W210 E320 CDI should i keep it ??

[maddog]

Ive had my E class 6 years now and its currently in the process of having the bodywork sorted by MB.

Its done 55,000miles and has no mechanical issues and i still like driving it but cant help feeling its time for something newer.

The bodywork issues have been a pain in the wotsits as well as costing me money and i'm very fed up with MB in general and cant help feeling with a 6 year old car i will be seeing them even more often in the future

I still have some rust under the bonnet of the car and around the battery which it seems i will need to sort myself and if i were to keep it i would need to upgrade the stereo and get the wheels refurbed to suit the new paintwork and spend a bit out on some little routine jobs that need doing

This forum seems full of E320 issues more than anything and whilst mine has been pretty good apart from until recently is it time to sell and buy something else or can a w210 really be a long term proposition like the older models???

 

[BlackC55]

I have a customer with one that has 224,000 on it and it is in perfect condition. As long as its cared for why not keep it. The straight 6 is a great engine.

 

[philharve]

I kept my previous car for 17 of its 18 year life. Rust first appeared at 15 years but it was an engine failure at 171,000 miles that eventually forced me to retire it - permanently. I liked that car a lot and that's why I kept it. I can't say I got bored with it. But when the bills started to mount up it signaled the beginning of the end.

I've owned my Mercedes almost 3 years and I've had all the usual rust spots professionally repaired. If I have no more problems with corrosion then my Merc' should beat the mileage of my late, much-loved Celica by many tens of thousands of miles. At this point in time I see no point in replacing the Merc'. It does all I want of it and it is far from being ruinnessly expensive to run.

The thoughts of owning a newer car is appealing but ownership brings with it a new set of problems. I 'know' my present Merc', including its imperfections, but is that reason for replacing it? Bit like a spouse and marriage, really. Should couples separate every few years and remarry?

REGARDS

Phil

 

[jberks]

If you compare the costs to maintain it against the cost of depreciation and maintenance on anything newer, it always makes far more sense to keep the car. Yes, the upkeep costs of a 210 are greater than say a 124, but they are no greater than anything of an equivalent or newer era. So, if you still love driving it, I'd keep it. I am in the same quandry with our Jeep. Whether to spend a couple of thousand sorting it out (wheel refurb, 2 tyres, a new clutch, some bodywork and its making a rather onimous rattle when cold), or flog it, add maybe £15,000 and update it to the freelander2 the Mrs wants. Clearly keeping it is a vastly cheaper option. As it's now worth maybe £5k, depreciation is irrelevant. If I change it, I'm back to losing £3k pa. before I turn a key Its a hard one.
I moved my 210 E240 on 2 years ago. I'm very happy with my 211 but I'm also aware of the nightmare my Dads 211 is turning into as he attempts to solve seemingly unrelated electronic issues. Even my 211 hasn't been trouble free if I'm honest (ESP is still duff). So, keep it or change?. Head says keep it, heart - well only you can say.

 

[mattsurf]

I saw a minicab being serviced at my local indi, which had 380k miles on an E320cdi - usual rust spots, however, it did not look shabby. Apparently it ran really well, although its head had been off at 300k miles and it had a new turbo

 

[David Nock]

Ive had my E class 6 years now and its currently in the process of having the bodywork sorted by MB.

Its done 55,000miles and has no mechanical issues and i still like driving it but cant help feeling its time for something newer.

The bodywork issues have been a pain in the wotsits as well as costing me money and i'm very fed up with MB in general and cant help feeling with a 6 year old car i will be seeing them even more often in the future

I still have some rust under the bonnet of the car and around the battery which it seems i will need to sort myself and if i were to keep it i would need to upgrade the stereo and get the wheels refurbed to suit the new paintwork and spend a bit out on some little routine jobs that need doing

This forum seems full of E320 issues more than anything and whilst mine has been pretty good apart from until recently is it time to sell and buy something else or can a w210 really be a long term proposition like the older models???

Fancy a change? Can you afford it? If the answers are yes and yes - do it!
Doubt there'll be cars and car forums in 'that other place'. A change is interesting to some people yet not to others. I'm a tyre kicker, got service contract plus to stop me changing, but you are just beyond that point.

 

[maddog]

Yes i can afford it but i wouldnt spend £38k this time probably 16-18k but i will add i have a second (fun) car, i do fancy something smaller though

but

The more i think about it the more i think perhaps £3-4k spent on my E Class would at least buy me a couple more years without too much hassle and yes thats less than i would lose in 1 years depreciation

 

[MB3004U]

Keep it, you will be disappointed by the new one...

