Looking at a 2011 E250 Coupe, what things should Look out for?
01-26-2019, 07:14 PM
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2004 C240
Looking at a 2011 E250 Coupe, what things should Look out for?
**Sorry! I meant E350 Coupe.**
Hi all,
I would be upgrading from a 2004 W203 and 09 ML350. I found a 2011 with 40K miles that I test drove today and really liked. It's black on black with possibly some kind of package? heated / cooled seats and HK sound system.
Are there any general wear and tear things that I should look out for before purchasing? Anything that I should aware of that would sway me from purchasing?
All opinions welcome!
Hi all,
I would be upgrading from a 2004 W203 and 09 ML350. I found a 2011 with 40K miles that I test drove today and really liked. It's black on black with possibly some kind of package? heated / cooled seats and HK sound system.
Are there any general wear and tear things that I should look out for before purchasing? Anything that I should aware of that would sway me from purchasing?
All opinions welcome!
Last edited by aviana; 01-26-2019 at 07:16 PM. Reason: E350 not 250 - oops!
01-27-2019, 10:30 AM
#2
There’s a known problem with the compressor bearing, so make sure you either have it changed already, or keep an ear open for unusual sounds (the engine should be more or less quiet). It comes on quite suddenly independent of using the air-con, and is quite obvious once you hear it. If left unattended, the bearing will “grenade” and take out anything in the immediate vicinity, which can get expensive. Mine started making noises at 9 years and 30k, threw it at the dealership, who fixed it for around 600 bucks / 400 British pounds – hardly the end of the world.
If you have the panoramic sun roof, make sure the cloth sun blind operates smoothly and without any “grinding” noises. If it sounds “crunchy” when retracting, you’re looking at a 900 dollar / 650 British pound repair bill. Although it may be only the cloth part that’s shot, they have to replace the entire frame, and take out a fair bit of interior trim to get at it. 50% parts, 50% labour – it’s a tricky job.
Other than that – dealership service history counts for a lot on these cars – don’t underestimate it. When going to look at the car, ask how the owner rates the dealer, some of them are great, others are “not so great”.
Properly maintained, these are really nice cars to own and drive, though a bit on the expensive side due to dealership servicing costs. Because of this, a few of them have been to third party servicing, or even serviced by the owners themselves. No matter how competently done by people other than Mercedes, it can halve the re-sale value, so check the paper trail.
Here in the UK, the servicing is recommended every 12 months, and alternates between an “A” service, and a “B” service. An “A” service is pretty comprehensive, and costs around Ł650, a “B” service costs half of that, and is pretty much minimal – so draw a line between the two, and it costs Ł500 a year, which is reasonable for such a (potentially) complicated car to work on. You get peace of mind that any re-calls are done, plus the service history is kept up, which pays dividends in the future. Although I have great respect for those who do their own oil changes etc, I don’t drive a Mercedes to get covered in oil for the sake of a few hundred in savings each year.
Avoid the diesels like the plague – all turbo lag and no knickers – and the known faults on those things engines would take an entire thread to cover.
Good luck – and good hunting – hope you get a nice one …….
If you have the panoramic sun roof, make sure the cloth sun blind operates smoothly and without any “grinding” noises. If it sounds “crunchy” when retracting, you’re looking at a 900 dollar / 650 British pound repair bill. Although it may be only the cloth part that’s shot, they have to replace the entire frame, and take out a fair bit of interior trim to get at it. 50% parts, 50% labour – it’s a tricky job.
Other than that – dealership service history counts for a lot on these cars – don’t underestimate it. When going to look at the car, ask how the owner rates the dealer, some of them are great, others are “not so great”.
Properly maintained, these are really nice cars to own and drive, though a bit on the expensive side due to dealership servicing costs. Because of this, a few of them have been to third party servicing, or even serviced by the owners themselves. No matter how competently done by people other than Mercedes, it can halve the re-sale value, so check the paper trail.
Here in the UK, the servicing is recommended every 12 months, and alternates between an “A” service, and a “B” service. An “A” service is pretty comprehensive, and costs around Ł650, a “B” service costs half of that, and is pretty much minimal – so draw a line between the two, and it costs Ł500 a year, which is reasonable for such a (potentially) complicated car to work on. You get peace of mind that any re-calls are done, plus the service history is kept up, which pays dividends in the future. Although I have great respect for those who do their own oil changes etc, I don’t drive a Mercedes to get covered in oil for the sake of a few hundred in savings each year.
Avoid the diesels like the plague – all turbo lag and no knickers – and the known faults on those things engines would take an entire thread to cover.
Good luck – and good hunting – hope you get a nice one …….
01-27-2019, 02:19 PM
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The 550 coupes have front rotor warpage issues, which may or may not apply to the 350 model. Not a show-stopper, though, as it's easily fixed with aftermarket rotors.
01-27-2019, 09:05 PM
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Oh wow, this was the exact kind of answer I was looking for. Thank you so much!
I'm not sure about the compressor bearing so I will be on the lookout for that sound, but I know that this E for SURE has the crunching sunroof. I saw it during the test drive hanging on the side, and gently pushing the button you could really hear it crunching. Is there a simpler fix to this (take it out entirely without replacing) or could I use that to leverage the price a bit? I wouldn't mind having it completely off. Though not quite the same, my C240's motor for the sun shade was broken upwards for over a year until one day it decided to start working and go back down again. Could this be an indicator for more problems down the line?
