350CDi 5dr estate

Does it's job superbly but at a price

I am not a high mileage driver but do a few long distance trips each year and after a few years of owning a family car, I wanted something for me. So after a little research I realised I wanted six cylinders in a car that could take the family and luggage to the airport; I needed a 350CDi.

I found a four year old, low mileage FSH example and in terms of doing it's job it has been superb. It cruises at high or low speed in comfort and relative silence. It gobbles up distance with ease and last year I managed 711 miles on one tank.

However it has come at the price of high maintenance costs. The year after I bought it it needed the gearbox fluid replacing and due to some minor oil leaks (apparently a known fault) I was quoted £740 to replace three seals and a drive belt. My local Mercedes independent did it for £425. At the beginning of the year I needed discs and pads all round which I though odd at only 50,000 miles and they cost £700 at the independent. Most recently the rear air suspension has been totally replaced (inc shocks) at a cost £1700. Not hugely impressed by such costs and smacks of poor quality, given that I did a similar mileage in a Ford S-Max with only one repair required.

So to sum up. It does it's designed job well, but that job is also to keep mechanics in business.

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