W210 MB E-class: anyone own one?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Yeah, yeah, I should just buy a Civic. In my search for a car that won't make me want to off myself, I'm suprised at how many of these are available for under $7k in good condition, both the E320 and E420/E430. Reading through reviews on Edmunds, buyers guides, and MB forums, they appear to be quite reliable. More so than a comparable E39 BMW. More biased towards comfort than the BMW. Often referred to as the last "real" Mercedes. Plus, I've always thought they were beautiful cars. So, anyone owned one?

[rammstein]

My old boss in Boston had one. It had a suprising amount of rust for its age. I dunno if it was just because he sucked, or if the cars rust.

[onewhippedpuppy]

From what I've read, some of the early cars had rust problems. It was apparently due to MB switching to a water based paint, and having issues with the process.

[kstar]

Matt:

Yes, just buy a Civic . . . or anything!!!

Have you always been so car fickle?

Good luck in your search and I look forward to the day you report the "solution"!

Best,

[onewhippedpuppy]

What's the saying? Idle hands are the devil's plaything? Too much spare time I suppose, and nobody here at work to BS about cars with. In regards to the real thing, I've always had car ADD. Maybe someday something will hit me in the right place, and I'll keep it forever.

What, would you rather me post about Obama, Iraq, or global warming? At least these threads don't spiral into name-calling.

[911boost]

I have to think the parts on those cars are getting expensive. maybe Z-man can chime in here.

Are you looking for something kind of fun, and yet kind of practical in the 7K range? Or is practicality and no wrenching more important?

Bill

[notfarnow]

I bought a '99 e300d in January. It is a fantastic car, I just love it. It's a HEAVY car, and it feels like it. Around town, I find myself driving like a grandpa... but it is a fantastic car on the highway. Quiet, smooth and quite fast (the 3l diesel is faster than the 3.2 gas, I think). It's quiet for a reason... there's 2 layers of sound insulation and almost 3" of foam under the carpets. There is NO wind noise at any speed I've travelled at. Even with the sunroof open, you can have a quiet conversation at highway speeds.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the price of MB parts. Suspension, electrics, brakes... all parts I've looked at are cheaper than VW Jetta parts. A fairer comparison would be Passat parts, which are typically 1.5 - 2x the MB e-class equivalents. Engine & transmission parts are where MB's seem to get spendy.

I've also found it to be really nice to work on. I cooked my starter this weekend (my own fault), and it took 20 minutes to get it off. Compare that to the VWs where the starter bolts run through the front engine mount, so the engine has to be supported & lined up.

Keep in mind that I'm coming at MB ownership from the perspective of an ex-VW owner, so my concept of "easy to work on" and "cheap to run" are very skewed. Also conisder that I owned a Renault LeCar for 7 years.

mercedesshop.com forums are a FANTASTIC resource

[Max Von]

I bought a 2000 E55 AMG a couple of years ago and it's been rock solid with the exception of the catalytic converter on the drivers side. Only $2500.00 from MB and no after market replacement available. I was lucky enough to have a friend at MB that managed to get it replaced under warranty.
If you've searched the MB forums you already know about the common problem areas such as cat's, crank pulleys, ball joints, ac evaporators etc. Parts are expensive on some models but there is are strong after market sources such as Pelican Parts!
The rust issue is most common on the top of the door frames and at the trunk lock button/cylinder. If you pull back the door seal at the top of the frame you may find corrosion. There was/is a factory campaign where they spray some wax in the seal channel to displace any moisture.
As with any high end vehicle many fall victim to "deferred maintenance". Lots of second owners finance the purchase and cannot address the necessary repairs and maintenance.

You may get lucky and find a gem! I love mine but paid considerably more for the extra hp and handling.

[notfarnow]

one rust area to watch for: front spring perches. They have a nasty habit of kinda just busting off.

[TerryBPP]

If you're looking for one maybe I can help you out. Shot you a pm.

[Seahawk]

Matt,

Since we have met, and I was impressed with your outlook on life, I have given your car plight, replete with your acknowledged automobile ADD, some thought.

