Two important things are about to start changing it: First, 80 percent of U.S.
Unless they've traveled to Europe lately, where quicker, quieter and nearly smokeless modern diesels have become more popular than gas burners due to their higher fuel economy and lower fuel taxes, they've had little reason to change that opinion. diesel fuel has been sticky, stinky, harder to find, and little (if any) cheaper than gasoline. Past U.S.-market diesels have been clattery, smoky and painfully slow compared to gas-powered counterparts, and U.S. I'll also do the tranny mount while I'm doing the flex discs, since it's right there anyway (it's a 5-minute swap in this situation).It's no secret that most Americans are less than fond of diesels. It looks like all this car needs is flex discs and to have the EGR valve and intake manifold cleaned out. The 2005 E320 CDI currently has 135K miles on it. But those mounts have lasted 166K miles so far. That shouldn't be too difficult at all except for the S600, which is gonna be a bear. My cars will also eventually need new engine mounts.
These are all things that any car of a certain age will need. For me, this means Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, or General's AltiMAX.
Here's what I've done to my Benzes, and here are the mileages on them.ġ.) New front suspension components (upper and lower control arms, ball joints)ģ.) New AIRmatic front springs (both S430's)Ĥ.) ABC-to-coilspring conversion (the S600)ħ.) New valve cover gaskets and PCV hosesĩ.) Transmission fluid and filter exchange (the full 14-liter version)ġ1.) New cabin filters-both the paper ones and the activated charcoal onesġ2.) One mass Air Flow sensor and new turbo vacuum hoses (the S600)ġ3.) Decent tires. Just make sure it's got "good bones" and that you keep it in good shape. So, don't worry about an 8- to 9-year-old car. This 14-year-old V-12 is currently one of my two daily drivers, the other being the '03 S430. After applying the *proper* fix, like I should've done in the first place (hey, gotta learn, right?), the car's been as solid as Machu Picchu buildings. Resulted in a ground-up ABC pump and a broken serpentine belt. However, that was my fault, not the car's, because there was something I hadn't known. The one problem I had was with the S600 and the tandem ABC suspension pump. It's the ol' folks saying, "take good care of your gear, and your gear'll take good care of you." This appears to be especially true of certain brands, such as Honda, Toyota, most pickup trucks.and Mercedes-Benz. The key is to keep your car in good repair and not wait to fix problems. The oldest car I've taken on a long trip was my '94 Civic, a trip of 3,000 miles. I have taken three W220 S-classes on long trips. I don't know how long DPF's last, but they're not cheap to replace.Īs for taking older cars on long trips, as long as the car's in good repair, that should be no problem. Those have the inline-6, which isn't saddled with the Diesel Particulate Filter. Personally, I'd look for a 2005 or 2006 if you're going for a Diesel. Diesel "dead"? Yeah, sure, tell that to the myriad buyers of Diesel pickup trucks apparently they didn't get that memo. This is why I bought a 2005 E320 CDI this year. For distance driving, yep, the Diesel is excellent. It's nearly all highway driving, and they're getting about 50 mpg (US gallons). I know people who have 1998 VW Jetta TDI's and commute 70 miles each way. Just want to be sure I am making an informed decision. I have had great luck with Mercedes in the past, but I have never bought one this old for my primary car. Are there any maintenance issues in going with a 4MATIC option with cars of this age? What are the typical repairs and associated cost as the car approaches 100K – 200K miles?ĥ. From a maintenance perspective, which car easier/ less costly to maintain?Ĥ. From a longevity standpoint, is there any advantage in going with the E320 BlueTec vs the E350?ģ.
Given the cars are 8+ years old, is it advisable to buy either car as a daily driver for the next five years?Ģ. With this in mind, and given the cars are now 8 - 9 years old, I am trying figure out which one would be the best option for my primary car for the next 5 years (or more). Ideally, I would like to find one with between 60K - 90K miles. I am considering buying an old favorite as my primary vehicle.either an E320 BlueTec or E350 of model year 2008 or 2009.whichever is in the best shape and a good deal.