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Hi Maddog,
My 320CDi has done 58K and it still brings a smile to my face when I drive it, and I do look forward to driving it. The rust issues would make me feel the same, I thought we had left that issue behind 20 years ago. However sorting the paintwork will be a tonic and when I look at the inside of the 211 I feel that it does not look as classy as my 210. I don't know at the moment whether I will move on to the 211, it just doesn't appeal. There has been too many issues with the latest raft of technology. A well sorted end of production 211might tempt me when the time comes.

Anyway good hunting or enjoy your present Merc.

 

[jberks]

Keep it, you will be disappointed by the new one...

I wouldn't go that far. Dynamically the 211 is streets ahead, though I'd agree it's less old school than the 210. Interior wise, ok I agree, the 210 was better but the exterior is better on the 211..
swings....roundabouts

 

[maddog]

I wouldnt even consider another Mercedes , its not been a nice ownership experience.

Probably go for a hot hatch , Focus ST, Astra VXR etc as we dont need a big car anymore

 

[jberks]

I wouldnt even consider another Mercedes , its not been a nice ownership experience.

Probably go for a hot hatch , Focus ST, Astra VXR etc as we dont need a big car anymore

Don't say that unless you've tried to live with one. I know lots of folk who thought as you do. Why pay the money for a lumbering gas guzzler, get a hot hatch instead. They're normally back quite quickly with a "what the hell was I thinking" look on their faces. You get used to mercs and take them for granted, then things start to niggle you and you wonder why you pay all that money. Believe me, you'll miss the merc within a couple of days.
I started to wonder why we all didn't drive mondeos. They're faster, more economical and cheaper than the merc and everybody is always singing their praises. Then I sat in one. Yes it's nice, very nice, but it's still a piece of !*!*! when compared to the merc. Once rolling, its noisier, rougher, things rattle and echo (even on a new one) and you know that after 6 years, when your E is maturing nicely, it will already feel old and worn.
The other thing is this. Ok the rust is annoying, but MB will fix your bodywork FOC so consider it an opportunity to get all the scratches sorted for free (thats what I did). In any case, no rust, once sorted on my 210, ever returned so I feel you're overreacting a little. In the mean time, your car is just getting into it's stride at that mileage. It will have loosened up nicely and be in it's prime. To get rid now would be to miss out on some of its best years and you've already taken the depreciation knock so why not have the benefit. After all, it's not going to drop much more.
.

 

[maddog]

Don't say that unless you've tried to live with one. I know lots of folk who thought as you do. Why pay the money for a lumbering gas guzzler, get a hot hatch instead. They're normally back quite quickly with a "what the hell was I thinking" look on their faces. You get used to mercs and take them for granted, then things start to niggle you and you wonder why you pay all that money. Believe me, you'll miss the merc within a couple of days.
I started to wonder why we all didn't drive mondeos. They're faster, more economical and cheaper than the merc and everybody is always singing their praises. Then I sat in one. Yes it's nice, very nice, but it's still a piece of !*!*! when compared to the merc. Once rolling, its noisier, rougher, things rattle and echo (even on a new one) and you know that after 6 years, when your E is maturing nicely, it will already feel old and worn.
The other thing is this. Ok the rust is annoying, but MB will fix your bodywork FOC so consider it an opportunity to get all the scratches sorted for free (thats what I did). In any case, no rust, once sorted on my 210, ever returned so I feel you're overreacting a little. In the mean time, your car is just getting into it's stride at that mileage. It will have loosened up nicely and be in it's prime. To get rid now would be to miss out on some of its best years and you've already taken the depreciation knock so why not have the benefit. After all, it's not going to drop much more.
.

Sorry if Mercedes gave me a FOC car i wouldnt have it. The dealerships are truly awful i have to use one almost an hour away because the Newbury one is so bad. MB wont be getting another sale from me

As for fixing the rust FOC , so far its cost me over £500, the job isnt finished and the paint match is ****** awful see the rust thread in the bodywork section. There is still rust in the car not covered by the warranty so i'll have to sort that at my own cost

My w210 hasnt aged well either it feels old and sloppy, my 1994 Nissan is in far better condition at twice the age and even with it never being undersealed rust isnt an issue as yet, nor has the trim faded

Compared to my recent experiences with my local Skoda dealer sorting my wifes car ie buying & servicing (nothing has gone wrong yet in the first 18,000miles) you can see a company getting it right as opposed to one getting it very very wrong.

My car is a lot faster than a Mondeo a few minor modifications have seen to that but then a Mondeo doesnt cost £38k so its not a fair comparison.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

I must agree that 38K is a lot of money to pay for a car and as you say your experiences have not been good and this reflects badly on the marque. The fact that MB have now lifted their game is of little consolation when you have parted with your hard earned cash.

I bought at 4 years old and paid 18K, had I paid new price I think the paint issues would have bitten deeper and when I came to change I would be leaning on MB to give me a very good discount or trade in factor against a new car.

The dealer situation is well known and most people who run cars older than 3 yrs find their way around this. I have a very good local garage who do all the basic service work and use an independant if the work is beyond them.

