Whats the $10k difference between these two E500s

[WillyinPacifica]

https://mercedesheritage.com/classified/show-ad?id=237
https://mercedesheritage.com/classified/show-ad?id=236

These two cars are just a few miles from me and I was down looking at them last weekend. I drove the silver one but not the black on. Not having ever driven an E500 I had nothing to compare it to.

The silver one is about $20k and the Black is about $30k. The Black is much nicer and I understand the 040 color is highly sought after.
The black one seems to have more documentation but they both have about the same mileage.

So my question is, What makes the black one worth $10k more when they both looked to be in very good to great shape?

Roy mentioned that it would take about $10k to bring the Silver one up to the level of the Black one but the Black one may be in a higher quality then I might want as it may end up not being driven as much if I have to worry about the reaction of quality of the black car if I use it.

Neither would be a daily driver and I can afford either but was trying to justify the extra $10k of the Black car since it is beautiful and I believe more unique.

Thanks, Willy in Pacifica

 

[WillyinPacifica]

Sorry, should have been "I have to worry about the "reduction" of quality of the black car if I use it.

 

[nocfn]

Without looking at them but
Online, one may have higher acquisition cost than the other. Seller has good reputation. Both wire harness and ETA may have been updated on one, suspension elements etc

 

[WillyinPacifica]

Thanks nocfn,

So lets say they are in the exact same condition both mechanical and in appearance.
They are the same year and about the same mileage.
Now how much is the more caught after 040 paint worth by itself?

Thing like quality of interior times and paint quality I can see when I go back to view them again.
It's the intangibles I am not up on when it comes to the E500's

willyinpacifica

 

[gsxr]

Seems to be an abnormal price difference to me. The silver one appears below market value, and the black one is above. Assuming both drive the same and have similar maintenance history, I'd go with the silver any day, but that's just me. 744 Brilliant Silver was the second most common color for E500E's imported to USA, while 040 Black was one of the less common colors (exact numbers are in the Wiki on the forum).

Some people really dig the 040 black, but only you can answer the question if you are willing to pay that much of a premium for it. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder, yadda yadda. Hopefully you've owned vehicles with black paint before, so you know how much work it takes to keep them looking clean.

BTW - welcome to the forum, and if you search by VIN you'll find both cars listed in the classified with some additional commentary by forum members.

 

[Jlaa]

Just a rough estimate assuming all else is equal since I went through it --

+ New headliner for silver car --- about 1K USD
+ Refinished interior wood from Jeff @ Madera Concepts -- about 1.2K USD
+ New leather for front seats for silver car, including labor -- about 2K

That's just a start.

Personally I loathe the maintenance on black paint, but I must confess that black car seems really nice.
Any rust in the spare tire well or UNDERNEATH the battery in the trunk on either car?

 

[nocfn]

I think you pick your battles, every car needs 5k deferred mx, somebody said in Annapolis once. Silver may need cosmetics more than the black car.

 

[maw1124]

Quick review: (1) silver car has been painted, which is why they're so busy showing you the shot lines under the hood (something about that hood is not sitting right for me around the headlights); (2) the black car has more options (rear sun shade and defrost, for starters); (3) black is a rarer color; (4) some people like a "triple black" look (not me, but...); and (5) the general condition of the black car seems better (interior + documents).

That would get me to $10k (items 1, 2, and 5 above), irrespective of color. Option packages can't be "fixed"...

Cheers,

maw

 

[Maui]

The black is clearly the nicest of the two. Black is a pain to maintain but looks so nice when clean. The lack of options on the silver one is odd. I thought all US cars came optioned exactly the same.

 

[gsxr]

The lack of options on the silver one is odd. I thought all US cars came optioned exactly the same.

