Is 1997 E320 a good car to buy? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hatterasguy · #31 01-06-2007, 05:40 PM

W210's are great cars, I wouldn't have a problem buying any one. But I'd look for a 2000-02, they updated a lot in 2000 and that year is worth hunting for an paying a bit more for.

Will_w202 · #32 01-06-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

In my experience once you get through the 120K R&R period, those repairs last another 100K at least.

Indeed. Maybe irrelevant to this post, but if you can buy a newer one, Starmark (CPO), get it! I have owned many cars in my short life, and I can tell you buying something OLDER with FEWER miles is the way to go. When I picked up my 97, 3 years ago, it was the oldest car you could get with a warranty. Had 61k miles. Paid $13,500, with 2/100k Starmark. I negotiated the extra year. Within 5k miles, the dry-rotted, 7 year old bushings were making squeaks, trans was shifting erratically, etc. Between 61-100k, partly due to my dealer's customer-first attitude, partly due to me making mountains out of things smaller than moutains (not molehills! lol) I estimate $6k in repairs on their dime. From 100-140k, now, which only took 15 months

, I have spent all of $300 in repairs. MB has a great CPO warranty. Find a 2001+ and take advantage of depreciation and free repairs.

slikkemeg · #33 01-07-2007, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstbenz

I have a 1997 with the same amount of miles. Had it for a few months and it was fine. Now I have an oil leak which is COMMON FOR THAT YEAR! Independent said 2500 later and I will have a new head gasket to cure the oil leak which is common on the front of the straight six in 1997. Better motor in 1998.

I also am having electrical issues, check my post today my wife parked in the garage, took the key out and the car kept running, no big deal I guess I will disconnect the battery so we do not die from the exhaust., nope not with this POS kept running!!! I ended up turning the ignition to activate the starter which never sounds good on a running motor and it stopped. It is sitting in the garage waiting for me to wrench on it again or take it to the independent for a few days.

Great car when it works right, If I did it OVER I would of took the cash I paid for this older Benz and happily leased one over three years and enjoyed the driving not the headaches now. I just want to go from point A to B in a nice car. I have learned my lesson only lease these cars. Hope you take my advice,

Floyd

If I ever decide to ride new Benz, it will be leased one for sure...

Thanks Floyd for your advice.

ProV1 · #34 01-07-2007, 10:37 PM

MB USA is running some insane lease specials on new 2007 E350s. i mean INSANE #s. check em out

amg280 · #35 01-07-2007, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProV1

MB USA is running some insane lease specials on new 2007 E350s. i mean INSANE #s. check em out

If your a Chrysler Employee, you can get an even "INSANER" deal! Our local dealer made the mistake of putting lease offers in the local paper with standard prices and chrysler employee prices. Now, everyone wants the "special" price. One deal was a new CLK350 for like $280 month with like $3k down for DCX employees. Thats crazy. I just checked the MB website and they currently took the lease rates off the website and in place said to "check with your local dealer". hmmm...

Will_w202 · #36 01-07-2007, 11:53 PM

Insane, and also diminishes the exclusivity of a Benz. As if the MB image wasn't already diminished by the Chrysler merger, cheapened perception, and quality issues.

amg280 · #37 01-08-2007, 11:00 AM

Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone know if the rust issues have been corrected in the W211's? Did they go back to galvanized steel, or whatever process that had used that proved to be so robust on the W124's? I want to upgrade, and since going from a W124 to a W210 is a downgrade (to me), the w211 would be the next choice.

Unfortunetely I live in NewYork were they are very liberal on using rock salt on the roadways. I think it would be a very poor situation to be making payments on a 2 to 3 year old vehicle that is rusting out.

Thanks!

ProV1 · #38 01-08-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amg280

Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone know if the rust issues have been corrected in the W211's? Did they go back to galvanized steel, or whatever process that had used that proved to be so robust on the W124's? I want to upgrade, and since going from a W124 to a W210 is a downgrade (to me), the w211 would be the next choice.

Unfortunetely I live in NewYork were they are very liberal on using rock salt on the roadways. I think it would be a very poor situation to be making payments on a 2 to 3 year old vehicle that is rusting out.

Thanks!

not sure about rust problems, but 2003-2006 W211's are NIGHTMARES to own i'm told with countless electrical problems. insiders say MB finally got their act together and 07s are of much higher quality, so we'll see

amg280 · #39 01-08-2007, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProV1

not sure about rust problems, but 2003-2006 W211's are NIGHTMARES to own i'm told with countless electrical problems. insiders say MB finally got their act together and 07s are of much higher quality, so we'll see

Thanks! Ive heard hints of that too. Thanks for the advice. I hope the 07's are much better. Although isnt the new Eclass coming out in 09'? I had driven an 07 E550 4M back to back with the 06 E500 4M, and there is no comparison in regards to raw torque and effortless speed. The new one leaves the old one in the dust. I was stunned at how quick it was, and I own a 2005 M3.

Hirnbeiss · #40 01-08-2007, 12:50 PM

All car's have their weak spots. I dumped my W124 after I looked at the doors from the bottom: too much rust after 8 years for me to designate as a longterm keeper. Let's not forget the wonderful jackpoint "rust amplifiers" of the 190E and similar. If anything has changed, it's most likely the chip resistance of the paints.

There was an issue where they tried to eliminate seam sealer at the door hems by using steel with thicker zinc coating, but I don't think the W210 was included.

All steel cars rust, and I know from working with MB that they still do take corrosion protection very seriously. In fact, it drives reasonable people crazy sometimes when they specify high levels of corrosion resistance on a part that will never see rain.

My W210 is now 7 years old, and it is holding up as good or better than my prior MB's. I always recommend getting as late a year in a model's life as possible, because MB will have had time to correct any early issues they discover.

Hatterasguy · #41 01-08-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProV1

not sure about rust problems, but 2003-2006 W211's are NIGHTMARES to own i'm told with countless electrical problems. insiders say MB finally got their act together and 07s are of much higher quality, so we'll see

Really thats just the opposite of what I have been reading. Early W211's were pretty decent, and MB bumped everything up a notch for the mid model life makeover.

softconsult · #42 01-08-2007, 03:50 PM

Another question is whether the 07 E Class has eliminated the electronic brakes. I recommended the W211 to the wife of a customer of mine.

I never heard the end of his *****ing about the brakes in parking lots. Said he couldn't stop smoothly, no matter how hard he tried. He hated the car. She has recently traded and now has an Infinity M35.

Steve

Ocean View · #43 01-08-2007, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by softconsult

Another question is whether the 07 E Class has eliminated the electronic brakes. I recommended the W211 to the wife of a customer of mine.

I never heard the end of his *****ing about the brakes in parking lots. Said he couldn't stop smoothly, no matter how hard he tried. He hated the car. She has recently traded and now has an Infinity M35.

Steve

Brakes are the reason I didn't buy the W211.
Just made the driving experience aweful.
Hope the 07's are better.

gmercoleza · #44 01-08-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ocean View

Brakes are the reason I didn't buy the W211.
Just made the driving experience aweful.
Hope the 07's are better.

Not to mention you cannot perform even simple brake repairs such as pad replacement without having expensive equipment to interface with the W211 computers.

Hatterasguy · #45 01-08-2007, 09:53 PM

Actualy you can replace the pads yourself as several members of MBworld have shown. You just need to know how to deactivate the system. SBC was done away with in 06 I think.

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