“Not very good at this job am I” !!! Guess not, your too honest. Sort of person I would buy a car from though. Love your videos, keep up the good work.
Absolutely superb content. I’ve run Mercs for the last 15 years and there are some real top quality independent specialists that FULLY understand them and will keep them rolling for very sensible money. SPR have a great reputation on the Mercedes Forums amongst a few others. Your dealings with those breakers is also not unusual unfortunately and also well documented on the forums. You have fixed pretty much every common issue on that variant and the gearbox service is well spent money. Sorry to hear you will take a bath on the car. I hope whomever buys it, appreciates it, respects the work you have carried out and maintains it going forward.
I’ve always thought that ‘bog spec’ luxury limos have a charm to them. You see so many pimped out 730d m sports and S class AMG lines. Sometimes it’s nice to see a nicely kept SE model. I think they age better.
I feel your pain about the VAT 😭 I am a doctor in South Africa - I don’t sell anything and I don’t purchase any consumables (to deduct from VAT) and I have to pay VAT on my entire income - it’s like a knife in the heart every time.
I really hope this channel blows up. I have nothing to do with Land Rovers, or S classes, but still enjoy these videos more than 90% of todays car shows.
angela1984a no, not at all. I think we’re all heading in the right direction. I try not to be wasteful. I recycle. I conserve heat and electricity etc but it would never stop me buying the car I wanted to flying somewhere I wanted to go
@@HighPeakAutos According to Climate Science you are unfortunately completely wrong. We are *absolutely not* heading in ”the right direction”! And seriously: How you are not aware of this in July of 2020 is kind of difficult for me to understand(!)… ”…/ The IPCC maps out four pathways to achieve 1.5C, with different combinations of land use and technological change. Reforestation is essential to all of them as are shifts to electric transport systems and greater adoption of carbon capture technology. Carbon pollution would have to be cut by 45% by 2030 - compared with a 20% cut under the 2C pathway - and come down to zero by 2050 /…” *SOURCE* (And note: That article is more than one year old!): www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report
angela1984a I thought you were asking my opinion, rather than trying to start an argument which I’m not partaking in. When I said ‘heading the right direction’ I was referring to auto manufacturers trying to get their cars greener and more efficient
I love the look / shape of this S class. It looks so stunning & classy, but understated. Your S class looks mint, Matt. Most people would not know it’s 14 years old, and they’d probably think it’s very expensive. Good on u for rescuing a great vehicle that (as u said) would have probably ended up being scrapped in 12 months time. It really is terrible how society does waste so much nowadays !! Many good cars, and other items, are thrown away, even though they could be fixed, maintained, and provide many more years of usage. I also agree that it sucks that u have to pay VAT on the difference between ur original purchase price, and the sale price ! It is a disincentive to spend $$$ and rescue good vehicles. So, what’s the better car for long drives etc. S class or RR Vogue ? The RR can go off road, but they r both fantastic vehicles. I do hope whoever buys the S class does appreciate all the work u did on it, and that they don’t bust ur ba - - s on ur asking price. Cheers. 🚗 💥 💨
With heated/ventilated massage seats, this would have been the ultimate long distance cruiser. It's still great but missing out on some popular comfort options.
We used to have a lovely silver 2000 MB E240 Elegance in London, bought new but scrapped in 2015 at 95,000 miles when it’s automatic transmission broke and it wasn’t financially worth repairing. We had trusted our old neighbourhood mechanic who had assured us that they had serviced it - but we couldn’t check it because it did not have a dipstick from the factory. Very sad.
Thank you for your effort, I really enjoy your content, have gone back through some older videos today and had a great time. Very refreshing to see such an honest man. I’m a Range Rover fan as well . Keep up the good work
Am a big fan of your channel, I'll be very interested in if you did more videos on the road trips that you do to Spain, you have a niche here with viewers who are loyal , overshare
You should be really chuffed with this Matt. Not your usual review, but fascinating. You've often said that you love cars and here's the living proof. I'm more than twice your age, a generation that kept things going rather than just scrapping them. That applied especially to cars. Your closing piece really got to me. You're right, why scrap a terrific car that is less than half way through it's potential life span. Pleased that you went with your heart and not your head. It looks terrific, 'shined up' a treat. Great job. I really hope that you get more than the overall cost and turn a profit. But sometimes you just have to do the right thing. Your honesty shines through, I'd consider buying a car from you. Trouble is I'm in Shropshire. Better still get you to buy one for me, fettle it and put a mark-up on😉. Great stuff fella. Hope you continue to do well. Cheers Roj.
I do agree with you that we need to recycle more and stop dumping cars. I just bought an 11-year old car with no fault but I changed all fluids because I wasn’t sure if it was done before. Taking good care of it. I like to buy cars even though I don’t t need all of them.
Happy for the part 2. Great to see these older cars continue. Because people really don't know what you get for your money. But people must also remember that if you buy cars like this, your budget must be more than what you expect to pay for it because you must factor in maintenance. Cars of this calibre and engineering won't be cheap to service in general. It makes sense. It's not like a secret. They're amazing cars and go forever if maintained well. My dad has a 2004 C220 cdi. It has the bulletproof 2.1 diesel from that time with 298,000kms on now. Looks and drives like new. We just make sure we take it to Mercedes for all servicing.
