cbpeck

Hello,

I'm getting ready to purchase my first MB (E320 4Matic Wagon), so I've been doing quite a bit of research. This forum has proven itself invaluable, and I haven't yet purchased the car!

Today I ran across this website:

http://www.amoswong.com/how-to-reset-your-w210-ecu.html

Is this true? If so, is it a good idea to do this with a recently purchased pre-owned W210?

Also, are there any wagon specific problems to look out for when shopping for a pre-owned W210 wagon?

Thanks in advance.

RichardM98

Not necessary. MB's ECU has adaptive driving features which will modify themselves automatically based upon your driving habits.

Far more important to get a PPI by a knowledgeable MB mechanic and to choose a car with documented service records.

The sticky at the top of this page has a section on W210 issues as well as other sites. But most owners never experience those problems.

cbpeck

Thanks for your post.

Will my wife & I have the ECU going crazy with our different driving styles? jk.

I have a close friend who is a mechanic at my local MB dealership. Because W210 4matic wagons are so few and far between in my area I may have to flex some on the documentation. With the mechanic's inspection I'm a little more comfortable doing so.

saintz

The ECU reset won't make a huge difference, especially on a 320. It's the higher horsepower models that adapt more to Granny driving.

RichardM98

It's pretty subtile. But maybe if you have an 17 year old son/daughter you might notice longer shift times the next day.

There are lots of W210's out there. They made over 1M and most are still on the road and going strong. Frankly I would keep shopping until I found what I wanted with at least most of the service records intact. Basically, you want a used car from someone who took proper care of it. That's the same person who would keep service records. Just my $0.02.

ohlord

tcu that resets to factory defaults and yes even the m112 can be day and night difference in performance after a reset. Do it as often as you feel the need.

inspect,inspect,inspect.
go west for a greater market to choose from. Most east of the mountain people have inflated ideas as to the value of the MMercedes they are selling.
Better yet shop the California market, fly down drive back,save thousands!

cbpeck

You're right, paperwork is very valuable and there are lots of W210s, but I haven't seen many W210 4matic wagons in good condition, especially west of the Rockies. So far I've looked at three for sale in Washington State. The first was significantly over priced and the second and third left a lot to be desired cosmetically. I'm not in a rush to buy, but I can foresee it being hard to pass on what appears to be a good car at a good price. There are so few of these cars in my area and even fewer seem to have service records these days.

Thanks for your response.