned 4 M-Bs (an 83 240D, 89 300E, 94 E420, and 99 E430) and the 124 chassis is still my favorite for it's combination of tight handling and solid feel.

Please keep everyone updated on how your mods and refurb efforts go so we can all share a little in your enjoyment of your car. Cheers!
 
#29 ·
I just Paid $ 3,200 for a Gas version e320 '95 with 200,000km on it.
Car is very clean never winter driven, I had to put a new Heater Cabin
blower in it so far so I have about $4,000 tied up in it...
I feel I still have lots of room for repairs because the price was right.
Hate to pay a lot up front and then have second thoughts before every
repair job. The guy wanted $5,000 for this one, I told him my price was
$ 3,000 and after 2 weeks he agreed to come down some...
Take your time and be patient, the right car will come your way at your price.
Be ready to travel, I looked at few that were over a 100 miles away.
The one I bought was 250 miles away... His detailed pictures made me make the trip.
Sure glad I did, My two month search was finally over.. Best ride home in years..
Enjoy the hunt.. Good Luck !
 
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