You are the best type of car dealer I must say and love the vids you do. I brought my merc which has the same engine, OM642- 3.0 V6- but it`s in an E class( same age car)
I have owned a E320cdI V6 for the last 9 years and apart from routine maintenance ,and as you say a gearbox flush ,it has never missed a beat. The road tax is a bit expensive at £330 but it's well worth the cost. We have been all over Europe in it Including Poland Germany Croatia Austria, and its still going strong. Well done to you for saving the car from the breakers yard.
All that crud that sits in the bottom of the tank is finding its way to the injectors. Years ago my folks had a Chrysler Avenger, remember those? A few had the insides of the petrol tanks painted and the paint flaked off. Chrysler never knew which ones to recall, but my parents owned one. They discovered this courtesy of the AA whilst parked on the hard shoulder of the M4.
Yes I always see cars for sale where they show the guage cluster and the fuel light is always on. The dealers irritate me because they don't care so long as they sell it.
@@AndyK.1 Wow crazy. I once went to test drive a W204 C250 cdi a few year back. The car had zero fuel and the engine light even then appeared. Not sure why? I asked them of they can rather put diesel before I drive it and they begrudgingly said yes. The engine light went away. They really don't care. It's so sad. Makes it hard to buy a used vehicle because you don't know how it was treated.
I just love your videos man. such an honest decent person.....If anyone is near this guy please travel and buy your next car from him...dealers like this need to be supported......you know it makes sense!
As an owner of a ‘08 S450 V8 (with the night vision, distronic, sunroof and soft close doors ;-)) I have to say I’m impressed with the overall quality and exquisite ride quality. A true Mercedes-Benz
I would buy that model Mercedes all day long the latest Mercedes and all 0ther New Mercs don't even have a Star emblem on the bonnet and have lost their Classy looks 😩
@@richardcarden7747 The Mercedes Benz emblems are retractable were right from the very start as a Merc safety feature . I am on my 8th Mercedes and have had a few stolen ended up keeping one in the glove box as a reserve.
If you can find the S350 diesel long wheel base you will never drive anything else again. Mine came with three packs as was on it from new. There are many wonderful features to find and it takes a good 2 years of motoring to find them all. The car has the presence of Royalty wherever you take it. The in car entertainment system is just fanatical, but the best music is the silence she comands when driving along any road surface. Look for one owner , sensible miles and a loving home. They do exist.
I felt weirdly comfortable while watching the video. Love your videos and content! Thank you so much for your work! Hard working and honesty will always be appreciated!
0:59 I saw one of these recently (08 plate) in AMG Spec, black with a Sunroof and it looked alot of money. Even my non petrol-head wife made a comment- "oh that looks nice" and she really doesn't get phased by blingy cars often. So with the right spec and options- if you have that parked on your drive I reckon people will still think you are doing well for yourself even with a 12-14 year old S class
With most Mercedes though. They age very well so even older ones look more expensive than they are. The only problem is the new ones only look expensive if specced correctly. The base models are not too great.
The problem in uk with cars is a number plate year snobbery. Older cars are rather cheap comparing to continental equivalents. No one looks what they get for their money and how "usable" and difficult is to maintain. On top of that: Since about 2000,-2005 cars got much more complicated, they need specialized service, plus high labour cost; and we've got that perfect combination that drives cars to the crusher. I'd rather have merc like that and I would be happy to spend some money on it over two, three years to come: than have a nearly new fiesta or new dacia. But that's my point of view.
It happens with Mercs, a lot people know its so reliable, they don't do the simple maintainance, you have to still do the basics on it. We had a W123 for 17yrs, I've now got a 98 S320 for 12 yrs. Do the services!
i know this probably doesn't mean much to you, but thanks for saving it... I bought a 1994 S320 Mercedes, legendary W140 model. It had done 350,000kms so it was very near the end of its life. Engine was good, transmission was great, a lot of it's luxury features were broken but the car still wanted to go. The owner wanted to junk it, but I bought it. Your words resonated with me, cause I couldn't let such a legendary car go to the junk yard. Alternator blew a few months later, but i got it fixed and its still going today. A year and a half later.
I believe the phrase you are looking for is from Pistonheads 'Bork Factor'. This is why a lot of these types of vehicle are cheap as chips - as they are a total money pit to repair if/when things go wrong. It is a handsome looking car tho, will give it that.
Once again an honest and quite emotive appraisal of a formerly unloved prestige car. “Price is what you pay,value is what you get” Warren Buffett. Can’t believe you stated you’re an introvert
To me personally it doesnt matter if I incurred any loss because the feeling of reviving such a great icon and enjoying the momemt of my achievement out weights the monitery loss. "We never lose anything, we simply become a part of a learning chain."
...and spot on. I always pity the people Mike buys the cars from and envy those whom he sells them to because they get a very thoughtfully repaired and serviced cars at bargain basement prices.
Loving the Wheeler Dealer shade! 👍😂 Fingers crossed for those 45 sheets... The VAT system sucks! You're so right about price vs value. Everyone seems to want 'a deal and cost is king 🤦♂️
@@HighPeakAutos Then you are not actually paying it... In the end you will just pay for the real profit, if you get billed for every part and maintanance job.
