PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - 2005-2006 E320 CDI Buyers Guide, Common Problems, & Roll Call

spark3542 · #11 03-16-2015, 03:17 PM

I'll add my data point

2005 E320CDI purchased July 2010 for $17,100 on ebay. 130,000 miles at the time, vehicle was in NC, and I have evidence that it spent it's life near Duke Univ. It was considered a steal for that priice, even with the "high" miles. I have run it since that time on almost stricly homemade BD, with the only exception being blending of various proportions of D2 in subzero winter months to keep from gelling.

I now have 245,000 and still going strong.

What I have added:
- Bully Dog fuel rail chip
- Universal heated seat ($100 Amazon IIRC)
- Trailer hitch

What I have replaced:
- Dealer replaced faulty SRS airbag wiring...$700
- Front left wheel bearing fused itself to the spindle. Replaced spindle with used part.
- T'stat stuck open. Easy to replace.
- I think only one glow plug so far.
- In-tank fuel pump at 167,000 (dealer-only part...$600)
- Turbo grenaded itself at 235,000 ($700 online)
- AT fluid and filter replacement at 200k
- Lost one "bank" of third brake light (it has about 5 "banks" of LEDs). Resoldered to get most of 5th bank recovered.
- Water pump

I do all my own work, except for the airbag wiring. SBC brakes are no problem if you disconnect the connector before working on them. I run Rotella T6 5-40 synthetic, changing at the 13k interval. I use a harbor freight vacuum pump to change my oil from the dipstick tube. The oil pan plug has never been removed.

While the list above may look long, over the course of 115k miles it has had very little go wrong. The only AAA tow was when the fuel pump died (while wife had it...which took some "damage control") This car is awesome. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

I get about 32 MPG on average of city/hwy, running creative fuel.