W210 VS W211
 

So considering the option of a new E320 I see that from 04 on the W211 is from $4500 to $10K and up but a really nice W210 from 99, 2000 and 2003 can be had well under $3,500 to even $2,500.

They're harder to find in good condition due to the age, but don't have the ABS system issues and perhaps just about as nice a car. Have a larger cargo area..virtually equal MPG.

And here is what I really like about the W210, they retain the brilliant mono-wiper.

So comments? any real reason to prefer the later model W211 over the 210?

And for the money I suspect a much nicer car could be found in the earlier Benz than in the later one..Aficionado maintained versus a used up family car...

I know there are very qualified experts lurking here ready to comment!

You know who you are, and thanks in advance. :) Im listening.

Test drive both before you decide. The W211 is a much more modern car in terms of amenities and handling but the interior is smaller and some repairs will be more expensive. Diagnostics on the W211 are much easier and cheaper to DIY than the W210 so thats a big plus for me. I think its down to personal preference and what you can find in your local market. I have a W210 diesel and I was shopping for a W211 wagon before I ended up buying a W203 wagon. I wouldn't even consider buying a W203 until I drove one.

Hmmmmmmm..................perhaps you mean this the other way around???

No. For the W210 you need a star diagnositc tool or one of several knock offs which involves an ancient lap top, many cables and a steep learning curve. If you're into that kind of thing, great! The can bus architecture on the W210 went through several versions depending on the year and engine. The W211 is standardized along with every other MB from around 2000+. A $120 tool that plugs into the OBD2 port and fits in the glovebox will do everything except coding. Thats a big plus in my book.

I don't know tjts1. I've never really had any issues diagnosing the 210. I've got a 98 210 diesel and a gasser 05 E class wagon. For daily driving I'll take the 210 all day long but the 05 sure is nice on a long trip.

The 210 is easier on tires in my opinion. The most reliable one in the yard is the 95 E300:).

What tool would you use to diagnose a bad ABS sensor on the 210?

Having put plenty on miles on both chassis, I'll say there's not a huge difference in ride quality, comfort, interior, etc. between the two. That said, the w211 being newer, it'll be easier to find one in nice shape where the interior isn't trashed. There are lots of beat up abused w210s out there unfortunately.

In terms of the electronic features, the early w210's don't have much, but the later w210's do. I'm talking about things like the rain sensing wipers, the tilting right side mirror, automatic starter, hill-hold, ASR-disable switch, etc. I think all w210's had the Homelink garage door opener as standard, as do the w211's.

The w210 is easier to work on and perform maintenance and repairs. The w210 will require a diagnostic tool with proper 38 pin MB interface. Cheapest one I know of that supports ALL the w210's computers and works really well is the Autel MD802 + Autel Benz-38 adapter, total of around $300. The w211 can do everything via the OBD2 port.

The w210s are old enough now that you have to think about replacing all the rubber suspension bits like control arm bushings, rear carrier bushings, shock absorbers, etc. Where I think most used w211's will still feel decent as-is for a few years.

All used cars will come with some amount of "deferred maintenance" that the new owner will be saddled with. Depends more on the age, mileage, and condition of the vehicle, than on which body generation it is.

I never owned a 211, but I did own a 210 wagon from new. My motto is "friends don't let friends buy 210's". I understand that there are lots of 210 fans, but I have no explanation for it. Maybe they live in the sunbelt where there's no rust, or maybe their cars are garaged in bad weather. Maybe their cars went down a different line. Maybe white cars were more problem prone. I don't know. There are cars I've liked less, but I've never liked a Mercedes less.

On the issue of mono-wipers. The reason the 210 was the last to have them is that the 210 wiper was so heavy that the entire car shakes left and right with the wiper on high speed. It's really not very lux to be sitting in a car that's rocking like an overloaded washing machine.

The rust seems like more of a problem on the earlier years of w210. I had a '97 which came from Florida, and was starting to look like swiss cheese when I sold it. Rust-through on almost every panel. Disgraceful.

I replaced it with a '98 that spent its whole life in northern Maryland according to carfax, and there's not a spot of rust anywhere on the car, over or under. Its pristine, at 19 years old and 155k miles. White, btw.

