Considering an E320 wagon

[RJ25]

Hi Folks, I am looking at a 1999 E320 4Matic wagon with 71,000 mi. The asking price is $8,500. I spoke with the seller on the phone, but have not yet taken the vehicle for a test drive. I have all kinds of questions, but I'll try to start with these: 1) What sort of repairs would I be making in the near future on an MB of this age and mileage (e.g., water pump, timing chain, etc.)? That is, what kind of problems do these cars start to have in older age? 2) I would like to keep the car for at least 5 years and get about 50K to 75K mi out of it. Does that seem like a reasonable goal? 3) How is the reliability of the 4Matic system? 3) I recently owned a 2002 Jetta TDI. I didn't do a thorough enough search on the maintenance history of that car. Needless to say, it cost me a lot of money. I don't want to repeat the same mistake. I'm inclined not to buy the E320 without paying an MB mechanic to do a thorough inspection. General recommendations/advice?

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[FraKctured]

Originally Posted by RJ25

Hi Folks,
I am looking at a 1999 E320 4Matic wagon with 71,000 mi. The asking price is $8,500. I spoke with the seller on the phone, but have not yet taken the vehicle for a test drive. I have all kinds of questions, but I'll try to start with these:

The price seems reasonable (I haven't checked it thought--look on Edmunds and Bluebook). Take it for a test drive. Even if you don't buy it, you'll learn a lot by driving it and seeing its condition.


1) What sort of repairs would I be making in the near future on an MB of this age and mileage (e.g., water pump, timing chain, etc.)? That is, what kind of problems do these cars start to have in older age?

Not sure if there are specific issues with this year/model, but you should expect some repairs after 100K, just like any car.

2) I would like to keep the car for at least 5 years and get about 50K to 75K mi out of it. Does that seem like a reasonable goal?

Yes. It's a Benz.

3) How is the reliability of the 4Matic system?

From what I know, the 4Matic system is very reliable. Remember that 4Matic means 4 wheel drive--therefore, the cv boots (for example) are apt to go sometime after 100K, and there are 4 of them in a 4 wheel drive vehicle of any type. It will cost you a bit, but it's a Benz, so it won't be falling apart like other cars of this age. So, you ask yourself "hmmmm...a new catalytic converter will cost me $700, that's pricy, maybe I should trade it in on a new KIA." Sure, you can do that. But the new Kia won't drive as well as the older Benz, and you'll need to shell out $12K to get it. Look, cars, like all other things, are about VALUE, not price.

3) I recently owned a 2002 Jetta TDI. I didn't do a thorough enough search on the maintenance history of that car. Needless to say, it cost me a lot of money. I don't want to repeat the same mistake. I'm inclined not to buy the E320 without paying an MB mechanic to do a thorough inspection. General recommendations/advice?

Get it inspected. That is not optional. If it passes, I'd say you've got a good purchase on your hands (check Edmunds and BlueBook first). 71K for these is not a lot of miles.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[ohlord]

Inspect,inspect,inspect.
Expect changing trans fluid and filter.
The plugs are past due to be changed
Inspect,or did I say that already.
Private party sale?
Not an ebay car is it?
See W210 wiki and
www.benzworld.org w210 diy section for common issues and what to look out for.
Inspect

[RichardM98]

Here's a link to a benzworld W210 thread called Common Issues. Remember that most owners' don't experience these issues. But it's a great overview of things to look for when considering one of these cars.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...sues-w210.html

I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a 4WD if that's what you want/need. You will however pay a premium both at purchase and with operating costs. My experience is that 4Matics sell for about $800-$1000 more than a comparable 2WD. There are maintenance and potential repair costs associated with the 'front half' of the drivetrain which you would obviously not have with 2WD. Also, the 4Matic has a lower final drive ratio (3.2? vs 3.07). That plus the added weight results in a 2-3mpg difference on the highway. These cars do get great highway mpg so we're talking maybe 26mpg vs 29mpg.

Finally, look for a car with a fairly complete service record and as has been said "Inspect, inspect, inspect".

Good luck.

[RJ25]

Thanks for the advice and links. I am trying to digest all of the info. I've been doing some other homework, too. The car actually has 82K mi. The first 75K were one owner. The CARFAX report provided a pretty detailed service history at the dealership: I noticed that over the course of those 75K mi "body electircal wiring" was repaired twice (~45K and ~55K), fuel pump replaced once (~65K), steering gear replaced once (~70K), A/C compressor replaced once (~70K), and the oil pan replaced once (~70K). Other than inspection and titling, there wasn't much info on the last 7K mi. The car did pass inspection at the local MB dealership three months ago, though. I plan to contact the three garages where the car has been seen to try to verify regular fluid changes. Let me know if any of those repairs (above) seem out of the ordinary.

[RJ25]

I appreciate your point about the 4Matic. It's not a necessity. But I'm not too obsessed about fuel economy. (Although, I do miss the 48 mpg that I got with my TDI.)

Do you know of any drive train failures that are common with the 4Matic that I should be aware of? I can live with replacing universals, boots, fluids, etc., but not the $5K-for-a-transfer-case here and $5K-for-a-tranmission there kind of stuff.

[RJ25]

Private party sale. Not eBay or even Cars.com, just local listing. Plugs were changed at ~65K according to CARFAX record.

[Franasia]

Originally Posted by RJ25

Do you know of any drive train failures that are common with the 4Matic that I should be aware of? I can live with replacing universals, boots, fluids, etc., but not the $5K-for-a-transfer-case here and $5K-for-a-tranmission there kind of stuff.

should not be taken lightly on these cars - they're in one piece with the axles and retail for $1,200 per side. Discount is about $750.00 ea. Just keep your attention on the outer boots. Other than that the 4Matic is a solid well engineered system.

Cheers

[ohlord]

are only about $125 each side 4matic.Prices have gone down.

[RichardM98]

Originally Posted by RJ25

I appreciate your point about the 4Matic. It's not a necessity. But I'm not too obsessed about fuel economy. (Although, I do miss the 48 mpg that I got with my TDI.)

Do you know of any drive train failures that are common with the 4Matic that I should be aware of? I can live with replacing universals, boots, fluids, etc., but not the $5K-for-a-transfer-case here and $5K-for-a-tranmission there kind of stuff.

I have read that some of the very early 4Matics had some problems and that the system was redesigned. That was well before the MY99. As Franasia, said it is very reliable and it seems to be well liked by those that own one.

[RJ25]

Again, thank you all for the feedback.

[RJ25]

I drove the wagon today with a consultant/mechanic. The impression was that the car was solid--no obvious drive train problems. However, there were some details that were concerning such as the replaced oil pan and some hoses that had been replaced with improper fittings--small details, but things that could be indicative of, at the very least, a general lack of care for the maintenance of this vehicle over the last few thousand miles. Furthermore, we figured out that the car had passed through a local "dealer" that has a very shady reputation. So, I'm going to pass on this one. The search continues. I'll continue my education here at the forum. Thanks again for your comments and assistance.

[bzliteyear]

if you can, I'd go for Year 2000+(nicer dash, matching door handle, looks). I've had 2 of them and still think they're awesome cars. i agree w/ the others on 4-matic. nice to have, but more expensive to maintain, esp if you don't need it.
PL