I have been looking at the 98 to 99 W210 E300TDs and E320. Which is a better car relaiblility wise?

I have no idea......but would like to see some quantified data on this.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Whichever one has been better maintained.

I was thinking of purchasing a 99 E300TD but wow, after reading the couple of threads on them the last few days I think I'll pass and continue to drive
my SDL.

We all know here that maintenance has to be done....oil, brakes, filters, fluids.

But if one needs to budget $100-200 a month for issues that you might have to have a dealer do........that's just poor quality, I'll buy a Toyota Avalon drive it for 8 years with only having to worry about nothing.

How do you figure that is such a bad thing? When my AC hose blew, it has 8 years and 180K on it. Cost me about $2K to fix it with a new compressor and receiver dryer, etc, etc. At that rate, there goes your $200 a month. Now if you Avalon can guarantee that at 8 yrs, it has no such issue, I'd be interested. $200 a month is not that much in reality. My neighbor has spent about $100 a month for his Avalon when it was newer and with less miles.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

From the reports I've heard, including family members
Avalon in very reliable.

The newest vehicale I own is a 97 Buick LeSabre 90k and it steadly drops from there, 95 Ford Econoline conversion van 100k, 92 Dodge Dynasty 102k, 91 Dodge Dokota 55k, (2)87 Mercedes 300SDL 200k, 85 Mercedes 300D 190k. Most were purchased used with exception to the Dynasty & Dakota, but have owned all for over 8 years or more, I would never keep any of these vehicals if I continually had to put
more than routine maintance into any of them, I would consider them a lemon and it would be gone.

The SDL's have been the most trouble some in the past 8 years
but not near $1000 a year, but they do have the most mileage on them also with an average of 200K each. The worst so far is a rebuilt trans and a non functioning sunroof.

What country are you in? MB didn't import a 300TD to the US market after 1987.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

He's naming it correctly. E300TD is it's model right from the MSO, transferred to the title on my '99. I guess if you owned one, you might have known this.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

OK, I missed the E. On my car the T is for touring not turbo. MB must have changed that.

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

Thanks.....

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

I've done all the work on it myself after one experience with a "professional" taught me I'd better learn how to fix this car or sell it.

I've probably spent $1500 on parts over the past 3 years. That includes everything from brakes to a A/C condensor and one A/C hose to the blower regulator and even maintenance items but I did the labor myself and, frankly, like the car to be perfect so I fix everything that breaks and/or leaks. so, for me it has been about $42 per month to keep a now 10.5 year old car with 160K mile running. If I had to pay labor it would probably be 4-5X that.

The car's paid for so no monthly payments, but even if you figure 1% of what I paid depreciates each month, that's another $140. So, for about $180 per month I get to drive a car which I feel is superior to most new cars unless I was willing to spend over $600 a month to lease one and get a new CDI. Yeah, to me it is worth the $180 a month to drive this and deal with the issues it has. In the past 12 months I have done nothing more than 2 or 3 oil changes and just this week my horn went bad so there's another $50 (though I could have bought a used one for $10).

There just aren't too many nice, safe, economical cars that you can drive for $180 a month which give anywhere near the pride of ownership or driving experience of a E300 Turbodiesel.

AND, I owned an avalon...best car I ever owned in terms of reliability...but BORING!

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

[QUOTE=Skid Row Joe;1710295]He's naming it correctly. E300TD is it's model right from the MSO, transferred to the title on my '99. I guess if you owned one, you might have known this.[/QUOTE


Hmmm, funny that every other person in this thread, that has an E300 turbodiesel, calls it an E300 turbodiesel in their signature line. You seem like a nice guy so I'll share with you what I learned a few years ago. Mercedes uses T for touring not turbo. So a 300TD is a touring diesel, in other words, it's a wagon. All Mercedes diesels were turbo charged after 1981 I believe, except for the E300 diesel from 95-97.

Chris

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

You're missing the point. Mercedes-Benz' model designation for the 1999 is E300TD. If you or anyone else want to call it something else, they're incorrect. No biggie........

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

probably been clarified, but my here is info straight from my build sheet... So that is the official way to look at it. I agree is sounds counter-intuitive.

Model E300DT
Chassis 2100251A810054
Engine 606962 12 050363
Transmission 722608 01 224861
Order 0 9 704 80651
Delivery date 13.11.98
Dealer United States (USA) (704)

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

I think he is talking about the 98-99 E300 Turbo Diesel

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow