S320 W220 petrol buyers tips please
Discussion
Hi everyone. I’m looking a cheap reliable comfy barge to replace my lease BMW. Has considered S class then more recently E estate but this car popped up on gumtree.
The ad reads well, car looks spotless, it’s 2001, BRG green, tan hide, 5 spokes, 110k, MOT, described as faultless except the CL doesn’t always work. Sounds like PSE pump to me but can use emergency blade instead. Seats don’t seem to be heated, might be an issue in winter, doesn’t seem to have Command but basic radio.
No mention of service history, owners etc so I’ll need to ask. Air suspension is perfect apparently.
Petrol version is rare so is it thirsty?
Looking £600 got it so if it does me a year I’ll be happy but it looks great so hopefully longer.
Hopefully get to see it before weekend if not sold so your expertise on issues to look for would be appreciated. Thanks.
The ad reads well, car looks spotless, it’s 2001, BRG green, tan hide, 5 spokes, 110k, MOT, described as faultless except the CL doesn’t always work. Sounds like PSE pump to me but can use emergency blade instead. Seats don’t seem to be heated, might be an issue in winter, doesn’t seem to have Command but basic radio.
No mention of service history, owners etc so I’ll need to ask. Air suspension is perfect apparently.
Petrol version is rare so is it thirsty?
Looking £600 got it so if it does me a year I’ll be happy but it looks great so hopefully longer.
Hopefully get to see it before weekend if not sold so your expertise on issues to look for would be appreciated. Thanks.
Car sold within 2 hours of going up on gumtree so obviously someone else thought it a good buy too.
So I’ve seen an ad for immaculate S320 CDI 2004 so it’s galvanised and in silver with 5 spoke AmG 18” alloys. Ad has little info except it’s perfect and has 190k miles.
No mention of history and MOT expired last November. Looking £1500 but think I’ll offer less.
What should I do when I go to look at it? Remove engine covers to check for leaks from injectors?
Any tips appreciated. D
So I’ve seen an ad for immaculate S320 CDI 2004 so it’s galvanised and in silver with 5 spoke AmG 18” alloys. Ad has little info except it’s perfect and has 190k miles.
No mention of history and MOT expired last November. Looking £1500 but think I’ll offer less.
What should I do when I go to look at it? Remove engine covers to check for leaks from injectors?
Any tips appreciated. D
Hi - I ran a petrol 320 for about 4 years and 60000 miles. The car was a 2000 with fairly basic spec.
It was one of my all time favourites; quiet, lovely ride, fair economy and didn’t feel underpowered. I compared to the diesel at the time and far preferred the petrol, despite hitting reasonable miles.
From experience 3 things went wrong, only one of which would put me off another:
- air suspension (pumps, leaks, struts) not all that much to fix and a fantastic system when working.
- instrument cluster, again fixable at low cost, but a pain.
- rust. That ones the killer. Just not economical to repair and changes the feel of the car from bargain luxury to shed.
Otherwise a great thing!
It was one of my all time favourites; quiet, lovely ride, fair economy and didn’t feel underpowered. I compared to the diesel at the time and far preferred the petrol, despite hitting reasonable miles.
From experience 3 things went wrong, only one of which would put me off another:
- air suspension (pumps, leaks, struts) not all that much to fix and a fantastic system when working.
- instrument cluster, again fixable at low cost, but a pain.
- rust. That ones the killer. Just not economical to repair and changes the feel of the car from bargain luxury to shed.
Otherwise a great thing!
I appreciate that you took the time to respond. This car I'm looking at is still on gumtree but that doesn't mean it's not sold. Body work looks amazing as does interior. The no MOT since last November is a concern but owner says in ad it would pass 100% not sure why he didn't get it done before selling.
I'll have to do a HPi check on it etc. Then if all clear I'll view it.
As it's an NI car we don't have the MOT history online which is great for seller's but not buyers.
What I really need to know is what to look for around the engine. Black death? Gearbox I know should be smooth but I'm not sure if EGR or Turbo issues would present themselves.
Anyone any tips on this? Thanks.
I'll have to do a HPi check on it etc. Then if all clear I'll view it.
As it's an NI car we don't have the MOT history online which is great for seller's but not buyers.
What I really need to know is what to look for around the engine. Black death? Gearbox I know should be smooth but I'm not sure if EGR or Turbo issues would present themselves.
Anyone any tips on this? Thanks.
I have a 2005, S320 cdi, bought on condition rather than mileage/service history. That doesn't mean I haven't spent much on it though.
Bought last October from a chap in Enfield, who'd spent the 4 years of his ownership smashing the tyres up every curb in North London by the look of them. He had spent a few quid on it though, new air struts all round in 2015 being the most expensive in a long list of dealer receipts that came with the car.