I really appreciate your honesty, if only more car dealers would "do the right thing" and prep their cars properly for resale by giving them a proper service and making sure they were as good as possible they would have much happier customer s who would go back time after time and recommend to a friend . I'm too far away to visit your garage but would have no hesitation buying from you. Im looking for a nice C70 D5 at present and agree with you totally about not looking for the cheapest but looking for a well looked after car . Great video once again
As I’ve said in my previous post in the previous video, the S-Class is a fantastic car and deserves to be looked after. Still better in black and with parking sensors 😂
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.” John Ruskin
A few years ago, 3500 quid bought you a Peugeot 407. Now you can get the flagship Mercedes of the same year. Except the Peugeot will always be on your driveway instead of in the shop.
When some bean counter tells me how many people I van have if they cost X, I have to explain that project will take much longer and the total cost would be higher. It annoys me, but you probably guessed that. I am liking the look of that S class though, wafty and comfortable I'm sure Mrs C would approve. It will probably last another 10 years now.
Thankfully, there are those of us car nuts who truly want to keep the quality of even an older Mercedes S550 4-MATIC at its best. Living in Arizona does make it easier. Dave in Phoenix Arizona
Superbly honest and humble. One of your best. I share your pain - 'no such thing as a cheap Mercedes' even if you pay £50 grand fore one! I bought a nearly new E400 4 metic with all the bells and whistles in Feb 2018. I went through 4 run flats in 12 months - potholes; but if you look sideways at them they bulge. Plus a cracked wheel - potholes, etc etc. Just put another two new tyres on. Total 6 * £280 for tyres, plus £800+ for wheel; £2480! About what you spent on the old S class 'clunker'!
You always have to find a good repair shop. My step-mother had kept her Mercedes-Benz Benz 230 for more than 30 years. And she has gone to two repair shops in all these years. Thanks showing this one.
I like your channel and used one of your Jaguar XF review to buy my own XF Sportbrake. What you may not realise is that your movies contribute to improvement of english language skills. All your descriptions 'boot in a different postcode' adding 'this' at the end of the sentence 'car is not a slouch' etc. are examples of spoken language which could not be found in books. Thanks, great effort.
I had a 2008 Merc B150 and replaced so many things while owning it and my wife driving it for 8 years, but I know it was almost perfect. Then I swapped it for a new Toyota little Toyota and got 2k in px. I had spent with buying and maintaining the merc just over 15k Cheers for your content, I really enjoy and get your humor.
I appreciate your honesty. I bought the cheapest qashqai around recently, it seemed like such a bargain, but it was still knackered after a number of trips to the garage. I ended up trading it in 5 months later at a loss of £800. I learnt the hard way that your comment about value is 100% right.
I've just bought a well priced CLK 320 CDI - was £1000 cheaper than one I was going to buy that the private seller never declared it was a previous write off - this one is great and will be using the £1000 saved for a full engine service, gearbox oil, coolant flush and anything else that's required! Runs like a dream so far
Hi Matt, everything you say is so true and don't I know it! As an old car dealer friend of mine used to say "a cheap car is never cheap enough"! I have been watching quite a few of your excellent videos lately, great delivery coupled to insightful and intelligent commentary. Cheers! Nick (Cornwall)
I've always been a huge fan of the S Class even though I've only been in one as a passenger twice and would love to buy an old one but everyone I know that has had one has warned me off saying you will need deep pockets for the repairs!
They are really nice big cruisers, i have always had a soft spot for them, just never been brave enough to take the risk, i am glad you turned it around and made it good to go, it will be a great buy for someone.
Alright r kid. You win some,lose some We need to appreciate the value not just the cost,you are the man. Straight to the point,I would buy a car from you any day.
Interesting musings on profit and loss. Buying any Mercedes is going to be a gamble, you go for it for the experience, not the profit. You have learnt a lot and it will bear you in good stead for the future. Great video, brilliant narrative style.
Love your videos. I am an American and moved to the Canaries a couple of years ago, I know very little about European cars, your channel is such an eye opener. Thanks for all your information and hard work.
If you still had not fixed the clock issue it’s pretty easy albeit odd. It’s likely because it thinks it’s in the wrong time zone and you need to change in settings before it locks onto satellite. Best to do in a garage but turn on to accessories without starting the car, quickly navigate to settings, time, adjust the time zone and hour if needed. You need to do this quick before it locates a satellite or it will revert. Do it right and you will see the clock change which is very cool.
Credit to you for bringing the car back up to a great standard , instead of just trading it on . It will make someone a VERY nice car when you sell it on .
Been looking forward to this video. Beautiful car, some may consider relative lack of gizmos an advantage in an older car, less to go wrong, usually expensive and things which don't detract from the car if they are missing. With work you've had done it might go well for a long time now. A good independent Mercedes specialist is key to making these cars affordable.
I have a CLS500 the same age. Well done for not going down the different & black rims, blacked out windows chav route. Mercs of that age are a bargain at the moment, you've just go to be brave enough to own one, I think they're worth the expense.
Matt, you really need to do a second-hand car blog, as the advice you give on what to look for and do to maintain older cars is super simple and really effective. i always feel like I need a notebook when you are listing sensible things to take care of, so i don't miss anything!
