High mileage OK?

[BarraVattersay]

Hi, I'm a returning merc owner wanting some advice.
I need a good estate for motorway miles.
I am looking at a 1997 Merc 230 Avantgarde with full service history- had bushes replaced recently.
It has covered 93K miles. With continuing service and TLC- would it cover another 75K over the next three years? It is an automatic
I need to make a leap of faith or am I being too hopefull.
All advice very welcome.
Thankyou for your help.

 

[Chazchuzzlewitt]

93k isn't high miles for a Merc- at least the old one's anyway. If it's got good history and has been looked after another 100k should be no problem.

 

[mjtray]

The 230 engine is reckoned to be one of the strongest engines ever made by Mercedes, so I think you will be fine as long as you keep on top of servicing etc.

Just check the body over before you purchase, paying special attention to the door rubbers on the tops of the doors......peel them back to check for rust. Also check the cross member running under the front of the engine bay for rust.....is the beam that runs under the radiator area.

If there is no rust and you purchase the car, give the wheel arch lips a good clean out and get rid of the mud build up as this is what causes a lot of the wheel arches to blister with rust.

Good luck.

 

[mlc]

Im not sure I can agree with the two earlier posts.

MB's are very reliable and wonderful and all those things, however you are looking at a high mileage 8 year old car and plan to do 25K a year, which suggests that you will rely heavily on the car for work. What happens if you are unlucky and it produces big bills? Can you afford to mend it? can you afford to be without it?

I'm not trying to put you off, just suggesting that this is a major risk and you need to fully understand that risk before you take it. We have an 8 year old SLK, with only 40K on the clock, worst case and it fails expensively we could live without it for an extended period, are you in the same position?

Mark.

 

[BarraVattersay]

re high mileage merc

thanks to all replies;
a healthy mix of merc faith and realistic caution- I needed both-thankyou.

I think I will proceed either with a 68K 230E I have seen or go with a more recent 99 C class estate with under 60K

This way I get the merc benefit with a little more reassurance from my car which is my business tool upon which I rely.

Never expectewd such help so quick-thanks guys for all your tips and honest advice.

Great forum!