czienkosky

Wow, thank you all for your very detailed and thoughtful responses! I am still on the fence. The black, while beautiful (fantastic photo of the hood reflection!), might be just a touch too warm for 110+ days we have here in OKC, even if the seats are cooled. But the interior is the same, so maybe it won't make that much difference? I've only ever driven white cars, pretty much because of where I've lived.
I learned somewhere that ruffled door panels indicate real leather. I have noticed that a number of listings say leather seats when they are not (assuming I'm correct about the door panels). It doesn't matter that much except that I like the look. A bit more luxurious if you ask me.
What's this about the glow plugs getting stuck?! I remember there's some indication that one is about to go out, but I can't remember exactly what it is. Trouble turning over maybe?
I am more confident now that this can be a car I can drive for many years, that is if I don't get hit again! I've only had two cars in my life; both lasted 7 years exactly and were totalled. I told my husband I was happy to drive the Jetta until we paid off his loans (another 5 years or so). So much for that plan! So I like to make sure I'm really happy with it - I'll drive it as long as I can. I'm not the girl that drives something for a couple of years and then trades it in. Maybe that's why it's taking me 4 months to decide on something!

Green E-300 DT

Lots of 'points' being made. I will just tackle some and leave the rest to others, okay?

Glow plugs last for years, and usually they fail one by one and not all of them go bad at the same time unless the relay goes bad.
Doesn't mean that the car will not start, but IF it were cold enough in the dead of winter, perhaps the car wouldn't start.
When one of my glow plugs went bad, I got a CEL (Check engine light) which worried me until I read the code and found out what was wrong.
The car started up just fine even with that one (Number 6) glow plug not working.
Had it been in the dead of winter with temperatures below freezing, the car still would still have started
up on the 'good' five other glow plug cylinders and within seconds, the heat of compression would
have made the sixth cylinder fire even without that glow plug functioning at all.
The glow plugs are there to assist starting mainly, especially when it is really cold and to help with clean combustion also.
When changing out that one bad glow plug, I did it myself and had no problems. That bad glow plug came out easily,
and I know some people have had problems, but I did not.

Another point that you've made:
'I'm not the girl that drives something for a couple of years and then trades it in.
Maybe that's why it's taking me 4 months to decide on something!'

Believe me, once you get a good 2005-2006 CDI and it is running well, you WILL NOT have any ideas of trading it in.
They are that good, and the Jetta is no comparison.

ALL W-211s shipped to N A have either MBZ Tex seating material or real leather (an extra cost option).
No cars to N A came with a cloth interior.

Good luck and find the correct color. You will not be sorry.



DHG

Carsy

czienkosky ,

If you like to keep your cars long term ( like me ) colour is important as DHG says . Here in Australia I would not consider anything else but white because of the temps & that it still looks OK when dirty. It is also a safe colour, makes the car look bigger & after all,as it is the most recognisable thing about a car you have to 100% like it..

A immaculate service book is a must & also a through mechanical check by someone who is conversant with the model.

If buying second hand I always do some detective work to find the previous owner & speak to them on past/present problems, servicing, accidents & why they are selling .Make sure the auto trans has been fully flushed with the correct oil every 39,000 miles. It may not say it has to be done in the service book but it has been proven if you want longevity ,it has to be done.

Paying a little more for one in top mechanical condition is sometimes a good move.

Also make sure you it ticks all boxes emotionally & you will maintain & preserve it better!!. The longer I keep a good car the more I become attached to it & look after it.

I like your attitude of taking your time.

Good luck.

kurtismayfield

You are absolutely right, if you are keeping it long term the color has to please you. My first Benz was Brilliant Silver. I liked it as well. Rest assured the Mercedes A/C is very powerful and quick to cool the car down.

As to your previous two accidents, this is the car to be driving in an accident. That's what happened to my first one. A 2006 E320 CDI.

