Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

e2000 · August 2003

I finally took my 3 month out of warranty car to the dealer to fix the ESP/BAS warning light on. They wanted $200 to change the switch. However, with little effort, they agreed to change it for free.

clembo · August 2003

I purchased a 2003 E500 last October. I put 11,000 trouble free miles on the car until it was replaced at no charge with another a month ago. My first car was ordered with the Navigation system and then Mercedes was unable to install it into my car, and others. They handled the situation well by giving us free replacement cars.

Both cars have been great, I have owned other Benzes and BMW's in the past. This car is the best of the bunch. Even if you have a problem, it will be covered for the first 50,000 miles and most Benz dealers are very reponsive if they know that you will continue to be a customer in the future.

Good luck with your decision.

jawdoc · August 2003

Congrats! Sounds like you got a good one. I, too, have a responsive dealer regarding service and, as you read earlier, have gotten to know them quite well.

But here is my gripe-in the form of an anecdote:
One of my car's problems necessitated my driving the car with the chief technician around the block so to speak. During the drive we talked a lot about MB reliability problems and he related the following. He went to an MB meeting in Stuttgart during which they discussed why Americans are complaining so much about MB reliability problems. The Germans felt that as long as their cars offered such great warranties and maint. programs for such long time periods,
there should be no reason to complain, as it is all "covered." The tech replied that Americans are among the busiest people on the planet and as such can't tolerate repeated trips to the dealer even if the service is covered and the loaner is available The Germans had a tough time understanding this (with their 30 hr work weeks and 6 weeks of vacation yearly). There is the rub, IMHO.

BTW, when you have your car serviced, do they get it right the first time?

laurasdada · August 2003

Clembo: Thanks, nice to hear from, "the other side of the coin." I know that there are probably many more stories like yours, I guess that I just haven't heard enough of them!

Jawdoc: I think that until the US buyers start speaking their opinios through their wallets, the folks in Germany will continue to "not get it." I guess time is not money in Germany...

mbdriver · August 2003

I have a 2000 E320 that has had several minor reliability problems. Last year the a/c fan would go on and off of its own accord, but the dealer fixed it and provided an MB loaner.

This year in late June I had a repeat of the a/c fan -- my dealer offered an appointment about 2 weeks later, or I could drop off the car and have my wife take me home in her car, or I could get there at 7:30 and wait. Arriving at 10 to avoid the madhouse of many Benzes in for service was NOT an option -- no guarantee as to how long I would have to wait.

I switched dealers, from EuroMotors in Bethesda, MD, to HBL in Virginia. Got an immediate appointment, no wait to get to see my service advisor, super service from Enterprise loaners. My new maintenance home is now HBL.

Also, in July we sold my wife's MB 300D (mint condition, 98,000 miles) and bought a new BMW 530i for 10K less than a new E320. Superb car -- no problems so far, drives like a dream! My wife now drives the MB and it drives and handles much like her '77! But with far more power.

We now love both cars, and have not had any further problems.

mark156 · August 2003

Jawdoc, with all of the trouble that you have had and you are still considering a new Mercedes? If I had that much trouble I would not shadow their doors again. You had SOME major issues with your '94.

I have had really good luck with my current Mercedes (2000 E430 sport and my 2002 ML500), more so with the E-class. I've had a few small issues with the ML but nothing big. My 1991 560SEL was great until it hit about 55,000 miles. I replaced everything after that. After $8K of repairs over 3 years and 82,000 miles, I knew it was time to cut it from the herd. But, it was a beautiful car!

Mark156

clembo · August 2003

Your story of the Benz brass in Germany is probably accurate. I have an office outside of Munich and the people there are very bright and articulate but they have a hard time understanding other cultures. They have a strong nationalistic pride which is a good thing but I know that it gets in the way of open minded decision making. The Germans feel that their way is always the best and everyone else should conform. That is why the electronics and the NAV in our cars are good but not nearly as user friendly as they are on Japanese cars. The Germans feel that complexity is good.

