FS: 1993 400E, Pearl Blue/Gray, 56kmi, $9k (Palmetto, FL)

[maw1124]

No affiliation. Not sure if this one is posted already, but someone pointed it out to me so here it is.

VIN = WDBEA34E1PB993046

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/4960351468.html

1993 MERCEDES 400 E 56.000 MILES - $9000 (PALMETTO)

TRUE COLLECTOR CAR RARE FIND 1993 MERCEDES 400 E V8 MOTOR WITH 56000 ORIGINAL MILES VERY CLEAN INSIDE AND OUT GARAGE KEPT NO DAMAGE INSIDE OR OUT DRIVES LIKE NEW REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION WAS DONE 8/30/14 AT MERCEDES BENZ OF WEST PALM BEACH BUY WITH CONFIDENCE 9000.00 OR BO 941-524-7658

Cheers,

maw

[Ascension]

I have hit the seller of this car twice with messages off the ebay listing

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221756162849

inquiring if the three wiring harness ( upper engine, lower engine ,and the ETA) have been updated with non eco junk wiring. Absolutely NO response so far so I would suggest that you avoid this one guys!!

1993 Mercedes-Benz 400E Base Sedan 4-Door 4.2L
COLLECTOR CAR ALERT DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS RARE FIND

“THIS MERCEDES IS THE CLEANEST 400 E YOU WILL EVER FIND TRUE COLLECTOR'S DREAM NO DAMAGE INSIDE AT ALL LEATHER IS IN PERFECT CONDITION SEAT FOAM AND SPRINGS ARE PERFECT BODY HAS NO DAMAGE GARAGE KEPT MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION HAS ORIGINAL 58851 PAMPERED MILE'S DRIVER'S LIKE NEW ABSOLUTELY PERFECT BID WITH CONFIDENCE YOUR GOING TO LOVE THIS MERCEDES CALL STEVEN WITH ANY QUESTIONS 941-524-7658”

Light Blue Paint that's in perfect shape all original body panel's Gray leather interior that's perfect no imperfections at all drive's like new has a clean Florida Title This Model was a limited US Production this car will increase in value.MERCEDES OF PALM BEACH did complete Maintenance and inspection on 8/28/14 with 56.049 this car is perfect purchase with confidence .

[gsxr]

Florida tends to have a somewhat larger proportion of retired folks, and I suspect what often happens is that enterprising flippers snap up low-mile cars from estate sales (or, when family take the keys away from an older driver). Said flipper knows nothing about the car besides what they were told, probably picked it up for like $2k, and is convinced they can make a pile of money on it. I'm not surprised the seller of this one isn't answering your questions, which means they have no idea if the harnesses or ETA have been replaced, don't know how to check, and don't care. You'd have to shell out for a PPI on it, and then be willing to pay their price. I'd be more concerned that the car was registered in the rust belt for 20 years... it probably wasn't driven in MA winters, but you can't tell until it goes on a lift and you look underneath. If it's clean enough and the price is fair, could still be a good deal, just plan on having to replace the harnesses and a bunch of rubber stuff if you actually start driving the car...

Event date	Location	Odometer reading	Data Source	Details
07/11/1996	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
09/09/1996	HOLYOKE, MA	15,253	Motor Vehicle Dept.	TITLE (Title #:AP0297836)
09/09/1996	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	TITLE (Title #:AP297836)
07/01/1998	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
07/01/2000	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
07/01/2002	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/17/2005	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/01/2007	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/01/2009	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/01/2011	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/01/2013	HOLYOKE, MA		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
11/06/2014	BOYNTON BEACH, FL	56,522	Motor Vehicle Dept.	TITLE (Title #:0116782116)
11/06/2014	BOYNTON BEACH, FL		Motor Vehicle Dept.	REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL

[Ascension]

Thought about making an offer as a car for the wife IF it was documented that all the ECO junk had been replaced and everything checked out.
Not an offer at K but maybe an offer however the guy finally replied and it has the original harness looks like. Run away FAST at 9K on this one!
Shame looks like a nice car but WAY overpriced with all the eco junk wiring intact!

[Klink]

Great color combination! And with ASR and bun warmers, I'd be seriously checking that thing out if I was in the market. Only the freakish, hyper-double secret inclusion of SLRS on the option list could make it better, IMO. And yes, it was available on these in the US, I can say that with absolute certainty for model years '92 and '93. Almost nobody ordered it, but it was available. I have not been anywhere that I could check out the data card...
So, Dave?

[gsxr]

Price is high for sure, but the options+color+miles is exceedingly rare. I could care less if the eco junk isn't replaced, I'd just plan on having to do that. Datacard shows no other options besides the two biggies, Klink. I'm partial to 94-95 myself but wouldn't pass on this if the price was better...

[doolar]

Mmmm perl blau, just like my blue baby:

[Ascension]

Price is high for sure, but the options+color+miles is exceedingly rare. I could care less if the eco junk isn't replaced, I'd just plan on having to do that. Datacard shows no other options besides the two biggies, Klink. I'm partial to 94-95 myself but wouldn't pass on this if the price was better...

The bun warmers in particular made the car appealing for the wife but not a 9K with the 3 harness to replace and a seller that won't deal. Add potential hidden rust from the cars past history of being in the rust belt to a seller who got all snippy on how the car wasn't the car for me when I pushed him on the wiring issues and I'll pass
Agreed on the color options and miles being appealing but to many questions for me to consider.

[gsxr]

There is a 'make offer' button. When it doesn't sell for a few months at $9k, he will probably be more willing to drop the price. Did the seller get snippy via phone or email, or simply not respond to your questions?

[8899]

Price changed to $8,500 OBO.

[Ascension]

There is a 'make offer' button. When it doesn't sell for a few months at $9k, he will probably be more willing to drop the price. Did the seller get snippy via phone or email, or simply not respond to your questions?

Email.

[maw1124]

It "smells" like one where the first one to show up with $6500 cash takes it. FL also has people who know very little about cars, where the dealership would "insult" them with trade-in, and their [son, daughter, nephew, whatever] will say "you can sell it yourself on eBay" and do the listing for them. I found it on Craigslist, so I would expect in person would do better. Of course, the rest of the process is a bit of a mystery to them.

If I was in the market, it would be in my garage already, I'm almost certain at a price between $5500 and $6500. Their choice as seller is still the same -- spend more money or take money. Most will take money. As opposed to say, waiting for the "next" guy who wants an ice blue 22-year old, non-Porsche fettled gas guzzling V8 "grandmas Mercedes." Spend $500 on a plane ticket to show you're serious, and take it off your desired price. The car will move.

maw

[olddaddy63]

Approx what does the wiring harness r&r work run on this car? Would all 3 really need replacement? Should one do it proactively or when issues arise?

[nocfn]

.... who wants an ice blue 22-year old, non-Porsche fettled gas guzzling V8 "grandmas Mercedes." Spend $500 on a plane ticket to show you're serious, and take it off your desired price. maw

^^^^^
CLASSIC!!

[Klink]

Approx what does the wiring harness r&r work run on this car? Would all 3 really need replacement? Should one do it proactively or when issues arise?

If it was a car I was actually going to use, particularly far away from home, I would do it proactively and be done with it. No one needs issues hundreds of miles from home, and shorted wiring can easily damage other expensive components, and/or fire up a car-b-que...

[gsxr]

Approx what does the wiring harness r&r work run on this car? Would all 3 really need replacement? Should one do it proactively or when issues arise?

Upper harness is ~$400 at the moment plus an hour or two DIY labor. I wait until symptoms appear before messing with them, but yes it would be preferable change them proactively. Our now-deceased E420 was over 200k and still on the original harnesses and ETA, although I had the new parts on the shelf ready to install when needed...

[olddaddy63]

just talked to the owner....a wholesaler with a brother in West Palm (also a dealer) that buys and sells b/w central and South FL. Car was a WPB new car dealership trade in...

He claims the car is clean underneath...I pushed him (tactfully) on his best cash price, but is still pretty firm around 8k. He says he paid 5500 wholesale and has close to 6K in it as it sits (dubious ?)....Car is currently in WPB with his brother.

Still too soon for this one, unless willing to pay his price.

[Klink]

Gixxer makes a fantastic point there. Whether you install them or not, I would have the parts on the shelf. One never knows if or when these items will become unobtainable...

[gsxr]

One never knows if or when these items will become unobtainable...

MBUSA has turned me into a parts hoarder!!!

[Klink]

MBUSA has turned me into a parts hoarder!!!

