Valuation request

[Mojo121 229]

Hi all,

Not our normal sort of thing but a chap has asked us about selling a car for him, so just need a retail valuation:

2004 '54' SLK350 auto/tip

Done 56k, FMBSH. Straight, tidy. In silver with Red leather. 

Thanks in advance

[EPV 631]

£6,000.

I'd hate to sell it personally especially in silver with red leather but the right bum for that seat would pay £6k I think and maybe £6,500 if they have been looking for one for ages in that weird colour combo.

 

[Mojo121 229]

1 hour ago, EPV said:

£6,000.

I'd hate to sell it personally especially in silver with red leather but the right bum for that seat would pay £6k I think and maybe £6,500 if they have been looking for one for ages in that weird colour combo.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Are they a desirable motor? Matey wants 5 back for it. I was hoping to market at £6,295 so what you've said fits. I'm not short on space so it seems worth a punt. 

[Huw@Tipstrade 0]

Be careful with these, the M272 engine has a problem with it's balance shaft wearing at this age. EML with a camshaft position fault code is usually the first sign. If reset the light can take a while to come on. It requires engine removal and strip to repair.

Google will tell you all about it, I had a 2005 that developed the problem around 70k.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

WBAC for bottom. It's got to have the airscarf for cool desirabilty.  FMBSH is very desirable, silver and red leather is highly desirable in my book.

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, Mojo121 said:

Thanks for the reply.

Are they a desirable motor? Matey wants 5 back for it. I was hoping to market at £6,295 so what you've said fits. I'm not short on space so it seems worth a punt. 

I've no idea mate I've never had one in but I'd say in that colour combo it's not going to be as desirable as a black/cream or white/black one. I think Silver is more saleable when it comes to MB but with the red seats? I dunno. Black/red I can see.

I think he's stronging it wanting £5k for that, he could stick that up privately for that but he probably doesn't want to do that cos it's aggro. Why not get £5k out of you and not do any work for it.

This fella has had his in since May and I think he's overpriced by £500.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201710270696470

I think it's £6k in that silver/red combo and £4.5k to him. 

 

But there again I can't sell silver cars for toffee so maybe i'm biased.

[BHM 994]

Not my bag at all but a mate has had a nice SLK350, different colour but ok miles, for 18 months. If you aren’t selling it properly presented God help you. And as for the punters...........

[It's me 615]

prove me wrong but i think you need a check up from the neck up if you give him 5 bags for such a niche 14 year old german thing

[Mark101 536]

Personally, silver is absolutely right on a Merc and red leather, lovely IMO

 

[BHM 994]

16 minutes ago, mrs maybe said:

prove me wrong but i think you need a check up from the neck up if you give him 5 bags for such a niche 14 year old german thing

Yep, with that engine it’s not a high performance model and it’s not economical - VERY niche to me. But as I say not my cup of tea at all so I could be talking out of my arse.

[Mojo121 229]

1 hour ago, mrs maybe said:

prove me wrong but i think you need a check up from the neck up if you give him 5 bags for such a niche 14 year old german thing

I would need one but I'm not buying it. He's sticking on the forecourt and I'm making a margin, I wouldn't be interested otherwise.

1 hour ago, BHM said:

Not my bag at all but a mate has had a nice SLK350, different colour but ok miles, for 18 months. If you aren’t selling it properly presented God help you. And as for the punters...........

Ouch. Yeah, I can imagine they're up there with the worst of them. I told him I'd advertise it for 6 weeks tops and see the interest. Most of our stuff shifts by then and if it doesn't he's happy to have it back.

2 hours ago, Huw@Tipstrade said:

Be careful with these, the M272 engine has a problem with it's balance shaft wearing at this age. EML with a camshaft position fault code is usually the first sign. If reset the light can take a while to come on. It requires engine removal and strip to repair.

Google will tell you all about it, I had a 2005 that developed the problem around 70k.

Thank you very much! Don't suppose you know how long it stays off in between resets? Wouldn't want to sell it and have that come back to bite when the chap is off with his 5... or £4.5k 

[whitestone679231 113]

Have to disagree with comments saying bad colour combo, I’ve sold a few silver with red SLKs, and sold them well, but I wouldn’t be getting excited about the engine,, usually sell to women who are more bothered about running costs, so 200K are the more favourable from a retail point. If it was a nice car with good spec and history it’s £4500 to retail at £6-£6500  but remember it’s you that they are coming back to see when it goes wrong not your mate that you sell it for.