Let's review:

- Young man, beautiful wife and kids. Check.
- Worked your way through college (very cool). Check.
- Future is bright. Check.
- Has 5k in cash to spend. Check.
- Needs a DD that won't crater his budget. Check.
- Car has got to be, "interesting". Check (and the kid could be my son)

What to do?

I'd get a pre-owned certified Honda or like car, pay around 16k. No worries, no dicking around and the A/C will blow like a nor'easter.

So, the payment would be, after 1k down and 60 months, $300.00 a month. That gives you, assuming the 5k is liquid, over a year of trouble free, cost free driving covered by the pre-owned warranty. Since you're a smart guy, I'm thinking next years raise will cover the nut

Then, assume any of the more exotic used car excursions your are pondering and have paid cash for hick-ups at all. My low end guess is to think $1500 to $3000 out of pocket! Ouch. That is for one burp.

That little budget wave would have given you another year of trouble and risk free driving. And the A/C is still frigid.

Look here: http://www.shonda.com/

You can be stupid with cars later. You need a DD.

[rdrr]

I've got a 2001 model E230Kompressor (not sure if they even sell that in the US) that I have owned since 2004. Haven't had many problems:
- faulty rear power window winder
- faulty power steering pump
both of these replaced under warranty.

The ball joint problem is one I have at the moment and will have to take care of.
Don't go to the dealer for service - it gets hideously expensive. What I can't do myself I get a local independant specialist to do at a fraction of the price of the dealer.

Other than that the car has been fantastic and I have been very happy with it. My wife drives the car as a daily driver and loves it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Bill, I'm looking for kind of fun + practical. I've also been leaning a bit more towards comfort than sport, which is appreciated in a DD. I don't mind a little wrenching, but I don't want something CONSTANTLY broken. My reading seems to indicate that the W210 is less problematic than most BMWs, and cheaper too.

Paul, your idea has merit. But, I have a little problem of hating debt. Hate, hate, hate, hate. Payments, well I hate those too. Hell, we just replaced Andrea's SRX with a 2004 Mazda MPV so we'd have more cash to throw at my student loan. I plan on having 1/2 or better in cash before the payments come due (6 mo). So while borrowing for a newer car isn't a bad idea, it's just not an idea I can subscribe to. Despite my b!tching about my old cars, I normally don't spend that much cash on them. Honestly, I've made money on almost all of them.

I'm liking this W210 idea though. Seems like it's a fairly fun, reliable, cheap car (relatively speaking). Really, I don't mind occasionally having to fix something, just not CONSTANTLY.

[slow&rusty]

As previous E Class owner (W124) not W210. I would recommend the V8 W210, so that would equate to an E420 /430. The spring perches have known to completely separate from the car's unibody due to corrosion and there are lots of reported cases (do a search), rust for whatever reason is the worst on the early W210s as were previously mentioned - very weird and I am not sure what was going on at the Factory at the time?

The W124 is actually called the "last" of the real original Benzes BTW. I like the shape of the W124 over the W210, but the W210 has a more modern and comfy interior that is hard to beat. Good luck on your decision.

Yasin

[Sarc]

I swear I come across more coincidences on PPOT than anywhere else--For the past few months I've been toying with the thought of parting with my trusty E30 in hopes of acquiring more room to transport our 3 week old, and to also keep her in something a little safer. I was this close to moving on to an E34, but the thought of getting anything less than my E30's 30 mpg bugs me so I've passed on the idea. Plus every time I get back in the E30, especially after a few day hiatus, I instantly become enamored with the car again and convince myself that I can't part with it.

Recently I've been following Jake's posts on his MB and it gets the wheels turning again that I could get safety, room, and the economy I was looking for if I go with the 300D. This was taking place whilst off for two weeks with our newborn and away from the E30, which I've been driving everyday this week and loving every minute of it. How could I get rid of this thing? I love this car.

Hmm, what's this I see on PPOT this morning....W210 recommendations? Let's have a look. Hmmm, all favorable comments. Still I love my E30. Do not sell the E30. Whoa the stance on that AMG is fantastic. You know those rims would look great on a 300d. Time to start thinking again.....