Definitely a big improvement and this generation isn’t tooo complex thank goodness. The trouble is people buy these expensive cars to have the glitzy image and can’t afford to run them annoyingly. I too agree that my 15yo well maintained V70 is far friendlier to the environment than any Pruis. It’s not isolated to the Merc, it’s all modern cars. Great video, I’d buy a car from you.
Hi, I bought the same car, had the same problems and then some. Ended up spending £11k on repairs over 2 years. Bought the car for £13k.....But what a car. Few issues with mine: Turbo Pressure Sensor Oil cooler N/S Front Shock senor on mount window software update DPF Pressure sensor ABS sensor EGR Valve Airbags for massage seats changed Relay for drivers seat adjuster N/S control arm gearbox was hunting but left it as mechanic said torque converter probably shot Alternator Turbo Orange seal Intake clean (they saw me coming) best car i've ever owned though..finally part ex it and last I heard it's exported
9:40 That's what it's all about. Same here, there is a lot of knowledge and experience gained from keeping these cars going. A person who appreciates the vehicle, will also look after it.
Just shows you are a genuine dealer after I have had many poor experiences with cars I have bought with faults from dealers then been left to sort out at my expense 👍🏻 looks a real nice car now will give some 1 many years of pleasure driving
There are so many people who want a brand new car and the latest number plate and will rent a car for that reason, but that merc now looks stunning and sod what year it is , nice work 👌🏻
SPR sounds ideal! My rear windows on my CL don’t work, I’ve been told likely a software update, I’m taking mine there now! Thanks for the tip, I’ll mention you and this great channel,
Good advice. Just bought a car for my wife. Original budget 30k. Actual spend 48k, for something better and newer, and overall we felt better in the long term.
A dealer who actually gets things fixed properly is a rare find in itself. I'd buy from you any day, thanks... Nice video and Merc.
Andy James my sentiments exactly. Good advertisement for his business too.
W221, heavy robust car
I would buy from your your car busness any day you are honest and straight talking person
same here - would love to buy ur cars mate
u r a true car lover like me bro...
Me too, has a genuine passion for keeping decent cars on the road.
“Not very good at this job am I” !!! Guess not, your too honest. Sort of person I would buy a car from though. Love your videos, keep up the good work.
Haha Cheers!
Just love his honesty. I would defo buy a car from him. Honesty in the car trade is VERY rare. Pity he is not dealing in Motherwell :-)
Me too man, I will buy something from him soon
Definitely WYSIWYG (anybody use that any more?). I reckon I'll buy. car from him one day. As usual some cracking comments. ;-)
Me too and I live in Glasgow 😀
Absolutely superb content. I’ve run Mercs for the last 15 years and there are some real top quality independent specialists that FULLY understand them and will keep them rolling for very sensible money. SPR have a great reputation on the Mercedes Forums amongst a few others.
Your dealings with those breakers is also not unusual unfortunately and also well documented on the forums.
You have fixed pretty much every common issue on that variant and the gearbox service is well spent money.
Sorry to hear you will take a bath on the car.
I hope whomever buys it, appreciates it, respects the work you have carried out and maintains it going forward.
Some folk know the price of everything and the value of nothing
Thats right
I love this comment... I see that in my business all the time.
Me too !
now that's a good one
They're called accountants. Know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
You're the kind of guy I definitely need to buy my cars from. Exactly same outlook on motors as myself 👍🏼
How can you dislike these videos? I love watching them, good honest reviews and helpful tips, what more could you ask for 🤔
Thanks for watching!
Had me at " Low ranking drug dealer spec"..lol
😂
Still better than Soviet spec.
I’ve always thought that ‘bog spec’ luxury limos have a charm to them. You see so many pimped out 730d m sports and S class AMG lines. Sometimes it’s nice to see a nicely kept SE model. I think they age better.
Yes good point. I’d like to have a few more extras though but yes if they’re too blingy that has a negative effect
Less things to go wrong.
I have the AMG
Glad you kept the original alloys. You've done a great job, keep up the good work!
Cheers!
still a lot of car for the asking price plus it's all in great order someone is going to get a good car
I feel your pain about the VAT 😭
I am a doctor in South Africa - I don’t sell anything and I don’t purchase any consumables (to deduct from VAT) and I have to pay VAT on my entire income - it’s like a knife in the heart every time.
Johannes Vorster yes I bet. It seems unfair
I really hope this channel blows up. I have nothing to do with Land Rovers, or S classes, but still enjoy these videos more than 90% of todays car shows.
