OWNER alexreta

[alexreta]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this 1993 500E and thought I would start a thread to share the car’s history, document the maintenance, and learn from the many knowledgeable owners here.

What attracted me to this car wasn’t just the mileage, but its story. The car has spent its entire life in the Bay Area and was owned by the same enthusiast from 2000 until this year. He actually owned two 500Es a black one and this Smoked Silver example. It was obvious from the moment I met him that he genuinely cared about these cars.

I’ve owned a few 500Es over the years, but I honestly have never seen an interior this clean and original. The seats, wood trim, carpets, dashboard, and overall presentation are exceptional. The car was clearly loved and preserved.

The previous owner kept up with maintenance, including having the engine wiring harness replaced at Mercedes-Benz Oakland, along with various services over the years. However, the car accumulated very few miles during the last decade and spent a considerable amount of time in storage. Because of that, I’ve decided to go through the entire car for peace of mind rather than wait for age-related issues to appear.

So far, the work includes:

• Engine oil and filter service
• Transmission service with filter and fluid
• Differential fluid service
• Brake fluid flush
• Power steering fluid flush
• New spark plugs
• New ignition wires
• Filters and various hoses
• Gaskets and preventative maintenance items
• New brake rotors and pads
• Cooling system inspection and service

My goal is not to modify the car, but to preserve it, maintain its originality, and make it as mechanically sorted as possible for years to come.

I have a lot of respect for the previous owner and the way he cared for this car. My hope is to continue that stewardship and keep this special 500E on the road.

I look forward to sharing the journey and appreciate any advice, recommendations, or observations from fellow 500E owners.


Thanks for having me.

Alex

 

[alexreta]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this 1993 500E and thought I would start a thread to share the car’s history, document the maintenance, and learn from the many knowledgeable owners here.

What attracted me to this car wasn’t just the mileage, but its story. The car has spent its entire life in the Bay Area and was owned by the same enthusiast from 2000 until this year. He actually owned two 500Es a black one and this Smoked Silver example. It was obvious from the moment I met him that he genuinely cared about these cars.

I’ve owned a few 500Es over the years, but I honestly have never seen an interior this clean and original. The seats, wood trim, carpets, dashboard, and overall presentation are exceptional. The car was clearly loved and preserved.

The previous owner kept up with maintenance, including having the engine wiring harness replaced at Mercedes-Benz Oakland, along with various services over the years. However, the car accumulated very few miles during the last decade and spent a considerable amount of time in storage. Because of that, I’ve decided to go through the entire car for peace of mind rather than wait for age-related issues to appear.

So far, the work includes:

• Engine oil and filter service
• Transmission service with filter and fluid
• Differential fluid service
• Brake fluid flush
• Power steering fluid flush
• New spark plugs
• New ignition wires
• Filters and various hoses
• Gaskets and preventative maintenance items
• New brake rotors and pads
• Cooling system inspection and service

My goal is not to modify the car, but to preserve it, maintain its originality, and make it as mechanically sorted as possible for years to come.

I have a lot of respect for the previous owner and the way he cared for this car. My hope is to continue that stewardship and keep this special 500E on the road.

I look forward to sharing the journey and appreciate any advice, recommendations, or observations from fellow 500E owners.


Thanks for having me.

Alex

Maintenance update:


Continuing to work through the car and refresh age related items after its long period of storage.


Recent work completed:


• Transmission mount
• Front and rear driveline flex discs (guibos)
• Belt tensioner
• Clutch fan
• Engine breather hoses on top of the engine (the originals were stiff and hardened with age)
• Steering stabilizer


Also, the new Continental tires arrived today and will be mounted on my AMG Monoblock wheels. Looking forward to seeing how the car looks and drives with the new setup.


The previous owner clearly cared for this car, but many rubber components had simply aged with time rather than mileage.

 

[alexreta]

Quick question for the group:


Does the rear differential on a 1993 500E require any limited-slip additive with the gear oil?


I’ve found a lot of conflicting information online. I recently changed the differential fluid and did not add any additive, as my mechanic advised that it wasn’t necessary. The differential is quiet and operating normally, but I’d appreciate hearing what other owners are using and whether Mercedes originally specified an additive for these cars.


Thanks in advance.
Alex

 

[gsxr]

The differential is standard/open. No additives required. You only need different gear oil (or additives) if the car has an aftermarket LSD.