Thanks for the note on Florida! just looking at a 2006 with only 97K miles for 6900 and it never occurred to me Florida was rust zone. Its a Florida trade in selling at a dealership. lots of great info here! On the West coast that car would be priced at about 8,900!

If I pursue that car I will have it thoroughly checked for any signs of corrosion!

I would tend to vote for the W211 because of the modernity factor. But, most important is to avoid the dreaded balance-shaft gear cars, which were the M272/273 engines up through sometime in '07 (google for the exact cutoff).

The Autel MaxiDas system provides all the diagnostics I need on the 210 car.

This right here. Stick to the m112/m113.
That's great if you spend $1000 on a diagnostic tool for a $2000 car.

Okay the 272 is a four valve (per cylinder) engine with radically variable cam timing and its found in the E350, not the E320 unless Im wrong, and for t his reason I stay away from the E350 through 2006 which are sometimes VERY underpriced for this reason. 4000K to more to repair this issue. The W211 is three valves per cyl and has a balancer shaft but not the same failure problems.

If Im wrong please correct. I think the commenter is right to be wary but talking about a different engine.

Not sure when the M272 replaced the M112 in the W211, but I think in '05? Also, the E320 became the moniker for the diesel version, the CDI.

I think you're right about the m272.

Also we have an '08 Bluetec and it's badged as an E320. The OM642 bluetec engine is nowhere near as DIY friendly as the om648 cdi, or the om606 turbodiesel. Bluetec V6 is a PITA to work on, I don't have any interest in ever owning another om642. Maybe the S-class is better, but om642 is simply too much crap stuffed into the E-class engine bay. Even "simple" jobs take hours to complete, and if you have large hands, fugetaboutit.

I need to sort this out, you see the 05's Im looking at have this; 3.2L (195) SOHC SMPI 18-valve aluminum-alloy V6 engine.

The m272 is a 24 valve engine and too complicated for my taste. I cant find an index to models and engines but let me check the listings on later E320's. I like the 05s because they seem to have the ABS unit fixed right out of the dealership and are trouble free from then on.

So the impression I have is that the E320 is the simpler engine (better MPG) and the complex one with the variable valve timing is in the E350's with the bad balance shafts through 2006. (so many of those for sale at under $5K just hoping nobody knows..I saw one advertised as an E320 and they said no, its not an E350, it just says that on the hatch, that way when we got it but claimed its actually an E320..california scammers) Probably a forged title.

Nothing against the gee whiz M272 engine which is amazing but for me I wish they still had the sweet straight six which performs within an iota of all the new technology and is naturally harmonically balanced and super smooth.

03-05 w211 have m112/m113 (E320/E500). These are essentially bulletproof.

06+ are m272/M273 (E350/E550). ALL 06 and some 07 models have the balance shaft problem, even the v8s where the shaft doesnt do any balancing. Avoid these cars. 07 cars can be looked up by VIN# to determine if it falls before or after the fix.

"3.2L DOHC SMPI 24-valve in-line 6-cyl engine," Okay this engine must be the 272 and I see it listed in the 07 E320 but not in the 05. This helps me focus on the 05 or 06 which is the one I would want to own. Sometimes less is more. 06 might be split depending on the car..

exactly, thanks! found it as you were posting..

M272's started going in to W211's as early as 2005.
Read about these engines here : Mercedes-Benz M272 engine
M273 engines had similar problems.
M271 4 cylinder engines had their own set off issues - similar to M272.

Although - AFAIK no 4 cylinder E classes were sold in the U.S.

W211's up until the 2006 update had issues with the fly by wire braking - steer clear unless you want to fork out $$$$$ for a new module.

Late 2007 cars onward are the ones to go for.

Dare I say it - as a W210 owner. W210's are now getting up in age. If you have one and have had it for a while - no big issue but I wouldn't be going out of my way to get one unless you find a really good one.

My W210 has just 100,000 miles on it and still drives like a Limo.
I was going to replace it with a late W211 but couldn't find one with the low mileage and reasonable price. So I bought a low mileage W204 C300. (25K miles). The W210 will be kept and used for the long journeys

I don't know, even if they fixed the balance shaft and the plastic intake swirl flap problems on the M272 by they (I'm not convinced they have) you still have the 722.9 transmission with its overly complex conductor plate which has to be coded to your car and can only be done by specialized transmission shops.