Thanks! I appreciate your support 👍🏻
@@HighPeakAutos Question: Does Man-Made Global Warming ever factor in when it comes to your own personal car purchases?
angela1984a no, not at all. I think we’re all heading in the right direction. I try not to be wasteful. I recycle. I conserve heat and electricity etc but it would never stop me buying the car I wanted to flying somewhere I wanted to go
@@HighPeakAutos According to Climate Science you are unfortunately completely wrong. We are *absolutely not* heading in ”the right direction”! And seriously: How you are not aware of this in July of 2020 is kind of difficult for me to understand(!)… ”…/ The IPCC maps out four pathways to achieve 1.5C, with different combinations of land use and technological change. Reforestation is essential to all of them as are shifts to electric transport systems and greater adoption of carbon capture technology. Carbon pollution would have to be cut by 45% by 2030 - compared with a 20% cut under the 2C pathway - and come down to zero by 2050 /…” *SOURCE* (And note: That article is more than one year old!): www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report
angela1984a I thought you were asking my opinion, rather than trying to start an argument which I’m not partaking in. When I said ‘heading the right direction’ I was referring to auto manufacturers trying to get their cars greener and more efficient
I love the look / shape of this S class. It looks so stunning & classy, but understated. Your S class looks mint, Matt. Most people would not know it’s 14 years old, and they’d probably think it’s very expensive. Good on u for rescuing a great vehicle that (as u said) would have probably ended up being scrapped in 12 months time. It really is terrible how society does waste so much nowadays !! Many good cars, and other items, are thrown away, even though they could be fixed, maintained, and provide many more years of usage. I also agree that it sucks that u have to pay VAT on the difference between ur original purchase price, and the sale price ! It is a disincentive to spend $$$ and rescue good vehicles. So, what’s the better car for long drives etc. S class or RR Vogue ? The RR can go off road, but they r both fantastic vehicles. I do hope whoever buys the S class does appreciate all the work u did on it, and that they don’t bust ur ba - - s on ur asking price. Cheers. 🚗 💥 💨
With heated/ventilated massage seats, this would have been the ultimate long distance cruiser. It's still great but missing out on some popular comfort options.
If I’m in the market for an older S-Class, I’ll buy that Merc since you already did what needs to be done! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Yea and if me aunty had balls she would be my uncle - wise up man “if I’m in the market” a woman can’t be half pregnant.
Stan Drew1 make him an offer🙃
We used to have a lovely silver 2000 MB E240 Elegance in London, bought new but scrapped in 2015 at 95,000 miles when it’s automatic transmission broke and it wasn’t financially worth repairing. We had trusted our old neighbourhood mechanic who had assured us that they had serviced it - but we couldn’t check it because it did not have a dipstick from the factory. Very sad.
Thank you for your effort, I really enjoy your content, have gone back through some older videos today and had a great time. Very refreshing to see such an honest man. I’m a Range Rover fan as well . Keep up the good work
Thanks! I appreciate it
My saying is “In life, there’s nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes” - learned that through experience.
The Wheeler Dealer reference was spot on 😂
Nobody ever accounts for the time the projects take and what that would cost 😂
High Peak Autos yeah I can’t imagine Ed’s a cheap mechanic.
@ doubt he would be cheap considering his skill set, he does a hell of a lot of stuff most normal mechanics don't touch.
I said that from the first show , that plank mike talking shite
I think that's why Edd left, he never earned a penny. 😂
I still look at this car whenever it passes me despite my having an E-class.
Am a big fan of your channel, I'll be very interested in if you did more videos on the road trips that you do to Spain, you have a niche here with viewers who are loyal , overshare
Thanks for watching! I’m going to do some more road trip videos soon hopefully
Yes, good idea, perhaps featuring the BMW M3?
Gearbox oil on these should be done every 50k
You should be really chuffed with this Matt. Not your usual review, but fascinating. You've often said that you love cars and here's the living proof. I'm more than twice your age, a generation that kept things going rather than just scrapping them. That applied especially to cars. Your closing piece really got to me. You're right, why scrap a terrific car that is less than half way through it's potential life span. Pleased that you went with your heart and not your head. It looks terrific, 'shined up' a treat. Great job. I really hope that you get more than the overall cost and turn a profit. But sometimes you just have to do the right thing. Your honesty shines through, I'd consider buying a car from you. Trouble is I'm in Shropshire. Better still get you to buy one for me, fettle it and put a mark-up on😉. Great stuff fella. Hope you continue to do well. Cheers Roj.
I do agree with you that we need to recycle more and stop dumping cars. I just bought an 11-year old car with no fault but I changed all fluids because I wasn’t sure if it was done before. Taking good care of it. I like to buy cars even though I don’t t need all of them.
Happy for the part 2. Great to see these older cars continue. Because people really don't know what you get for your money. But people must also remember that if you buy cars like this, your budget must be more than what you expect to pay for it because you must factor in maintenance. Cars of this calibre and engineering won't be cheap to service in general. It makes sense. It's not like a secret. They're amazing cars and go forever if maintained well. My dad has a 2004 C220 cdi. It has the bulletproof 2.1 diesel from that time with 298,000kms on now. Looks and drives like new. We just make sure we take it to Mercedes for all servicing.
Well done mate it’s look very nice the S class clean. I know you spend time and money on your cars. God bless you mate 👍🏻
I didn't think you are an introvert, I love alone times too lol, I love that wheeler dealer show that I even watch repeats.
You are the best type of car dealer I must say and love the vids you do. I brought my merc which has the same engine, OM642- 3.0 V6- but it`s in an E class( same age car)
I have owned a E320cdI V6 for the last 9 years and apart from routine maintenance ,and as you say a gearbox flush ,it has never missed a beat.
The road tax is a bit expensive at £330 but it's well worth the cost. We have been all over Europe in it Including Poland Germany Croatia Austria, and its still going strong. Well done to you for saving the car from the breakers yard.
That’s good going!
