Unless you are restoring the vehicle, do your basic maintenance and drive it. Save your money to fix the things that break - and they will.

Check out mercedessource on youtube.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Unless you are restoring the vehicle, do your basic maintenance and drive it. Save your money to fix the things that break - and they will.

Agreed. Oil change, fuel filter, top off fluids, check the transmission fluid.

Whatever you do, don’t flush the transmission. Only change the fluid and filter if necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
Don't forget wiper blades. If they self destruct in a rain you'd sure hate to scratch the windshield up.

Check the use by date on your tires. I sold a Bronco much like your MB, the tires all failed in a couple months.

Everything rubber. Belts, hoses. Inspect bushings, door seals etc.

quote:

Originally posted by BDA220:
Check out mercedessource on youtube.

I have. I love Kent. But he talks a lot, and tells a little. He's definitely got his angle. And the biggest problem, is all of his stuff s geared toward older cars than mine. But I really do like him.

I had a seal fail in the rear axle on my 1989 300E when it was about 10 or 12 years old and about 200,000 miles. If I remember right, it was on the outward side of the left half-shaft, near or in the boot, and it tore up the bearing. Whatever the cause, it had to be redone a couple times, and it wasn't cheap.

I'd suggest a thorough check of all the seals and bearings, as it was probably age/rot that gets them, more than mileage.

we took our 2006 c 230 into the dealer to trade it up for a lexus 350 and they wanted us to pay them 500 dollars to take it off our hands. honestly cant stand that car or blame them, it looks nice but rides like truck with no shocks or springs and the heating ac system is the craziest thing I have ever used.


There is no normal spin on oil filter it's in a canister on top of the engine that takes a special wrench or some gigantic channel lock pliers to remove. the oil drain plug is a another nightmare to even find. the rims are so soft that if you run over a white line in the road the become deformed. I glad the wife got the got to have a benz out of her system. Sorry for the rant and being no help. I feel better now.

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Originally posted by XLT:
...they wanted us to pay them 500 dollars to take it off our hands...

Seriously??? What did you end up doing?

quote:

Originally posted by heavyd:

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Unless you are restoring the vehicle, do your basic maintenance and drive it. Save your money to fix the things that break - and they will.

Agreed. Oil change, fuel filter, top off fluids, check the transmission fluid.

Whatever you do, don’t flush the transmission. Only change the fluid and filter if necessary.

Originally people had problems with flushes but that’s no longer the case. I take every vehicle of mine to have a BG flush. I frequently listen to a car show in Houston on saturdays that is lead my mechanics in the Bouston area. One guest on the show is the owner of a local transmission shop which happens to be the one I use. They cover this topic pretty regularly.

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
we took our 2006 c 230 into the dealer to trade it up for a lexus 350 and they wanted us to pay them 500 dollars to take it off our hands.

My brother has had a few over many years. The reason I bought this one is that (IMO) the W210 chassis is the high water mark for the MB E class in terms of the classic stout road car with a nice big engine. After that, they seemed to get lighter and fancier. Still wonderful cars, yet more mainstream in ways of build. If it'd have been the W211 (say a 2003, 5 years newer at the same price), I wouldn't have even gone to look at it. It's that 4.3L engine that was calling to me. And the special circumstances of a car that got tucked away in a climate controlled garage for 20 winters.

What has really changed the "barn find" and car (or motorcycle/any internal combustion) sitting situation is Ethanol.

I used to buy cars that sat under trees and in garages/barns for years. Put some fresh gas in it, new battery, air in the tires, check the oil and fire it up. Did this many, many times. Even slap a dealer plate on it and drive it back.

Ethanol changed that. Anything gas-fueled now that sits very long without fuel stabilizer will likely be a mess.

A 20 year old car can actually be in quite good shape- it completely depends on the owner and driving habits... My favorite situation was either the infrequent driver or road miles vs. city punishment. Geography has a lot to do with it- odds are finding a car like that are better out of the rust belt- but not impossible.

If the owner had good maintenance habits (which doesn't necessarily mean "dealer") the car can avoid neglect-based failures.

I would invest in a vacuum hand pump (if you don't have one- less than $20 bucks) and cycle out/change the brake fluids, check wheel bearings, brake pads, water pump age would be a key thing to check, belt, other items the members have mentioned. Do fluid changes/oil filter/air filter and start clean.

One thing is old school. Listen to the car.

Open the hood and stand there. The idle should be constant and not "search", there shouldn't be squeeking, "hard" noises. Race the engine slightly- does it sound like power or does it scare you... when it comes back to idle, does it solidly settle into a smooth idle? Engine should not shake but be smooth. (Shake can be a bad motor mount or need for a tuneup... bad motor mounts usually generate a noise in changing RPMs).

When you drive it feel how it responds (does it "hesitate"), turn the steering each way at slow and faster speeds and see if there feels like there is any looseness. Hit the brakes and see if it cleanly stops, without pulling to one side, no sounds and smoothly... When you go over a speed bump are there noises or is it quiet...

Under the hood it should smell "clean" and not smell like something burned or a strong oil smell. The back of the car shouldn't have oily residue buildup by the exhaust area. (caveat-city drivers can get buildup from other trucks/cars on the rear of the car). Transmission fluid should not be cloudy or dark/smell bad. I always like to look at the oil color/smell on the dipstick (why non-mouse house car dealers almost always change the oil when they go to show/sell a car).

The car being clean and having no rust is a very good sign and getting rarer these days, because salt gets in everything from universal joints/bearings to alternators... More than anything it just creates corrosion on everything which really ages the vehicle. Sounds like you have a good find. Good luck with it!