I'm about to purchase a newer Mercedes Diesel, at least I think I'd like to. Still keeping my 1986 300SDL, it's a charm, and my 95 E320 wagon.. My 2002 ML500 has 240K miles, just wiped out the steering rack and though in slightly less than mint condition, I don't want to fix it.

So, any of you the own the cdi blutec, please chime in with your opinions of the vehicle, including flaws and common expensive repairs.

Thank you all in advance! :-)

__________________
Currently Driving
2006 E320 CDI
1999 E300 Turbo Diesl
2002 ML500
1995 E320 Station Wagon


MBs I've owned
1997 E320 Assassinated by Pine Tree
1987 300E Wife Killed Engine
1981 300D Stretch Limo Total Loss
1970 250 Coupe 212,000 mi.
1974 450sel 184,000 mi.
1974 240D 377,000 mi.
1977 300D 204, 000 mi.
1979 280se God Only Knows!
1983 240D 130,000 mi.
1972 220D 280,000 mi.
1983 300SD 244,000 mi.

I have an 05 CDI with 218,000 miles, and my wife has an 06 with about 65,000.
Excellent cars. Many of the systems are so easy to work on. Great mileage, if you drive mostly highway, 35-40 is the norm.
Extremely fast. The 211 is very well protected from the salt.
The two things I have found, are very short lived ball joints, although, they are easy to change. Injector seals are the other thing.
Easy enough to change your own oil on, with a top sucker, or gravity drained. Fuel filters are simple to change too.
The only thing I don't like is power window buttons on the doors.
You won't be sorry if you get one.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

There are a couple of long threads evaluating the pros and cons of the 05-06 CDI....do a search.

Fabulous cars...only owned my 06 for a couple of months, but couldn't be happier.

Opinions are all over the map in terms of how significant an issue eventual SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control) failure is. While it's good to be as informed as possible about the issue, I don't think it should deter anyone from buying a CDI.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Subject line is 2006 E320 CDI but last sentence is CDI BlueTEC. Are you asking about the 05-06 OM648 CDI without BlueTEC or the 07-up OM642 CDI with BlueTEC? Very different beasts.

Sixto
83 300SD

Can't find any real fault with my 2006. Although if I was forced to name one, my personal opinion says it's pretty plain in the looks department. This is coming from a former W116 300SD owner.
As has been said, SBC and injector seals are the expensive repairs if you have to. I've got 78k miles on mine and it's never had an issue with either.

It'll be tough to find a (pre-Bluetec) W211 CDI owner who doesn't love their car.

__________________
'80 300SD - '83 240D - '00 E55 AMG - '02 G500

True. Yet, ironically, there are so many for sale right now...and for great prices. Never been a better time to buy one of these.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 157k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 175k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 70k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Here is a spread sheet of the CDI's available for sale on the internet this year from March through June.
The prices are stale by about 5 months, so not really relevant.
But, it gives you a good idea of what options are available and how rare they are.

CDI Shopping Spreadsheet

Here is the thread from when the spreadsheet was first posted:
2005/6 CDI Shopping

__________________
Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

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'80 300SD - '83 240D - '00 E55 AMG - '02 G500

That 2006 CDI car in Oregon at 90% above market price is still for sale.
Except now it's $27,950

Listed on Portland craigslist.

Are you asking about the 05-06 OM648 CDI without BlueTEC or the 07-up OM642 CDI with BlueTEC? Very different beasts.


I didn't know there was a difference..... Is it more reliable with or without BlueTEC?

__________________
Currently Driving
2006 E320 CDI
1999 E300 Turbo Diesl
2002 ML500
1995 E320 Station Wagon


MBs I've owned
1997 E320 Assassinated by Pine Tree
1987 300E Wife Killed Engine
1981 300D Stretch Limo Total Loss
1970 250 Coupe 212,000 mi.
1974 450sel 184,000 mi.
1974 240D 377,000 mi.
1977 300D 204, 000 mi.
1979 280se God Only Knows!
1983 240D 130,000 mi.
1972 220D 280,000 mi.
1983 300SD 244,000 mi.

I test drove both and decided on the wife's 06 with the OM648.
Like driving completely different cars.

Driving a bluetec is like driving a gas V6. none of the sound or black smoke one atributes to a diesel. The 7 speed trans keeps the RPMs low and in the powerband under acceleration. One just pushes the pedal and you are going the speed you want to go, probably faster than you want to go. You never hear it rev, and never feel it shift. The torque of the OM 642 V6 diesel is amazing. Open the hood, and you soon realize gone is the day of doing any service yourself. Ball joints, oil changes, but not much else.

Driving an 05/06 with the OM648 is in some ways like driving a classic Diesel, but with the power of a 90s V8. It has the diesel sound and clatter, you press the pedal and hear it rev. It has amazing pick up, but you hear it and feel it more. Opening up the hood, and take off the cover, it is smartly laid out, and even not being a mechanic, you could do the fuel filter, oil changes, ball joints, and a few other tasks. a little know how, or the ability to follow a you tube video, and you can do a lot of service yourself.
Many are afraid of the brake by wire of the SBC brakes of the 05 and 06. The Bluetecs use the old system.

You probably can't go wrong with either. i liked them both, but the servicing won the battle for me. I do a lot myself.

__________________
1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Much appreciated, I've learned a lot, thank you

__________________
Currently Driving
2006 E320 CDI
1999 E300 Turbo Diesl
2002 ML500
1995 E320 Station Wagon


MBs I've owned
1997 E320 Assassinated by Pine Tree
1987 300E Wife Killed Engine
1981 300D Stretch Limo Total Loss
1970 250 Coupe 212,000 mi.
1974 450sel 184,000 mi.
1974 240D 377,000 mi.
1977 300D 204, 000 mi.
1979 280se God Only Knows!
1983 240D 130,000 mi.
1972 220D 280,000 mi.
1983 300SD 244,000 mi.

Very good advise here ^^^^ from a guy that owns BOTH!


There wasn't enough of a reason to pay a lot more for an 08/09 E320 Bluetec at the time I bought mine almost 3-years ago......and there still isn't if I was buying one today!

Paying several multiples for an 08/09 over what I paid for an 06 CDI simply made no sense. Besides, I test drove several Bluetecs, and didn't feel a reason in driving one to do so. The 06 I6 iron block is what I wanted at the end of the day. I also paid just a song and a dance for the low-mileage 06 I got too. Icing on the cake.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert