Potential Widebody Purchase
 

I am interested in the following car on E-Bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AMG-M...item4155aa9d51

Of course, he wants too much money for it but I think the price is negotiable. How can I be certain it is an original Widebody made in Germany by AMG?

What are any other tips you may have for me in considering this car.

Thank you,

Jim Kilday

Out of interest how much do you feel the car is worth? I must confess when I saw the price my first reaction was the laugh. That sort of money can get you a 2003-2005 CL55 AMG.....from a dealer.....with some sort of warranty too in this country. It seems the W126 body shape is holding up in value in the USA a lot more than here, why is that?

I think you will have to contact AMG directly on this one....my understanding (maybe wrong) is that pre 1990 all AMG mods were really after factory/market mods, e.g. normal car built by MB then AMG took it and modified it, so a different factory in a different location and not ordered through a MB dealer.

I don't think you could actually order them in the MB dealer at all, you had to goto AMG? Maybe someone can confirm if that is correct. If that car was ordered in late 1990 or early 1991 then a MB dealer may be able to find out more info about the AMG side of things. If it was ordered in 1989 or early 1990 then I think it would have been direct from AMG as that is before the AMG/MB dealer cooperation began.

After a lot of questions are answered, representations verified, mechanics de-briefed and the mileage confirmed, a number South of 20K.

J Kilday

Looking at the photos again the first thing that catches my eye is the silver, it doesn't quite look right to me, maybe the colour in the photos.....is it possible for something to be "too" silver, looks more like the silver Mercedes use now than that used in the 1970s and 1980s?

I would also look at the two chassis stamps, why are the two plates in the photos just screwed on using Phillips Head screws which are a different colour to the stamp and bodywork??? Maybe due to the respray as the plates look in worse condition than the surrounding paintwork, but still, why not riveted on again?

Even at around $20k that is a lot of money for the AMG part of the car I feel, but I am sure many would disagree with me! I think I must be getting too old for sports cars :(

i would snap the car right up at 20k if only it's a right hooker. And my country have a very high import duties, making this a mouth watering daydream. Still at this price, it's sensible to make sure that it's genuine.