2004 Mercedes E320

Muller1966 · 12-02-2021 4:01pm #1

Can anybody help me . I have been left a 2004 mercedes E320 . A beautiful 3:2 liter petrol. Will I have to put it in storage until it reaches 20 years old . I only plan to drive it very rarely .Any assistance appreciated.

biko · 14-02-2021 1:27pm

What is your question?
Since you posted in Insurance I assume it's "when can I get classic insurance?"
For most companies it's at 25yo.

More info https://www.axa.ie/articles/driving/when-does-a-car-become-a-classic/

colm_mcm · 14-02-2021 1:29pm

You won’t get cheap tax til it’s 30 years old, that’s the real killer

Muller1966 · 15-02-2021 4:58pm

Sorry my question is on insurance . I will only use it a few months of the year so tax won’t kill me as I can register it off the road when not in use . I have found a company that will insure at 20 years old so I will put it in dry storage for 3 years . This is a beau car in perfect condition so is worth the trouble .

coylemj · 16-02-2021 6:43pm

OP, that's a pre-facelift W211, it had a hybrid braking system which involved a Bosch Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) pump whch gave all sorts of problems and was the cause of serious customer dissatisfaction and a recall. MB dumped it with the 2006 facelift. Before you spend money laying up that car, you need to do some research to see if you will have a usable motor in 2024.

Google 'w211 sbc' and you'll find a lot of reading material. Here's one for starters from the UK MB owners' forum, it concerns a 2003 E320 .....

https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/w211-sbc-pump-my-experience-and-info.156291/

Muller1966 · 16-02-2021 7:08pm

Thank you for the information. This car has an interesting history and a very well known owner . I am hoping that if I can keep it until vintage that it will appreciated in value . ( I may be proven wrong ) Thank you for your comments and link . As a previous E class owner I know they come with problems they can be expensive to repair . Any further comments are most welcome particularly regarding storage over 3 years , maintenance during storage etc .

An Ri rua · 16-02-2021 7:11pm

Muller1966 wrote: »

Thank you for the information. This car has an interesting history and a very well known owner . I am hoping that if I can keep it until vintage that it will appreciated in value . ( I may be proven wrong ) Thank you for your comments and link . As a previous E class owner I know they come with problems they can be expensive to repair . Any further comments are most welcome particularly regarding storage over 3 years , maintenance during storage etc .

Best bet is the classics section in the Motoring forum where all that sort of thing is well covered. And updated regularly.

Muller1966 · 16-02-2021 7:17pm

An Ri rua wrote: »

Best bet is the classics section in the Motoring forum where all that sort of thing is well covered. And updated regularly.

Thank you for that . I am also rebuilding a 1980 Cortina Ghia in signal yellow and a 1985 VW camper too . Strange times makes us do strange things to occupy our time .

biko · 16-02-2021 7:19pm

Thread moved from Insurance to Classics

Muller1966 · 16-02-2021 8:32pm

biko wrote: »

Thread moved from Insurance to Classics

It’s a bit of both . The classics are easy and cheap to insure . The Mercedes E320 is anything but cheap . But I take your point .

tipptom · 16-02-2021 8:49pm

Muller1966 wrote: »

It’s a bit of both . The classics are easy and cheap to insure . The Mercedes E320 is anything but cheap . But I take your point .

Cmon,who owned it??

unkel · 17-02-2021 1:09am

Muller1966 wrote: »

I am hoping that if I can keep it until vintage that it will appreciated in value .

It will appreciate once it starts getting near 30 years old. But that is 13 years away

Even if you only tax it for 3 months every year, you will spend €6,500 on motor tax before it is vintage...

Muller1966 · 17-02-2021 9:35am

unkel wrote: »

It will appreciate once it starts getting near 30 years old. But that is 13 years away

Even if you only tax it for 3 months every year, you will spend €6,500 on motor tax before it is vintage...

