W211 ... are they any good?

[syncropaddy]

I have been offered a 2005 E200 Elegance with 28,000 miles on the clock. Its genuine as the paperwork that comes with it is quite comprehensive. It is spotless inside and out and to be honest I quite fancy it. It will be for 'the lovely lady indoors' as her run around and will probably cover mileage as high as 100 a week !! The price is also quite attractive at way, way less than €10,000

So my question is .... what goes wrong with these cars? What little surprises would be waiting for me if I buy it?

Thank you in advance ....

 

[paul hayward]

i think there a fantastic car....but i would say that as i own one:lol280)

others will be along with more info than me as im still learning:lol:...ours has TEN times the mileage and still drives nice ...although did scare the hell out of me this morning!...still love it though ;-)

 

[E320mark]

With such low miles and backed up with full history, you will go far to find a better car for the money! I would take it for a drive, see if you can hear any creaks or groans and if your boxes are all ticked do a deal, they are super cars!

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Hello and well equipped, comfortable and robust cars. Quiet when on the move, and much quicker than you might think, although with the potential to be very economical for a car of their size.

As for safety, you will be putting "her indoors" into as safe a car as you can find anywhere.

You will see some problems with any model addressed here on the Forum. That is what Forums are for - mutual support, and they work very well.

But I'll bet the majority of 211s are just doing what mine did - running flawlessly year on year.

Cars do like to be used though, so if her mileage will be low, why not take it for a spin from time to time, or take it on holiday with you. It will be a treat for the car too!

 

[television]

As Alex,, one of the most popular cars on the forum

 

[gizze]

Best car I have ever owned, and I have owned a few.

 

[S.Speed]

I loved my E320 Cdi..
They drive like a smaller car than they are..
I could genuinely talk (Not shout) to people sitting in the rear at motorway speeds..
Beautifully built car !

 

[Dosco]

As above IT IS a lovely piece of kit to drive, but then again aren't all Mercs!

 

[syncropaddy]

Thanks again all. As its Easter Saturday I'll dig the old W126 out and take a trip down to look this car over. Its dark blue with a brown leather interior, standard spec with no extras so we will see how we get on with her .....

 

[S.Speed]

Good luck with that...
Be wary about taking your wallet when "your just going to look"...

 

[syncropaddy]

Enjoyed the lovely drive down in the W126, sun shining, a lovely day to view a car with 'her indoors'. We both love the old W126 .... lots of chrome and wood and lovely burgundy velour seats ....

Anyway, we arrived to view the E200K and she looks beautiful in dark blue sitting on the gravel driveway, not mad on the brown interior but maybe it would grow on me. I had only seen the photographs and the service history but now we were seeing her in the flesh. She looks great on the outside and looks good on the inside as the photos suggested. Then we met the owner .... and four of her dogs .......

The car stank of dogs. They went everywhere with her in the car.

On our way home we stopped for coffee and a piece bakewell tart and wondered how she was going to sell a car that smelt that bad. We both looked at the gleaming Smoke Silver paintwork on the W126 and 'her indoors' broke the silence and remarked on the fact that at 22 years old, the W126 still had a fresh factory smell .......

There will be others so we put the deposit back under the mattress for the next time.

 

[st4]

Don't get an E200k unless you like engines with timing gear made of butter and crap performance with the hunger for fuel of a super car. I know in Ireland this is a sought after model, but a 200k is a peice of unreliable, slow and thirsty crap and you are better spending a bit more in tax or in capital and get a diesel.

Buy a nice V6 or V8 petrol or like everyone else, a nice diesel one. These are good cars.

 

[MINKYMERC]

I owned an '06' E200K and I have to agree with st4 about the hunger for fuel of the car and crap performance. Not being mechanically minded, I cannot comment on the timing gear. Fortunately, I managed to sell it on at a good price.

I now have a diesel E220CDi and it is so much better.

Minkymerc

 

[st4]

I owned an '06' E200K and I have to agree with st4 about the hunger for fuel of the car and crap performance. Not being mechanically minded, I cannot comment on the timing gear. Fortunately, I managed to sell it on at a good price.

I now have a diesel E220CDi and it is so much better.

Minkymerc

Someone one the other forum has had no end of grief from theirs, timing gear etc and other stupid faults and for what is a really average car performance wise, it drinks like one that goes like stink.

The 220cdi's are great and for those in Ireland where car tax is as stupid as theirs, its the only option.

 

[syncropaddy]

Thank you gentlemen ........Thats exactly the sort of response I was looking for.

Thanks be to jaziz for her smelly dogs cuz we nearly bought it!

 

[anyweb]

just for your info i bought a W211 a week ago, a 2005 E320cdi, i have to say it's the best car i've ever had, i just love it, it's sooo nice to drive and it looks amazing,

don't be afraid to see lots of cars (i looked at 5 before this one, and none made me feel that wow moment until i saw this one), the wow moment hit me and even though i was due to see another car that day i didn't even bother, i bought the car a week later (once the loan came through)

don't buy a car that doesnt make you feel happy !

here's mine i love it !

 

[S.Speed]

Don't get an E200k unless you like engines with timing gear made of butter and crap performance with the hunger for fuel of a super car. I know in Ireland this is a sought after model, but a 200k is a peice of unreliable, slow and thirsty crap and you are better spending a bit more in tax or in capital and get a diesel.

Buy a nice V6 or V8 petrol or like everyone else, a nice diesel one. These are good cars.

You tell it like it is Steve... And dont hold back now !!

 

[E320mark]

You would have thought the owner, going to the trouble of advertising their car for sale etc would also have organised to have the car valeted!! If that was the state of the interior then possibly the car wasn't as well looked after as stated!

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Someone one the other forum has had no end of grief from theirs, timing gear etc and other stupid faults and for what is a really average car performance wise, it drinks like one that goes like stink.

The 220cdi's are great and for those in Ireland where car tax is as stupid as theirs, its the only option.

A balanced, dispassionate commentary as ever Steve. A hint of here-say in the evidence perhaps?

But of little relevance to a sane mature motorist who is not going to red line it on a regular basis, is going to drive it sensibly (and perhaps sedately) for a modest mileage each week in real world conditions, and is looking to gain the benefits of an excellent saloon car (comfortable, safe, reliable) without suffering the perverse tax penalties that exist in their domicile.

I too am a great diesel fan, but for very low mileage I fear that your advice may encounter logical criticism.

 

[Naraic]

^ Shirley Knot.