I was in an offset head-on collision with a big landscaping truck at 55 mph cresting a hill with a curve at the top. Four airbags later I emerged full of glass with a scrape on my left wrist from the steering wheel airbag and my glasses still on! The Tel-Aid person was asking if I was OK and called 911. The car was totaled just like those commercials that show how safe cars are in collisions.

There was absolutely no intrusion into into the cabin by anything in the engine compartment. Pretty amazing to me. Not sure the result would have been the same in my previous Ford Taurus.

Well I ended up doing OK on the insurance as they gave me $4300 more than I payed for it! One month later I was driving my current Mercedes, a 2006 E320 CDI only Obsisian Black.

Funny part about the insurance pay off is that it was towed to the insurance company's salvage yard. And, it was their estimator that over estimated it! He thought it had leather seats but it had MB -Tex with leather inserts. He said it had Bi-Xenon headlamps with washers but it had neither. Lastly, he marked it as having the Harman-Kardon Logic7 Stereo System and the wood steering wheel...wrong again! And this was after they refused to reimburse for the premium paint charge!! Oh well, my new one has those options plus the panorama roof and the trunk closer.

I don't remember who said it here recently, but they were right. Once you start driving a car like this you never think about getting another car. You concentrate on how to keep this one going as long as possible.

Should this car become undrivable 10 years from now I will be looking for my third '06 E320 CDI. I am sure they will still be around.

Good Luck

msbelle

We have a 2006 E320 with over 200k miles. We did have the glow plug issue and it was stuck. Was in the shop for 2 days trying to "soak" it out. The check engine light came on because of course the hubby was out of town, ran it into the dealership they said I was fine to do what I needed to over the weekend, not to worry about getting stranded. It cost a couple hundred bucks but only because of the labor trying to get it out. The plug was onlly like $40..

We have had some other issues..tires are more expensive, replacing a windshield is going to cost you, etc.

With that being said, once you ride in one for a few days, everything else feels like you are in wagon train. Kind of crazy. We are currently searching for another CDI to replace this one and also want to get the diesel GL to replace my Yukon XL. My husband is determined to switch to biodiesel and it's a pain to do that on a blutec so its got to be 2006..

You won't regret it.

isstay

Only one point considering biodiesel – those fuel systems (high-pressure common rail) do not work well w/biodiesel, thus why MB does not recommend more than 5% biodiesel blend. If you use fuel w/higher percentage, you should expect some expensive repairs. Probably is a good idea to keep this one since it is high mileage car and experiment with instead of buying car w/low miles and trashing it.

Green E-300 DT

You've brought up a couple of good points:

Biodiesel . . . I WOULD NOT run ours on any biodiesel other than what is added in some states in the D2 that one gets with their pumped fuel.
In other words, what ever the level is in the fuel they purchase at the pumps.
Many states do not add any biodiesel, but some add amounts up to as high as eleven (11) percent.
Our injectors are rather expensive. I paid $424 plus tax for the one I needed to replace, and that was with thirty (30) percent off.

My recent windshield retailed for about $350. I paid only the deductible which was $100.
My insurance took care of the rest.
This was not the original genuine MBZ glass, but it is fine and that's another subject.

Tires are not anymore expensive than for any other car IF one stays away from Michelins.
There are all kinds of good tires for less than the Michelins, and many are indeed better choices!

Green E-300 DT

Many here prefer the straight six that you have in your CDI sedan over the later V6 engines that are in the GL.

You've brought up a couple of good points:

Biodiesel . . . I WOULD NOT run ours on any biodiesel other than what is added in some states in the D2 that one gets
with their pumped fuel. In other words, what ever the level is in the fuel they purchase at the pumps.
Many states do not add any biodiesel, but some add amounts up to as high as eleven (11) percent.
Our injectors are rather expensive. I paid $424 plus tax for the one I needed to replace, and that was with thirty (30) percent off.

My recent windshield retailed for about $350. I paid only the deductible which was $100.
My insurance took care of the rest.
This was not the original genuine MBZ glass, but it is fine and that's another subject.