Other than that, I love my E500. I also have a 2001 BMW convertible which drives great and has been very reliable. Both of these cars have required very little service but the dealer has gotten it right the first time.

blockislandguy · August 2003

Reading all the comments about E Series reliability, complexity, service issues, etc. suggests that there is a heavy price to pay for perceived status. It strikes me that the MB E Series buyer (or probably more commonly, lessee) initially pays about 10K to 20K more to get less performance, reliablility, interior room, etc. than better alternatives that are readily available.

That's a lot of money to pay for a hood ornament that increasingly marks the driver as not particularly savvy, hip, intelligent, etc.--the exact reverse of the way most MB owners want to present themselves--but marks him/her as needing that validation. MBUSA will have a big problem on their hands if this trend continues and the owners migrate.

boo20 · August 2003

About the only concession MB owners make to the competition is reliability and even here the differences are not huge. Since the service intervals on MBs are longer the Lexus crowd will be in the shop for routine maintence at least twice as often. From the standpoint of aethetics, safety and resale value MB is at or near the top consistantly. That's why they rate so highly in Intellichoice's rankings year after year. Having said that I am grateful that Lexus provides such refined and reliable cars at a reasonable price. This competition forces MB to moderate their already high prices and yet, in spite of that, they sell about the same number of vehicles as Lexus. Someone is obviously seeing value there.

Anyway good luck whatever you drive. Personally I don't really care what you drive but am touched that you feel so passionately about what I SHOULD be driving. I'm buying my 4th MB in the past 10 years this fall. See ya.

microrepair · August 2003

Which cars are available that are more reliable, have better performance, have more interior room, AND are $20K less than the E-class? I'm serious, as I would buy it as my next car. Please don't tell me BMW because, 3 or 4 years ago they had less, much less, interior room, model for model than Mercedes. The new BMW's might have grown the passenger space, but they still lack the trunk space which is also important to me since I tend to take 1-2 week trips around the country once or twice per year.

carnaught · August 2003

Although you're entitled to your opinion, the E-class DOES give me my perceived status for all the categories you mention. If I simply wanted to pay less money I'd buy an Accord.

P.S. My previous cars have included threee previous Benz's and one Volvo.

footie · August 2003

Hi:

You posed an interesting question. The first car that came to my mind was the G35, which I thought was going to be smaller than the E all around but bettered it inside on a number of key measures.

Per Edmunds compare vehicles function, Infiniti G35 sedan has better interior headroom front and rear than the E, though the E hip room is better. The E is a bigger car outside, though standard wheels on the G35 are 17". The G35 performance is better than the E320, as is the reliability and initial quality. The E has about 1 cu foot more trunk space per the MB and Infiniti web site.

All in all, the G35 is pretty close to meeting your requirements.

The price difference is easily in the 20K range.

Here are the keys.

habitat1 · August 2003

I doubt anyone consdiering an E class would be swayed to a G35. I do think it is a reasonably nice car for $30k, but the overall interior quality is barely better than my 1995 Nissan Maxima. It's clearly nowhere near the league of an E class, 5 series or A6.

I recognize aesthetics are subjective, but the G35 sedan and M45 score pretty low on my scale. Apparantly, the M45 scores pretty low on everyones scale. Infiniti is practically giving them away.

footie · August 2003

I guess everyone has a different experience and tastes in this area.

When I most recently sat in a new E, the plastic storage drawer under the passenger seat was either broken or off track - so that didn't ring my 'build quality' chime.

Also, it seemed to have a 'chrome' door sill guard that looked just like something out of JCWhitney, but it seems that Mercedes has turned on the glitz these days to look luxurious.

The Infiniti too has a metallic look and feel which I suppose is to be associated with the sport image. I kinda like the gated shifter look in the Infinit over the MB's wooden Monk in leather look. It seems like to me that MB replaced expensive gates with a piece of cowhide.

