Mercedes 500E?
20 January 2003, 12:41 PM
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Have decided that my next car will be a Merc 500E. You know the one, the Porsche assembled 4 door based on the W124 E class with 324bhp and LHD only. Only 150 or so sold in the UK (probably due to £61k price tag), but plenty for sale in Germany. I fancy the combination of rocketship performance, Q car looks, comfort, quality of engineering, and glacial depreciation. Not really bothered about the fuel consumption (15mpg), and LHD is fine by me.
Just wondering if anyone has driven or been in one (probably not many with only a few in the UK), had any experience of one, or knows any pitfalls of ownership?
Just wondering if anyone has driven or been in one (probably not many with only a few in the UK), had any experience of one, or knows any pitfalls of ownership?
20 January 2003, 02:31 PM
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There was an article about these in last months EVO mag. I haven't got the magazine to hand at the moment - maybe someone else will be able to help?
Cheers,
Andy
Cheers,
Andy
20 January 2003, 10:17 PM
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Amazed that a Scoobynetter actually owns one, thought I was stabbing in the dark a bit with so few sold over here.
Bdrought, is your car a 500E or a (facelifted) E500? How long have you owned the car, and what sort mileage have you covered? Do you like it? Is it a UK supplied car or an import? How do you find the traction control, and have you carried out the retro fit switchable conversion? What figure do you value the car at?
The biggest problem seems to be getting an accurate value of the cars: the article in Evo (cheers Andy) quotes £10k for a gooder, £14k for a minter, but then the owner of the featured car sells them for a living, so I suppose he would. Parkers online (I know, I know) states maximum 9k at retail for an perfect late E500. Best I found in Germany was a 45000 mile E500 in silver/black leather for £8300. Would be looking to pay no more than £10k tops, but would want a real good car for that with impeccable history. Its difficult to gauge a true value with so few for sale in the UK.
CrisPDuk and I were in the pub the other night talking cars (as usual), and we reckoned that the removal of the two restrictive catalysts and some careful exhaust work, not to mention a little work in the ECU department, may unleash a BHP figure in the late 300's to go worrying Porsches with. What do you think?
Bdrought, is your car a 500E or a (facelifted) E500? How long have you owned the car, and what sort mileage have you covered? Do you like it? Is it a UK supplied car or an import? How do you find the traction control, and have you carried out the retro fit switchable conversion? What figure do you value the car at?
The biggest problem seems to be getting an accurate value of the cars: the article in Evo (cheers Andy) quotes £10k for a gooder, £14k for a minter, but then the owner of the featured car sells them for a living, so I suppose he would. Parkers online (I know, I know) states maximum 9k at retail for an perfect late E500. Best I found in Germany was a 45000 mile E500 in silver/black leather for £8300. Would be looking to pay no more than £10k tops, but would want a real good car for that with impeccable history. Its difficult to gauge a true value with so few for sale in the UK.
CrisPDuk and I were in the pub the other night talking cars (as usual), and we reckoned that the removal of the two restrictive catalysts and some careful exhaust work, not to mention a little work in the ECU department, may unleash a BHP figure in the late 300's to go worrying Porsches with. What do you think?
20 January 2003, 11:15 PM
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Olly
Those are quality examples of Classic Automobile Engineering Mate, not like that Frog Bean Can you rattle & squeak round in
I must admit I do fancy a quality smoker though, but something more in the way of 450SEL 6.9 methinks
Preferably in a nice shade of Jewish Racing Gold Should just be able to squeeze one of them round McD's roundabout on full opposite
Those are quality examples of Classic Automobile Engineering Mate, not like that Frog Bean Can you rattle & squeak round inI must admit I do fancy a quality smoker though, but something more in the way of 450SEL 6.9 methinks
Preferably in a nice shade of Jewish Racing Gold Should just be able to squeeze one of them round McD's roundabout on full opposite
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20 January 2003, 11:15 PM
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I think that they run on Bosch K-Jetronic, and as such would be a complete **** to tune.
I've driven one, and very similar experience to the M5 and Lotus Carlton (driven both of them as well) - basically your brain has trouble dealing with fact that something that big can move that quickly.
They go like stink, and the base car is part of the Weltmeister generation of Mercs - i.e. with correct maintenance it'll go on forever.
I've driven one, and very similar experience to the M5 and Lotus Carlton (driven both of them as well) - basically your brain has trouble dealing with fact that something that big can move that quickly.
They go like stink, and the base car is part of the Weltmeister generation of Mercs - i.e. with correct maintenance it'll go on forever.
21 January 2003, 10:58 AM
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Olly,
Mine is a pre facelift 500E, as the '92 year had 20 odd more horsies and rumour has it... a closed deck block. The later cars however has 1 inch bigger front calipers from the 600SL.
Gauging a true value is a nightmare. I paid £12,500 for mine, although it had a mere 47,000km on it, and had been in a collection for the first 5 years as a concours car. Theres some that pop up now and again in the back of Mercedes Enthusiast. If you can stomach it, your best bet is to look on www.mobile.de and find one of the many German ones for sale. A decent one will be about £7K.