Tires are not anymore expensive than for any other car IF one stays away from Michelins.
There are all kinds of good tires for less than the Michelins, and many are indeed better choices!

Concerning glow plugs, sometimes, especially IF they have not been changed for many miles, can be a problem to remove.
I had no problem at all when I did the one (number 6) bad glow plug, and I did it myself. If I can do it, anyone can!
I paid only $26 plus tax for one new BERU glow plug from my dealer with the discount he gives me.
Many online sites will sell the correct glow plug for about the same.
Btw, ALWAYS make sure you use a BERU brand, and not a Bosch because the operating
voltage is 5 Volts for the Beru (YOUR original factory installed glow plug) and not
12 volts like the Bosch glow plugs need.

It would seem to me that perhaps you need to find a good independent MBZ mechanic.
We are lucky here in Southern California as there are many located all over the place.
The one I use for really tough jobs has a hourly rate that is much
lower than the dealership nearby which charges $146 per hour.

Best of luck.

Questions and comments appreciated.



DHG

czienkosky

You guys are great! So much information. I have managed to convince dh that a cdi should be in the running at least. He prefers the styling of Audis I've learned (did not know that), but I test drove one and didn't care for the console. I also test drove an Infiniti Q37, and while it had a lot of nifty features, it didn't send a chill up my spine. I also test drove a 2008 Capri blue e350 and a 2007 silver e320 bluetec last weekend. Both were nice, and I was surprised by how beautiful the blue e350 was. They both had the iPod kit, integrated garage door openers, and were fun to drive. Do the 05-06 have the garage door option?

I hadn't discussed my options with anyone else in my family until recently, when I brought it up with my mother. Needless to say, she was thrilled. She drove 420SELs during the 80s and loved them. She doesn't quite understand my diesel hang up but isn't about to try to talk me out of it.

I had heard that if one glow plug goes, it's best to just replace all of them. Not true? I had serpentine belt issues with my Jetta. Also not really concerned about the cost of tires. I prefer Pirelli tires anyway and have always had them on my cars.

More to come!

czienkosky

I'm pleased to know that you have 200k miles on your cdi. I realize that I'm asking a bunch of MB enthusiasts to give me the pros and cons of owning one, but it is refreshing to hear that the pros seem to outweigh the cons. My concern is longevity. If maintenance is going to be the cost again of the car, I'd rather not take the chance. Looks like that's not the case here.

czienkosky

I can't even imagine being involved in a head on collision. The fact that you walked away from it (I assume) speaks to the safety features of the car. My mother was rear ended four times (four times!) in the two years that she had a Lexus LS400 back in the early 90s, and she barely felt a thing each time while the car at fault was practically demolished. A solidly built car is paramount.

And I can relate to your good fortune of finally being on the winning side of an insurance payout. I was lucky with the last accident, if that could be said. My insurance company paid about 3k more than I was expecting, which was actually the genesis of notion of upgrading. The agent said diesels are so rare, and it played a part in the high value of the car. I honestly hadn't thought about driving another car since I bought my last one. I was so pleased with it. Now I have to be careful when I'm driving down the road that I'm not looking at all of the other cars instead of focusing on driving! I have to say that I'm most impressed when I see an MB e or s class beside me. Such beautiful cars.

The Infiniti that I test drove was pretty cool and had a lot of the things I'm looking for in terms of reliability and such. The interior didn't feel quite as luxurious, the drive was a little tighter, and there was so much going on in the console that I'm sure it would distract me to the point of an accident. Plus, that silly three spoke steering wheel that I can't stand and is omnipresent was, in fact, present.

But I digress. I believe the cdi and I were meant to be. Why does the particular one I want have to be 1500 miles away?!

Green E-300 DT

Yes, all the 2005-2006 W-211s have the garage door option.
Look for three buttons on the underside of the rear-view mirror.

I look at the glow plugs going bad in this manner. Just because one burns
out (fails) does not mean that the others are about to do so also.

