W211 E500 02-06 purchase

[W124E280]

It's been a while since I have owned a Mercedes-Benz - a W124 E280. You could probably guess that.

I am now in the market for a new 'toy' - really just a Sunday car that might do the occasional interstate run. It will lead a pampered life.

I have always liked the W211/S211, and have turned my attention to looking at a pre-update, as late as possible (06), V8 sedan. The way all other V8 prices have gone (esp Aussie cars), these are a bargain.

But prices vary between one that just sold for less than $10K to asking price of $25K. I can't work out yet what they are really worth at the moment. Prices are clearly all over the place. Does anyone have suggestions on where to get a better idea - Redbook?

I have already done my research with SBC (?) brakes and Airmatic suspension as main (expensive) areas to look at, followed by things such as rocker cover oil leaks and front suspension ball joints. Of course these cars are now 15 years old, so I expect I might see other issues related to their age. It seems like they are among the more reliable M-Bs of the 2000s.

Also, what value do people store in a M-B dealer or specialist service history? Some of these cars - even some of the more expensively priced ones -- have been serviced by a local mechanic. Maybe that does not matter, but then I wonder how much they've stuck to the prescribed M-B schedule...

I will get a PPI for whatever I decide on. I am not familiar enough with the W211 to take a gamble by buying without one -- it seems that could be an expensive.

Thanks all.

[Don]

My wife has a 2002 model as a shopping car and for the occasional run into town from the Peninsula. The early V8 is magic and at 230k shows no sign of wear. She loves it. Like you I favor the earlier two-plug per pot motor and would avoid the next gen motor for its propensity to drop tensioners. Brilliant to drive with bags of power you can't beat a good E500. Well, maybe an E55 but for the 6k we paid I'd get another in a blink but values seem to have crept up a bit. I'd say around 9k would get a nice one.

You can check the date on the SBC as they were mostly replaced around 2008 on the early cars.

As long as the books show care and attention by a competent garage then go for it. I've seen some horror jobs by supposed MB specialists.

[Ivanerrol]

Get a competent PPI.
That'll show you what you are looking at.

I put my '04 W211 E240 118,000K's on the market.
A bunch of flippers came around to look at it - low balling.
There are some good well looked after cars out there - you can bargain with the price

If you find a car with a reasonable amount of K's and stealership history, the SBC issue might have been looked at already.
Airmatic suspension is not that big a job to replace. The US is the place to get cheaper struts and components.

Don't go for one of the 2nd generation cars unless it's post 2008.

If you are patient the right car will turn up. You might need to travel to get the right car.

The last of the S Class S500 with M113's are also good value. The electronics were more or less sorted out by the 2004 update.
There seem to be more S500's around then E500's

[W124E280]

Thank you gentlemen for your responses.

It's interesting that your car was just $6k Don, although I presume with high km. Greys just sold a E500 with 261,000km for a bit over $5k.

There was a 2002 (so early) E500 that sold a few weeks ago on Carsales. It had 150,000km, and the asking price was $9500. I think the price had recently dropped and that's probably why it sold.

I don't think there is as much heat in the E500 market as there is elsewhere. I sold a 4WD a few weeks ago with 1000 page views in less than a week and so many calls I couldn't keep up! It sold in 7 days, and my price wasn't exactly low.

Some of these E500s have been for sale for months, although perhaps because they are over-priced.

Ivanerrol, I always liked the W220, but they do seem to have gone up in price over Covid. I can't seem to find much for sale except the occasional early 2000s S430. I think I would prefer the slightly smaller W211.

While a later E550 appeals on the performance side of things, the pre-facelift E500 doesn't exactly hang around, does it? A sub-6sec 0-100km/h is very good, in my opinion. Mind you, these days I'd rarely make use of such get up and go. Nice to have though.

[Don]

Our 500 had 200k when purchased. In my opinion the pick is the 2005 model with 7 speed and pre guides issue 5.5 litre that still has the two-plug pots and single cams. Patience is the key though, plenty of early ones with low K still coming up.

[Ivanerrol]

I.M.H.O.

the early 7 speeds were plagued with problems overseas.
Having said that. These problems should have been fixed by stealerships by now.

The E55's carried on with the stronger 5 speed 722.6 for quite a few years after 2005.

AMG E55 W211's are slowly starting to increase in value in the US.

Anecdote.
My BIL bought a brand new CLS500 when they first came out.
The gearbox was always playing up. The stealers gave him a loaner car while they sorted his out.
My sister crashed the loaner - 3 times.

The stealers never got the car right so he handed it back and went a bought a Boxter.
(He was in the car industry so got away with this)

[Don]

I take it back. Stick with the 5 speed op. And I just had a squiz on carsales. OMG the prices of W211 E500's have gone insane it's like people have gone bonkers coming out of lockdown. The E55s gone stratospheric as well. A couple are over 90k where not long ago they maxed out at 50k.

[W124E280]

There are a couple later 5.0/7-speeds I'm thinking of looking at. I'll buy if any good, but also happy to wait for the right car.

I take it the 5-speed was 02-03, with 7sp from 04? And M113 5.0 all the way up to Aug 06 (MY07) facelift?

I'm slowing learning the differences between the models, etc. As far as I can see, not a lot different between Elegance and Avantguard. Wheels, instrument cluster, maybe different interior wood decor, minor exterior cosmetics. I need to find a resource with Oz spec models and options, so I know what I'm looking at.