I paid just under 2k for it and so far have spent around 3.5k, which includes tidying up the bodywork (around the rear arches and a random, 1 inch diameter hole in the inner front wheel arch,) new tyres, front discs and pads, new rear calipers, A service, gearbox and diff service, complete new set of front suspension/steering arms and bushes, new propshaft couplings, etc etc.
Most of it has just been time worn components, that will wear out on any car of this age, at the moment I,(or I should say, George down the garage) is chasing a driveline vibration that he thinks is the propshaft (it's on back order, only ordered in April, due in October!) that cost is in the 3.5k already mentioned. Along with new diff/rear subframe mountings, and another gearbox flush (one of the cooler pipes is corroding so it's going to have most of the fluid drained out this time instead of the normal 50%,) I'm hoping the original smooth drive will be restored.
I'm quite happy to spend whatever is needed to keep it in reasonable condition, it's such a comfy barge to smoke around in, and only just run in with 206,000 miles on the clock...I will run it until one of us conks out!
Bought last October from a chap in Enfield, who'd spent the 4 years of his ownership smashing the tyres up every curb in North London by the look of them. He had spent a few quid on it though, new air struts all round in 2015 being the most expensive in a long list of dealer receipts that came with the car.
I paid just under 2k for it and so far have spent around 3.5k, which includes tidying up the bodywork (around the rear arches and a random, 1 inch diameter hole in the inner front wheel arch,) new tyres, front discs and pads, new rear calipers, A service, gearbox and diff service, complete new set of front suspension/steering arms and bushes, new propshaft couplings, etc etc.
Most of it has just been time worn components, that will wear out on any car of this age, at the moment I,(or I should say, George down the garage) is chasing a driveline vibration that he thinks is the propshaft (it's on back order, only ordered in April, due in October!) that cost is in the 3.5k already mentioned. Along with new diff/rear subframe mountings, and another gearbox flush (one of the cooler pipes is corroding so it's going to have most of the fluid drained out this time instead of the normal 50%,) I'm hoping the original smooth drive will be restored.
I'm quite happy to spend whatever is needed to keep it in reasonable condition, it's such a comfy barge to smoke around in, and only just run in with 206,000 miles on the clock...I will run it until one of us conks out!
Thanks for replying I’d read some of your previous posts about your car and it’s a beauty. Again the CDi I mentioned was sold when I rang. I probably put other commitments before the search.
Not much is tickling my fancy but a trader has a 03 CDi much like yours for £2100 but 250k miles!
I’m swaying again towards a W221 2006-2009 vintage. Can be picked up for circa 4-6k and maybe less likely to bork on me. I’ve seen a cracker with 120k, night vision, adaptive cruise, other nice options.
Need to get my finger out as my BMW going back once they make the arrangements. Although I have 2 SLs to fall back on -;)
Not much is tickling my fancy but a trader has a 03 CDi much like yours for £2100 but 250k miles!
I’m swaying again towards a W221 2006-2009 vintage. Can be picked up for circa 4-6k and maybe less likely to bork on me. I’ve seen a cracker with 120k, night vision, adaptive cruise, other nice options.
Need to get my finger out as my BMW going back once they make the arrangements. Although I have 2 SLs to fall back on -;)
I must admit I'm not keen on the W221, don't like the look of it on the outside, and the V6 diesel isn't as economical as the inline six (I do 6-700 miles a week, so fuel cost is a factor for me) I do like the interiors though, especially the way the dash is laid out with the screen high up.
I forgot to mention injector seals in my previous post, the chap I bought mine from had one go on number 1 cylinder, the rest don't look like they've ever been touched, not bad for over 200,000 miles, I've been told that the seals from some Honda or other are a permanent fix for this, although I haven't read up about it.
I think it's inevitable that one with a quarter of a million on the clock will need plenty of stuff refreshing, unless the previous owner has done it already of course, suspension and rubber bushings etc, but this could easily need doing on any S class that's done more than 100,000k, this is where a big pile of receipts will tell the story!
I forgot to mention injector seals in my previous post, the chap I bought mine from had one go on number 1 cylinder, the rest don't look like they've ever been touched, not bad for over 200,000 miles, I've been told that the seals from some Honda or other are a permanent fix for this, although I haven't read up about it.
I think it's inevitable that one with a quarter of a million on the clock will need plenty of stuff refreshing, unless the previous owner has done it already of course, suspension and rubber bushings etc, but this could easily need doing on any S class that's done more than 100,000k, this is where a big pile of receipts will tell the story!
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