It is the same thing with tires. I ruined one last summer and did not even know it until we got home from our 5K mile trip.
When I had them all rotated, the bad one appeared and it needed replacement. Should I also replace the other three?
They had over half their tread remaining and were wearing evenly, looked fine and probably had
thirty thousand miles left before they would be worn out, so why replace all four?

BTW, there are many tire brands you could choose that are better choices than any Pirelli.
Better in all respects and less costly also.

Don't let that short 1500 miles stop you from getting the right CDI.

We just traveled a round trip of 1000 miles in 21 hours last Friday.
No problems, and ours averaged 37.818 and 37.310 mpg respectfully.
I will not put in print the speeds we saw on that R/T to Sacramento and return.

Good luck, and keep us posted.



DHG

czienkosky

What are your suggestions for better tires? I had a boyfriend who was a mechanic and recommended them (this was back when I was 17, so it's been awhile). I guess I never really thought to look at others.

Still keeping my options open. I wonder if anyone saw the article on the front page of the New York Time website today about the NJ professor who has a diesel MB that's 37 years old. My heart fluttered a little when I saw it. It is positively iconic.

stickygreen

If you're staying stock size (225/55/16), we have had GREAT luck with Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. Currently on our third set of these (been running them since original Michelin MXV4 wore out).

Ride better than oem, handle better than oem, last 50k+ miles pretty easy with proper inflation & alignment, and are reasonably priced (~$150/tire). Will continue to run these until they are no longer an available option.

Carsy

I have Michelin Primacy 205-55-16 . A tyre for more rugged conditions. South African farmers use them on their MB. I don't find them noisy.

Green E-300 DT

Many of my friends including yours-truly are leaning towards the Continental line vs Michelin for several reasons.

My CDI came with the almost new Michelins mentioned above, but they
are rather expensive, and I find the Continentals are better for less.

Thank you for pointing out the N Y Times article in the Tuesday Feb. 5th edition. I had missed it.
Having owned when new a '70 and a '72 220D plus a '74 240D, a '76 240D plus a '81 240D
(among others), I found the article was well written and truthful.
The only thing I find missing was the true name of the original color which is 'Maple Yellow'.
The good Doctor made a really big mistake by not getting factory air!

BTW, we have many of these examples running here in California. I am sure you
can still find 'em in states where salt in not used on the roads in the winter also.
Very slow because they have no horsepower and torque, but they do get you
there (in time) and will get in the high twenties to low thirties fuel economy.

When compared to todays' offerings, there is simply no comparison.



DHG

kurtismayfield

I just changed out the original set at 47000. They were very loud.
I run 225/55/16. I have 3000 miles on these new tires.

On tirerack I found that Bridgestone had just come out with a new Turanza Serenity tire, the Serenity Plus. It's a Grand Touring All Season shoe.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=166

I tried it because I have had good luck with Bridgestones previously and not so good luck with some from Michelins. They sometimes ride like the mascot looks!!

Tirerack has mucho info. I ordered from them and shipped to my local indie...paid no tax! (I love the internet!!!)

I am thrilled with the purchase. In order they are 1) more than responsive enough for me, 2)have very good wet/hydroplane resistance and 3) they are very quiet. My wife Doris wants to replace her Michelins (she bought a new car in September!)

What ever you purchase, I would seek out whomever in your area does RoadForce balancing...it makes a difference. The link below explains the differences but it is designed more as a quick sales demo I think. But for $9 a tire I don't think you can't go wrong. I like that it determines which tire should go where for the best performance.