My B service for my C in California costs me around $450 a few months ago! These prices seem to be around the same as the ML so not too terrible. I understand what you're saying about DIY-ing it. Will not consider a diesel in any MB line after reading so many horror stories. My original car of choice was a 2012 ML350 4matic bluetec until I came on here.
I'm not sure about the compressor bearing so I will be on the lookout for that sound, but I know that this E for SURE has the crunching sunroof. I saw it during the test drive hanging on the side, and gently pushing the button you could really hear it crunching. Is there a simpler fix to this (take it out entirely without replacing) or could I use that to leverage the price a bit? I wouldn't mind having it completely off. Though not quite the same, my C240's motor for the sun shade was broken upwards for over a year until one day it decided to start working and go back down again. Could this be an indicator for more problems down the line?
My B service for my C in California costs me around $450 a few months ago! These prices seem to be around the same as the ML so not too terrible. I understand what you're saying about DIY-ing it. Will not consider a diesel in any MB line after reading so many horror stories. My original car of choice was a 2012 ML350 4matic bluetec until I came on here.
01-28-2019, 12:40 PM
#5
The crunchy sun blind issue should be a one off, and it will not affect anything other than retracting or closing the sun blind. However, the possibility exists for some of the cloth jamming in the rails, resulting in the sensors telling the car that it has not completely retracted, and thus preventing the roof from opening. With typical Teutonic efficiency, the car will insist in having all its ducks in a row before opening the roof – like I said, great cars, but you have to keep them in tip top condition to get the best out of them, there are no short cuts to this.
To replace the sun blind, first, you will have to get the part on order from Germany, which should take two to three weeks. Then, it’s a “simple” case of removing the rear seats to gain access to the side lining, and from there, the headlining. With that lot removed, time to get out the socket set, taking care to protect the external roof seals while completely removing the entire assembly. Then it’s a matter of fitting the new frame, and working backwards until finally re-fitting the rear seats. The labour costs involved account for around half the cost, which in Dollars is likely to touch $1000. The alternative is to drive around in your prized possession, ignoring the comments from passengers about the cloth hanging down from the roof, until the roof window itself refuses to open. So yeah, I’d be looking at knocking the price or the car down accordingly. Any Mercedes dealer will confirm the pricing of the replacement, so stick to your guns.
Black on black is the most common colour combination out there, mine is sky blue with a grey interior, so I decided to go for it anyway.
The E350 is showing no evidence of the 550 rotor issue – different beasts.
The other thing to consider is the tyres. 10 years equals hard rubber, and they’ll soon start cracking up in the sun. In order to increase fuel efficiency as a selling point, Mercedes fitted the E350 CGI Blue Efficiency with low rolling resistance tyres. Low rolling resistance is achieved by low grip, and any mismatch in tyre brands will soon show up, as you will notice as you head towards that stone wall in the wet. The low rolling resistance tyres can produce a miles to the (UK) gallon of 42 on a good day. Replacing them with “normal” tyres will result in an average (on a long run) of 38.5 (UK) gallons. In my opinion, it’s a small price to pay for staying in control of your car, and your safety. At the point of purchase, it would be unreasonable to factor in the price of fresh rubber and try to deduct this from the purchase price, but it remains something to think about in the near future, so work on the assumption of around 140 Dollars per corner, and choose your own tyres.
To replace the sun blind, first, you will have to get the part on order from Germany, which should take two to three weeks. Then, it’s a “simple” case of removing the rear seats to gain access to the side lining, and from there, the headlining. With that lot removed, time to get out the socket set, taking care to protect the external roof seals while completely removing the entire assembly. Then it’s a matter of fitting the new frame, and working backwards until finally re-fitting the rear seats. The labour costs involved account for around half the cost, which in Dollars is likely to touch $1000. The alternative is to drive around in your prized possession, ignoring the comments from passengers about the cloth hanging down from the roof, until the roof window itself refuses to open. So yeah, I’d be looking at knocking the price or the car down accordingly. Any Mercedes dealer will confirm the pricing of the replacement, so stick to your guns.
Black on black is the most common colour combination out there, mine is sky blue with a grey interior, so I decided to go for it anyway.
The E350 is showing no evidence of the 550 rotor issue – different beasts.
The other thing to consider is the tyres. 10 years equals hard rubber, and they’ll soon start cracking up in the sun. In order to increase fuel efficiency as a selling point, Mercedes fitted the E350 CGI Blue Efficiency with low rolling resistance tyres. Low rolling resistance is achieved by low grip, and any mismatch in tyre brands will soon show up, as you will notice as you head towards that stone wall in the wet. The low rolling resistance tyres can produce a miles to the (UK) gallon of 42 on a good day. Replacing them with “normal” tyres will result in an average (on a long run) of 38.5 (UK) gallons. In my opinion, it’s a small price to pay for staying in control of your car, and your safety. At the point of purchase, it would be unreasonable to factor in the price of fresh rubber and try to deduct this from the purchase price, but it remains something to think about in the near future, so work on the assumption of around 140 Dollars per corner, and choose your own tyres.
