Advice on used merc

PoleStar

I am in the market for a used merc, E class, year 2001-2002

Anyone any advice?

I have heard that the E200 is a little weedy for the size of this car, is this true or is it a decent motorway/long distance car. Perhaps the E240 is the better buy although problem is with the huge jump in car tax for this model.

If the E200 is still adequate then I might stretch to the new model which came out late 2002 although then the E200 is only a 1.8 petrol and I am not sure if the build quality is as good on the newer models.

Also a small question, is the E200 the 4 cylinder engine? as what car says avoid this!

Anyone in the know please advise!!

Thanks

mike65

e240 is the model to avoid, not much more power less economy and of course notably higher road tax. I'm tempted to say avoid all w210 models

from wiki

The W210 E-class is a reliable and safe car, with very few major mechanical problems. In a few very rare cases, the front spring perch has corroded and torn away from the inner fender, causing the front suspension to collapse. (4Matic models are not believed to be affected.) Minor problems include defective harmonic balancer pulleys (recall), rust on trunk lid near latch, rust on door frames under window seals (recall), defective mass airflow meter, melted rear light bulb sockets, defective blower motor regulators, and poorly designed rear window regulators.

Surface corrosion is an issue with this model as is general lack of hardy build quality, bits tend to go wrong. The 1.8 Kompressor is okay for power (165 bhp) once wound up. Is it manual or auto you are after?

Mike.

junkyard

Build quality is terrible, gearboxes and diffs are notoriously troublesome, avoid any of the classic spec models, the avantgarde is probably the best built but personally, the only Merc. I'd even consider is an S class or an SL and even they're not what they used to be.

Seth Brundle

My father in law used to have an E240 estate and I don't think he was ever really happy with it. He had it for about 3 years and whilst nothing serious went wrong with it, it just wasn't stimulating.
He seems to have regretted selling his E39 523i for it. In the end the merc was dropped in favour of an E60 520i.

My own personal opinion of it was that the doors sounded light and the seats weren't that comfortable. TBH, I didn't want to bother driving it to see what it was like!

PoleStar

Im a bit confused now!

I thought the newer model mercs were the ones with the problems with build quality and interiors.

I am lookin for an automatic. Whats the power on the E200 and the E240.

Captain Trips

00 + is facelifted, but incorporated some of the electronic problems after MB bought Chrsyler.

The 240 is a V6, and much smoother and refined than the 4 cylinders. Avoid all 4 cyl E-classes.

There is a big difference in long distance driving in a 240 and a 200, and the 240 has reasonably good 174BHP. Avoid Classic specs, and go for Elegance or Avantgarde - I would say Avantgarde is better, but some people like the softer suspension in the others (Avantgarde is more rigid and lower). The V6 replaced the earlier straight six, and had minor updates reflected in the chassis code in 1998. Drive both to see the difference. A 200 will probably have been specced poorly as the 200 is noticeably underpowered - bought originally for the brand. Again, just avoid 4 cyl MBs, and manual ones. Always always go for the 6 cyl and auto at least.

up to the facelift, the W210s were very very reliable. Parts are cheap and easy to get.

A well-maintained 98-99 with a 120k on the clock 240 will be much much better than newer but poorlyt maintained, and many are not well maintained in Ireland.

what_car

Captain Trips wrote:

00 + is facelifted, but incorporated some of the electronic problems after MB bought Chrsyler.

The 240 is a V6, and much smoother and refined than the 4 cylinders. Avoid all 4 cyl E-classes.

There is a big difference in long distance driving in a 240 and a 200, and the 240 has reasonably good 174BHP. Avoid Classic specs, and go for Elegance or Avantgarde - I would say Avantgarde is better, but some people like the softer suspension in the others (Avantgarde is more rigid and lower). The V6 replaced the earlier straight six, and had minor updates reflected in the chassis code in 1998. Drive both to see the difference. A 200 will probably have been specced poorly as the 200 is noticeably underpowered - bought originally for the brand. Again, just avoid 4 cyl MBs, and manual ones. Always always go for the 6 cyl and auto at least.

up to the facelift, the W210s were very very reliable. Parts are cheap and easy to get.

