S Class

[meeja]

Starting to consider a change in my daily driver, and was for ages contemplating an E Class.... but budgets will not stretch to the latest model.

Have briefly considered an older S Class (1999 onwards)

Have a potential budget of around £11k

Thoughts and comments?

Thanks all!

[Paul.B]

It would probably have big mileage (not always a problem) and low spec for that money. They are coming down though with the new model now on sale. What kind of motoring do you do?

Paul.B

[dazren]

Not really a car that should be run on a budget. Buy one cheap but have £4k in reserve should anything need fixing. Ours has had a new steering box (£2k) and a stub axle assemebly (£600). These cars have hydraulic suspension which can be expensive to ficx if it goes wrong. Worth finding yourself a decent independent at this age. Although some Merc dealers do offer discounts on older cars. Mine gives 20% off labour and 7.5% off parts.

DAZ
(The older ones were bult better, details in my profile, ran one for 40k miles and it cost buttons on servicing).

[meeja]

Paul.B said:

It would probably have big mileage (not always a problem) and low spec for that money. They are coming down though with the new model now on sale. What kind of motoring do you do?

Paul.B

Daily drive to the office: 40 mile round trip.

Loads of "motorway miles" though with regular jaunts around the country.... average annual mileage is 23-28k

[meeja]

dazren said:

Not really a car that should be run on a budget. Buy one cheap but have £4k in reserve should anything need fixing. Ours has had a new steering box (£2k) and a stub axle assemebly (£600). These cars have hydraulic suspension which can be expensive to ficx if it goes wrong. Worth finding yourself a decent independent at this age. Although some Merc dealers do offer discounts on older cars. Mine gives 20% off labour and 7.5% off parts.

DAZ
(The older ones were bult better, details in my profile, ran one for 40k miles and it cost buttons on servicing).

That's what I suspected.... problems - big bills.

However, if you get a "good un", how reliable are they?

[dazren]

More reliable than most cars. We've had our 1999 S500 for seven years and in 83k miles it has only stranded us at the side of the road once, with the steering box problem. Plus wouldn't start at home once due to MAF sensor problem.

Used petrol versions represent great value, but these cars do continue to drop in price.

DAZ

[Paul.B]

£11k would also get a big engined previous gen E Class or 5/7 series BMW. Maybe a little newer with fewer miles. Good luck with the hunt.

Paul.B

Edited by Paul.B on Thursday 29th June 20:57

[ukshooter]

I bought a very highly speced up 430 with a full history and 50,000 miles for £14,400 last year. Added another £1,500 for some 19 inch AMG's and another £500 to upgrade the headlamps and tail lamps to the 2002 facelift style.

If you upped your budget just a little, I'm sure you'd find something to suit. I got lucky with mine, took it to a MB specialist that cherges £49 per hour compared to MB Gatwick £110 per hour and got them to check and fix anything that was needed.

Had some play in track rod ends and a few other minor things that had to be changed. Since then only had to have a new alternator and Air mass unit plus normal service stuff.

[meeja]

ukshooter said:

If you upped your budget just a little, I'm sure you'd find something to suit.

I am considering upping the budget.... I test drove a S320 cdi at the end of last week..... fabulous car, but just out of reach of my budget (The dealer was prepared to move, but not enough!)

[ukshooter]

How do you fancy a nice loaded S430?

[Parrot of Doom]

Meeja, before you part with any readies, check the following site:

www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECHID-Internet-History-Request.jsp

All you need is the registration number, and either the V5 number of the number on the last MOT certificate.

It will tell you of any advisories issued (for instance, holes in the exhaust), and can help you negotiate a better deal.

If anybody refuses to give you the V5 number to help with this, well I'd say they have something to hide...

[meeja]

Very useful link!

Cheers PoD

[Quentinl]

Parrot of Doom said:

Meeja, before you part with any readies, check the following site:

www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECHID-Internet-History-Request.jsp

All you need is the registration number, and either the V5 number of the number on the last MOT certificate.

It will tell you of any advisories issued (for instance, holes in the exhaust), and can help you negotiate a better deal.

If anybody refuses to give you the V5 number to help with this, well I'd say they have something to hide...

Unfortunately it only appears to give the history since the computerisation of MoT records, which is not very long for most cars. Nevertheless, a useful link, thank you!
Quentin

[julie-ann]

Hi ya
We have a beautiful S430 1999 for sale at the moment, currently used as a wedding car fantastic leather interior, 12 months MOT and 6 months road tax.

We are selling it as we are updating our fleet and adding a CLK320 Convertible in silver with a matching E Class.

If you want any more details let me know.

Edited by julie-ann on Thursday 17th August 19:31

Edited by meeja on Friday 18th August 08:04

[goldcard]

meeja said:

I am considering upping the budget.... I test drove a S320 cdi at the end of last week..... fabulous car, but just out of reach of my budget (The dealer was prepared to move, but not enough!)

I cannot recommend the S320CDI highly enough. I've had mine (2002 model) for 10 months and covered around 20,000 miles in it. It now has 95,000 on the clock and still feels like a new car.

It is fitted with a DTUK tuning chip which has raised the BHP to around 230 but does not seem to have damaged the economy.

Over the time I have owned it I have averaged around 38 mpg which is pretty good for a 2 tonne motor car that really does shift when required!