Regarding the 5 and A6, I was a passenger in both in the last two weeks. Neither impressed me with luxuriously appointed interiors. The BMW in particular has a lot of low luster dashboard plastic that collects dust.

All personal opinion and not really relevant to Microrepair's key points about reliability, performance and roominess.

mbnut1 · August 2003

The reason Mercedes rank at the top of my list is that they offer refinement while simultaneously providing excellent driving qualities. The Germans are the only ones who have figured out how to do this and Mercedes does it the best.

microrepair · August 2003

The G35 is a car I got all excited about when it showed up last year. So I stopped in and tried it one for size. Yup, I'm 6'3" which is why I mentioned roominess in my prior note. It fit me pretty well except for the headroom with the sunroof. No way could I own it with a sunroof. And if I were to buy it without the sunroof I'd have to live with the downscale version that has NO options such as the leather seats, etc.. My E WITH a sunroof has plenty of headroom for me and even the W211 body with sunroof is adequate although it has maybe 1" less headroom than the W210. And even if I wanted a W211 without sunroof, I can order it that way and still get any other options I want.
G35? Nope, thumbs down on that one..
Any other nominations?

footie · August 2003

Here are interior specs from Edmunds:

G35 has a 2.5 inch taller space...and much better legroom.

Interior
G35
E-Class

Front Headroom
40.1 in.
37.6 in.

Rear Headroom
37.9 in.
37.2 in.

Front Shoulder Room
56.4 in.
56.3 in.

Rear Shoulder Room
55.5 in.
57.1 in.

Front Hip Room
52.2 in.
54.9 in.

Rear Hip Room
54.1 in.
55.9 in.

Front Leg Room
43.6 in.
41.3 in.

Rear Leg Room
33.6 in.
36.1 in.

habitat1 · August 2003

If those measurements are correct, your conclusion is not. The E class is substantially larger than the G35 in rear seat room. An extra 2.5" in rear leg room and nearly 2" in rear hip and shoulder room is a big difference. As I recall, that's significantly more than the relative difference between a 3-series and 5-series, the former of which is tight for our family, the latter is perfect.

And the E appears quite a bit larger than the G in the front as well - same shoulder room but the E has nearly 3" more front hip room. Seems like the shape of the interior on one or the other must be odd.

The only two measurements that the G is bigger than the E on is front head room and front leg room, both of which I have found the Edmunds measurements often to be misrepresentative. Front head room for the E is including a sunroof since virtually all have it, on the G35 is not since it is optional. I suspect this to be the case because a friend who is 6'4" owns an E430 that fits him very well was out measuring other cars as a possible replacement. He found the E class to have more interior and head room than the M45. I assume the M45 doesn't have less headroom than the G35. He also pointed out that, even on the E, he does not need to put the seat all the way back. Front leg room is measured with the seat all the way back. An extra 2" of seat travel may be great for the 6'6" and above set, but not most others.

footie · September 2003

Since the input was for microrepair, who at 6' 3", needs head and leg room where he drives, I thought the Edmund's info was useful. It wasn't a 'family' comparison. If you want that were looking to get good performance, reliability and save $20K, my choice is the Toyota Avalon, but I stray.

The G also has better shoulder room than the E, where the E does win on the "hip" room accomodations. So if you are tall and broad shouldered the G might fit better, while if you are no proportioned that way, perhaps the E is a better sit.

You are right. The E has more rear leg room. The E is 4+ inches longer than the G and 2.5" of that is in the back seat.

The moonroof issue needs a little more investigation. I noticed there's no spec differentiator on the Infiniti site, so I'll track this down.

boo20 · September 2003

Yeah, nobody cares about safety, aesthetics, resale value, innovation or anything else. The only important thing for the average 5'10" male or 5'3" female is how much head and leg room there is.

microrepair · September 2003

is VERY important to those of us over 6'2". It makes the difference in our purchasing decisions and prevents us from owning (or even riding in) some very nice automobiles.

