Should I buy a 2008 E300
 

Hello,

I have been driving my beloved 1987 300td for the last few years and it is time that I upgrade.

I have been looking around for a newer Mercedes and I came across an E300 2008 with 200k km. It looks like it has been taken care of and parked in a garage.

What types of issues do these cars have? I know my way around the 300td but are that as easy to fix?

Thank you for your advice.

I don’t think that model was sold in the US. Is it gas or Diesel?

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon
02 C320 wagon

It is a gas car. I am up in Canada

So on the back of the car, it says E300 but when I search the VIN it says it is an E280. What is the difference?

I have an '07 E350...which is a gasser in the USA...and believe the '08's were also E350's. I don't recall there being E280's or E300's for those years. I wonder if the car is specific to Canada or an import? Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will chime in and correct me or reinforce my info.

In regards to my E350 for comparison sake, it's a 6 cylinder and really produces a super smooth ride, although being use to 8 cylinders, it sometimes feels underpowered. I've only had the car a few months so I'm still getting up to speed on it.

One thing that crossed my mind when I recently had the E350 on a friends rack for the first time, was that the ??air ride suspension system?? front and back, might be a pricey repair if it went out. That's something you should evaluate if the proposed car has that system.

Here are my $.02 (1 cent each):

1. I wouldn't buy it without a pre-purchase inspection form a competent diesel mechanic.

2. You can work on them, but it will not be at all like your old car at all. You will need to get up to speed on its systems and maintenance procedures, and get a reasonable scanner. Probably best to join diesel groups on other forums as well to get a good pool of knowledge.

Update: This would be for an E320 diesel.

It is an w211 E-class equipped with a smaller version of the m272 petrol V6. Wasn't sold in the USA, but common elsewhere.

The m272 family has a significant issue which you should investigate before purchasing. Like all 90 degree V6 engines, it uses a balance shaft for smooth running. The shaft is driven by the cam chain. The problem is the manufacturer did not appropriately harden the drive teeth on the shaft, and they frequently wear down over time. The first symptom is a MIL light with OBD codes indicating that camshaft timing is off - due to chain slack caused by the worn teeth. The repair is expensive, about $4500 US.

The affected engine number range is published, you should be able to google it up. So find the engine number of the car you are interested in and make sure it is either outside the affected range, or has already been repaired.

Other than that, it's a good car, albeit 10 years old. Give it a good prepurchase inspection.