Should I Buy
 

Hi, I am considering buying a 2005 E320 with 140,000 + miles on it. Carfax looks okay. It has had, to me, an unusual amount of brake work done, pads and rotors replaced in 06 and 08 and serviced in 2010. Arizonia car.
I am not one to e squeamish about high miles. I have a 96 Ford Explorer with 249K. But I have maintained it since 1998. I will check it further. It is selling for $9,500.
I value any opinions.
Thanks

I think it has about a 50% chance of being a loser. The w211 e class cars were built in the "dark" Mercedes Benz years, roughly from 2000-2009 for most models except the R129 roadsters. The c, s, ml and e class cars especially, are a crapshoot at best, in those model years.

Yes there are stories that abound about so and so who bought one and it lasted for years and years with no trouble, and they are out there, but horror stories abound too, about these.

I'd avoid them if it was me.

If you can get a service and warranty history that would be good. With the miles, it is possible this has been mostly used on the hiway and those tend to have comparatively moderate wear. But the car has enough miles to have experienced most of the pattern failures that are typical of the model.

I have a 2000 ML that has over 150K on the odo and it runs as good as the day I bought it when new. However, earlier this week I found out that MB evidently intentionally does a very bad job of securing sunroof drains. They didn’t use any hose clamps and the drains tend to clog and disconnect, over time. When a MB tech runs a smaller hose or pressurized air through the drain tubes to clean them, this causes the drain to come apart at junctions. In the case of my ml, the water leaked onto some of the electronics……………. So, check for signs of interior water leaks as well as other due diligence.

In any event, you get what you pay for……………………

SBC brakes? Airmatic?

MV

Thanks, for your input. I'm not wanting exchange problems I fixed on my 1998 for new ones. I'll be patient and do more checking.

Thanks for the reply. I will check and see what I can find.

This!

I had a lot of tranny problems with my 02 clk 320. So I would have the tranny checked. :)

Brakes and rotors get eaten by these models. Ask me how I know? ;)

Price sounds right, but I would never buy a gasser MB, as I'm a diesel-only MB owner/buyer....

Good luck with it!

03-06 W211. RUN!

Get the 07-0 W211 Facelift. Those where a major improvement!

Define "unusual"? Depending on how you drive and where you drive, you might replace pads and rotors every so often.

I'd be more concerned with the engine and trans. Were they serviced regularly? Fluids?

Also if the fluids are brand new, I'd run. No way I'd buy new fluids for a car I am getting rid of unless I had to for some reason. So if my wife died and I wanted to get rid of the car, maybe. OTOH, I don't see myself changing expensive fluids and giving it to the next buyer unless I am hiding something.

I would get a PDI from a dealership unless you know one of their mechanics. See service records. This all assuming that the price is right.

Does Arizona have a salt issue during winter? WI does.

No.

Unless maybe up north for a brief period. But I doubt it.

- Peter.

My uncles 07 E350 4matic has been flawless since new.

07 and newer seem to have less problems, or at least fewer people complain about them.