Hi guys advice please!!

[uk trooper]

Nice site guys!
Can the fountains of all knowledge please help me!!
I dont know much about Mercs apart from the German build thingy!!
But i am 43yrs and looking to buy a new car,and have found this at local dealer.
I have looked at review sites and i think this might be for me!!
E CLASS 3.2td E320 CDI ADVANTGARDE 4 dr saloon SEPT 2003
Metallic blue
grey leather
6 cd changer
16 inch alloys
And a whole list of other stuff!!

56000 miles £11,250

Is this a good car, and does price seem right?
I think it may need new discs sometime as i can feel a lip on them.
Also at 56000 is it coming up for a major expensive stay in hospital!!
Can anyone tell me about performance?

Excitedly waiting you wisened words.

uk trooper:roll:

 

[television]

Welcome UK trooper

I am going to say no,do not buy it, as cars built as from 09-03 were galvanized, and far less prone to any rust, there are plenty around at that price at this point in time.

They are great cars, but do find a later one,just a little bit

 

[jberks]

mmm - hard one - Malcolm is right - also, it was built at the end of MB's 'bad patch' and they can suffer gremlins.
It would probably be fine and teh 320cdi is a great motor but you'd be safer going for something built mid 04 -> IMHO. (Hence why mine is a 54 plate!)

 

[Hertfordshire Merx]

May have SBC issues although the warranty will handle that no matter what the dealer says. I have never known an SBC issue not to go through under warranty or through ESKULAB.

May have other issues with Battery Control Modules and convenience operations due to the electrical systems charging software.

Later one will be vastly improved.

 

[television]

May have SBC issues although the warranty will handle that no matter what the dealer says. I have never known an SBC issue not to go through under warranty or through ESKULAB.

May have other issues with Battery Control Modules and convenience operations due to the electrical systems charging software.

Later one will be vastly improved.

Is thís where they changed over to the single battery

 

[mattsurf]

Valeo radiator may also be a problem on a 2003 car.

Price certainly looks too high - for that money you could get a 2004 - 06 car, probably a 280 cdi with the newer v6 diesel engine

 

[mattsurf]

Just had a look on Autotrader - there are quite a few 2004 and 05 cars with less than 60k miles for under £11k and 2 2006 E280CDIs with less than 60k miles for under 11k

I would say that the car you are looking at is probably £2500 over priced. The general advice is that early W211's were not a good as later cars

 

[Cole@MBS]

Would have to agree with all the above, that sounds like too much money, again,could be a money pit!!

 

[uk trooper]

Thanks

Thanks everyone!
Great advice will look at the others mentioned!

 

[Hertfordshire Merx]

Is thís where they changed over to the single battery

Yes I believe so, things improved a lot when they changed the system although they did alter the battery control module software a lot and had a recall out to replace it if it didnt have the correct part number and 'Q' rating. That would have been around the time the Gentleman is looking at for a car.

Obviously SBC has been replaced now by ABR which is more of a conventional braking system with a servo! However to give SBC its due they are still using it on the SLR, Maybach and some AMG models. In principal its a good system but suffered from lack of coding which should have been performed by dealers on routine servicing. And lack of following procedure when changing the hydraulic unit, ground lines MUST be replaced along with the suction hoses and the dampers in the line if they were originally fitted prior to the P037 recall.

ABR is a good system and takes a lot of the benefits of SBC with it without the hassles which let the 211 E class down.

 

[Jensen]

Stay well clear, it's well over priced. Even if the price was reduced by a couple of grand I wouldn't touch it. As mentioned above go for one post 04 plate pref 54 plate gremlins sorted, galvernised better quality.