Driving wise, they're 'ok'. Ultimately they feel heavy, although not much heavier than a scoob. (I drive an Elise aswell, so hard to judge!). Performance wise in a straight linem it'll scare a 996 Carrera. Although the BHP is down on modern supersaloons, its torque is astonishing, and avaliable from 1500rpm or so.
Removing the cats, sorting the induction out etc will gain you about 30-40bhp, although it'll remove the stealth aspect of the car somewhat.
Fuel wise I get 24mpg on normal driving, and 30mpg is possible (just!) on a cruise.
Got some photos (including pics of it at elvington!) here.
http://www.briandrought.com/500e/
Cheers,
Bri
[Edited by bdrought - 1/21/2003 10:59:18 AM]
Mine is a pre facelift 500E, as the '92 year had 20 odd more horsies and rumour has it... a closed deck block. The later cars however has 1 inch bigger front calipers from the 600SL.
Gauging a true value is a nightmare. I paid £12,500 for mine, although it had a mere 47,000km on it, and had been in a collection for the first 5 years as a concours car. Theres some that pop up now and again in the back of Mercedes Enthusiast. If you can stomach it, your best bet is to look on www.mobile.de and find one of the many German ones for sale. A decent one will be about £7K.
Driving wise, they're 'ok'. Ultimately they feel heavy, although not much heavier than a scoob. (I drive an Elise aswell, so hard to judge!). Performance wise in a straight linem it'll scare a 996 Carrera. Although the BHP is down on modern supersaloons, its torque is astonishing, and avaliable from 1500rpm or so.
Removing the cats, sorting the induction out etc will gain you about 30-40bhp, although it'll remove the stealth aspect of the car somewhat.
Fuel wise I get 24mpg on normal driving, and 30mpg is possible (just!) on a cruise.
Got some photos (including pics of it at elvington!) here.
http://www.briandrought.com/500e/
Cheers,
Bri
[Edited by bdrought - 1/21/2003 10:59:18 AM]
21 January 2003, 01:18 PM
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Terrific information Bri, thanks a million. Your car looks superb.
I was aware that the E500 had slightly less power due to different emission control, although I didn't realise it was that much. Economy looks very similar to my old Impreza's.
I'm in the same boat, I own a couple of toys as well, so an ultimate all rounder such as a Subaru is not what I am looking for. The comfort, cruisability and straight line Q car performance are the things that appeal, not sideways driving or B road thrashes.
And as for stealth, the first job is to order an "E250 Diesel" badge for the boot. If the cats are to be removed, I would wish the car to be no noisier than standard. Its childish I know, but the vision of a seemingly diesel Merc saloon annihilating all the bespoilered Max Power losers and worrying the Wilmslow hooray henry's in their 911's and M3's is one I can't get out of my head.
Cheers,
Olly
I was aware that the E500 had slightly less power due to different emission control, although I didn't realise it was that much. Economy looks very similar to my old Impreza's.
I'm in the same boat, I own a couple of toys as well, so an ultimate all rounder such as a Subaru is not what I am looking for. The comfort, cruisability and straight line Q car performance are the things that appeal, not sideways driving or B road thrashes.
And as for stealth, the first job is to order an "E250 Diesel" badge for the boot. If the cats are to be removed, I would wish the car to be no noisier than standard. Its childish I know, but the vision of a seemingly diesel Merc saloon annihilating all the bespoilered Max Power losers and worrying the Wilmslow hooray henry's in their 911's and M3's is one I can't get out of my head.
Cheers,
Olly
04 December 2003, 09:56 PM
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Got the engine bit right, but the body wrong!
I always had my heart set on a 500E, and was never in a rush to buy. But then E55AMG prices started tumbling and I changed my mind (as usual).
Then out of nowhere, a nicely priced, one owner '91 500SL cropped up last weekend. I had never considered one, until I drove it. More or less bought it on the spot. A beautiful machine. Our Bugeye feels like a tractor in comparison.
James: 'fraid the 16v Golf is long gone mate. I still have my tatty, beaten 8v runaround though, its probably worth no more than a round of drinks.
You thinking of selling that rather lovely 500E Bri? Shame mate. I still love 'em. Did Bryn finish his?
I always had my heart set on a 500E, and was never in a rush to buy. But then E55AMG prices started tumbling and I changed my mind (as usual).
Then out of nowhere, a nicely priced, one owner '91 500SL cropped up last weekend. I had never considered one, until I drove it. More or less bought it on the spot. A beautiful machine. Our Bugeye feels like a tractor in comparison.
James: 'fraid the 16v Golf is long gone mate. I still have my tatty, beaten 8v runaround though, its probably worth no more than a round of drinks.
You thinking of selling that rather lovely 500E Bri? Shame mate. I still love 'em. Did Bryn finish his?
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