2002 e320 4matic wagon purchase
 

Thinking of buying a 2002 e320 wagon with 117k on the clock to replace the wife's minivan. I have owned numerous Mercedes over the year, starting with a 1967 230 and do a lot of my own work. The asking price is $12k from a private owner. Also looking at passat wagons, they feel kind of tinny to me, but I can buy one that is newer and with fewer miles for the same price as the E320. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds good to me. I have a "99 and love it. Just check all the service records and history of any body work.
Ed

brick8, whatever you do be sure to get a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) performed by a MB-trained tech so you have a professional evaluation and know what expensive repair work the car may need immediately. Ask the seller for maintenance records ... those are always helpful in determining if the car has had routine oil changes, etc. that help the longevity of any vehicle.

That is a very decent price for a good vehicle.

The guy is out of town for a week, so I will have more time to do research. Test drove a 2001 BMW 525iT that was very nice despite having 109,000 miles and a 2003 Saab 9-5 Arc wagon that was also intriguing. Don't know how practical it would be to get the ppi done, would require missing a day of work...

Just a comment -- the 4Matic is nice if you need it, but it sells for a premium.

BTW, I was in a similar situation about a year ago. I started by looking at euro wagons and when I narrowed it down to a MB 320 I began shopping seriously. I read all the posts in E320 forums I could find to get an idea of the common problems. Good luck.

So, are you pleased with the MB320? What sort of problems have you had with it?

This is a great car and a good price.

Since it's past the emissions warranty, be sure to inspect the cat converters, which are very expensive to replace. I wouldn't be surprised if this was already done under warranty, in which case it would be a good deal.

go over to VWVortex.com and passatworld.com

The model Passat from 2001.5 t0 2005 is the B5.5 model. From 1998 to 2001 is referred to as the B5. If you see word variant they are referring to the station wagon version. Things to look out for on the VW, oil leaks, both 4 and 6 cyl. They start as clogged PCV system and force oil out past seals. Timing belt replacement are ever 60-90,000 miles depending on your annual mileage. AC is not as good in the VW as the Benz. You cannot get a 3rd seat in the Passat.

So far everything works as expected and no problems. One night coming home from dinner, the display for a burned out bulb came up. I removed the bulb (it was okay), cleaned the contacts and replaced the bulb. 'Problem' gone.

I get around 19mpg around town and I got 26 on a mixed (70% highway) tankfull. It had 121K on the odo when I bought it last fall. Rides like a new car.

We've had our W210 wagon for 15 months and have put about 18K miles on it in that time. The only thing I can really complain about is the fact that it likes to eat headlight bulbs. I think we've had 3 of them burn out, plus a couple of the driving lamps (the smaller oval lights next to the grille). Aside from that, it has been a dream to own. It is like a night and day comparison to our W202, which has simliar mileage (100K vs. about 85K on the 210) but is 6 years old. The W202 has cost way more to operate.

I've had my 2001 210 wagon for 3.5 years and about 35K miles. It is a Starmarked car from the local dealer. About 3.5 years old and 20K miles when purchased.

Have replaced a taillight or two. So far no headlight or marker bulbs. One window regulator has been replaced. Replaced one headrest motor that was intermittent. Replaced the instrument cluster - one pixel had failed. Got a new MAF recently.

That's the total list of repairs. I've recently gone through a bunch of normal maintenance - new tires, plugs, A service. Replaced the original battery just this month.

There are two things about the car which annoy me. It has a few creaks & rattles, more than are appropriate for a Benz. Most are back in the hatch & cargo area. I've fixed the worst offenders, but it should be better. Second, it's a bit noisy at highway speeds. There's too much wind noise. My diesel 124 wagon was much quieter.

My $.02,

- JimY

BMW wagons are smaller, look cute, something for the ladies :D.

instrument cluster replaced because one pixel had failed? wow!

One word - Starmark.

- JimY