Description
1989 Mercedes 300SE (W126 saloon)
(Note to those who have been watching the car: the starting issue has been sorted by the replacement of the fuel pump and fuel filter. The car now starts fine. The price has also been reduced for a quick sale.)
For sale is my Mercedes 300SE, which I bought a few months ago and have been tinkering with ever since. It runs and drives and has about 7 months MOT, and I’ve been using it regularly. It should be regarded as a rolling project, however, as it has a few issues that need addressing. I’ll do my best to give an honest picture as possible, so you don’t have as many unpleasant surprises as I did when I foolishly bought it unseen it from the previous owner. I’ve offered it at a price I think is reasonable for its age and condition. Mercedes models from this era are going up in price now, so the car would probably be a good investment if you have the time to spend on it. Please read the whole advert and come and see the car if you’re interested.
The car definitely isn’t concours, but it’s not a wreck and is well worth saving. I was planning to gradually bring it up to scratch, but I’ve just started a new job which will be taking up all my time for the foreseeable future and so I thought I’d pass it on to someone who could give it the time it deserves. If it doesn’t sell in a few weeks, then I’ll mothball it until I get round to sorting it out.
It has a straight six 3 litre M103 engine which runs well, and the 4-speed auto gearbox changes fine. The car has covered 127000 miles, and this seems to be backed up by the MOT history. The bodywork is in pretty good condition for a 34-year-old car and but there are a few scratches, dings, and rust bubbles as you would expect. The paintwork on the bonnet has faded and could do with a T-cut. The underside of the car seems to be very solid. The alloy wheels are in good condition and all four tyres have plenty of tread. The spare wheel and original jack are present.
The blue cloth interior is dry and presentable, but has faded in places, and there are a couple of small tears on the front seats. The headlining is fine, and the sunroof works, as does the stereo. The steering wheel has had a hard time and needs recovering.
In my ownership the car has had:
Oil and filter change
New air filter
Replacement tyre
A wheel bearing.
New fuel pump relay
New fuel pump and filter
Replacement EHA valve
New idler pulley
Coolant change
Reconditioned alternator
Now the not-so good points:
• There is a noise from the front of the engine which disappears when the fan belt is disconnected. Consequently, it must be coming from one of the components driven by the belt. I’m pretty sure it’s the water pump bearings, and I’ve purchased a brand-new water pump but haven’t had time to fit it yet. It comes with the car, as does a brand-new thermostat. It's been making that noise since I've had it and it doesn't affect how the car drives.
• The viscous fan clutch doesn’t seem to be working as it should. The car doesn’t overheat, but the fan spins freer than it should. I bought a new one, but again haven’t got round to fitting it. It too comes with the car.
• There is a crack in the windscreen which means that it will need to be replaced. It didn’t cause it to fail the MOT and hasn’t got noticeably worse, but the windscreen will need to be replaced sooner or later (should be covered on your insurance).
• The electric aerial has broken.
• The central locking doesn’t work properly and has been disconnected (by me).
• The front door windows raise and lower fine, but the rear ones don’t. A fuse maybe..?
• Oh, and some delightful person tried to steal the Mercedes star emblem off the bonnet a couple of weeks ago and broke it in the process. I haven’t got round to replacing it but you can get them from Ebay for about £15.
I think that’s everything. Please remember that it's 34 years old, so you should come and view the car if you’re interested. If you’ve any questions, then please drop me a line and I'll do my best to answer.
Cheers,
Lee.