I just saw an episode of American Motorcycle on Discovery where Jesse James ( the builder and descendant of the real Jesse) built a motorcycle for Shaq O'Neal. Shaq drove up in a highly modified S-class. I couldn't believe he fit in it because I have a problem with the headroom in the S-class. But the drivers seat is up against the rear seat and for Shaq to see out the driver's side window, he must lean forward about 6 inches. In his normal seating position, he is looking out the rear passenger window. The steering wheel is about 8 inches forward of his kneecaps. And I'm sure the seat itself has been modified to sit directly on the floor. He has turned the 5 passenger S-class into a 2 passenger..!

If you're under 6 foot tall, count your blessings and your lack of head bashings from low doorways, light fixtures, and car door openings. I can't count the number of times I wished I were 3 inches shorter..!!

I owned an MG1100 back in the 70's that had tons of room and yet when I tried a Jag XJ6 3 years ago I could only get my right arm, right buttock, and right leg into the drivers side.! And it is TWICE the size of the MG1100 (new version is the BMW Mini). Not all cars are created equal.!! Or measured equally either.. My E-class is about the same size as the XJ6 yet I fit fine in the E-class. With a sunroof..!!!

Oh yeah, and I DO care about safety, aesthetics, performance, etc. which is why I ended up with the E-class, not the Pontiac Aztec..

sdautoreview · September 2003

I noticed that you were very persistent in pointing out room. Both cars are very good, but you just can't compare a Mercedes-Benz E-Class to a G35. You have an overall package with the E-Class. You have status, elegance, reputation, and well known relabilaty. Besides that when you drive, not sit in, but drive a Mercedes-Benz E-Class you get this feeling of wow what a car. $20K more? Well take into account that Mercedes-Benz invested nearly 2 Billion dollars into designing the 2003 E-Class. They spend the money to make sure your getting a good car that will not go obsolete. Take for example the SL-Class they started selling that Body style in 1989 and just stopped in 2002. Now look at that 13 years and they still sold like crazy. Ten years from now the 2003 E-Class won't be a outdated car with no appeal. It will still be a Mercedes-Benz. Try to say that about infinity. Microrepair you with me?

microrepair · September 2003

with you sdautoreview, but the order of priority is somewhat different for me. I sprung for the E-class for ride/handling/performance, luxury, solidity, durability (not reliability of components per se), and then the status thing. I've never owned a car with this many miles on it before (122K) and am amazed every time I get behind the wheel at how much it still feels like new and still looks so good. Course I did spend some money on shocks tires, etc in the last year, but most cars I've owned have felt like trucks by 70K miles even with new shocks and tires and have had worn out upholstery, etc..

The ten year thing probably doesn't mean much to me; I figure mine will have 150K about 1 year from now and I will have had it just 6 years. (I bought it exactly 2 years old with 38K on it.) It will be time for something else and since I'm now retired I'm not sure I'll be able to afford another E-class. So a G35 type of car is very appealing and if it runs well for 6-7 years I'll be happy. BUT, it has to be a good driver, as you suggest.
Now, if I were to hit the lottery, I'd be in an E55 before a week was up and my own Gulfstream with pilot for long distance trips..!!! And an SL55 or 911 Turbo waiting for me at my vacation villa!!

r1_97 · September 2003

There's little to compare - The quality of materials and finish of the E are much superior. The drive is more refined. No contest, buy the E if you can afford it.

jfz219 · September 2003

For the feel, handling, style, and charm of an E-class at $20,000 less, look for a 2001-2002 Starmark E-Class. I doubt that any other brand will seem as fresh after 3-4 years of driving.

habitat1 · September 2003

I am probably going to offend both camps.

