@WFBonney....haha...you're funny!

I would like to remove my bid

@MBALLDAY I have to question your logic, as it doesn't make sense to me. Are you suggesting that people who are not "certified" are not qualified to comment? I never claimed superior knowledge, just experience. And I'm "certified", as in NIASE Master Technician. Does that make me able to comment?

@kingkitty Service Advisors are not mechanics but we have the front and back end knowledge of these cars that we keep on the road. We take car all Mercedes from  1889 to present so we are very knowledgeable and also CERTIFIED to make comments about the cars we keep on the road everyday. Seems like some people just know more then others!!!!! Goodluck seller this car looks amazing!

@AE327 - No, I'm not an "expert" nor do I claim to be. I do have a fair amount of experience with ABC which I am sharing. I like ABC and want anyone who wishes to own a car with it to understand that it's not a bad thing, but does require care a feeding, so to speak, and that provenance is critical to be sure you're getting a system that's been properly cared for so it will be long-lasting and trouble-free.

@rick - No "perceptions" here. It's a nice car, I like it, especially the red, which is so totally appropriate for a two-seater drop-top. Many of the comments I have made could be applied to any used car, R230 or otherwise. There are some good things in the history, such as the pump replacement, that bode well for this example. There aren't a lot of shops around that will work on cars with ABC, so doing as much as possible to make sure it's in good condition and has been cared for is important for a long and trouble-free life.

I'm cranked up on ABC because it's often maligned as being troublesome and expensive to fix, both of which are true. However, when it's working it makes driving one of these cars a real experience, especially when you're doing it fast and/or aggressively, such as track driving.

GLWA!

Hi Seller.  Why sell the car so soon after you bought it?  What are the issues in it?

@kingkitty we get it, you're an "expert". 

Moving on... love this color combo for the R230 and sport package is a must have. GLWA!

@MBALLDAY "I would always take (a) car to the dealer for inspection with any older vehicle."

Exactly. A car like this with a highly complex suspension system should be thoroughly inspected by a qualified mechanic before considering it for purchase.

@MBALLDAY "I don't see any issues with the ABC as long as car has been maintained."

And this is the key. "If it has been maintained." The fact that the ABC pump was replaced is good, but it also brings up things like, "Were the accumulators replaced?" There's a lot to this system and ALL of the parts need to be working at their best or the potential for major damage is high.

That said, you can't make a statement like this without having seen and inspected the car. Service Advisors aren't mechanics, sorry.

I'm a Mercedes Benz Service Advisor and I have  seen these cars up close and personal. This type of car is exceptional. Most owners that drive these cars know what it takes to maintain them and they typically do that. I don't see any issues with the ABC as long as car has been maintained. I would always take car to the dealer for inspection with any older vehicle. But if you are looking at a great weekend car to enjoy this looks like a fun one. We don't see a lot of red ones like this one it  looks clean. Looks like a great eye catcher with low miles. MBALLDAY!!!!!

@TalbottPK That's great, but the key to longevity with ABC is regular, consistent maintenance, especially with fluid and filter changes. To my point, I wouldn't buy an ABC-equipped car, regardless of model, unless I knew it had been properly maintained. So many of them aren't, and as a result, stuff breaks. What makes it worse for the R230 is that several critical and unique components of the ABC system, like the pump, are no longer available from Mercedes, and the third-party options are poor, if any. A pump replacement can easily run into several thousand dollars, *if* you can find someone to do it. I know two independent shops that no longer service any model with ABC due to the lack of parts and the cost and difficulty in repair and replacement as a result. Understand that when one of these parts fails, the car is a doorstop. Then you move on to replacing the system with coilovers, which is another couple thousand dollars or more if done correctly. What a lot of owners don't understand that just swapping coilovers won't do the job - there are no sway bars on ABC-equipped cars, as ABC provides that function. So if you do a coilover conversion correctly, you'll not only replace the ABC components, you'll also need to replace all of the lower control arms, if available, as well as adding sway bars, if there is such a thing..

If the accumulators haven't been changed yet, it's time. 10 years or 50k. That will be a couple of grand to do as well, or thereabouts.

I'm not saying ABC-equipped cars are bad, but if you want one, you need to go in eyes wide open. I will say it's well worth it, as the driving experience with an ABC-equipped car, especially in aggressive or performance driving situations, makes it all worthwhile. Those who have driven models with ABC know what I'm describing.

Always wanteds this car in this color...I've owned a few R230's since they came out and always loved them. Yes, ABC can be a pain but I've rarely seen issues with any of mine. 

A word to the wise: Any MB model with ABC (Active Body Control) should be closely inspected by a mechanic familiar with ABC and the tools to properly test and diagnose it BEFORE purchase. It’s a great system, but must be properly maintained or risk failures that can run well into the thousands of dollars. I would be especially careful to check things like accumulators as well as running a complete “rodeo” test on the system.

With no apparent provenance, I would avoid this like the plague unless I could have it inspected. That said, you should also prepare for a potential retrofit to coilovers, as the ABC pump is NLA from Mercedes. Other components are NLA as well, so set your expectations low to deal with any future failures.

I researched this model heavily a few years ago as a potential replacement for an R129. When I learned what I did, I immediately took it out of consideration. I say that as someone who has owned and serviced ABC-equipped models, so this isn’t based on hearsay.

Beautiful car, love the red! GLWA!

Have the top cylinders been replaced or repaired?