kammy

Hi,
Looking at spending 19k on an S-class (Merc) fully loaded with 18" AMG wheel, a re-map and a load of optional extras.

It's a 53-reg by the way,has 86,000 miles wilth full service history.

Any views? Do they last? Are they ok run?
Is it a good deal?

Thanks

Brendan Hughes

Hope you don't have a short garage.

turboman786

They are nice solid cars, however they do suffer from electrical gremlins so do check everything works as it should..main thing is to ensure it has been dealer serviced meticulously....and looked after in all respects

Should be very nice with a remap!

Petem95

Probably not a great time to be buying the old shape s-class just after a totally new model has been released!

Values will probably start falling quite rapidly, and the owner profile will quite quickly change from successful business man to kebab shop/curry house owner (infact I would say it has already - seem a few low-brow owners driving them)

Bloke at work has an S400 petrol with 140k, but he did have a problem with the electrics and pretty much had to get the whole thing "re-wired" at significant expense!

dazc2

Look under the back seat on the drivers side. If it's wet underneath, the car needs to have it's air con/heater box drains sorted out as the water runs under the carpets to the back seat and fills up the SAM unit under there. Usuall signs are the rear lights flashing on and off...

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

Excellent big cars, and by that age do have most issues sorted out. The cars actually ride better on the smaller wheels. Is it a face-lifted model (are the window switches rounded or large and rectangular?). I don't have a Glass's guide to hand, but it doesn't sound too bad value at that price.

kammy

Yet to have a look at it. It is for my dad- hope he can manage.

Keep the advice coming guys, dont fancy getting a duff S-class!

51st state

kammy
could well be a great car, and a merc, but???
people who drive mercs catergory's ,
old,,
paddy planthire owners,
guardian readers
trying to hard to look like they have money:

kammy

thanks for the replies so far : ) I don't think Merc's are too bad tbh, my only concern is build quality as I have heard of people having issues with new Merc's...
I think the S class is built in South Africa iirc??
Also the new S class has been out for a reasonable time now and imo does not have the nice line of the old
Not sure if the 320CDI engine can cope with the big miles though?? & price seems to be about market value..... it is only 3yrs old after all...

Monkeybone

one of these but 51 plate and less miles went for 11k at auction today! mental.

kammy

hmmmm...........got me thinking.

sti-04!!

I aint no paddy

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

A looked after S320CDi will do 300,000 miles in the blink of an eye, with a few suspension and electrics faults that are all to really look out for. The cars are all still built in Europe (any model that starts with WDB or WDD is built in Europe, any with WDC is built outside of Europe (South Africa and Alabama, IIRC). The availability of the new S-class will not have any major implications on it's value and TBH, the S320CDi is the most commercially popular car in the range, especially if it is the face-lifted model.

kammy

2003 is facelift right? Anyone know the difference between pre and post?

Thanks

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

The quick way to tell is as I have posted previously. If you are looking for all the detail changes, then they are many and numerous, best to see the difference between an early and late car.

pwhittle

Father in Law had one, just swapped for E320, which he prefers. All foor dorrs had to be resprayed (at a cost of £6k) as they weren't done properly in the first place.
Didn't have heated seats either

Robbie T

iTrader: (8)

All 220 model s-classes were bulit in Europe, none of this range were ever built anywhere else (as you would expect being the flagship model).

The 320cdi is definitely the one to go for unless you really like petrol stations, damn good for the mileage and as a facelift (as a 53 plate will be) all nasty points will have been ironed out.

Nearly 90k in 3 years tells you that big distances are just eaten up by this cruiser.

Easiest way to spot a facelift is the rear lights. Pre-facelift cars had red lenses with three clear bars, facelift cars had red lenses with five clear bars (which look worse IMO).

Sounds cheap for a 53 plate, but the mileage tips the balance a bit.

Go for it