DAMN YOU GUYS!!!!

[Porsche_monkey]

I have a 97 E420. Aside from serious rust, which I will be addressing shortly, it has been a great car. With about 100,000 miles on it the only repair in the last three years has been an intake gasket. Great ride, great seats. A really nice comfortable car to drive.

If I drive carefully I can get 10 litres/100km, same as my Volvo turbo wagon, which is about 25 mpg. Very good for a big fast car.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by Sarc

Recently I've been following Jake's posts on his MB and it gets the wheels turning again that I could get safety, room, and the economy I was looking for if I go with the 300D. This was taking place whilst off for two weeks with our newborn and away from the E30, which I've been driving everyday this week and loving every minute of it. How could I get rid of this thing? I love this car.

Hmm, what's this I see on PPOT this morning....W210 recommendations? Let's have a look. Hmmm, all favorable comments. Still I love my E30. Do not sell the E30. Whoa the stance on that AMG is fantastic. You know those rims would look great on a 300d. Time to start thinking again.....

DAMN YOU GUYS!!!!

Funny I thought the same thing when I saw those rims!

Nicest thing about the w210 e300d is the om606 engine. How's this for a diesel:
-Straight 6, DOHC
-24 valves
-crossflow head
-turbocharged & intercooled
-244 ft/lbs... 0-60 in 8.4 (in a 3800lb car!!)

Pain points in the diesels:
- Glow plugs seizing in the head (I had one break off... SCARY)
- fuel line leaks... they use plastic fitting with o-rings that develop little air leaks. The majority of engine problems end up being air leaks on these lines. ~$100 and 2 hours changes them all.

Mileage isn't AMAZING with the e300d... I have averaged ~28mpg over a 8 hour highway drive @ 80mph. Not Jetta TDi territory but still not too bad. Some folks get a consistent 30-34mpg but that's about tops

[onewhippedpuppy]

Sarc, our car wants seem to run oddly parallel. Maybe we should develop some sort of rotation/trade agreement? I'll buy a 240Z, you can buy a W210, maybe I'll pick up an E34 540/6.......it's like joint custody! Congrats on the new kid.

Kurt, now do you see why I post this stuff? How can you beat impartial feedback from actual owners? I don't think I've ever NOT gotten quality feedback on PPOT, no matter the topic. It's like my own little focus group.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

What's the saying? Idle hands are the devil's plaything? Too much spare time I suppose, and nobody here at work to BS about cars with. In regards to the real thing, I've always had car ADD. Maybe someday something will hit me in the right place, and I'll keep it forever.

What, would you rather me post about Obama, Iraq, or global warming? At least these threads don't spiral into name-calling.

Wanna bet?

If your car budget is only in the $5-7k range, why buy something that will cost you $$$$$ each time you need to fix something on it? If your budget was 4 or 5 times that much, then your maintenance costs wouldn't be as much of a consideration. I really think you need to focus on more cost effective cars. Probably Japanese. Mazda, Honduh, Toyota. Miata's are fun to drive and pretty solid. Just think, you can be the Official PPOT Ricer!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Jim, I tried to buy a Miata a year ago, couldn't force myself to do it. It drove great, was priced well, but I couldn't get past the hairdresser car looks. Plus, I really don't like convertibles.

Regardless, I need a sedan for those times I haul the kids. Sadly, generally speaking, I can get a better condition Mercedes with less miles than a similar accord. For $5-6k I can pick up a '97 E420 with about 100k in nice condition, or a '97 Accord with 150k in ok shape. Sadly, the popularity of commuter cars with the sheeple masses keeps the values high, and these owners don't tend to take very good care of their appliances. Plus, I'll end up with a car I hate. It's funny, because I always start car shopping looking at Japanese cars. After looking at a plethora of neglected Accords and Camrys, I always come back to Europe.

I really don't mind doing the occasional repair or maintenance, and $500 every six months is still cheaper than a car payment.