Thoughts on 96 E320 / W210?

[yosshimura]

Going back and forth 2 years ago was entertaining an E300, got tons of info... ended up with a 2000 E320... loved it... "minimal problems" (I sound like I am accepting the problems, LOL...).. actually one problem only, neither here nor there at this point..

Back in the market now... I wanted a 96-98 E320 with <60-70K miles, but $$ ... Thinking of just jumping a a 96 with 100K or so , as long as it has maintainance records, and passes a PPI...

I have have read so much about the 300E (my favorite model on the outside!) and know all the good and bad about them... unfortunately, I can' t get over "yesterday's" center dash... I want something more modern looking. Plus to pay $8K-$10K for a car like that, I might as well jump into a more modern C280 or E320....

Anyway... reading , as I usually do, the archives... it seems that even maintained one needs to "expect" to have to replace the tranny once you reach 150K miles or have even read closse to 100K on some instances (depending on prior maintainance of course)..... so there goes $1.5K or $2K ....

What other "flaws" in this model?

Should I feel as comfortable in buying a 96-97 E320 with 100-120K miles as I would feel buying a 95 or older 300E? The 300E had the a/c issue and valve cover / wiring harness issues, depending on year. What other issues does the e320 have?

$12K for 90-120K miles sounds very tempting...

Thinking of something like attached... granted we are "assuming" as I haven't seen this car in person nor executed a ppi, of course

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6335&item=2474647702&rd=1

[benzthere]

I sounds like you know what you are getting yourself into. As pretty as it looks on ebay, you still want to check the records and get a pre-purchase inspection.

[suginami]

1996 and 1997 E320's still have the same 3.2 liter M104 engine as 1993-1995 300E 3.2 / E320s. If the engine has the original head gasket, it might need to be replaced to the updated gasket design.

[yosshimura]

Thanks for the info guys. I was aware the 96 had the same engine, but didn't know about the 97...

Still in the brainstorming stage, but have passed the "entertainment" stage, LOL,... I am in the "pursuit" stage. Should I have time this wknd, I will be looking..

Any other thoughts?

[dtf]

I have not heard much about failure of the 4 speed transmission in the 94, 95 and 96 E class. Mine has 218,000 miles and is in tip top shape. Can you share the threads where you read about problems? I'm curious now...

[yosshimura]

Thats some miles ... I love it

It was on mbworld.org? I was surfing and came accross a long link over there on the issue .... Have the link at home, but pretty sure that is it or CLOSE to it. If I am off on it, someone can correct me ...


... Just ran accross this link on someone who had a tranny rebuild at about 140K miles

[blackmercedes]

You should get AT LEAST 150,000 miles out of the four speed auto box, probably more.

The four speed in our 190E has about 250K-miles and is tip-top. All the trannies in our 190E 2.3's lasted longer.

The 1997 car has the 722.6, and if it's been updated (new ETC, etc.) the five speed will also last at least 150K, probably much more if maintained. (Maintenance essential for the four speed too)

The W210 is a good car, but can have it's little faults that eat away at people. The evap temp sensor, window regulators, control arm bushings, seat frames, dash cracks, AMM's and other things tend to be off putting to folks used to Camry's.

That said, the W210 doesn't seem to have any catastrophic flaws and a car that has been cared for can be an excellent used car buy. I would NEVER pay top dollar for a garage queen, prefering a car that has been driven.

[yosshimura]

[i].
The evap temp sensor, window regulators, control arm bushings, seat frames, dash cracks, AMM's and other things tend to be off putting to folks used to Camry's.
. [/B]

Ok I checked prices for the evap temp sensor, window regulator, and control arm bushings... reasonable...

seat frame? They just got to be replaces as miles rack on I guess. Can you buy the seat frame or the whole thing? Any idea on $?

AMM? What is that?

Dash cracking > A small crack surfaced on my former 2000 E320 on the passenger side, with about 50K miles on the car... I was a little disappointed, but it was "one of those little things" I overlooked Guess its typical ....

On the 1996, having the same power plant as the 95 E, do they have the same A/C issue / evaporator / having to remove entire dash problem?

[blackmercedes]

Originally posted by yosshimura
AMM? What is that?

Air Mass Meter, commonly called Mass Airflow Sensor...

[suginami]

Originally posted by yosshimura
On the 1996, having the same power plant as the 95 E, do they have the same A/C issue / evaporator / having to remove entire dash problem?

My opinion based on what I've read / heard / researched is that evap failures on late W124's is rare. The evaporators themselves are not expensive, buy John (blackmercedes) has correctly pointed out that the Mercedes engineers designed W124's via CAD software with the whole car built around the a/c evaporator.

I don't know if W210's use the same evaporator or not, but I don't think I've ever heard or read of one needing replacement. I think it is an interesting thing to research, though, if the evaporators are accessible on W210's should it ever need replacement.

It is curious though, that W126's have never suffered from evap failures. They are also very readily accessible, too, unlike W124's and W140's...

[blackmercedes]

The likelihood of the evaporator needing replacement is the inverse of the difficulty of accessing it.

Example? W140 and R129 cars are incredibly difficult to access the evaporator. Guess which cars have the highest failure rate? Ha!

I haven't heard of a W210 or W202 evaporator failure, but if the cars are as closely "related" as they seem to be, then I think they're both probably fairly easy to do. On the W202, the blower fan is a SNAP to get to, unlike many of MB's other cars.

[yosshimura]

THanks to both of you for the comments. I have to sit down like I did when I was researching the 300E and search on various issues in the archives here.. Just have been swamped.

[mckean]

G'say Yosshimura in regards to the Auto's in E320's like anything that contains oil/fluid it wont matter what anyone says including MB there is nothing like regular service including fluid changes to keep all mechanicals like new. Post 96 models have a sealed gearbox it is however still possiable to renew the fluid it's not cheap but it's cheaper than an auto overhaul. The only problem I have heard of in regards to Auto's failing is that the electronic interface circuit board can fail at around 160-170000 miles. These are repairable items if you have the skills, I am an Avionic's engineer and don't mind soldering a circuit board often all they need is a clean. I had a 190E that covered over 700,000km without engine overall or gearbox problems the seceret oil changes every 10,000Km and gearbox oil every two years or 50,000km which ever comes first regardless of what a mechanic may recommend. I am now driving a 1996 C180 it has covered 220,00km and it has proved just as utterly reliable as the 190E, I stick with regular oil changes including the gearbox and just like the 190 I bet I get at least another 400,000km trouble free. Is the 190 still going I here you ask sadly not the old girl came to grief with another car it was 1985 model and would you believe the pretensioning seatbelts worked as new nearly twenty years after the car was made. I feel alot of complaints about newer Mercs are as a result of streching out servicing scheduals. Cheers Mat.