Telling a dealer not to let the fuel run low 😂. Waste of breath 😂
Haha to most yes
All that crud that sits in the bottom of the tank is finding its way to the injectors.
Years ago my folks had a Chrysler Avenger, remember those? A few had the insides of the petrol tanks painted and the paint flaked off. Chrysler never knew which ones to recall, but my parents owned one. They discovered this courtesy of the AA whilst parked on the hard shoulder of the M4.
Yes I always see cars for sale where they show the guage cluster and the fuel light is always on. The dealers irritate me because they don't care so long as they sell it.
SDav21 When I purchased from a trader the fuel light was flashing. I filled it from a can. The dealer seamed annoyed with me.
@@AndyK.1 Wow crazy. I once went to test drive a W204 C250 cdi a few year back. The car had zero fuel and the engine light even then appeared. Not sure why? I asked them of they can rather put diesel before I drive it and they begrudgingly said yes. The engine light went away. They really don't care. It's so sad. Makes it hard to buy a used vehicle because you don't know how it was treated.
after the whole profit /loss analysis ...I really do feel for you
I just love your videos man. such an honest decent person.....If anyone is near this guy please travel and buy your next car from him...dealers like this need to be supported......you know it makes sense!
As an owner of a ‘08 S450 V8 (with the night vision, distronic, sunroof and soft close doors ;-)) I have to say I’m impressed with the overall quality and exquisite ride quality. A true Mercedes-Benz
I’d keep and enjoy it for a couple of years, it’ll still be worth close to the money after that. Another great video, keep them coming.
I would buy that model Mercedes all day long the latest Mercedes and all 0ther New Mercs don't even have a Star emblem on the bonnet and have lost their Classy looks 😩
Think that’s because of modern crash regulations - bonnet ornaments have to be retractable.
@@richardcarden7747 The Mercedes Benz emblems are retractable were right from the very start as a Merc safety feature . I am on my 8th Mercedes and have had a few stolen ended up keeping one in the glove box as a reserve.
@@richardcarden7747 You can buy 'traditional' grilles and emblem direct from Germany. They still produce some models with the traditional front.
@@richardcarden7747 not actually crash, but pedestrian safety regulations.
If you can find the S350 diesel long wheel base you will never drive anything else again. Mine came with three packs as was on it from new. There are many wonderful features to find and it takes a good 2 years of motoring to find them all. The car has the presence of Royalty wherever you take it. The in car entertainment system is just fanatical, but the best music is the silence she comands when driving along any road surface. Look for one owner , sensible miles and a loving home. They do exist.
I felt weirdly comfortable while watching the video. Love your videos and content! Thank you so much for your work! Hard working and honesty will always be appreciated!
Awesome! Thank you!
Looks great.. keep it 20 yrs in a garage and it'll only go up.
(P.s..where did you get a full detail valet and wheel refurb for £180.? )🙂
0:59 I saw one of these recently (08 plate) in AMG Spec, black with a Sunroof and it looked alot of money. Even my non petrol-head wife made a comment- "oh that looks nice" and she really doesn't get phased by blingy cars often. So with the right spec and options- if you have that parked on your drive I reckon people will still think you are doing well for yourself even with a 12-14 year old S class
With most Mercedes though. They age very well so even older ones look more expensive than they are. The only problem is the new ones only look expensive if specced correctly. The base models are not too great.
The problem in uk with cars is a number plate year snobbery. Older cars are rather cheap comparing to continental equivalents. No one looks what they get for their money and how "usable" and difficult is to maintain. On top of that: Since about 2000,-2005 cars got much more complicated, they need specialized service, plus high labour cost; and we've got that perfect combination that drives cars to the crusher. I'd rather have merc like that and I would be happy to spend some money on it over two, three years to come: than have a nearly new fiesta or new dacia. But that's my point of view.
Left the car job last Oct after 25yrs don't miss a minute of it🤣 first 15 where great last 10 a pain in the overdraft stay safe and keep going 👍👍
It happens with Mercs, a lot people know its so reliable, they don't do the simple maintainance, you have to still do the basics on it. We had a W123 for 17yrs, I've now got a 98 S320 for 12 yrs. Do the services!
Nice to see another video😃 would love to see a few videos on the m3 if it’s hanging around still 👍
i know this probably doesn't mean much to you, but thanks for saving it... I bought a 1994 S320 Mercedes, legendary W140 model. It had done 350,000kms so it was very near the end of its life. Engine was good, transmission was great, a lot of it's luxury features were broken but the car still wanted to go. The owner wanted to junk it, but I bought it. Your words resonated with me, cause I couldn't let such a legendary car go to the junk yard. Alternator blew a few months later, but i got it fixed and its still going today. A year and a half later.
Pleased to hear it! Cars like this are built to last
I believe the phrase you are looking for is from Pistonheads 'Bork Factor'. This is why a lot of these types of vehicle are cheap as chips - as they are a total money pit to repair if/when things go wrong. It is a handsome looking car tho, will give it that.
You need a Car Wizard like Hoovy.
Whomever buys this car will realise that it has already paid for itself after four seconds.
Very True
Once again an honest and quite emotive appraisal of a formerly unloved prestige car.
“Price is what you pay,value is what you get” Warren Buffett.
