I have been in the market for a while to purchase a 300e and was wondering if the newer E320 is substantially a better car. I know there will be a price difference but is it worth it and what are some common quirks on the E320 especially I should look for. Thanks to all !

Bob,

I went through this debate recently, and bought a 400e instead. Why? Nicer performance, and a few more features ad a slightly higher cost. That aside, neither the 300e or the e320 is especially quirky. In any event, go for the least miles you can find and have the vehicle inspected by a good independent shop or a dealer. Also, consider a warranty. If you go through a dealer, get a Starmark warranty. Otherwise there are several after market warranty companies around. With the Starmark warranty, the car must be a ’93 or newer.

Good luck! You can’t go terribly wrong with a MB!

…Tracy

Thanks but I believe I can buy a E320 at a better price than the 400e and although the bigger engine is nice there just not many to be had and at this point I am tired of looking. I already have an old S Class Euro model 280SE and love these cars !!! Thanks for the input.

Unless your are after absolute performance, you can't go wrong with the E class. The 320 has the M104, which is a solid, peppy rig. You will be happy.

FWIW, What I saw for pricing of a e320 was at around 19K. I did a lot of shopping, using the web – edmunds, ebay, auto trader, yahoo, classified 2000 and a few news papers, and found a 400e with about 60K miles and records for about the same. Actually, I added about 1K and got a 4 year 48K mile warranty as well. I spent about 3 weeks looking...

Happy hunting!

…Tracy

Hi Bob, I was in the market last year for a wagon and wound up with a '94 and am delighted with it. I did pop for a Starmark and it has paid off.
First of all, 93's have the 104 engine, along with the bad engine wiring. which ever you get, check the wiring. If it has not been replaced, either have a warranty to cover it or get a price adjustment, because it will need to be replaced. Use the search section of this forum for the details. also make sure the trans. has been serviced properly. Other than that the differences are the body changes, mostly in the front. I also had no use for the 400. I came out of a diesel and the 320 has all the poop I need. You can only drive so fast in the cities. Good luck, Ed