The cars and bikes thread!

[geoffbot]

Loving this show at the moSeen "Car Masters: Rust to Riches" on Netflix yet?

https://www.netflix.com/title/801947...13747225&t=wha

I just want to play with engines all day. Need to learn first

[Raza]

I was surprised one year later to see they were still pulling this BS. I've yet to see one on the street here, and I see everything on the streets here.

Word is the Toyota dealers here are pulling the same BS with the new Supras. Of course the Toyota dealers here are famous for their market adjustment stickers on even common models.

The Supra I kind of understand (even though I wouldn't buy one) because it's a limited model with a big name back from the dead. But the Civic Type R is just a hot version of one of the most common cars in the country. And you've got to figure that turnover for a car on a lot is usually less than a year, so maybe the market isn't so demanding that it needs an adjustment. Idiots.

[happyscrappyheropup]

I have been searching for a winter beater. Something I can let sit outside, but was nice enough to drive anywhere.

My criteria was:

< 75 miles from home
< 100k miles
<= 1999 model year (historic in MD)

And the new to me car is a 1996 Mercedes E320. 2 owners, first for 21 years, second for 2 years. 59k miles, Carfax verified.

Little dings and scratches everywhere, very nice interior that just needs a cleaning. No rattles or squeaks, everything works, including ice cold AC.
















-- Wayne

[Seriously]

Get that 'box oil changed

[happyscrappyheropup]

Get that 'box oil changed

It's on the list. Fluid looks and smells good, but swapping all the fluids before I put any real miles on the car.

[tribe125]

I like that Merc - my kind of car.

I like cars that could be upmarket taxis.

[Raza]

I have been searching for a winter beater. Something I can let sit outside, but was nice enough to drive anywhere.

My criteria was:

< 75 miles from home
< 100k miles
<= 1999 model year (historic in MD)

And the new to me car is a 1996 Mercedes E320. 2 owners, first for 21 years, second for 2 years. 59k miles, Carfax verified.

Little dings and scratches everywhere, very nice interior that just needs a cleaning. No rattles or squeaks, everything works, including ice cold AC.
















-- Wayne

Wow, that's in good shape. Mine had trim pieces break and fall off long before that. I had a 2002. Yours has a different engine, though, an I6, not a V6 like mine did. The V6 was a good engine and delivered its power better than the I6, but I think the I6 is smoother and more reliable. Although, my father had an S320 with the same engine and that bombed itself at around 120,000 miles.

Keep an eye out on those window motors. I had to replace all four within 6 years. The cupholder is also a bit brittle and dash "drawer" broke on mine twice.

Best of luck with it, but I will always remember my E320 as the car that put me off ever buying another Mercedes again (except, perhaps, a classic SL).

I don't have any of my nice photos of it on this computer, but this was what it looked like just before my brother sold it (he took it over from me when I went to college):

[happyscrappyheropup]

Wow, that's in good shape. Mine had trim pieces break and fall off long before that. I had a 2002. Yours has a different engine, though, an I6, not a V6 like mine did. The V6 was a good engine and delivered its power better than the I6, but I think the I6 is smoother and more reliable. Although, my father had an S320 with the same engine and that bombed itself at around 120,000 miles.

Keep an eye out on those window motors. I had to replace all four within 6 years. The cupholder is also a bit brittle and dash "drawer" broke on mine twice.

Best of luck with it, but I will always remember my E320 as the car that put me off ever buying another Mercedes again (except, perhaps, a classic SL).

I'm not sure a sample size of one would put me off any car manufacturer, unless I was bad at math. That said, I have never owned a Jag, Alfa, or Maserati, so that may not be a true statement

I think the late 90s and early 00s were bad years for Mercedes. They were ramping up sales quickly and it seemed like all the cars had poor reliability. Some googling tells me that MB sales more than doubled during the run of the W210 E class, 1996-2002. I am hopeful for my early W210, but I'm good with a wrench and diagnostic computer.

[Raza]

I'm not sure a sample size of one would put me off any car manufacturer, unless I was bad at math. That said, I have never owned a Jag, Alfa, or Maserati, so that may not be a true statement

I think the late 90s and early 00s were bad years for Mercedes. They were ramping up sales quickly and it seemed like all the cars had poor reliability. Some googling tells me that MB sales more than doubled during the run of the W210 E class, 1996-2002. I am hopeful for my early W210, but I'm good with a wrench and diagnostic computer.

Oh, dear friend, we were a Mercedes family, since 1982. Four drivers, four Benzes. Of the last five, one was fine. Then there was mine. Then there was the 96 S320 that hand grenaded. Then there was the 2002 S500 that had electrical issues and serious rust issues (despite being garaged its whole life), and a 2011 CLS550 that has had numerous electrical problems, including a screen and backup camera that tend to only work when they feel like it. I'm completely turned off from Mercedes. When I gave my E320 to my brother and got a Passat 1.8T in 2004, I was shocked at how the little Passat had more of a quality feel and was vastly more reliable.

I wish you the best of luck with it. I have a feeling the earlier models would be less prone to some of the issues than mine was.

I didn't mean to rain on your parade, I just wanted to share my experience and give you a little heads up of potential issues.

[happyscrappyheropup]

I like that Merc - my kind of car.

I like cars that could be upmarket taxis.

It definitely flies under the radar.