Looking at a low mileage one owner ‘01 E320. No service history provided, but as I said, very low mileage and immaculate aesthetically. Mercedes dealer did give me all the warranty repairs/claims that they had, but the history stopped in ‘06. No other details provided. I‘m not sure if the repairs mean anything significant was wrong with the car, but on first glance I’m thinking to myself this car looks like a lemon with all notes about leaks and the transmission! I realize leaks are a common problem, but with so little mileage while the car is almost new? It’s possible the owner was meticulous and had every little thing taken care of while under warranty. Just confused why a new car would have transmission noise at 181 miles.

These are the codes and description provided by the dealership. I’m just listing the events of note.

(2002) 181 miles 027001361 Automatic transmission noise.

(2005) 7,795 miles 001119047 seal/sealing surface, lower section, oil pan, engine leaks

(2005) 12,981 miles 054001537 12v battery insufficient power

(2006) 18,254 miles 027311047 radial shaft sealing ring, transmission housing, rear leaks

Anyway, just curious if it’s worth a PPI or steer clear? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Following comments directed at the codes provided by the dealership, not OP.

First comment: New owner *****ing about noise? Was transmission replaced or is it still in the car? Maybe a piece of debris wrapped around the driveshaft? The latter happened to me on a road trip. If on original transmission, I say no problem.

Second comment: eighteen years ago the owner was complaining about "leaks" on a four-year old car. I have had very few cars (as in none) that have never had seepage from gaskets. Class 1: surface looks wet. Class 2: droplet of oil hanging from the gasket surface. Class 3: oil drips at the rate of one drop or more within a ten-minute time window. If it isn't a Class 3, I can deal with it.

Comment three: a four-year old battery with insufficient power? I replace mine every three years. Mercedes electronics are power-hungry hogs that eat batteries with the joy of a tornado in a trailer park. Worst cars I ever owned when it comes to batteries. I am now the proud owner of multiple battery tenders... I can picture the dealer suggesting the owner replace the original battery with a new MB battery along with one-hour labor charge.

Take it to the dealer and ask a mechanic to find something wrong. Odds are he/she will find "something" on which the customer will need to spend money. Their income depends upon it.

Don't trust. Get a PPI. It might be a diamond in the dust. My W210 E55 has been fantastic; only mechanical issues I had to deal with were associated with age. If the shop lets you accompany the mechanic under the car during the inspection, request to do so. My W210 E-class is one of the best vehicles (if not the best) I have ever owned. A scan with STAR/Xentry is a must.

Personally, I prefer the older Mercedes with some, but fewer, electronics.

FWIW and YMMV. Good luck whichever way you go.

 

This is so helpful! Thank you sir (bbirdwell).
I’m going to proceed w/ the PPI at an indy shop and make sure they have STAR/Xentry scan capabilities. Will have them do as thorough a job as possible. Anything outside the normal PPI checklist that they should specifically look for on a W210? Will post my findings if anyone is interested.

 

When you say no service history, are you saying you just asked the dealer or did you run a Carfax?

 

Yes, I asked the dealer and they provided the history I posted. That’s all the service history I could get for the car (from any source). I did pull a carfax and no accidents etc, but no logged service history either.

 

I agree with @bbirdwell. My W210 4matic is the best vehicle I've ever owned.

FWIW, if you're buying an E320/E430 from a midwest state, be sure to check out the spring perches in front. They rust out. 4matics don't have this issue due to a different front suspension design. Personally, I wouldn't buy a non-4matic unless it was a southern car and I was going to DD it in a southern climate.

Lastly, it is a 20+ year old car. Be sure to budget $1,500/year or so to keep it running properly. That's what I've averaged over the last 3.5 years since I bought my E320 on BaT. It had 40k miles at the time. It's got 82k miles now. In that time I've done most the work myself (maintenance, plugs, oil changes, belt, filters, brakes) but the driver-side catalytic converter failed and I had to replace it ($1,500), CPS failed, rear shocks needed replacing, replaced dashboard lights and repaired pixelated displays, replaced front outer tie rods, replaced driver side half shaft and CV boot, replaced rear window regulator mechanism (both rear windows will fail eventually). Good luck!

 

Thanks very much Teutonic_Driver. Great advice as well.