I think life without the Merc would be duller when it comes to transport, I know there is a prestige factor built into the price and that this money doesn't always look as thought it is spent on the production line, but I will probably buy another when the time comes. The versatility of the estate has become a lifestyle choice for me, if I need a new fridge/freezer i just drive to the shops and load it into the Merc.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the residuals for your car, should be about 7-9K, which says a lot about how desirable and highly respected the 320CDi engine is.

These are my thoughts and I respect your view, I hope you keep the car, JBerks comments about the car entering its prime at 55K are very apt.

 

[maddog]

I must agree that 38K is a lot of money to pay for a car and as you say your experiences have not been good and this reflects badly on the marque. The fact that MB have now lifted their game is of little consolation when you have parted with your hard earned cash.

I bought at 4 years old and paid 18K, had I paid new price I think the paint issues would have bitten deeper and when I came to change I would be leaning on MB to give me a very good discount or trade in factor against a new car.

The dealer situation is well known and most people who run cars older than 3 yrs find their way around this. I have a very good local garage who do all the basic service work and use an independant if the work is beyond them.

I think life without the Merc would be duller when it comes to transport, I know there is a prestige factor built into the price and that this money doesn't always look as thought it is spent on the production line, but I will probably buy another when the time comes. The versatility of the estate has become a lifestyle choice for me, if I need a new fridge/freezer i just drive to the shops and load it into the Merc.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the residuals for your car, should be about 7-9K, which says a lot about how desirable and highly respected the 320CDi engine is.

These are my thoughts and I respect your view, I hope you keep the car, JBerks comments about the car entering its prime at 55K are very apt.

I know they book quite well even with the issues i wouldnt sell the car for less than £9k certainly it has £10k of options on it and is an Avantgarde and is a well loved example with a massive amount of documentation , i think anyone would struggle to find a better example.

But i am stuck in with MB for the basic servicing at least to maintain the full warranty i know that the rust issue would have been a lot harder to fight if i didnt have the mobilo life still in place.

The dealer i now use for servicing gives a discount on labour and parts to those with cars over 4 years old which does help but they are almost 1 hour away

The one thing i'm not worried about is the engine , i dont expect to have problems with it but its the £300-£400 bills that can come up with alarming frequency that i worry about

 

[television]

I know they book quite well even with the issues i wouldnt sell the car for less than £9k certainly it has £10k of options on it and is an Avantgarde and is a well loved example with a massive amount of documentation , i think anyone would struggle to find a better example.

But i am stuck in with MB for the basic servicing at least to maintain the full warranty i know that the rust issue would have been a lot harder to fight if i didnt have the mobilo life still in place.

The dealer i now use for servicing gives a discount on labour and parts to those with cars over 4 years old which does help but they are almost 1 hour away

The one thing i'm not worried about is the engine , i dont expect to have problems with it but its the £300-£400 bills that can come up with alarming frequency that i worry about

The engine in the main is bullet proof, sure you will need the odd thing, there are loads around getting up to the 300k and 400k mile mark without fault.

Every year that you keep the car from now on, drastically reduces your losses

 

[maddog]

Every year that you keep the car from now on, drastically reduces your losses

Depreciation perhaps but i expect the repair costs to soar.

The last service was over £900, ive had a stainless exhaust system fitted £450, new battery £92, £450 to have the bonnet sprayed, leaky fuel line replace £50 , £100 in insurance for loan car while the body repairs were done. All in the last 8000 miles


Coming up the brakes need a rebuild ie rear discs and pads plus fluid change, ARB's need doing and the engine has a shudder when it settles back to idle (harmonic balancer perhaps), wheels need a refurb as well and the radio reception is poor

 

[television]

Depreciation perhaps but i expect the repair costs to soar.

The last service was over £900, ive had a stainless exhaust system fitted £450, new battery £92, £450 to have the bonnet sprayed, leaky fuel line replace £50 , £100 in insurance for loan car while the body repairs were done. All in the last 8000 miles


Coming up the brakes need a rebuild ie rear discs and pads plus fluid change, ARB's need doing and the engine has a shudder when it settles back to idle (harmonic balancer perhaps), wheels need a refurb as well and the radio reception is poor

Ouch, that is expensive by any means :-(

 

[stumpy]

I have found this subject very interesting as I am looking at replacing my old 124 with either another one, or a 210 of some description. I must admit, I am a bit wary of 210's. At least 124's are cheap enough that if they are beyond economical repair, you throw it away and buy another.

 

[television]

I have found this subject very interesting as I am looking at replacing my old 124 with either another one, or a 210 of some description. I must admit, I am a bit wary of 210's. At least 124's are cheap enough that if they are beyond economical repair, you throw it away and buy another.

Nice to hear from you Stumpy