E class estate wanted

[jabriel]

Hi folks,

I'm in the market for a E class estate (2000 onwards - Automatic only I'm afraid). I was hoping you folk will help ensure I am able to track down a good example.

I'm looking for a car which is easy to drive and will remain trouble free for many years to come. Natrually cubic capacity is the most important factor. (and thats why I've decided on a E calss).Engine size is not important although your opinions regarding which one is better than the other will be appreciated.

I'm not sure what I need to be looking for (apart from a FMBSH) so all advice welcome. From what I've read, I should stay away from Classic models. Is this true?

It's a car for my dad so I'd like it to have all the toys. The budget is roughly 16k.

Are the 6th and 7th seats expensive or difficult to have installed on second hand cars? Should I be shying away from high mileage cars? how ofer/frequently are cam belts changed?

Where should I be looknig apart from the obvious places? (i.e. autotrader etc.)

I'm a new to the forum so please excuse me if i'm asking dumb questions!

Look forward to your replies.

Jabriel

 

[OlafMaxwell]

I have a W210 estate, 85k, 2000.

There is no such thing as a good one, when you think you have the electrical and mechanical problems licked you then find the car has in the meantime been rotting away with rust, carefully hidden away behind all those ruibber seals and stick on plastic panels designed to hide it.

Engines I think are generally timing chain and not belt and are reliable enough. The 320CDI is a great engine to drive, very addictive and with real power, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Hills and weight go unnoticed apart from a change in the temperature gauge.

I have not had any problems with engine or transmission, apart from the fact that it took 6 visits to MB dealers to get a faulty oil level sensor replaced and which the dealer wanted paid for because they dragged it so long until it was outside warranty. They said they would hold the car until the bill was paid so I said fine, it won't be paid because its a warranty item [notified to MB well iside warranty] and I have a spare car at home. They relented when they saw I was serious, but why should you have to do that?

Its the electrics and a host of other things. I know some cars have had transmission trouble but at 85k I have not had any but I am slow to tempt fate here.

Since you ask specifically estates
Rust, big time, doors rusting now and we dont even have salt used on our roads.
Electrical, blows bulbs at the rate of one a week until someone worked out why.
Rear suspension is problematic, three times in for that.
Exhaust replaced...ouch. and its a diesel car, never replaced one of these before.
Knocking front end [drop links, cheap, easy].
Two breakdowns [never had one until I got a Merc - that was after 5 FIATS in 15 years], total brake failure, fluid all over the place, ABS pump gone, pedal to the floor on motorway stuff. Scary and very very dangerous. When it happened a second time MB despite a two year MB warranty did not want to know and refused to cover it under warranty.
Services charged for and not carried out!!
Dodgy electric window from new, sticking in door.
Air conditioning, three times in three months.

The car is looking like new, never goes in automatic car washes but the reliability is so bad I keep a spare car!! I am not alone in my experience, most of my friends who have MB are now gone over to Lexus [for those who like petrol engines] or BMW [for those who like the 3.0D engine and which is superb]. If you want a good diesel estate the BMW 530d series is a great car but not the same internal capacity as the Merc, if it must be 7 seater than well Volvo but its not the same as the Merc at all either. I had a loan of a V6 3.0 diesel Saab estate with all the toys, leather etc and thats a real eye opener to the point that it has me thinking seriously!!

Most cars will have a problem somewhere but Mercedes seems to be particularly poor on technical knowledge [its absent- you need to search the net so you can tell the dealer how to fix it!!] and customer service and the rust problem with the W210 means they will all go wrong eventually even if you are lucky enough to get a reasonably reliable one.

Here is my advice, go for a very high specification W124 model, the one before the W210, spend your money getting anything thats in any way off repaired and you will have a much more reliable and trouble free car. It will cost you less and will be a pleasure to drive and easy to maintain. I am not sure it will depreciate too much either as the W210 is going to go through the floor as they get older. We see some W124s going for more than later W210 models and that sums it up!!