Advice required on value of unusual car - W124 E36 estate

[verysideways]

Hi everyone,

As many of you know back in February i became the rather proud owner of an E36 which was due to be crushed under the scrappage scheme. Thankfully i managed to get in there before the deal was done and saved the car by matching the £2k the chap would have got from the scrappage scheme.

Since then i have spent about 20 hours going through the car - basically cleaning it inside and out to bring it back to life. I've also bought a steering wheel to replace the one that's in the car (identical, just in much better condition) and i've just put 12 months MOT on it and 6 months tax.
I'd love to keep it, and i have enjoyed every mile i've done in it, but the reality is that i ride a bike to work every day and have two other cars and a jetski for the weekends (as well as access to several other cars for work) so i don't need it and am only using it for the sake of it. Space is also something of any issue, i have too much stuff and neighbours who are less than pleased with me.

So to the crux of the matter - i have NO IDEA what it's worth. I'm sure it's worth more than i paid for it, but i've heard figures ranging from £3k to £8k. Ultimately i want it to go to a good home, preferably someone who is a W124 enthusiast, which is why i have made no attempt to advertise it on ebay/autotrader/pistonheads. I'm in no hurry to sell it, i'd rather wait for someone to come along who will cherish it and respect it.

Supplied new in April 1995 at Mercedes Benz of Cheltenham & Gloucester (previously known as Warner's). Bought by second owner in June 1995 for £51,860 and driven by him every day for 15 years. Almost every service from new from the supplying dealer (with two exceptions), and the first service book runs out of pages at 170k miles. The second service book then brings us to 247k miles and the car is now on 251k.
Had new front wings a couple of years ago (£1500) and last September has a thorough overhaul of the aircon system (at MB Gloucester) which resulted in a bill of over £1000 (aircon blows ice cold!).

Being 1 of 7 rhd E36 estates it's a rare old beastie, and as it's run on Mobil 1 all its life it doesn't burn any oil and it still pulls like a train (although it does sound a bit tappety).

Any ideas? I'll be happy with £3k if the car goes to a good home but i'd like to know what people think is a FAIR price.

Pictures here:
E36 AMG

Here's a couple:

And here's the spec from the VIN:

Lights BOSCH
Wiper BOSCH
Cab 00000
Delivery date 10.04.95
Dealer Great Britain (537)
Interior leather mushroom (265)
Paint 269 tourmaline green metallic (с 1994)
Options
240 outside temperature indicator (с 01.03.1982)
280 steering wheel (400 mm dia.) and gearshift lever in leather trim; on W202 390 mm dia. (с 01.05.1984)
291 airbag for front passenger
airbag for front passenger (с 01.10.1993)
airbag for driver and front passenger (if driver airbag standard - then only for passenger)
300 storage box in front tray (с 01.05.1988)
341 additional lamp (с 01.09.1982)
362
412 electric sliding roof with tilting device (с 01.07.1983)
420 automatic transmission, floor shift (с 01.01.1963)
440 tempomat (cruise control) (с 01.09.1975)
461 instrument with mileage reading and english lettering (с 01.04.1990)
541 double roller blind used as luggage and passenger guard (с 01.01.1980)
551 anti-theft warning system (с 01.11.1978 по 31.03.1998)
570 folding armrest front w202/210 stowage box front with armrest (с 01.04.1970)
front folding armrest w202 - housing at front with armrest
588 automatic climate control and electric window lifters (front and rear doors) (с 01.01.1977)
593 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (single-sheet safety glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, single pane safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)
600 headlamp wiper/washer (с 01.08.1971)
613 lamp unit, asymmetrical, l.h. traffic (с 01.02.1963)
620 emission control system
vehicles with catalyst technique (с 01.03.1985)
653 sports chassis with 8-hole light alloy rims (с 01.01.1990)
668
722 baggage rack, integrated (с 01.07.1981)
731 wood trim, burred walnut root (с 01.08.1980)
798 AMG cpl. wheels, 4 pcs. 7.5 x 17 et35 245/45, 1-piece (с 01.01.1992)
833
880 closing system with infrared remote control (с 01.02.1988)
957 AMG technology package (с 01.01.1992)
extension tube on the roof, front left

So, what do you think?

 

[coolhans]

It's a lovely car and looks well presented by the photos. Price is an objective thing. I've got a W124 320CE coupe for sale which I'm asking £5K for. Having said that I've not been swamped with interest but I'm in no hurry and I'd rather wait until someone with genuine interest comes along.

I think that the only thing that lets yours down is the high mileage although having said that if it has been looked after it could easily do another 100K +.

If someone wants it they will pay a good price but you have to be prepared to wait. I think that 3K is very fair as it is a rare car. Tough call but good luck.

 

[Dosco]

I would support what Cool says and the price seems fair given the motor in question, but of course it will be worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.

As far as mileage goes that would be a stumbling block in the mind of those who have no knowledge of earlier Mercs but again if someone is looking for a well turned out and maintained car for a family/load lugging/towing job then it is a lot of motor for relatively small beer.

Good luck and someone will be getting, on the face of it, a solid motor in VG condition.

 

[biglips]

I would love to own this car. Pm me

 

[verysideways]

Thanks for the responses, i have posted something similar on one other MB forum and had similar comments.

I'm quite happy to keep it if i can't find the "right" person to take it off my hands, i feel like i am currently the custodian of a piece of AMG history and therefore feel a certain responsibility towards the car. That probably sounds really terrible but you should have seen how excited i was when i got the call to say i'd rescued it and it would NOT be crushed.

I would love to own this car. Pm me

Just sent you a PM.

 

[syncropaddy]

I'm quite happy to keep it if i can't find the "right" person to take it off my hands, i feel like i am currently the custodian of a piece of AMG history and therefore feel a certain responsibility towards the car. That probably sounds really terrible but you should have seen how excited i was when i got the call to say i'd rescued it and it would NOT be crushed.

You need to be congratulated for saving what you describe quite correctly as a piece of AMG history from the crusher. It does not, to my mind, sound really terrible that you feel that you have a certain responsibility towards the car. If it were mine I would feel the same.

 

[turbopete]

sod the neighbours! keep it! i would!

 

[Pringles]

I think £3k is very cheap unless it has rust and the interior is looking really tired. I have a saloon version with an AMG body kit and an estate would be good to own if I could afford to run two of these great cars.

 

[d215yq]

I'm just shocked that someone could drive that everyday for 15 years (putting 250k miles on it), keep it in good condition and give it a full service history and then contemplate scrapping it when it is still in perfect order!!!

In even a few years surely a car as rare as that will be worth a lot more than the prices suggested.

 

[verysideways]

I'm just shocked that someone could drive that everyday for 15 years (putting 250k miles on it), keep it in good condition and give it a full service history and then contemplate scrapping it when it is still in perfect order!!!

Yes, the government's "brilliant" idea to drive new car sales by scrapping old ones. I dread to think what's been lost for good as a result...

 

[Merc-Man24]

sod the neighbours! keep it! i would!

As Pete said "sod the neighbour's"

 

[teddycatkin]

New engine would be another £3k though if you could get one?