Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I love the fact that the only way to get 4MATIC all-wheel-drive on the W210 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG was to buy it in wagon form. Not just any wagon, as some were still rear-wheel drive, but rather you had to option one with 4MATIC. Naturally, this is a huge deal for traction given the massive amount of torque these and also for usability given this is a wagon after all. This 2000 up for sale outside of Zürich seemed to take advantage of that usability judging by the number of miles it racked up.
Nobody circles the wagons like the … Mercedes-Benz wagons. I’m sure you know what I’m trying to get at here. In all seriousness, if you want resale value, go ahead and grab yourself a wagon from basically any generation. It’s even true of today’s bottom-of-the-barrel offering, the W203 C240 4MATIC wagon. I’ve ranted for years about how the W203 was a real low point for Mercedes-Benz in the modern era with its utterly bland styling, horrifically cheap interior, and lackluster powertrains. The wagon doesn’t alter that formula, but at least you have the utility of all that extra space. As you can probably tell, this is not an attractive color combination. Travertine beige over Java vinyl. Don’t let the fancy name of “Java” fool you either, it’s just beige.
A few weeks ago I looked at a 1995 Volvo 850 T5-R wagon, one of the all-time great designs launched by the company:
The Porsche-modified engine managed to channel an impressive 243 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. The downsides? Well, not only was that particular example expensive, it was front-drive only and equipped with an automatic transaxle. Of course, move forward a generation and there was an even more potent possibility if you like fast five-doors; the V70R. The V70R had 300 horsepower driving all-four wheels through a transversely mounted turbo five, along with heavily bolstered sport seats, Brembo brakes, and an Öhlins adjustable suspension. And yeah, you could get a six-speed manual. A vast majority of these cars were used quite heavily as intended, but still are appealing to consider in the used market:
As we’ve said before, a few select marques and cars get a pass when it comes to these pages, and one of my favorite exceptions is Volvo wagons. The Sultans of Square went a bit bonkers with turbocharging over a few generations; the 240, 740, 850, and V70 all had relatively high-performance turbocharged versions of their sibling sedans that were both practical and pulse-quickening. But when it comes to the top of the heap, the 850 T5-R and its replacement, the 850R, must certainly be in contention.
Launched around the same time Volvo was curb-hopping its Estate version of the 850 in the BTCC (replete with inflatable dog in the cargo area), the T5-R took a page from the Audi RS2 and E500 book and turned to Porsche to up the ante. Fiddling with the engine tuning resulted in 243 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, and was met with a stiff suspension, 17″ wheels, and interior and exterior tweaks. Like the RS2 with its famous (and often mistakenly called Nogaro) RS Blue, the T5-R’s signature shade was T5-R Yellow. These were quick in period and are still pretty respectable today, though the quite limited production numbers mean you might need to look to other markets to find one:
Your dollar doesn’t go very far if you want a Mercedes-Benz station wagon. I’ve expanded on the value of the wagons in the past, and that seems to be holding true in almost every example. However, if you really want a long body with a three-pointed star, you can find a good buy if you search hard enough or adjust your standards low enough. This 2006 E350 Wagon up for sale Tennessee is a little bit of both.