First, regarding the Infiniti. A few months ago, I went car shopping with my niece who wanted to take me along for a second opinion of the G35 coupe, 330ci and a few other alternatives. She ended up with the 330ci, without any prodding from me, but simply because it was better executed than the G35 coupe. Better from both a precise handling and performance standpoint; much better from an interior aesthetics standpoint. The G35 sedan, in my opinion, is a step below the G35 coupe in overall design and interior quality. To compare it to the E class, when the G35 coupe loses in most comparisons to the 3 series is more than a stretch, it's absurd. The M45 and Q45 aren't even stealing sales from Mercedes (or anybody else for that matter). Would I take a G35 over a Buick - I mean Toyota - Avalon? Probably. But over an E? In Infiniti's dreams.

That said, I have to take some issue with the claim that with the E-class, "You have status, elegance, reputation, and well known relabilaty (sic)". I am a previous owner of one of the most advanced cars made by Mercedes/AMG for its day, the 300SEL 6.3. Although my sporting tendencies are better satisfied by BMW, I have great respect for the engineering heritage of Mercedes.

Unfortunately, "relability", or reliability, as I prefer to spell it, is not a current stong suit of Mercedes. If it gets any worse, it may become its Achilles heel. I have many friends and associates who have handed down 240D's, 300D's, old SELs and the original E's through their family trees. The old joke was, "what's the difference between another car with 120,000 miles and a Mercedes with 120,000 miles?" The car is likely "broken" the Mercedes is "broken-in".

That history is not repeating itself, at least not without a lot of frustration among newer Mercedes buyers. Whereas BMW seems to have exorcised itself of electronic bugs that afflicted older models, some of those demons have settled within the Mercedes factory. The number of times my neighbor took back his 2000 E55 and now 2003 E500 to the dealership for problems is very discouraging.

I hope Mercedes hears these concerns load and clear. If my circle of friends is any indication, Mercedes can not afford not to rectify the poor reliability that has diminished their reputation over the past several years. One associate even indicated he is consdiering an Audi S8. That would have been inconceivable a few years back.

boo20 · September 2003

You just have to love these comments from the peanut gallery predicting the demise of the MB line. This has been predicted for, what now, 15 years? When MB did it the 'old fashioned way' (in the early 90's) they were getting their rear ends kicked by Lexus and were losing 600 million dollars per year. Since they changed their strategy they have consistently been posting record sales and profits. (Epn2 you don't seem to know the difference between a typo and a misspelled word but, whatever).

richjenkins · September 2003

Perhaps, perhaps, but count me amongst the peanut gallery. We have a '99 C280 that has been in the shop more often per year of ownership than our (former) Chrysler Town and Country minivan, and that's saying something. This past weekend the driver's side headrest went to the top of limit of travel and is now stuck there 'cause the motor won't work anymore. Last week it was an AC evaporator sensor (350), in June it was the condenser and lines (700) then before that it was brakes and pads (600) before that the rear speakers failed (under warranty) before that an engine pulley separated from its housing (under warranty) before that stereo failed (under warranty) and on and on and on. (I am getting a little tired of it you can tell:). Lately service writer told me I need new front end bushings soon and a re-align, another 700 or so.

So I am not looking for a new Merc, just can't deal with the headaches, and from I've read the new C is not any better.

We are now looking at a BMW 325i as a replacement. Sure, maybe MB is making record profits but are they making decent cars? Not sure anymore...

sdautoreview · September 2003

(microrepair)-Our family currently owns 4 Mercedes-Benz vehicle. My primary car is a 1984 300CD. Has 285,890 miles and still runs like new! I agree with what you said about how you "get behind the wheel at how much it still feels like new and still looks so good" I agree! I was simply trying to make a point.
I'm waiting for the new E-Class 320 CDI (diesel) to come out in the spring of 2004.

(epn2)-I made a typo like boo20 mentioned. I guess you did too look below.

"I hope Mercedes hears these concerns ->"load"<- and clear.