I agree with you on that but I am sorta stuck with it

unkel · 17-02-2021 10:14am

Yes, it's probably the most sale proof car in the country

You could stick it in storage for the next 13 years if you have access to cheap storage. Back in the day, you could sell it back into the UK for reasonable money over there and a VRT refund over here. But, welcome to the brexit, Sir. That's no longer possible

Muller1966 · 17-02-2021 12:41pm

unkel wrote: »

Yes, it's probably the most sale proof car in the country

You could stick it in storage for the next 13 years if you have access to cheap storage. Back in the day, you could sell it back into the UK for reasonable money over there and a VRT refund over here. But, welcome to the brexit, Sir. That's no longer possible

That is true . I had thought of that . There will be no queue to buy a 3:2 petrol petrol

unkel · 17-02-2021 12:54pm

Even in very good condition and low mileage it won't be worth much over a couple of grand and even at that it will be hard to find a buyer. So decision time! As coylemj said, these cars have several issues as they were from the dark ages of Mercedes-Benz (roughly 1994-2006) where corners were cut and money was saved. The facelift model is far superior.

Muller1966 · 17-02-2021 3:51pm

unkel wrote: »

Even in very good condition and low mileage it won't be worth much over a couple of grand and even at that it will be hard to find a buyer. So decision time! As coylemj said, these cars have several issues as they were from the dark ages of Mercedes-Benz (roughly 1994-2006) where corners were cut and money was saved. The facelift model is far superior.

Again you are correct . Selling this car for family reasons is not an option so I plan to put it in storage until it’s 20 years old . I have a complaint that will ensure it as classic at 20 years . From a purely economical view this is madness as I am losing money from day 1 . Even taxing it between 20 and 30 years will crucify me . But I am committed to this . Does anyone know anybody in the Munster region that would store it for 3 years in a dry location . I have a yard full of cars and exhausted all the goodwill of my friends/ business contacts with other projects . Thank you for all advice and assistance to date.

unkel · 17-02-2021 4:08pm

If you insist you want to keep it (as it has sentimental value?), you'd probably want to keep it in reasonably good condition too?

You might be able to insure it as a second or third car for (almost) as cheap as classic insurance, even tax it, particularly if you take into account storage cost. I don't know what that goes for and I could be completely off here, but I'd say you'd be looking at €30 per week minimum for indoors storage, so €1500 per year.

Muller1966 · 17-02-2021 6:59pm

unkel wrote: »

If you insist you want to keep it (as it has sentimental value?), you'd probably want to keep it in reasonably good condition too?

You might be able to insure it as a second or third car for (almost) as cheap as classic insurance, even tax it, particularly if you take into account storage cost. I don't know what that goes for and I could be completely off here, but I'd say you'd be looking at €30 per week minimum for indoors storage, so €1500 per year.

I am insured with Aviva and rang them with a proposal to ensure as a second car and mirror the no claims bonus . They couldn’t get me off the phone fast enough . Any ideas welcome as this car will be arriving shortly .

outfox · 17-02-2021 11:45pm

Muller1966 wrote: »

Does anyone know anybody in the Munster region that would store it for 3 years in a dry location .

There's a guy at Aherla in Cork who provides a long term storage facility. About €50 per month IIRC. Power available for a charger, and very secure. He's advertised on DD a few times. If you can't track him down, you could ask in the local shop.

kermitpwee · 18-02-2021 12:42am

Muller1966 wrote: »

I am insured with Aviva and rang them with a proposal to ensure as a second car and mirror the no claims bonus . They couldn’t get me off the phone fast enough . Any ideas welcome as this car will be arriving shortly .

Try axa on mirroring the bonus. I had it up till last year with 2 cars, admittedly both were with axa

Muller1966 · 18-02-2021 6:31am

kermitpwee wrote: »

Try axa on mirroring the bonus. I had it up till last year with 2 cars, admittedly both were with axa

Thanks to all for your assistance and helpful advice . Very much appreciated ðŸ‘

unkel · 18-02-2021 11:50am

Best of luck & Keep us updated!

And the nosy amongst us might like a bit of a back ground story on the car, why you are getting it and how you kind of have to keep it

2004 Mercedes E320

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