Can’t believe you stated you’re an introvert
To me personally it doesnt matter if I incurred any loss because the feeling of reviving such a great icon and enjoying the momemt of my achievement out weights the monitery loss. "We never lose anything, we simply become a part of a learning chain."
I absolutely love this car 👍
Aaaaaahaha loved the comment about wheeler dealers. Brilliant
...and spot on. I always pity the people Mike buys the cars from and envy those whom he sells them to because they get a very thoughtfully repaired and serviced cars at bargain basement prices.
Listen, your honesty and work ethics will pay off in the long run. If I lived in the UK you would be the first garage I visited. Cheers
Thanks!
Loving the Wheeler Dealer shade! 👍😂
Fingers crossed for those 45 sheets... The VAT system sucks!
You're so right about price vs value. Everyone seems to want 'a deal and cost is king 🤦♂️
Exactly!
Don't say this is the perfect road trip car, you had just convinced me that an S90 would be the perfect road trip car.
now thats funny, i want to buy all his recommended cars but have no money. mate stop telling us this cars are perfect lol
S class is the only car I’d drive for comfort even if it’s 17 years old. And that’s coming from a Bmw owner
You've done a good job for who ever buys it, a lot of car for a decent price , a real stunner .
You may only make £45 profit but you are showing us all who love these luxury cars that we mere mortals can drive our dream barges for years! 😊
When you pay X amount to fix a car, service, parts etc, cant you claim the 20% from those services procured? Still a shit trade granted
That’s right, you can claim the vat on your expenditure against your total VAT bill. It’s never money back but it always makes it slightly less
@@HighPeakAutos Then you are not actually paying it... In the end you will just pay for the real profit, if you get billed for every part and maintanance job.
“Not very good at this job am I?” 🤣😂🤣😂
RATTLER MORGAN Huggs.
I really appreciate your honesty, if only more car dealers would "do the right thing" and prep their cars properly for resale by giving them a proper service and making sure they were as good as possible they would have much happier customer s who would go back time after time and recommend to a friend .
I'm too far away to visit your garage but would have no hesitation buying from you.
Im looking for a nice C70 D5 at present and agree with you totally about not looking for the cheapest but looking for a well looked after car . Great video once again
Excellent niche piece, interesting to see how your you tube career progresses, you have a very watchable relaxed style
Thank you! Cheers!
There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes!
As I’ve said in my previous post in the previous video, the S-Class is a fantastic car and deserves to be looked after. Still better in black and with parking sensors 😂
I agree
It's the perfect car if you can do the work yourself, looking down the bonnet and seeing the star just makes you feel special.
Hahaha good point on the "Wheeler Dealers guide to profit"...no wonder Edd reached the end of his rope and exited the building!
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When
you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay
too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you
bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The
common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a
lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well
to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will
have enough to pay for something better.” John Ruskin
Imperious driving
Look at how much you threw at the Beemer.
The S Class is cheaper and still looks the Rottweilers dangly bits.
I’ve had a bit of amnesia with the M3 bills so I’m keeping it and enjoying it now
A few years ago, 3500 quid bought you a Peugeot 407. Now you can get the flagship Mercedes of the same year.
Except the Peugeot will always be on your driveway instead of in the shop.
On bricks, presumably?
When some bean counter tells me how many people I van have if they cost X, I have to explain that project will take much longer and the total cost would be higher. It annoys me, but you probably guessed that.
I am liking the look of that S class though, wafty and comfortable I'm sure Mrs C would approve. It will probably last another 10 years now.
Thankfully, there are those of us car nuts who truly want to keep the quality of even an older Mercedes S550 4-MATIC at its best. Living in Arizona does make it easier. Dave in Phoenix Arizona
"Cheap Soviet-spec S-Class Mercedes" :D
Superbly honest and humble. One of your best. I share your pain - 'no such thing as a cheap Mercedes' even if you pay £50 grand fore one! I bought a nearly new E400 4 metic with all the bells and whistles in Feb 2018. I went through 4 run flats in 12 months - potholes; but if you look sideways at them they bulge. Plus a cracked wheel - potholes, etc etc. Just put another two new tyres on. Total 6 * £280 for tyres, plus £800+ for wheel; £2480! About what you spent on the old S class 'clunker'!
A good honest fella you are Matt. Great to see you’ve saved a nice Merc from extinction for a few years to come....👍
Thanks 👍
You always have to find a good repair shop. My step-mother had kept her Mercedes-Benz Benz 230 for more than 30 years. And she has gone to two repair shops in all these years. Thanks showing this one.
Thanks.
And if you are Happy Father's Day to you as well.
I like your channel and used one of your Jaguar XF review to buy my own XF Sportbrake. What you may not realise is that your movies contribute to improvement of english language skills. All your descriptions 'boot in a different postcode' adding 'this' at the end of the sentence 'car is not a slouch' etc. are examples of spoken language which could not be found in books. Thanks, great effort.
I had a 2008 Merc B150 and replaced so many things while owning it and my wife driving it for 8 years, but I know it was almost perfect. Then I swapped it for a new Toyota little Toyota and got 2k in px.
I had spent with buying and maintaining the merc just over 15k
Cheers for your content, I really enjoy and get your humor.
Thanks for watching!
