FOR SALE 1994 E500, Silver/Black, 152kmi, BaT auction (Alameda, CA) - One owner car

[gsxr]

No affiliation. This was a European delivery "707 Tourist" car, North American spec. Looks fairly unmolested, appears rust-free, factory exhaust still intact. Antenna grommet is missing, door pockets peeling, some odd scrapes on the Sacco panel edges, headliner is sagging badly, tunk lid stoppers are fried. Is that a 126 reaview mirror? The base looks wrong. But it still has the original, correct headlights!

VIN = WDBEA36E6RC133847

Datacard: https://www.lastvin.com/vin/GXrlL29M7Nr2xwoJW

Original-Owner 1994 Mercedes-Benz E500

Bid for the chance to own a Original-Owner 1994 Mercedes-Benz E500 at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #251,282.

bringatrailer.com

 

[gsxr]

Final pics.

 

[Larwik]

@gsxr...Here I am again leaning on my 500E board member knowledge...Is that a concerning lifter/valve tap noise?

https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/4103ab2c-09d3-4eb6-91a9-a44e7a9122a3/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg

Ooops... I'm not smart enough to link the video clip-sound ...

 

[gsxr]

See if you can upload the video to YouTube, that generally will work.

 

[gsxr]

Bid to $28k+ with 2 days remaining.

 

[Larwik]

View attachment 239000
Engine 1 of 2

https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthum...91a9-a44e7a9122a3/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg

 

[gsxr]

Still just getting a still image, no video or audio.

 

[Larwik]

Yeah, I know.... I tried with U-tube but couldn't make it to work...It is the clip from this thread and your post #1 and listing marked "Engine 1 of 2" ... and both video and sound works great there but I can't transfer it...to this post... I'm such an amateur!... :-(

 

[TerryA]

@Larwik,
The videos work fine on BaT if you want to see them. The bid stands at $28.5K with One Day left.

 

[gsxr]

@Larwik,
The videos work fine on BaT if you want to see them. The bid stands at $28.5K with One Day left.

Terry, thanks! I understand the problem now.

The BaHaT listing is using an embedded video player, which you cannot link to. Larwik is not an amateur, it's a Hearst technical issue.

@Larwik - YES - that is a popped oil tube causing a lifter to tick. Simple replacement, although not inexpensive, at least a few hundred bucks for used factory metal oil tubes, plus gaskets and several hours labor. (You can just replace the 1 or 2 plastic tubes, but converting all 16 to metal would be the smart move.) If there are no records of chain rail replacement, they WILL be due at 150k... this will scope-creep the bill up several hundred dollars in parts, and an extra 8-12 hours in labor. Paying a shop for all this would be a few grand, part of Gerry's Law of ~$5k (DIY) or $10k (Indy shop) deferred maintenance expected on almost any E500E purchase.

 

[Larwik]

OK...I understand and appreciate the info....Thank's guys

 

[PHK]

@gsxr: There is an antenna grommet on the car but I think it is improperly mounted. These are available inexpensively on Amazon from China. The correct way you mount it is from inside the trunk/boot, not from the outside as it appears here. The antenna has to be unmounted (an easy task), the grommet slipped over the top of the antenna, and then remounting the antenna. The grommet should be seated firmly by applying upward pressure from inside until it pops through the sheet metal for a secure fit before finalising the remount. I've done it.

 

[nocfn]

GSXR is not responsible for the mounting of the grommet - he is just posting an online sale he found.

 

[PHK]

GSXR is not responsible for the mounting of the grommet - he is just posting an online sale he found.

No? I thought he did pre-auction prepping on demand.

 

[gsxr]

@gsxr: There is an antenna grommet on the car but I think it is improperly mounted. These are available inexpensively on Amazon from China. The correct way you mount it is from inside the trunk/boot, not from the outside as it appears here. The antenna has to be unmounted (an easy task), the grommet slipped over the top of the antenna, and then remounting the antenna. The grommet should be seated firmly by applying upward pressure from inside until it pops through the sheet metal for a secure fit before finalising the remount. I've done it.