Or a parts "prepper" to use the new term...

[olddaddy63]

So would about $400 x 3 for the parts ($1200+/-), plus labor, get it done?

Is replacement much more than pull & plug? If not, I could handle the install myself

[Klink]

So would about $400 x 3 for the parts ($1200+/-), plus labor, get it done?

Is replacement much more than pull & plug? If not, I could handle the install myself

You can definitely do these jobs yourself. Access is a PITA, so it winds up being time consuming unless you have a lift. It probably needs motor mounts too, so you would want to do the lower harness and the motor mounts at the same time if that's the case.

[olddaddy63]

Got it...thanks for the feedback....now, need to get the south FL flipper off his price tag...

[gsxr]

So would about $400 x 3 for the parts ($1200+/-), plus labor, get it done?

Upper harness is $425 new, ~$200 used.
Lower harness is $250 new, not available used.
ETA will be $300-$500 used, ~$800 rebuilt/Beckmann, or ~$1750 new.

So yes, around $1200 assuming a mix of new & used parts. Could be years before you need any of it, but I'd buy the harnesses new immediately to put on the shelf, and start shopping for a deal on a late-datecode used ETA.

Is replacement much more than pull & plug? If not, I could handle the install myself

Upper harness is easy DIY.
Lower harness is medium DIY (lift makes it much easier).
ETA is easy/medium DIY, will probably need all the PCV hoses/tubes/fittings at the same time.


If the price would come down a bit, and with some good photos proving the underside isn't brown, this still looks like a pretty good buy. I'd be awfully tempted if I was closer.

[Maui]

Nice car. I'm glad it's not local.

[maw1124]

Got it...thanks for the feedback....now, need to get the south FL flipper off his price tag...

Just for shitz-n-gigglz, I stand by my prediction: The first one there with 60 to 65 $100 bills will take the car. The key word is "there"...



maw

[olddaddy63]

You may very well be right...cash in hand on the spot can be quite motivating....im just not motivated to pay the air fare to find out.

[olddaddy63]

Craigslist ad has been removed, somebody must have snagged it, maybe the 65 Benjaminbills in person did the trick for someone.

[gsxr]

Not to worry. Here are two others nearby, have both for under $3k! Anyone know the paint code for Baby Poop Brown?

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/5020990300.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/4998792680.html

[Maui]

That brown one is the diziizie.

[nocfn]

could that white one be vader's?

That brown is just plain wrong

[maw1124]

Both are making that ice blue one look like a relative steal... That Orlando car is tie--urd. Does the other one qualify as a car here?

maw

[tsuintx]

Two years later and the price has dropped a grand and added ~4K miles.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/cto/6092141466.html

This time being advertised as being in Arlington, TX, but with a Houston phone #, one pic off the original ad etc.

[Melville]

Beautiful car. Ever since I learned that Hagerty requires each licensed driver in the household to have a separate regular use vehicle in order to grant an agreed value policy for a collector car, I've been thinking about picking up another car. My wife and I commute to work together each morning so we only need one daily, which means any additional car would pretty much sit most of the time (as does the 500E). And we wouldn't have enough garage space for another car.

I mentioned my plan of getting a 124.034 to my wife for this purpose. She reminded me I'm an idiot.

It's hard to argue with the facts.

I'm still thinking about it though...

[gsxr]

https://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/cto/6092141466.html

This time being advertised as being in Arlington, TX, but with a Houston phone #, one pic off the original ad etc.

Listing flagged for removal...?

[bryan]

What a fantastic color combo, just realized this thread was 2 years old...

[tsuintx]

This thing keeps on popping up every so often. Same guy with Houston phone number still selling it, but has now moved from Arlington to Azle.

And the ad and pics suck, as usual...

Its good condition
All work
No leaks
New tires
No dents

[outrbnks]

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/ct...702372431.html

Mercedes 400E - $9000 (Azle,Tx

Its good condition
All work
No leaks
New tires
No dents

title status: clean
odometer: 64308
contact name: Mark

call or text:
☎ (281) 236-7743

[ace10]

...Same guy with Houston phone number still selling it, but has now moved from Arlington to Azle.

...

Perhaps it floated up there after Harvey?

[maw1124]

I’m surprised it’s not gone years ago...

maw

[gerryvz]

Is that a makemann colored car ?!?