Team-BHP - Vintage & Classic Mercedes Benz Cars in India

You will agree this seller's E220 w124 advertisement makes an unusual & interesting reading!

"Transmission:Manual

My Mercedes Benz E220 petrol old model for sale for Rs1.75.
Good condition.
Recently changed CLUTCH ASSEMBLY (Rs 50,000), Wiring harness (Rs 45,000). Front and Back Suspension overhaul (Rs 45,000).
All these should be changed before the old model Benz car covers around1 lakh kms.
7 KMPL city mileage (Buy this PETROL car only and only if you have a deep pocket and if you have a spare car)
All documents including Insurance and Fitness certificate clear.
Good condition.
Selling because moving out of state.
Genuine only call.
Things to check mechanically. (Must read)
0. Check for idling and as in all Mercs the Oil level needle rises and comes down when revved. Check for any oil leaks under the car.
1.Get the wiring harness checked from a qualified electrician. This can get expensive to replace and was known to be a problem area with all Indian spec W124s. If the wiring is damaged, the ECU may get damaged later. It is very very expensive to repair a damaged ECU. The car will become useless.
2. Check for any warning lights conterminously on and don't believe the talk that its only a minor wiring issue. more often than not its not so easy.
3. Check that when the ignition is on before cranking, the oil, srs airbag, ABS, engine check lights etc all come on and go off when the car is fired. Many fly by night dealers will just cut supply to any check light...no light so the problem is fixed....right???...Well WRONG!!
4. Drive the Merc. The steering is a bit hard, so don’t expect electric type soft steering. This is not a EPS, it’s a Hydraulic power steering. Check for noises when turned clock to clock and held there.
5. Most 124s also had a recurring problem of the fan belt tensioner going bad and making strange sound. Check for that noise.
6. Check the brakes for sponginess or pad/disc wear. Drive and Jam hard, feel if the ABS kicks in,there should be a pulsating feeling on the pedal when jammed, this means the ABS is working. Stay away from the deal if the ABS is not working.
7. Check all the buttons in the car are there and working. These can be hard to find.
8. Check the central locking which should be working bcoz replacing this is very expensive again.
9. If there is a vibration the car, check the engine mounts.
10. Check for anything other than smooth gear shifts and the kick down.
11.Suspension was almost invulnerable but that’s a minor point and is easily detected. Suspension replacing/overhauling is expensive.
12.The quality of the interior will tell you lots about its usage. Any changed interiors should be questioned. Many models had leather interiors. Some came with fabric interior.
14. Check whether the AIRBAGs are still in place. Some accident vehicles do not have the AIRBAGs replaced. It is heard that the cost to replace a single AIRBAG is around a 1 Lakh INR.
15. Check whether all the FOUR power windows are working. Many imported models do NOT have AIRBAGs and POWER WINDOWS. Some models do not have ALLOY WHEELS.Make sure that the car you are buying have these items. Owners often hide this fact. It is said that ALLOYS cost around Rs 20,000/-. If these items are not there, bargain hard.
16.Basically get some Benz technician who knows Benz very well to come and have a look. That will be worth a lot.
17. Buy an used old model Benz only and only if you know that there is NO PROBLEM with the car mechanically and electrically.
18. Check whether the WIPER is working. It is said that the cost of the WIPER assembly is Rs 18,000/-
19. Check whether the ORVMs (side mirrors) are in good condition. it is said that a single unit costs Rs 20,000/-
20. Check the headlights and rearlights for any cracks or damages. It is said that a single unit costs around Rs 20,000/-
21. Check whether all the 4 tyres are in good condition. It is said that a single unit costs Rs 7000/- onwards.
22. Keep at least Rs 2 lacs extra for the immediate works that may come after buying a used W124 old model. Always remember that you are going to buy a 20 year old car. So it will not be maintenance free.
23. Try to buy the old model Benz car from somebody whom you know very closely, somebody whom you can trust.
24. Double check the documents. Most of them do not have insurance and fitness certificate. You may need the signature of the REGISTERED owner which may not be available after you purchase the car. You will then land in trouble. Before payment is done, make sure that all the documents are clear. (Valid Sale letter, valid insurance, valid fitness certificate, valid road tax, Valid pollution check) Once you give the money the dealer/seller may never take your phone call after the payment is over.
25. Check the odometer. Most of them are tampered with. A petrol car will be used for around 10,000 km/year. so a 20 year old car will have traveled more than 1.2 lac kms. So beware when the seller says that his car has covered less than 1 lac kms. (There are exceptions also)
26. I have seen many people go and buy the old model car for less than 2 lacs and later end up spending 3-4 lacs to bring it into good condition.Do not ever let this happen to you.
27. It is said that Spare parts are not easily available for old model PETROL cars. It is freely available for Diesel models.
28. All these information are provided to educate the buyer. I do not intend to offend any car manufacturer or dealer or seller or buyer. I have seen many people getting cheated by the sellers. After providing the above information, I can save at least one buyer from being cheated.
Best of luck with your purchase"

the link: http://bangalore.olx.in/my-mercedes-...-iid-661249734

Lastly, IMHO, Regardless of all of the above, I absolutely LOVE the solid build and sheer beauty of each and every w124 !