This car has the lower grommet installed, which is just a rubber guide tube through the fender hole. It is missing the upper grommet. Chinese/Amazonian grommets are, at best, sub-par. The grommets are still available new from MB last I checked.

The missing piece simply slides over the top of the existing lower grommet.

 

[gsxr]

No? I thought he did pre-auction prepping on demand.

LOL. Nope, I just add cars I find for sale to the forum, for posterity. I have no affiliation with this car, nor the seller.

 

[gerryvz]

$34K + fees, so pushing $40K all in.

Big push at the end of the auction, lots of different bidders, but not a lot of spread .... $29K up to $34K.

 

[gsxr]

Kinda surprised this didn't go higher. It looked pretty decent, and I thought the 1-owner heritage would have helped.



Bid history below. Only 4 serious bidders, all clustered in the low 30's.

$34,000 bid placed by staytontyacke
$33,500 bid placed by ckephart68
$32,250 bid placed by EU-Cars
$29,750 bid placed by steveygetcargo
$20,000 bid placed by PL2
$15,000 bid placed by aveer
$12,650 bid placed by benzingh

 

[Larwik]

Yes, I agree...I expected more of a "fight" at the end since I think it looks like a nice car (in my favorite color scheme) and I was very tempted to bid ... calculating with around $65'ish total, or so, with spoiler removal and various engine/interior/paint-issues and the likes...I was then reminded from someone very "close" to me how frustrated I was not too long ago with the disappearance of knowledgeable and honest mechanics/technicians in our area who doesn't immediately w/o thinking answers "Sure, no problems"
I have to admit I kick myself a little bit for not hanging in there a little longer.

Thanks to gsxr and TerryA for taking the time and giving me feedback.../ Lars...

 

[gerryvz]

Yep, bringing this car up to a very high "driver" standard is a full-on $60K proposition (all in) with DIY work primarily.

That's just what things are these days.

This is just a few hundred more miles than my own car has on it now. I originally bought my car in 2003 with 59K miles on the odometer.

 

[PHK]

I thought it looked like a fairly 'straight' car especially when compared to some of the examples that have come across the BaT auction portal lately. The usage representations seemed credible.

 

[Cleveland222]

Surprised a bit as well it sold for as "little" as it did. I think the seller's communication, lack of records, some bidder questions unanswered, no driving video's, etc. held folks to bidding less than a one owner 500 would have generally fetched on BAT. I was very much on the fence and intended to bid on the next solid available 500E, and LOVE this exterior color. I am as particular on interior color as anything and couldn't get over the black interior. I know some love this combo but I'd likely be the owner if it had a different spec on the inside. Good value for what these have been going for on BAT, all things considered. Hope the new owner is surprised by how "little" work it needs.

 

[gsxr]

Surprised a bit as well it sold for as "little" as it did. I think the seller's communication, lack of records, some bidder questions unanswered, no driving video's, etc. held folks to bidding less than a one owner 500 would have generally fetched on BAT. I was very much on the fence and intended to bid on the next solid available 500E, and LOVE this exterior color. I am as particular on interior color as anything and couldn't get over the black interior. I know some love this combo but I'd likely be the owner if it had a different spec on the inside. Good value for what these have been going for on BAT, all things considered. Hope the new owner is surprised by how "little" work it needs.

I agree on all counts... although some people REALLY like this color combo (silver with Black interior).

What interior would you prefer, btw?

 

[FD.]

I guess the 124.036 market is currently dominated by investors and overseas gangsters.

To them, 152k miles feels two or even three times too high.

For the ordinary US enthusiast, though, the fair comfort zone value is exactly around $35–40k.

 

[PHK]

@Cleveland222: You've gotta be happy with what you buy so I think you did the right thing it in letting it go. Colour combinations are a matter of personal taste. All three of my S-Classes successively were exactly that combo by choice, for example. But then, I like dull interiors.