A well-maintained 98-99 with a 120k on the clock 240 will be much much better than newer but poorlyt maintained, and many are not well maintained in Ireland.

i am also considering my current car in favour of an 03-04 merc.. had looked at the e270 diesel or e220 diesel but im not sure...having heard a few things about build quality....and problems with electrics........ what are the diesels like?
i was originally looking at this car,
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=592267

but the cost of tax etc put me off......

galwaytt

Captain Trips wrote:

00 + is facelifted, but incorporated some of the electronic problems after MB bought Chrsyler.

afaik, incorrect. MY02 is facelifted. W210 runs from 96-01 and has nothing to do with Chrysler. W211 is, I agree, plagued with problems..........again, I know 2 that have been sent back..........

The 240 is a V6, and much smoother and refined than the 4 cylinders. Avoid all 4 cyl E-classes.

again, fiction. Avoid the E240 - a 6 cylinder - at all costs. My neighbour made MB take his back for a refund it was so bad. Expensive to tax, but v. cheap to buy.

There is a big difference in long distance driving in a 240 and a 200, and the 240 has reasonably good 174BHP.

My 01 E200 is a 2.0 supercharged with 165bhp.

Avoid Classic specs, and go for Elegance or Avantgarde - I would say Avantgarde is better,

I'd agree with that, mine is A/G and it's got everything you'd want.

The V6 replaced the earlier straight six, and had minor updates reflected in the chassis code in 1998. Drive both to see the difference. A 200 will probably have been specced poorly as the 200 is noticeably underpowered

incorrect, see comment, above.

Again, just avoid 4 cyl MBs, and manual ones. Always always go for the 6 cyl and auto at least.

avoid all V6's. 4-cyl give no trouble, are economical to run, and are known be the smoothest 4-pot around. Mine returns 28mpg on the school run, and up to 36mpg on a run of say.....50 miles? I'd agree about the auto though...........a manual MB is an aberration.......and the MB auto/sequential is very, very smooth......

up to the facelift, the W210s were very very reliable. Parts are cheap and easy to get.

From personal experience, mine has been reliable, and parts and service are cheap, too. A service from main dealer here for my 200 is 180-240. What's expensive about that? Parts are not expensive, as they've been around since 96, and there's millions of them running around out there..............we can't all be wrong.

A well-maintained 98-99 with a 120k on the clock 240 will be much much better than newer but poorlyt maintained, and many are not well maintained in Ireland.

Another, fantastic, sweeping statement. A 240 with 20k, let alone 120k, should be left as an ornament in the dealer's yard. And I can point to a few locally where that's exactly what they've become........check individual cars for history, rather than relying on sweeping statements like this. Mine, for example, is minded, always garaged, and cossetted generally, I can't speak for anyone else..........

MercMad

IMO you should avoid an E240, later cars were 2.6 ltr, and even these offered little or no improvement over the E200K

Make sure you buy a Kompressor as the naturally aspirated E200 is underpowered.

Avoid the Classic models, avoid manual trans.

The 97-00 cars seem to have had some rust issues due to a change to water based paint and the lack of seam sealer which was deemed unneccesary. UK cars are obviously affected more but you should inspect the paintwork for corrosion on all panels. Car that have been affected will be obviousl by now.

The later W211 arrived in 2002 and early cars gave trouble, most sorted by now but the later 1.8 engine is far sweeter !

PoleStar

Thanks for the help I seem to be getting somewhere.

Just to clarify though.

The W211 is the new model yes?

And regarding the E200 is it a good motorway cruiser. I would have thought for a car of this size that this is too small an engine.

Also when someone said supercharged E200, does that refer to the Kompressor? And dont all the models in the last 8 years or so have this or do you need to specify.

Thanks