I appreciate your honesty. I bought the cheapest qashqai around recently, it seemed like such a bargain, but it was still knackered after a number of trips to the garage. I ended up trading it in 5 months later at a loss of £800. I learnt the hard way that your comment about value is 100% right.
An honest dealer (like yourself) has to lose sometimes but overall you know your doing the right thing in the car industry!
I've just bought a well priced CLK 320 CDI - was £1000 cheaper than one I was going to buy that the private seller never declared it was a previous write off - this one is great and will be using the £1000 saved for a full engine service, gearbox oil, coolant flush and anything else that's required! Runs like a dream so far
Will drive better then most other brands for more money! Nothing wrong buying a older classy car once problems sorted
Hi Matt, everything you say is so true and don't I know it! As an old car dealer friend of mine used to say "a cheap car is never cheap enough"! I have been watching quite a few of your excellent videos lately, great delivery coupled to insightful and intelligent commentary. Cheers! Nick (Cornwall)
Thanks Nick!
I've always been a huge fan of the S Class even though I've only been in one as a passenger twice and would love to buy an old one but everyone I know that has had one has warned me off saying you will need deep pockets for the repairs!
They are really nice big cruisers, i have always had a soft spot for them, just never been brave enough to take the risk, i am glad you turned it around and made it good to go, it will be a great buy for someone.
Totally agree!
Alright r kid.
You win some,lose some
We need to appreciate the value not just the cost,you are the man.
Straight to the point,I would buy a car from you any day.
Interesting musings on profit and loss. Buying any Mercedes is going to be a gamble, you go for it for the experience, not the profit. You have learnt a lot and it will bear you in good stead for the future. Great video, brilliant narrative style.
Love your videos. I am an American and moved to the Canaries a couple of years ago, I know very little about European cars, your channel is such an eye opener. Thanks for all your information and hard work.
Thanks! I love the Canaries. Take care
If you still had not fixed the clock issue it’s pretty easy albeit odd. It’s likely because it thinks it’s in the wrong time zone and you need to change in settings before it locks onto satellite. Best to do in a garage but turn on to accessories without starting the car, quickly navigate to settings, time, adjust the time zone and hour if needed. You need to do this quick before it locates a satellite or it will revert. Do it right and you will see the clock change which is very cool.
12:02 so true, you never want to buy the cheapest of anything, and people don't see the difference between price and value.
Credit to you for bringing the car back up to a great standard , instead of just trading it on . It will make someone a VERY nice car when you sell it on .
I appreciate that!
Been looking forward to this video. Beautiful car, some may consider relative lack of gizmos an advantage in an older car, less to go wrong, usually expensive and things which don't detract from the car if they are missing. With work you've had done it might go well for a long time now. A good independent Mercedes specialist is key to making these cars affordable.
I have a CLS500 the same age. Well done for not going down the different & black rims, blacked out windows chav route. Mercs of that age are a bargain at the moment, you've just go to be brave enough to own one, I think they're worth the expense.
I think that 2000£ was quite cheap for a S-Class . I was expecting it to be a lot more . I like your videos a lot, keep up the good work !
Matt, you really need to do a second-hand car blog, as the advice you give on what to look for and do to maintain older cars is super simple and really effective. i always feel like I need a notebook when you are listing sensible things to take care of, so i don't miss anything!
Thanks!
Definitely a big improvement and this generation isn’t tooo complex thank goodness. The trouble is people buy these expensive cars to have the glitzy image and can’t afford to run them annoyingly. I too agree that my 15yo well maintained V70 is far friendlier to the environment than any Pruis. It’s not isolated to the Merc, it’s all modern cars.
Great video, I’d buy a car from you.
Hi, I bought the same car, had the same problems and then some. Ended up spending £11k on repairs over 2 years. Bought the car for £13k.....But what a car. Few issues with mine:
Turbo Pressure Sensor
Oil cooler
N/S Front Shock senor on mount
window software update
DPF Pressure sensor
ABS sensor
EGR Valve
Airbags for massage seats changed
Relay for drivers seat adjuster
N/S control arm
gearbox was hunting but left it as mechanic said torque converter probably shot
Alternator
Turbo Orange seal
Intake clean (they saw me coming)
best car i've ever owned though..finally part ex it and last I heard it's exported
9:40 That's what it's all about. Same here, there is a lot of knowledge and experience gained from keeping these cars going. A person who appreciates the vehicle, will also look after it.
Balance between joy of driving, cost of maintenance and reliability is always a challenge.
Good clip !
Thanks! 👍
Just shows you are a genuine dealer after I have had many poor experiences with cars I have bought with faults from dealers then been left to sort out at my expense 👍🏻 looks a real nice car now will give some 1 many years of pleasure driving
There are so many people who want a brand new car and the latest number plate and will rent a car for that reason, but that merc now looks stunning and sod what year it is , nice work 👌🏻
Exactly! Its a waste of money
SPR sounds ideal! My rear windows on my CL don’t work, I’ve been told likely a software update, I’m taking mine there now! Thanks for the tip, I’ll mention you and this great channel,
They'll cure it. They're very good
Totally agree with you about fixing the car up. Just done the same with my CLS 320.
Good advice. Just bought a car for my wife. Original budget 30k. Actual spend 48k, for something better and newer, and overall we felt better in the long term.