I have been considering the purchase of a used E320 CDI. I came upon this review of the vehicle. I assume the participants in this forum will have a differing opinion. Don't shoot me I'm only the messenger.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/rev...edes-e320-cdi/

I have been cross shopping other cars, and this makes my decision more difficult. Maybe I need to do an extensive test drive of an E320 CDI.

 

I cannot comment on 320CDI which is an inline 6 and was there till MY06; there are members who love that model; you should try a Bluetec V6 which is MY07-MY08. A new version W212 will be available in 2010 though I am not keen on the new shape but I might change my mind once I physically see and drive it. Zero issues in 21k miles in my current Bluetec and nothing but good things to say about it.

 

Not much to the article IMHO.

We've owned W123, W124, and W210 prior to our E320CDI and I can't think of a single thing on the older cars that isn't better on the W211.

The notes on V6 vs I6 are nothing but inane, as I can promise the V6 is more expensive to build. It will contribute significantly to handling as well, as there isn't the moment of inertia and the aluminum engine is lighter.

Seems more a negative comment on Kleemann than anything.

 

+1 ..

The review is a mod'ed car which appears not to have been tested for the modifications prior to running.

As for interior build .. well if you compare it to a 27K Honda or 30K cadillac you can see that the Mercedes DOES have better materials but probably not on the level that older Mercedes had. That's just economics .. then again better is subjective ..

 

I glanced over the article and I can see where they are coming from in regards to the different interior features, etc. The older MBs IMO were made better, and they do cut corners on some features to save money. However, MB does not make those cars any longer, and nor does any other company, so it's the closest thing to the old ones you will get.

I have/had a W123, W201, W210, and a W211 (2005 E320 CDI) and yes I do notice a difference in the "wear" items in the car. The MB Tex material is pretty much indestructible as the article stated. With nearly 200k on my 190E and nearly 200k on my 300DT, the interior still looks nearly new.

My E320 has leather interior and I don't think it will stand the test of time like MB Tex has, although it gives the interior a nice appearance.

Overall, I think the E320 CDI is a good reliable, safe, and fun to drive car. I get excellent fuel mileage in a rear wheel drive configuration and decent technology to go with it. The navigation system gets you where you need to go, and the audio system sounds good. The A/C works great in the summer and cools adequately. No rattles at all in my car. My car is a heavily optioned cars and has options that are not frequently found on the CDI model, and honestly these options are the only things that have given me problems with about 25kmi of ownership - all fixed under warranty.

I would personally recommend the car for someone looking for a safe, reliable and economical vehicle that is fun to drive and looks good as well.

 

Nice summary Polar Bear. I have to say as former long term 201 owner the W211 just seems to lack the old Mercedes solidity. Do you agree or is something wrong with my car? I feel reverberations through the suspension / chassis over bumps that I don't remember with my 190E.

 

I dunno, seemed the article might have had a beaten up car or something. Sure old M-B's were built with "Tank" appeal in mind, but welcome to the new generations, M-B is all about style first and foremost.

I'm more than pleased with the interior in the 211 (at least in the '06 I have, don't know if they upgraded materials in that year or something along with the other minor changes and electrical changes, etc.), I've driven MANY cars, and rarely, if ever, have I found a car to have an overall better constructed and designed interior with better materials.

In fact, I think one of the 211's strongest suits is its interior.

 

If you feel something that you don't think is supposed to be there it probably is not supposed to be there.

One thing about MBs - people love them for the way they drive, and IMO there is a lot of engineering put into their design to give them that "feel" so they do require maintenance and upkeep to keep them driving superb, hence the early need to replace ball joints, engine and transmission mounts, etc. If you feel things like that in the drivetrain, it would be worth having it looked into. Could be something as simple as tires.

My W201 is as comfortable as a large car but handles like a small car.

 

The older mercs may have been build like a tank, but they handled like canoes when going down backroads. On the highway my old 420 sel rode very smooth, on the backroads, hmm... yeah, it stunk. Was the interior better? No way! The temperature dials had a plastic ring to indicate temperature and in the heat these would peal. Quite frankly the best thing on the interior of the older mercs was the leather. Remember the steering? C'mon you had up to an inch of play in the steering wheel going down the road and that was normal. I could go on, but why. I loved the old mercs, but reality is, the new ones are better. And starting in 2007 Mercedes REALLY cleaned up their reliability record on the Eclass.

Read the article again, he is basing all of this on personal preference and laments the day he got rid of his dream ride even though the E320 cdi family cruiser would dust his 190. The interior of new Mercs may be different but the safety features fully surpass anything from the tanks.

Bryan

 

I agree with most of your statements, however the large sedans handled much better than many other large cars out there.

As for the steering, you needed to adjust your steering box. This is typical maintenance and is done in less than 10 minutes. Like adjusting the valves on the W123 300DT - normal maintenance, but if performed, would make the car run great for a long time.

The W210 interior is one of my favorites, however the dash wasn't the best built thing that come out of Germany. Very difficult to find one without cracks that has been in the sun any amount of time.