A friend is selling his 2000 E320 4matic, 90000 miles. Asking $7500. I want a good heavy MB for a cross-country trip next year, but not necessarily to keep forever.

Is this car prone to problems? Any recommendations or warnings? Buy it quick? Run away fast?

Thanks.
Tom

Further info:

Owner (long-time friend) says he had the "rear seals" replaced several years ago, but nothing else has been done other than routine maintenance by MB of Danbury CT, which seems to have a good reputation.

It's a one owner car with all maintenance records. From what I've read on several MB forums, the "new generation" 4matic adds 200 lbs, but doesn't affect mpg all that much, tho' it's still "around" 20mpg. I can live with that for the "big trip" I'm planning. It's his wife's car, so he got the 4matic for her winter driving.

Tom

If you do not have to have a 4Matic, then do not buy a 4Matic. The repairs are considerably more expensive for the front suspension, axles, and transfer case.

Problems are not wide spread but torn boots and leaking transfer case (at this age and mileage) are not unusual.

As you can see, I have a 4Matic wagon (adds another 200 lb for the wagon in addition to the 200 lb for the 4Matic).

We get 25 mpg with a 70/30 mix of highway/city, and that's all rush hour driving. I've seen close to 30mpg on long highway trips where I kept the cruise control pegged at 110 km/h (about 68 mph). And that's with a 4Matic wagon too. The only repair I've had to deal with is replacing the accumulators for the rear air suspension at about 105K miles but I do know that the original owner had the transfer case replaced under warranty at about 30K miles (service records indicate it was done but don't give a reason why) and also had a mass airflow sensor replaced, common with all kinds of MBs.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

Jonathan: The gas mileage on your wagon is pretty good. I can only get 25 - 26 MPG on straight highway driving (70 - 75 mph). I wonder if the Canadian gas is a bit better.

I only use Shell premium 91 Octane, which contains 0% ethanol. As I understand it, ethanol burns cleaner but has less energy than gasoline. If your fuel contains ethanol, that might be where you are seeing the difference.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

I also use Shell premium. The station I go to has 93 Octane but has 10% ethanol.

There's your difference. Shell Canada puts 10% ethanol in regular unleaded (87 octane), 5% ethanol in mid-grade (89 octane) and 0% in premium (91 octane). I guess Shell USA has a different formulation.

EDIT: looks like I mis-spoke a little - I was getting just over 28 on the long trips, not close to 30. I screwed up on the mpg to l/100kms conversion.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

The newer 4matic system is not problematic like the earlier version as used on the 124 cars. However, it is more stuff that can break, and increases the probability of a repair. At the very least you now have front CV joints, just like any FWD car. The CV boots don't last forever, and if not caught early mean the entire axle must be replaced when the joint becomes contaminated with road crud.

I have a 2001 RWD wagon. I'd say 27MPG is typical mileage, a 70MPH and on 10% ethanol. The best I have ever seen is 30.3MPG, per the onboard computer. That was on a 200 mile run with a Texas sized tailwind, and the engine was already warm when we filled the tank and reset the fuel mileage computer.

One thing I like about the 4matic W210s is that they don't have potential spring perch issues like the rwd versions. Not that I've heard of, anyway.