Yes covid has made the used car market go crazy, but as far as I can see, not totally crazy for 15 year-old E500s. Or maybe it's just everything else is even more crazy.

Was tempted by a W212 E500 Coupe low km and cheap but repaired write-off. It looks stunning but the repaired write-off bit is potentially a big issue I'd rather not have to deal with.

[W124E280]

Now being put off a W211, been suggested that when they go wrong, it can be very wrong eg $9k for a servotronic steering rack replacement.

By my research so far, the W211 preMY07 is one of the more reliable 'modern' Benzes and also relatively bulletproof for a luxury car of its era. Seems like a lot more goes wrong with Audi V8s and BMW V8s of that vintage, maybe no so much the Lexus.

I understand that many modern cars can turn sour in terms of repair costs, and also that this is a Benz forum so not necessarily completely unbiased. Then again, you are the guys that own and drive these cars.

What are your thoughts? Aside from a freak catastrophic engine or transmission failure, are $5K+ repairs in the mix for a W211 E500?

[Don]

What are your thoughts? Aside from a freak catastrophic engine or transmission failure, are $5K+ repairs in the mix for a W211 E500?

Why bother? For that money just go and buy another one.

And BMWs are for disco queen's and gangstas plus if there's a gasket or join the BM V8 will leak oil there.

[W124E280]

I think the point that was being made is that W211 are unreliable and expensive to repair, based on a few people who owned them. I can see that if taken to the wrong mechanic or if it has had a hard life. But otherwise I can't see there being a problem.
Maybe an SBC replacement... but haven't those come down to $3K new and maybe $500-$800 reconditioned these days (plus fitting)?

If I buy a W211, it will be $10K+, which I am reluctant to throw away and just 'buy another'. For a $5K purchase, yes that makes sense' I've bought a few cars for around that, thinking if they go bang, they can go to scrap.

[Ivanerrol]

I never had any issues with my W211 apart from the typical garage queen ones. - Use it or lose it.

The car was gone over at a stealership just last November and given a clean bill of health including the SBC.
My service guy told me if I had traded that car in to their stealers, one of their younger technicians would have taken it.

There were hundreds of thousands of M112's, M113's and 722.6's and gained a good reputation of being near bullet proof - with appropriate maintenance.

There are head units such as the Dynavin which will bring the technology up to pretty contemporary standards.

My Stealer service man told me that the few SBC's they now work on use kits to repair.
The problematic units they had have been fixed already under warranty.

E Class coupes (207) are tarted up C Class W204 chassis
Series I and II W212 cars are enlarged versions of the W204. MB Spent a Billion dollars to update the W212 for the 2013 onward

If I was going to spend $10K plus on a E class, I'd be after the last of the W211's rather than a pre update W212 (Notwithstanding the fact I own a predate W212).
The technology for the preupdate W212 has hit a wall. MB not supporting updates. - My W212 GPS is in a ten year old time warp - after market being the only choice.

[W124E280]

I never had any issues with my W211 apart from the typical garage queen ones. - Use it or lose it.

You're not wrong there.

I have just come back from looking at an extreme case of this. MY06 E500, only 88,000km, one owner. No repairs to body, that I could tell. All sounds perfect, right?

It has been sitting outside for '3 months' as a new replacement has been purchased. I'd say it has been sitting for longer than that, given the mould forming on the ground around the car and some on the car and lots of leaves in the plenum and upper boot aperture. Small amounts of mound inside, although no wetness on carpet etc. Maybe that's just because it's been very wet lately.

It looked like it has been out in the weather most of its 15 years. Headlights badly faded, like almost chalky white. Paint could be corrected with a buff, but all the rubber parts eg lower w/screen and side mirror surrounds badly cracked/perished.

Leather all good but hard - don't think it's ever been nourished. Some wear points I was surprised to see for the km - vinyl starting to flake from driver's door pull and gear lever worn though at one point.

Some sort of problem with the left pass seatbelt sensor, wasn't quite sure what that was.

Only one service stamp in the book, when it was about a year old. The rest on computer at the mechanic the family uses somewhere, apparently.

Tyres - Michelins - a good sign, but they are early 2016 m'facturer. So getting past their use-by date.

Which might explain the fairly harsh ride when I drove it. Suspension made a few creaks and groans, brake pedal pulsing slightly, as if warped discs, on light application. That's at 40km/h.

The people selling it were nice and I actually was trying to tell them how to improve their chances of selling it. Otherwise it was make an offer, a low one. Which I wasn't sure I even wanted to make. Onwards and upwards.

[T-Modell]

...Of course these cars are now 15 years old, so I expect I might see other issues related to their age. It seems like they are among the more reliable M-Bs of the 2000s.
...

Hi man without a name,

I was long thinking if I should answer here or not. Just don't get it what you want. Imho

a) ANY old Mercedes is a risk, one way or another.
b) you NEVER can anticipate what fault comes next
c) doesn't matter what you read on the internet, you find all pros and - more - cons to EVERY model
d) you still take a risk, if you buy a 40-year old Merc

So what's my conclusion: Get the best car you can find (history, service, state) and try the gamble. In case of a W211 I'd go for a after facelift model. My car was pretty good regarding repairs, but then the waterpump crashed ... is that common? Probably not, was replaced and car ran again.

As someone before me said: Get one, have some money in the pocket and if it's troublesome, then get rid of it.

Regards
Thomas

P. S.: In case you're interested ... here's my 10-year, 250,000km experience with an S211:
https://ozbenz.net/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=23754