(boo20)-Thanks! For backing me up!

benzowner · September 2003

OK my 1996 C-220 has been trouble free for 122,000 miles and all I have done is regular maintenance. Mercedes is having trouble with some electronics (I agree they need to be fixed), but as I have said before in other Boards, Mercedes has some of the best engines and transmissions and build quality I have ever seen and durability. I ought to know we have owned a lot of Mercedes. Mercedes cars will still go Thousands upon thousands of miles Ect

habitat1 · September 2003

I too am waiting for Mercedes to reintroduce their diesel line-up to the US. Is the spring of 2004 date official? Any other sources of information you can provide or refer me to would be appreciated.

Your 300CD with 284,000 miles exemplifies the reason I would consider a Mercedes Wagon to replace our SUV at some point. Unfortunately, I am concerned that, based upon my empiracal and anecdotal research, the current Mercedes E class is not as troubleproof and reliable as some of the older Mercedes models or the BMW 5-series. This fact seems to be documented by Consumer Reports, JD Powers, and even the information coming out of these Edmunds boards.

I almost bought a E300 turbodiesel in 1999 before they were discontinued. Maybe I'm doing some wishful thinking, but I'm hoping that by the time Mercedes reintroduces the new diesels, they will have fixed the bugs and problems that would otherwise make 284,000 miles of ownership less pleasant than yours has been. If that happens, a 320CDI 4-matic Wagon would be high on my wish list.

Please post any sources for CDI information that you might have. Thanks.

microrepair · September 2003

in the BMW camp, at least for the 5 series, may be an issue if you have the Steptronic tranny. I've been reading that discussion (5 series) for a month or so and am getting the distinct impression that many owners are seeing failures in the 100K mile range. But the manual Getrag owners just don't ever see a failure. Doesn't appear to be much else going wrong with them, so maybe they really are more reliable than MB these days.

benzowner: for the record, my 1996 E320 engine (straight six) isn't bulletproof. I had to have a head gasket replaced at 118K miles.. And there are many others who have experienced the same, well before 150K miles. Checkbook deflated a LOT !!!

sdautoreview: 285K miles on your 1984 300CD is awesome. That's the kind of life I had hoped to get from my E320, but it already is falling short of that kind of durability with the head gasket issue. I'm told that the gasket may go south again at some point; it is an inherent flaw in the engine/head design on that engine. I certainly don't want to pay for it twice just to say I got to 300K miles on one car..! I'm surprised C280 owners haven't seen the same issue. It's basically the same block and head as the 320. so I'm told..

jfz219: My 1996 was a 2 year old Starmark car when I bought it and I thought I was getting a bargain; a beautiful Benz at a big discount.. And I was seriously thinking about a 2001 or 2002 Starmark for next year. But after hearing of all the things going wrong with those model years, I am having second thoughts about it. Even though the warranty may cover most of that stuff, the warranty only goes to 100K miles; then what? So it becomes a trade-in at 100K ?? Have all the MB's since the mid-90's lost the durability that made them famous?

cduong · September 2003

My '96 E320 has been perfect up to now. Yesterday while driving all of the sudden the can ran very rough as if it ran with only 5 cylinders and the check engine light came on. I turned off the engine for 5-10 minutes and turned it back on again and it ran smooth again, but the check engine light is still on. I guess it has something to do with spark plugs since it has 56,000 miles (spark plugs replaced at 30,000). Any thought on this ? How can I override the check engine light so that it does not stay on constantly. By the way, I gave the car to an independent MB service guy to look at this morning. Your opinions are greatly appreciated.Thanks

mark156 · September 2003

cduong, the engine light on my E-class came on a few months ago but the engine didn't run rough. It was an oxygen sensor that went bad and was replaced under warranty.

The dealer will reset your "check engine" light when you take it in for service. Were you saying you wanted to turn the light off without finding out the reason it was on?