Cheers

czienkosky

Just got the options sheet on my number one choice, and one of the options is sea packing and dispatch. Any idea what that is? Does it have to do with exporting the vehicle from Germany?

isstay

this is the code for transportation preparation - use to be

668 PRODUCT PROT.F.TRANSPORT VEH. W/ TIE-DOWN HOOKS

and now is

668 SEA PACKING AND DISPATCH

czienkosky

Thanks!

kurtismayfield

Keep us posted!!

czienkosky

Ok, here's the latest...
My husband just took a new job, and thus I'm having difficulty arranging for time to get to New York for this car. I refuse to buy a car sight unseen,no matter if it's been inspected and all that. Now, since I've been waiting around (and, of course, keeping my eye out for cdis nearer to me), I've come across a 2006 E500 in Austin that has every option that I'm looking for in terms of creature comforts and has been meticulously maintained. It is about 5k less. An E500 for 14K makes me kind nervous, like there might be something that I'm just not catching. Obviously, it's a v8 gas guzzler, so someone please talk me out of it. The pros for me are that I could fly down and drive back in a day, the mileage is lower, and it's less expensive up front. The cons: it's gas, and it's a v8 (probably too much car for me). The gentleman selling the cdi is looking for his own car, so he's in no hurry and seems to be pleasant to deal with. We haven't discussed price much past the notion that he would be willing to negotiate if he gets a good deal on a replacement. So far, he must not be a huge hurry to get that replacement. Not sure I could talk him down more than about $500.

Green E-300 DT

Why oh why would you buy a gasser that has less power and gets much worse fuel economy than a CDI?

Sure, you might save a little dinero up front, but would you be happy with a gasser when you KNOW you really want a CDI?
The reason it is only $14K is that there is really no demand for a V8 gasser unless it is an E-55 AMG,
and you do not want one of those hotrods.

How about this example:
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...Index=18&Log=0

If this is not the one for you, there are many many others. What is your color choice?

A V8? NO NO!

Have you checked out all the CDIs? Any CDI before any gasser.

And I would stay away from any N Y car also.
Just when is this clown going to get his act together and move?
Can you wait for him to finally make up his mind?

There are enough CDIs around where you should be able to find exactly what you want in the color you want
from an area where there is no salt used on the roads in the winter.

But a V8 gasser . . No way. Once you were to drive my CDI and experience the torque that mine has,
you would never never consider a V8 or a V6 gasser with so much less torque.

Study my signature. 'Nough said.

Keep on looking. Good hunting!



DHG

kurtismayfield

Mayfield: She's lost that loving feeling.
Green E: She's lo... No she hasn't.
Mayfield: Yes, she has.
Green E: She's not lost that lo...
Mayfield: Green E, she's lost it, man.
Green E: Come on!
Green E: Aw sh... I hate it when she does that.



Mayfield: ...girl, you better straighten up, fly right and remove any thoughts of purchasing an E500 from your head. To do otherwise will force the two of us to head for OKC to sing that song. And really you do not want that. Green E: Yeah, you really don't!!




I am not sure how far it is to OKC but I do know that Norman OK is 1024 miles from my driveway. I can make that drive with 27.0 gallons of DIESEL fuel.

You could make the same trip in an E500 using only 51.2 gallons of GASOLINE!Of course, at today's gasoline prices, diesel would have to rise above $7.31* per gallon for your trip to be cheaper!!!


Ouch, that's like walking barefoot on a blacktop parking lot in downtown Oklahoma City on a sunny summer day when the temp can easily hit 110!!

Now if you wisely purchase the CDI that you had initially set your mind on, you could almost go round trip for the cost of gas going one way


Cheers
PS. Honestly, it's all good...as long as YOU are happy!
Just havin' a little fun with it. Hopefully, Green E will not mind playing the part of Goose! (Hey, Goose, you big stud! )

*(based on my local price of $3.859/gal for gasoline & using the hwy mpg rating for each vehicle (37mpg and 20mpg)).

Green E-300 DT

Green does not mind anything! Just trying (like you!) to keep here from making a terrible terrible mistake.

All we can do is try, and IF she makes that terrible mistake, she might find that her mate will leave her,
for he would be shelling out boucoup dinero to try and keep that POS running don't you know?

We try, and that is all we can do.

We wish her Gods' Wisdom and Hope and Pray that she makes the correct decision.

Take it from this old boy. I should know as I have been driving diesels on and off since 1966.
Eleven (11) MBZ diesels alone plus some other makes.



Derrel H Green

aka E-300 DT