Looking at buying a 7 seater estate 2000 year E320CDI with 120K
Any advise or known problems with engine at these mileages.
Thanks
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I'd worry more about bodywork corrosion than about the engine.
Have you looked at the Car-by-Car Breakdown?
Join the MB Club:
www.mercedes-benzownersclub.co.uk/
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As I have a '93 S class with 100,000 up and a '99 E class 300TD estate with 70,000 up, I am able to confirm that all you will read about the build quality deteriorating after about '96 is true. Don't worry too much about the engine, but the paint and electrics are problem areas. As Fords are now above average reliability, why not buy a Mondeo Ghia? The fully loaded estate is as attractive as the Merc.
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But the Mondeo won't seat seven will it?
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High mileage? Not with only 120k on it. I have a friend who ran one to well over 300k, until a wiring fault caused it to be written off in a fire. YOu see many offered for sale with much higher mileages than this. Interesting comment about dodgy electrics in the light of the fire and certainly there are many reports of paint/corrosion problems as a MB discussion board will confirm. I would suggest mileage is far less of an issue compared to the bodywork problems these experience.
MGs
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why not buy a Mondeo Ghia? The fully loaded estate is as attractive as the Merc.
Who forgot the smiley then?
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TBH a Mondeo TDCi Estate would be a very good buy, probably more sensible than the Merc. I recently had a 'bit of fun' with a glowplug stuck in the head of a Merc CDi - its a common fault on these cars. I buy and sell a few every year and MB used values are certainly not holding up as well as they did a few years back. At one time you could buy a 5-6 year old MB and run it on a budget, keeping away from main dealers. That is becoming less and less the case with the 'new generation' of MB's.
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I got taken to Munich airport a few weeks ago in a W210 Mercedes E-Class taxi with 620,000km on the clock. The driver told me the car was an E270CDI year 2000 model. The condition was impressive considering the mileage though I didn't ask how he'd managed to average 120,000km a year for 5 years.
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I have a 2001 E class 210 and there is not a mark on the bodywork have 78000 miles ,replaced discs and pads ,regular oil changes .The most annoying problems are the clock segmants failing only repairable with a new instrument cluster and the engine management light coming on when the air valve gets dirty(the problem being you have to go to a Merc dealer or specialist to turn it off)I use black sticky tape.The front wishbone bushes go soft they are at the front of the wishbone but are easily replaced.Use Eurocarparts for most items ,anybody who wants to compare a Mondeo with an E class has not driven one its a different world. German Merc taxis are normally changed at 999000km.and they use Bio diesel although I have seen some new petrol cabs with Gas tanks.I have a German taxi licence and work sometimes part time for a taxi service and the cars never stop 24 seven .They are bought with the taxi pack upgraded suspension ,different seats ,modded dash board,better carpets and the yuck pain job although this is now normally stuck on and the cars are silver underneath.
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"anybody who wants to compare a Mondeo with an E class has not driven one its a different world"
Umm. Well I have actually driven both and I whilst the E-class is certainly a nicer car, the Mondeo is an excellent all-rounder with fine handling and performance - I wouldn't describe it as a 'different world'. In terms of value for money the Mondeo is a better buy. In fact I would buy one myself if I didn't still have some doubts about the reliability of Fords CR fuel system (especially the earlier TCDi's).
I am currently pondering the purchase of a 2000/01 E-class for myself, but I haven't seen any really good examples at auction yet. There are quite a few that have been knocked about - I think people are becoming less careful with their cars than they used to be.
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You are correct they are hard to get hold of in good condition they either keep them till they drop or screw the a!!! of them,mine came as a one owner deceased ,I had looked for weeks its not the colour of preference(black) but it had everthing else.There is a big difference between the 1999 and 2000 on models The 5 speed tiptronic box being the biggest change plus the plastic front, rear and sills .Sunwynns in Leeds have an immaculate 2001 in silver but it is manual @£8k.On my runs home to Dresden mine is a dream to drive with the cruise control and it has averaged 29.8mpg since I have had it ,so no complaints there.
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Well, I do buy and sell a few MB's but I tend to be extra 'picky' when buying for myself. I have bought and sold quite a few W210's and know what to look for now. There certainly seems to be less of a rust problem on the post-2000 models.
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I've heard stories of faulty injectors/fuel pumps on the Cdi engines that have cost in the region of £1500 to replace.
forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/
Take a look or ask a question on the owners forum.
I don't think I would ever consider another Merc after the dreaded V-Class. The caravelles been a bit better but still very unreliable.
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I've heard stories of faulty injectors/fuel pumps on the Cdi engines that have cost in the region of £1500 to replace. forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/ Take a look or ask a question on the owners forum.
Well, this is true for most CR Diesel TBH. I remember a few years back replacing a VW injector on a Sharan - the one with the lift sensor built in. It was £750 for the part alone!
Other things that commonly go wrong are the fuel rail pressure sensor and the glow plugs can sieze into the head (I recently had this on an auction-bought MB CDi). Fortunately I eventually got it out and replaced it. But is was a very long job and not worth it for the profit on the car.
My trader friend currently has a Rover 75 (BMW Diesel engine). One of the injectors is faulty and is siezed into the head. He just cannot shift it. He's been onto local BMW service dept and they tell him its a 'common problem' on that engine. They have actually fitted new engines on account of this problem - heads alone are not available from BMW! (Health warning: this is what he's told me, not heard it first hand myself. But he's not usually wrong!).
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I didn't ask how he'd managed to average 120,000km a year for 5 years.
I know how.
10,000km a month, 2,500km a week, even only working 5 day weeks that's 500km a day. I have averaged 84,000 miles a year for the last few years, which is 135,000km more or less.
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