Happy Motoring! Mark156

cduong · September 2003

Mark156: Thanks for your quick response. Based on what I am reading on internet it may have something to do with oxygen sensor, I don't know how much it will cost me from the independent MB service guy. I wonder if I should get extended warranty for my MB. Question : how much does it cost and do you have to take it to MB dealer everytime or it will cover with independent MB guys as well. Should I buy Lexus in the first place due to its reliability in a long run? Thanks

boo20 · September 2003

Happened to my E recently at 44 K miles. Replaced the 'air mass sensor' under warrantee.

If you've been driving an MB you won't be happy with the Lexus.

cduong · September 2003

Boo20: Thanks for your response. I will let you all know what went wrong and its cost so that we all can learn from each others

cduong · September 2003

My independent MB service guy just called and informed me that the diagnose machine told him that it's related to spark plugs & ignition wires. Total cost: $310 parts and labor. It seems to be excessive for plugs & ignition wire... But what can you do. Just hope that this will correct problem

microrepair · September 2003

Can I be your mechanic?? That would be one way for me to be able to buy another E-class..! Yes, that price is definitely on the high side. The wire set costs about $80 retail (for just three wires!) and the plugs are about $3 each. So he's getting about $200 for labor for about one hours work??? Ooops, I forgot to throw in the diagnostic fee which must have been around $150..!!

I did it myself last year for a total of about $80. I have a friend who got me the wires at the distributor pricing of about $60.. Took me about 1.5 hours because I had to figure out the setup. It is far different from most cars. MB claims you only need to do the plugs every 100K miles. I did mine at 80K and they were in dire need of replacement. A more realistic interval is probably 60K miles for the plugs. I've now got over 40K on the replacement plugs and wires with no problems.

I had a non-mfg service center screw me over many years ago when I had replaced the wires and plugs in an american car and it ran rough as hell. They claimed it was a bad plug and charged me for diagnosis, a plug, and labor. Two days later, while on vacation at the beach, the car wouldn't even start unless cranked for about 2 minutes. Once running, I saw the problem that was accentuated because of the high humidity. The wires were so poorly made that they were shorting out to the block wherever they came near the metal. I replaced the wires with good ones that day and it ran great for years..!

I hope your mechanic is right about the diagnosis; you don't want to be replacing the sensors next week in addition to an un-needed set of wires and plugs..!

cduong · September 2003

microrepair: Thanks for your input. I check with mercedesshop.com where it sells parts for MB and I am told that a set of ignition wires (6) for 96 E320 is $140, spark plugs are $3 each... So total part is $158. So the rest is labor and the charge for diagnosis. I am with you when you said "hope that the mechanic is right...". Since my car was running rough as if it's on 5 cylinders yesterday, it may have something to do with plugs & wires. Lets hope so. Thanks.

microrepair · September 2003

Someone is taking you for a ride. The 96 E320 absolutely only has THREE ignition wires. Three spark plugs have coils mounted on them and the other three plugs need the wires. Trust me on this one. I have personally done this job myself.. If they are selling you six wires then they don't understand the setup and think you need TWO sets of wires of 3 wires per set. One set of three wires in that case would be about $70. That is the right ballpark..

cduong · September 2003

The 96 E320 absolutely only has THREE ignition wires. Three spark plugs have coils mounted on them and the other three plugs need the wires. Trust me on this one. I have personally done this job myself

microrepair: I believe that you are correct. No doubt. But the ignition wires are about $130-140 . I did check with Mercedeshop.com

polo2928b · September 2003

I received my 03- E-500 in July and it has been in the dealer in two occassions because of the same beeping noise comming out of the brakes, it is anoying and they seem not to be able to eliminate it or tell me what it is, it is certainly there and it bothers me a lot becasue now that yo know that it is there, you seem to concentrate on the noise as you brake. Does any have this problem?
The MB drives excelllent and is a great choice ( I owned a 5 series before (fun to drive and manual option are plus for BMW) but Mercedes makes better quality vehicles period.

pat · September 2003

microrepair posted:

Click here for the link microrepair wanted you to see.

