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1988 Mercedes 420 Sel on 2040-cars

Year:1988 Mileage:207002
Location:

Logan, West Virginia, United States

Logan, West Virginia, United States

I've always loved this body style and bought it simply because of that...didn't need it, and haven't even used it.  To me it just always seemed like it had the most presence of all the S Class cars over the years.  I bought it a couple years ago with the intention of using it as a semi-daily driver locally.  I towed it home since it needed a crank sensor, and installed a new one at a cost of around 200.00.  It fixed the problem and it started and ran well.  I never have put license and insurance on it, as we have several other cars, and to be honest, by default, it just never happened.  I always start it regularly to keep everything lubricated, etc.  Lately, it won't start until it has cranked and cranked and cranked, almost to the point where you feel like the battery is about to give up, and then it starts.  It runs rough, but then after a while smooths out.  The exhaust smell is greater lately too and there's a little smoke...not oil smoke, but more of a 'burning your eyes a little if you stand behind the car', 'timings off a little' type smoke....whiteish.  It's not losing any coolant, so it's not that. You can shut it off, and then it will start right back up as many times as you want.  As long as it's still warm(3-4 hours...maybe longer)it will start.  Don't know what the issue is...fuel flow, plugs, cold start sensor, some other kind of sensor, catalytic convertor?  Just don't know, I haven't even tried to diagnose it.  I do know it needs out of the driveway, as I have decided to get rid of a few cars, and just want to downsize in general since there's really only 3 we drive regularly.  It's not a 'I need some money so what kind of junk do I have sitting around to sell' thing.  I think it would make someone a really good car at a very good price.

Since I've had it, I've installed the crank sensor and put new headlight doors(surrounds that cover the fog lights)that made a real difference to the front end.  I also installed a battery(not brand new, but a good one).  This car is not one of the 'heirloom' Mercedes you see everyone touting on Ebay, but is a clean car(especially for 26 years old) that seems to have been taken care of over the years.  My understanding is that it was painted a few years ago, not due to a wreck or damage, but because of paint fade.  It's kinda dull right now due to sitting in direct sun since I've had it, and also with the prior owner, but I compounded a small area on it, and I think it will shine pretty well with a good buffing...I just don't have the time or a 'want to' to do it, to be honest. 

As far as damage goes, there is a small wrinkled place at the very front of the driver's side fender, and a scuff on the bumper just below that...the previous owner said his neighbor bumped it with his ATV when he had it over at his house.  There is a hole in the outer bolster of the driver's seat.  The rear driver's side speaker grille is broken...yours truly did that when cleaning the rear window.  The wood trim around the shifter has delaminated some...the glovebox latch doesn't latch like it should because the wood has pulled loose a little, probably an easy fix but I haven't messed with it...seams have split on tops of the back seat...I bought it in a cooler part of the year, but the AC didn't blow cold when I got it, and the previous owner said it did work, but had a slow leak and just needed charged periodically, but I can't verify either way....I removed(cut)the AC belt recently to install a new alternator belt, so that would need replaced if you wanted to work on/use the AC.  Otherwise, there's no rust on the body and only minor door dings and small paint chips here and there.

All power windows work like they should...the vacuum system for the power door locks still works well...all the functions on the power seats work, including the headrests...the sunroof is fully functional...the radio works(not sure about the cassette)...all the lights, inside and out work correctly, including the very bright yellow foglights...I haven't really driven it(other than around our neighborhood from time to time)since back when I got it , but the cruise control worked last time I did...the front brakes(rotors and pads)were changed not long before I got it...the tires have 60-70% of the tread but have a little cracking.

The starting price is the 'reserve price', so 1 bid gets it.  Please don't contact me offering lower than the starting price, as it's not a 'have to' sell, but a 'want to' sell.  I've bought and sold 14-15 cars here on Ebay over the past 5-6 years, and have a 100% positive rating, so you can feel comfortable there.  I tried loading 24 pictures on here like it said I could, but it only managed to let me put 12, so if you want to see something not shown, or have any questions, just let me know through Ebay or my cell phone at 304-784-6680.

Thanks for looking.

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Steve`s Auto Parts ★★★★★

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Phone: (304) 465-5689

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National Muffler Svc ★★★★★

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Auto blog

13-year-old boy swipes dad's Mercedes, drives across Europe

Wed, 16 Jan 2013

After an argument with his adoptive parents that resulted in them taking away his mobile phone, an angry 13-year-old boy ran away from his home in Italy and headed straight to Poland to meet his biological sister. But instead of taking the train or hitching a ride, like most on the run, the young man (an accomplished go-kart racer and car enthusiast) grabbed the keys to his father's Mercedes-Benz and jumped behind the wheel for an impromptu road trip.
With less than 200 euros (about $270) in his wallet and a passport in his pocket, the youngster managed to put more than 500 miles between himself and his distraught parents, crossing two international borders in the process, before German police nabbed him just shy of the Polish border. According to reports, the vehicle was tracked - it wasn't his driving that alerted authorities to his location.
Reunited with his mother and father, who traveled to Germany to retrieve both their son and the vehicle, the young man apologized and acknowledged his error. As a result of his actions, social workers will increase checks on the family and we can be sure his parents are now hiding the keys.

Missouri Mercedes dealer offering free Smart with every SLS AMG purchase

Wed, 05 Dec 2012

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is an exquisite sports car that probably needs no help flying off dealer lots, even with a starting price of almost $200,000, but Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City has come up with an interesting incentive to sweeten the deal. For buyers who purchase a new SLS AMG from dealer stock before the end of the year, the dealership is throwing in a new Smart Fortwo from its inventory at no charge... with a required coupon no less.
In addition to being a great tactic to get a little free press, the spare car also makes sense as an alternative to the SLS, which measures more than 15-feet long - almost twice the length of a Fortwo - and has a 563-horsepower engine that sucks down gas at the rate of 13 miles per gallon in city driving (and even that's provided you don't give in to the devil on your shoulder). Plus, at the end of the day, this really isn't that big of an incentive. Being given a slow-selling $12,490 car for the purchase of a model starting at $199,500 represents about a six percent incentive, which is along the lines of a $1,900 rebate for a $30,000 car.
To get the free Smart, just visit the Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City Facebook page, redeem the coupon and then go buy yourself a new SLS AMG. Congratulations!

VW looking to MAN up, ditch Mercedes van deal

Wed, 16 Jan 2013

Unlike the US, the commercial truck market throughout the rest of the world is chocked full of competitors from many different automakers. Since 2006, Volkswagen has had a fullsize van called the Crafter that was a result of a partnership with Daimler AG and based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. This partnership is supposed to last through 2016, but Reuters is reporting that VW might be looking to end its relationship with Daimler and create its own van in cooperation with German truck and bus maker MAN.
The article says that VW AG has more than a 75-percent stake in MAN, which would essentially be keeping the new commercial vehicle in-house. Even if VW bolts, Daimler still has a deal worked out in the commercial truck industry between its subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso and Renault-Nissan to supply the other with different trucks.