2010 Mercedes Benz E 200 query

jmreire

Hi all, just a question re. Mercedes Benz E200, Diesel,year 2010. What would Board members opinion and experience with this model be? If you had the choice, which car would you pick, and why? BMW 5 series. Audi A6. Merc E Class? or other comparable car?
Thanks and Wishing all Boards members A Happy New Year !!!! :D:D:D

GustavoFring

I really like the W212 e class but the e200 is going to be underpowered. It’s a lot lower powered than it’s competition at the time. I’d aim for e220 at a minimum on one tbh.

jmreire

I get your point GustavoFring, the E class are quite a big car, when all is said and done. And for sure the E220 would be my choice too, but the one I was looking at is the E200. I test drove it, and it seemed to pull OK, but to really test a car ( any car) you need to drive it for a few hours minimum...short 1 or 2 mile trip, at best will only give you a limited amount of information. But in general, in your experience, engine size aside, how are they mechanically? Are they trouble free ( I know that nothing is ever 100 trouble free, but you get my point ) Anyone I have spoken to about them, had only good things to say. I just want to widen the net so to speak... what Boards members might have to say...... for better or for worse......

GustavoFring

I know someone with a real high mileage one (180k miles) and it’s never had anything serious. And this guy lost his sh1t over his wife’s giulietta needing a second replacement radio. His is a 220 and it’s not fast but fine for what it is.

jmreire

Personally, and from what I am hearing, 180'000 Miles would not be exceptional...this in fact is one of the reasons I am considering it.The one I am interested in has 150'000 on the clock, as far as I know. And I am not a high mileage man at this point in time....quite the opposite in fact ( which in turn might give rise to DPF problems down the road...but that's another issue.) so it will not be overworked. If your friend is getting excited about his Wife's Giulietta on its 2nd radio........the mind boggles LOL

NickNickleby

Bought a 2010 E200 almost 2 years ago.

I've been very happy with it, don't find it at all underpowered, although I do feel it lags a little when pulling away from a standstill, the impact of this being that I don't pull out into traffic as quickly as I can in my wife's Fiesta, so I wait for a bigger gap! (perhaps this is the definition of underpowered, but in all other respects it performs more than adequately for my style of driving)

I find it reasonably economical, but avoid shorter journeys.

One strange thing happened. It failed its NCT for 'advanced corrosion' on the rear break lines. Thinking it was a scam to get a second exam, I brought it to a mechanic who was shocked at the state of them, so replaced them - €160. He reckons it was road salt that caused it.

I love it. Adult son has driven it and he loves it as well.

jmreire

Corroded brake lines...I would say that you are right in that...are you by any chance living near the coast? They have come a long way in rust proofing, but that does not mean that it has been eliminated, and rust in earlier merc's was common, though not so much in newer ones. It's something to watch out for in any car where roads are salted in the winter, or are near the sea. Apart from the rust issue, seems that your experience has been a good one, that's very encouraging to hear. I guess that I can live with 200's 136 BHP, that's plenty for me. I'm happy to enjoy a leisurely cruise in a Merc ...... LOL

NickNickleby

Hi jmreire

Living in Dublin, but the car is a WW reg. Perhaps previous owner lived in Bray or Greystones!:D

The mechanic said there was absolutely no corrosion anywhere else underneath, so hopefully that bodes well for this model/year.

I wanted a Merc , but didn't want to break the bank to own one. Waited quite a while to find THE one, and was passing a garage one day and spotted my one. Spotless inside and out. Sometimes in life, you just gotta spoil yourself - I waited 60 years, hahaha.

Good luck in your search.

jmreire

I know the feeling...do you do much annual mileage?

jmreire

Mercedes and other rust issues,,,,,The reason why only the brake pipes corroded is that during manufacture, the all-metal body assembly is primed, painted and undersealed. Only after this has been carried out, are all the other components installed....so the brake pipes are only covered in normal paint or similar coatings etc. as they arrive from the supplier.... AFAIK, they are not plastic coated.. if they were, they would not rust so easy. So you can rest assured... the rest of the body is well protected against rust. After winter would be a good idea to power wash the underside of the car, just to be on the safe side, but it's not something that you see done very often.. every one relies on the manufacturers anti rust protection. For example, each year when mowing the grass is finished, I power wash the underneath of the cutting deck, and when it has dried, I spray motor body under sealer on the deck...so far never have had to replace a deck due to rust.