Hello from a new c43 owner
Discussion
Having just sold the TVR and the everyday car I have purchased a c43 estate and thought I'd drop in to introduce myself. She's a 1998 S plate with 85k. Full merc hisotry to 75k and then just a garage local to the owner for oil change, plugs, pads and MOT since then.
I go to collect and hand over the cash (subject to final test drive) on Saturday and so also wanted to ask if there is anything I should look out for on the old girl?
Cheers
LeggitS3
Hi. Make sure the gearbox works as it should do - smooth changes, no slipping - give it a damn good thrashing, they are a weak point. Make sure there's no rust anywhere - whilst I have a saloon, I believe the tailgates rust on the estates. Make sure everything works - seats, windows....and make sure there's life in the tyres...that the wheels are genuine AMG and are in good condition. Ensure the service history is genuine and that the chassis number in the fron windscreen matches the V5 and has not been tampered with.
If that all checks out, enjoy the car!
If that all checks out, enjoy the car!
I've had my C43 Estate for nearly a year now, you've made a very good choice!
As said above, the two biggest things to look out for are the gearbox and rust. The C43 is known to eat gearboxes, gearchages should be very smooth if they arent then run away. Also if it hasnt been done change the gearbox oil as soon as possible, Mercedes claim its sealed for life but at £2-3000 for a replacement box its best not to risk it.
Rust is also an issue on these cars, check all pover really, but it mainly appears around the bootlid, front and rear arches, and the bottom corner of the doors.
As said above, the two biggest things to look out for are the gearbox and rust. The C43 is known to eat gearboxes, gearchages should be very smooth if they arent then run away. Also if it hasnt been done change the gearbox oil as soon as possible, Mercedes claim its sealed for life but at £2-3000 for a replacement box its best not to risk it.
Rust is also an issue on these cars, check all pover really, but it mainly appears around the bootlid, front and rear arches, and the bottom corner of the doors.
I've had my C43 estate now for 6 months and touch wood, no probs yet though I did get the transmission oil changed straight away.
Check that all the functions on the ortho seats work, usually easily fixed though if they don't. You've made a great choice, very few around, haven't seen another on the roads since getting mine
Check that all the functions on the ortho seats work, usually easily fixed though if they don't. You've made a great choice, very few around, haven't seen another on the roads since getting mine
Well, today should have been the big day.
Got the final info like chassis number for the hpi check yesterday and put the mileage in at the same time. Showing as 140,000 in 2005 and not 86,000 in 2008 as it should have been
The current owner since august hadn't hpi'd it and so was quite surprised! Suffice to say it ruined his day but he honoured the return of the deposit so no harm done.
So its back on the hunt again but thank heavens for hpi!
Got the final info like chassis number for the hpi check yesterday and put the mileage in at the same time. Showing as 140,000 in 2005 and not 86,000 in 2008 as it should have been
The current owner since august hadn't hpi'd it and so was quite surprised! Suffice to say it ruined his day but he honoured the return of the deposit so no harm done.
So its back on the hunt again but thank heavens for hpi!
Edited by LeggitS3 on Saturday 29th March 18:46
LeggitS3 said:
Well, today should have been the big day.
Got the final info like chassis number for the hpi check yesterday and put the mileage in at the same time. Showing as 140,000 in 2005 and not 86,000 in 2008 as it should have been
The current owner since august hadn't hpi'd it and so was quite surprised! Suffice to say it ruined his day but he honoured the return of the deposit so no harm done.
So its back on the hunt again but thank heavens for hpi!
Well done - note that it's still not compulsory for the old/new owner to provide the mileage at changeover, so you were very fortunate there...I had the same thing with a C43 - but the hpi check showed no mileages at all - I had to check the warranty recall records for the car in question (MB hold 2 databases - service and warranty recall). The car wasn't on the service database at all, but the warranty one showed the car to have reached the mileage it was being sold to me with...problem was that was in 2002....some 5 years before the date I looked at the car....Got the final info like chassis number for the hpi check yesterday and put the mileage in at the same time. Showing as 140,000 in 2005 and not 86,000 in 2008 as it should have been
The current owner since august hadn't hpi'd it and so was quite surprised! Suffice to say it ruined his day but he honoured the return of the deposit so no harm done.
So its back on the hunt again but thank heavens for hpi!
Edited by LeggitS3 on Saturday 29th March 18:46
....problem is that unless you're the owner of the car, MB won't tell you anything...you need to have someone "on the inside" as it were.....
Can you let us know where this car is being advertised...in case anyone else has the same problem?
You must be glad you got the HPI check done! 
When I was looking for a C43 around this time last year I recall seeing one being discussed on MBClub forum that had been clocked similarly to that one, so kept well clear of it. These cars hide high mileage very well too, not showing much wear and tear, so its not obvious at all that they have been clocked. Maybe its worth sharing the reg number with people on here so others can be warned about that car too?
When I was looking for a C43 around this time last year I recall seeing one being discussed on MBClub forum that had been clocked similarly to that one, so kept well clear of it. These cars hide high mileage very well too, not showing much wear and tear, so its not obvious at all that they have been clocked. Maybe its worth sharing the reg number with people on here so others can be warned about that car too?
It's good that the chap in question has been very honest about the whole thing and has readvertised the vehicle stating the fact that he believes the car to have been clocked and is a 150k plus miler so all's well that end's well. The new prospective buyer will know what he is getting even if he doesn't hpi it.
I'm back to the drawing board but sure something will turn up before I can officailly join your ranks
I'm back to the drawing board but sure something will turn up before I can officailly join your ranks
Be patient. The fact is that most people advertise these cars for way more than they are worth. I knocked £2750 off the original asking price of mine for instance and I am now seeing cars that were originally up for sale at £8k plus dropping into the more sensible £5ks.
Good luck! You do find these cars in the most odd places. For instance, I found an estate for sale on a race team's website. Well overpriced, naturally, and I bet it's still for sale....shame I can't remember where I saw it, but some creative googling should find it.
Good luck! You do find these cars in the most odd places. For instance, I found an estate for sale on a race team's website. Well overpriced, naturally, and I bet it's still for sale....shame I can't remember where I saw it, but some creative googling should find it.
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