The link was so long that it skewed the page meaning everyone would have to scroll left to right to read every single line on the page, so I had to remove the post.

jillwhite · September 2003

I purchased a used E320 98 wagon with 63,000 miles (not at a mercedes dealer) and have owned it for one and a half years. Prior to this I had an 84 diesel wagon which I loved but did not want rear wheel drive any more. On the 98 wagon, the window motor failed first month I had it, $300plus, then the window switch- front, $320 dollars, I have 75,000 miles on it now, local driving, and the transmission just failed, $5,100. for the mercedes part and labor so I could get a two year warranty for it, other transmission persons wanted 3800 and no warranty,the back window now stopped functioning and stuck on open, needs a rear window switch regulator $430.00. Many lights have failed,interior, exterior, repeatedly, the engine light goes on and off periodically. I dont think I can afford this car. Should I trade it in and try to salvage some value out of it and if I trade it in, for what? I wanted an all wheel drive wagon, not a subaru though. Should I trade it in for a new C class wagon with all wheel drive? The noise and vibration from the new transmission is now being worked on, in the past 8 wks I have driven it on six days. I am really ready to cry. Please help. Jill

carnaught · September 2003

My brake pedal has a high pitched "squeak" when you depress the pedal. It's annoying but subtle and seems to be at the pedal itself rather than the brake itself and lasts a fraction of a second. Is this what you're talking about?

boo20 · September 2003

Sounds like your car needs to be euthanized. Unfortunately you have to fix it before you can sell it.

footie · September 2003

Boo,

Maybe Jill can donate her car to Monster garage. When they discard all of the faulty parts made by the former UberCarCo there may be enough left for a still life honoring times gone by.

habitat1 · September 2003

Jill,

Sorry to hear about your expensive problems with your 1998 Wagon. The good news is that, at least in my area, the E-class Wagons have decent resale values so if you do decide to trade it, hopefully you won't take too much of a beating. As for the C class wagon, it's considerably smaller and, according to my local dealer, the C class has had just as many bugs and problems as the E. The difference being that you would have a new car under warranty. The current crop of wagons all have their pros and cons. Volvo's are good for about 5 years, then they seem to become expensive to maintain. If you don't really need the size of the E class, I might suggest an Infiniti FX35/45 crossover vehicle as an alternative to a smaller wagon. Infiniti seems to have nearly as good of a reliability rating as Lexus and, according to one of my associates who purchased a FX35 after trading thier Volvo XC, it fits their needs.

Polo,

"The MB drives excelllent and is a great choice ( I owned a 5 series before (fun to drive and manual option are plus for BMW) but Mercedes makes better quality vehicles period".

There is an abundance of evidence here at Edmunds, JD Powers, Consumer Reports and your local Mercedes and BMW dealerhips that the current 5 series is a far more dependable car than the current and immediately previous E-class. As far as fit and finish, both are excellent, but I would still give the 5 series the nod over the E-class. The interior of my neighbor's 2000 E55 was more spacious than my M5, but from the headliner to the seats, everything in the BMW was a comparable or better quality of materials and workmanship.

I think you need to replace your "period" with "in my opinion" and then do a little more research. There are a lot more "Jill's" on the E class board than on the 5-series board.

I remain a fan of Mercedes, still believing my old 300 SEL 6.3 to have been one of the most advanced vehicles for its day ever produced, "period". But the statement that the current E class is a better quality vehicle than the current 5 series is simply not true. In my opinion.

microrepair · September 2003

pat_host:
Thanks for the recreated link..

polo and others:
Also look at this Edmunds discussion group for a very sobering discussion of the W211 chassis and the numerous problems.

Mercedes-Benz E Class Owners: Problems & Solutions

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

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