Why did the belt tensioner need replacement? The 1993-up cars have spring-loaded tensioners which almost never fail. And, they are NLA, only aftermarket Chinese tensioners are available. If you installed a Febi, keep a close eye on it. If you still have the original Sachs/Horton fan clutch, keep that too!!

 

[alexreta]

Thanks for the info. The tensioner actually didn’t need to be replaced, but we were going through the car as preventative maintenance since it had been sitting for a long time. I kept the original fan clutch and other original parts. Appreciate the advice!

 

[alexreta]

Quick question for the group:


Does the rear differential on a 1993 500E require any limited-slip additive with the gear oil?


I’ve found a lot of conflicting information online. I recently changed the differential fluid and did not add any additive, as my mechanic advised that it wasn’t necessary. The differential is quiet and operating normally, but I’d appreciate hearing what other owners are using and whether Mercedes originally specified an additive for these cars.


Thanks in advance.
Alex

The AMG Monoblocks are on, new Continental tires are mounted, and the alignment is finally done. The car drives great and feels much tighter and more planted on the road.


Next on the list is a full detail to freshen everything up, then it’s time to stop wrenching for a bit and start enjoying the car. Looking forward to taking it to some Cars & Coffee events.


It’s been a rewarding process going through the car mechanically and catching up on all the maintenance after its long storage period. Thanks to everyone on the forum for the advice and help along the way.

 

[alexreta]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this 1993 500Ehttps://www.500eboard.co/forums/thr...er-cream-beige-92kmi-40k-emeryville-ca.20093/
vin: WDBEA36E7PB914024


and thought I would start a thread to share the car’s history, document the maintenance, and learn from the many knowledgeable owners here.

What attracted me to this car wasn’t just the mileage, but its story. The car has spent its entire life in the Bay Area and was owned by the same enthusiast from 2000 until this year. He actually owned two 500Es a black one and this Smoked Silver example. It was obvious from the moment I met him that he genuinely cared about these cars.

I’ve owned a few 500Es over the years, but I honestly have never seen an interior this clean and original. The seats, wood trim, carpets, dashboard, and overall presentation are exceptional. The car was clearly loved and preserved.

The previous owner kept up with maintenance, including having the engine wiring harness replaced at Mercedes-Benz Oakland, along with various services over the years. However, the car accumulated very few miles during the last decade and spent a considerable amount of time in storage. Because of that, I’ve decided to go through the entire car for peace of mind rather than wait for age-related issues to appear.

So far, the work includes:

• Engine oil and filter service
• Transmission service with filter and fluid
• Differential fluid service
• Brake fluid flush
• Power steering fluid flush
• New spark plugs
• New ignition wires
• Filters and various hoses
• Gaskets and preventative maintenance items
• New brake rotors and pads
• Cooling system inspection and service

My goal is not to modify the car, but to preserve it, maintain its originality, and make it as mechanically sorted as possible for years to come.

I have a lot of respect for the previous owner and the way he cared for this car. My hope is to continue that stewardship and keep this special 500E on the road.

I look forward to sharing the journey and appreciate any advice, recommendations, or observations from fellow 500E owners.


Thanks for having me.

Alex

 

[gsxr]

Looks great!

FYI... the lug bolts you are using are 95mm long and are designed for the stock wheels. These are too long for your monoblocks... they aren't supposed to poke out of the holes. The head of the bolt should be just below the face of the wheel. The monoblocks use an 85mm bolt (details here).

 

[alexreta]

Looks great!

FYI... the lug bolts you are using are 95mm long and are designed for the stock wheels. These are too long for your monoblocks... they aren't supposed to poke out of the holes. The head of the bolt should be just below the face of the wheel. The monoblocks use an 85mm bolt (details here).

Definitely, I didn’t like the look with those long lug bolts. Thank you for pointing that out and saving me some time. I really appreciate the help.

Soo 85mm for the best look?

One more questio where’s the best place to buy headlight wipers for a 500E? New OEM or good used ones would work.

Thank you!
Alex

 

[gsxr]

Yes, the 85mm total-length bolts (shown in the link in pervious post) are the correct ones supplied by the factory with Monoblock wheels. These have been NLA for years but I still have a few sets available.

Headlight wipers - you need the rubber inserts, right? Those have been NLA for a while IIRC. I've not tried refilling the pre-facelift USA wipers as seen on your car, but something similar to this procedure may work.

 

[alexreta]

Thanks! Please sell me a set of the lug bolts. Let me know the total with shipping and I’ll send payment via Venmo or Zelle. Thanks!