Rear Wheel Drive Wagon: 2000 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon – SOLD!
(To stop the slideshow and expand the pictures, click on the current photograph below)
March 22, 2022, Update – We confirmed the seller of this “Classifind” deleted their listing, so we’re now able to call this one “SOLD!” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.
March 4, 2022 Update – We just confirmed the private seller just lowered the asking price from the original request of $7,500 to $6,900.
Mercedes-Benz has been known for producing very capable wagons for quite some time, obviously tracking back to the iconic W124 and even the W123 before it. To this day, the brand is one of the few that still sticks a long roof in the lineup, even as SUVs reign supreme. This 2000 Mercedes E320 wagon originally listed in February 2002 on Craigslist in Southern California for $6,900 (the original ask was $7,500) is desirable not only for its clean condition but also for being a rarely-seen two-wheel-drive model. Comparing that price against the NADA Price Guide confirms the private seller is right in line with the “High” retail valuation of $7,225.
The W210 is an unloved member of the Mercedes E-Class family, but I’ve seen some evidence lately that those sentiments could be changing. This is purely anecdotal, but some mild influencers on social media have begun to pick up nice examples, and more than one journalist has extolled the virtues of the last AMG-built model that happened to be the E55 and is still reasonably affordable for a factory hot rod (but for how much longer?) Even if these models were not as popular as the W124 and had some annoying reliability issues that its predecessor didn’t, it was still a decent driver and the styling remains quite fresh today, not unlike the Bangle-era BMWs that were so maligned at their introduction. And of course, Mercedes has a storied reputation for building inline-six engines, but this era of the E-Class saw the company introduce a new V6 mill that powers this wagon.
The seller provides this walk-around video of his E320 Estate:
The seller sounds like your typical southern California resident, noting that he uses the Mercedes to haul surfboards to the beach rather than picnic baskets with wine and cheese to the stables. Of course, by this point in the W210’s life, if it’s not owned by a collector, it’s going to be used by someone who needs it to perform like a cheap daily driver. That said, we see a lot of these in beat-up condition these days, so it’s gratifying to see an owner using one as a daily but still clearly maintaining it. As the listing notes, he’s stayed on top of the maintenance, and we love that he refers to the actual factory designation for the recent servicing he’s had done. In addition to the “A Service,” he’s also replaced the rear self-leveling suspension – a major expense the next owner won’t have to deal with. And without the sometimes costly 4Matic all-wheel-drive system to maintain, this E-Class should be a joy to drive for years to come.
Here’s the seller’s description:
“2000 Mercedes E320S wagon. 152k miles. Black exterior with tan leather interior. Awesome car – I’d drive it to New York at the drop of a hat.
The good:
– Clean Title in hand in my name
– Clean Carfax
– Local CA car since new
– Good condition interior with no tears or rips in leather
– Recent “A Service”, consisting of oil change, oil filter, air filter, and tire rotation
– Recently replaced rear self-leveling suspension (many older E-Class wagons have rear suspension going bad and can cost $1,500 to fix!)
– New rear Michelin tires
– Ice-cold AC in great working order
– Bose stereo and CD changer sound fantastic
The bad:
– Exterior has a few dents and light scratches (as any 22 year old car will)
– Wheels are oxidized and can use a repainting, if desired
– Oxidation forming at rear of roof rack rails (see pic or linked video)
– Front passenger fog light is out
– Headliner is beginning to show it’s age
This is a pretty awesome wagon for a do-it-all lifestyle. It carries my surfboards, tons of boxes, benches… you name it. Throw a roof top box on and take a super comfortable x-country tour, or just use it as a reliable daily driver. I’d keep it, but I already have 6 cars, including another wagon and an SUV.
Video walk around: https://youtu.be/HvR2DIDNSHE
Wagon eras: which generation of Mercedes-Benz station wagons is your favorite?
I have always been drawn to these wagons even the smaller ones, but the cost of maintenance has made me shy away.