US cars were optioned all exactly the same. I am very curious how the silver one is missing the roller blind. Had to have been a special order... weird. Datacards for each below:

744 = https://www.datamb.com/vin/onNMKJ2P1kNAvQgBl
040 = https://www.datamb.com/vin/yRBNljdn9bOAobpO8

 

[Eno]

Both cars are beautiful, but it depends on the buyer’s preference on the color and MNT history, if engine oil was changed according to specs, intervals. If you love the 040 you will pay 30,000 usd and love the car. I personally think the 30K on the black is worth it, low miles, well maintained by an enthusiast. BTW, one of the nicest 040 I have seen. Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Ntrepid]

US cars were optioned all exactly the same. I am very curious how the silver one is missing the roller blind. Had to have been a special order... weird

Is it possible that the unit broke at some point and was replaced with a standard W124 hat shelf?


Robert

 

[maw1124]

I don't think it's true that all US cars were spec'd the same. The roller blind was Option 540, where as the "Version for USA" was something different, apparently. This was not dealer deleted. The wood doesn't even have a space for the button (3rd from the left, I think).

Usually I assume GSXR knows more than me, because that's usually a good assumption. But even when I was looking for my car, I drove several of them in the US, and they were not all optioned the same. It's how I immediately recognized the ASR delete button on mine, because the dash panel difference literally jumped out at me. It's the first thing I saw. Much like it jumped at me here...

Slightly off topic, MB will "hide" shit when they want to. Last week, I asked my guys to look up parts for the CLK DTM AMG, which shares the same motor as my S55 but yields another 80hp and more torque. I wanted to know the MB OEM parts on the DTM AMG that produced that difference (crankshaft, pistons, pulleys, whatever). Turns out, those parts cannot be found, even with a VIN number. You type in the VIN, and it comes up a CLK 200.

Even on my S55 -- another "parts bin skunk works car" it's hard to tell which options came with what package. There's a "4-seater package" that comes with the center roll top bin in the rear like these E5Es and heated and cooled reclining rear seats. Well, I have the seats, but not that package. I'm guessing they came with the "rear A/C" package, which yields dual zone rear A/C, with the seats thrown in for good measure. The point is, I have no idea.

So I'm not sure where the "all US cars, same spec" idea came from. But I'm not putting any stock in it. What MB say and what they do are often not the same, when it comes to "special edition" cars.

maw

 

[gsxr]

Minor edit... all US 124.036 should be optioned the same, but did vary by model year. 1992 models did not have the alarm LED and therefore the factory 1992 console wood only has 7 switch positions occupied, not 8. The 1993-up have the alarm LED and 8 positions occupied. When an aftermarket ASR-off switch is added, it's most often put in place of the alarm LED, but for 1992 models this is not possible.

I've never seen a USA-spec 036 without the rear roller blind (until this silver car!), or without heated seats, and definitely none without ACC or ASR. US-spec cars also do not have engine oil coolers and did not get the switching master cylinder or 300mm rear brakes that Euro cars received circa 3/93 production. The only 2 options I'm aware of on US-spec 036 were the dealer-installed CD changer and dealer-installed cell phone. (It may have been possible to order the .036 in USA without a sunroof, but I've never seen one.)

BTW, speaking of "hiding" parts... the W210 E60 is one of those. The EPC shows all the parts for the E50, but is missing info on the E60 (no p/n for the ECU, cams, pistons, etc). The newer cars are MUCH more difficult to sort out options as they had lots more available options & packages compared to the 80's and early 90's models (124, 201, 126).

 

[Harv]

Call me crazy, but I'm willing to bet the prices of these have nothing to do with condition, mileage, maintenance history, etc and more about acquisition cost and the price needed to sell them to make money.

These cars from Mercedes Heritage are often brokered or flipped. The silver car might of cost $15,000 to buy and the black one might of cost $24,000. So you need to sell for 'X' to make it worth it to sell. And at the end of the day, you can afford to let these sit for some time until the right buyer comes along.

 

[nocfn]

Ahhh yes, the knowledge of what is in the secret sauce! (not so secret here since many of the VIN are known before sale)

 

[Jimbo]

Is it possible that the unit broke at some point and was replaced with a standard W124 hat shelf?


Robert

Yes, that is possible....last time I checked the roller shades were NLA, and have been for a while.

Prolly a whole lot cheaper just to leave the busted shade in there tho...unless it broke in the extended position.