[Huw@Tipstrade 0]

10 hours ago, Mojo121 said:

I would need one but I'm not buying it. He's sticking on the forecourt and I'm making a margin, I wouldn't be interested otherwise.

Ouch. Yeah, I can imagine they're up there with the worst of them. I told him I'd advertise it for 6 weeks tops and see the interest. Most of our stuff shifts by then and if it doesn't he's happy to have it back.

Thank you very much! Don't suppose you know how long it stays off in between resets? Wouldn't want to sell it and have that come back to bite when the chap is off with his 5... or £4.5k 

10 hours ago, Mojo121 said:

I would need one but I'm not buying it. He's sticking on the forecourt and I'm making a margin, I wouldn't be interested otherwise.

Ouch. Yeah, I can imagine they're up there with the worst of them. I told him I'd advertise it for 6 weeks tops and see the interest. Most of our stuff shifts by then and if it doesn't he's happy to have it back.

Thank you very much! Don't suppose you know how long it stays off in between resets? Wouldn't want to sell it and have that come back to bite when the chap is off with his 5... or £4.5k 

I'd give it a miss if I were you, a lot of punters find out about the engine problems and it puts them off. The inlet manifolds also play up. The swirl flap mechanism fails and they also end up leaking air, both faults trigger the EML. Here is a photo of mine mid-repair

[MOTORS 25]

We had an SL350 last year. Bought it trade from a Mercedes dealer. EML came on on way back to office. It was a worn sprocket on the end of the balance shaft. Had to take engine out and replace balance shaft at a cost of £1850. A google search will tell you all about it and which engine number range to avoid.  I would scan the car and look for error codes relating to this issue. 

Edited August 15, 2018 by MOTORS

[It's me 615]

8 minutes ago, twerp said:

Agree on being cautious in regard to the problems of this engine, but it's worth way more than £6k retail with those miles.

would you like to underwrite it then sir

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, twerp said:

Agree on being cautious in regard to the problems of this engine, but it's worth way more than £6k retail with those miles.

To a very small select group of people i’d say. I can’t see how people are going to pay £7k and above for a 14 year old car, regardless of miles. I might be wrong on the colour combo but that’s just my disdain for silver cars but i’m pretty sure i’m right with the retail price. 

I mean a 14 year old car that is readily available of course, this is hardly a classic car or rare car we’re talking about. 

[NOACROSS 414]

Test drive it extensively- plug it in etc and call Merc to see if any doom on it- if they'll tell you.

I hate all German crap as many of you know, as they're the worst makes out there- but if it's free money with good odds then go for it/why not.  I would put a paid warranty on it too if it was me. He who dares Rodney is oft quoted on here. That's all this game is 'a gamble'.  

Someone ordered it in silver with red, with that engine and someone else will like it.  I hate silver too but I think they look fine it that colour and the red makes it a bit different.

I too would mark it up for £6995 and see how you get on.  This gives you some wriggle room or to over allow on a PX etc.  However, I have a main road site and that would be on the corner spot & I'd wager someone will buy that driving past to a golf club bloke or middle aged woman that (thinks she) wants some fun.  (Not many things sell like that anymore- but an eyeful on a corner will get people's attention.)

Otherwise and maybe even anyway- 4500 might be the realistic return price.

It'll sell and at least it's only German petrol junk, not diesel.

[Mark101 536]

I hate to sell cars for friends - all they see is £2k across them and think I'm having them over.

They forget, the prep, servicing, comebacks are all on me.

Would rather not get involved, personally.

[Linctrader 16]

18 hours ago, EPV said:

 

This fella has had his in since May and I think he's overpriced by £500.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20171027069647

I mean come on, £20 headlight restore kit or £50 to the right 'specialist' and those headlights would be crystal clear... 

Hard to agree with him that the car has been loved and cared for when the headlights suggest its been neglected...the buyers of these cars are really into looks - their own and the car - and seeing those foggy lights would put most of them right off. 

Auto is essential for these to sell, so you are into a winner. Also the airscarf - sounds like vanity but really works and owners swear by them. 

Red interior looks much nicer than the black so give it a nice treatment and it will look stunning. 

Most modern mercs are black or silver, and if it palladium silver like the one in the trader advert then you should be fine. 

I think heatwave is now over so I would bid him 4k if clean with history and knock it out at 5995 with a comprehensive warranty included. 

Best of luck whatever you decide.