Dserran

I am new to this forum and considering the purchase of my first MB. There is a 2006 E-320 CDI being sold by a private party with 42k miles for about $23k. The car looks in like new conditions and well cared for by the original owner with no maintenance or repair issues to date. All maintenance performed by local MB dealer.

Would like to learn from members of this forum is it a good decision to buy this used car which does not have any warranty left, or wait until a CPO comes up at the local MB dealer with at least 1 year extended warranty and the potential to increase it by two additional years? Is this model/year reliable to the point that no warranty should not be a major concern?

The 2006 E-320 CDI does not have the latest Bluetec technology. Nanoparticles from diesel combustion have been a major environmental concern with controlled clinical studies showing health impact. Does anyone know the in cabin CDI air particle quality versus the more update Bluetek model?

220S

What about the poor people driving behind you breathing in those nanoparticles? Or the rest of the world?

Sorry, but I hate being behind a diesel taking in those carcinogenic particles while the owner sits smugly driving along, oblivious to it all.

If I were to buy a diesel (and I have considered it once in a while) I'd be certain to buy the current BlueTec urea technology and be kinder to my fellow citizens.

fwiw, the diesel models weren't even allowed in several US states until the nitrogen oxide reducing technologies were implemented by Mercedes (and BMW.) Cleaner diesel technology along with lower sulfur fuel is the proper way to go.....

Dserran

Thanks for your reply. The people driving a diesel vehicle should be more concerned than those driving behind. Studies have shown that in cabin contamination levels are normally higher than those inthe surrounding air. This has been confirmed in several studies and reason for me asking for anyone knowing the in cabin contamination levels for the CDI.

220S

That's interesting. You'd think otherwise since all those particles are so visible flying out the tail pipe. How does it get into the cabin in a properly closed system? If the manifold and exhaust system is not leaking, one would assume it's all just being jettisoned out the rear.

Nonetheless, I'd get a newer technology oil burner if you can swing it. Plus it will be a later model with better reliability. The motors tend to be pretty robust in the MBs, it's the rest of the stuff that falls apart.....

NorseWagon

Sounds like a good price for a good car.

You can always buy an aftermarket warranty: I paid $3K for 3/36 from
EasyCare purchased at my local MB dealer. (Total Care package, or bumper to bumper)

Silly_me

Am I so far separate from the marketplace or does:

"2006 E-320 CDI being sold by a private party with 42k miles for about $23k"

Seem like a really good deal?

And given the health hysterics mentioned above, Europe should all be dead very soon, so there may not be any new Mercs soon to come

NorseWagon

Blue Book value ranges from $26,7K to $23,1K

Dserran

Thanks to all who have taken time to reply. It's useful to hear your opinion which I will definitely factor into my final decision.

I am a chemist by training and genuinely interest in the environment. As anybody else I am also financial conscious and the potential to get 34-37 miles per gallon, at today's fuel prices attracts me. As soon as the potential of acquiring a diesel car showed up, I started researching what the environmental impact could be. That's when I came across several studies concluding that in cabin air particles is worst than in the immediate surrounding areas. For those of you interested on a good read, a potentially an eye opener, go to http://www.icta.org/doc/In-car%20pollution%20report.pdf
And read more about it. The apparent sealed environment of the cabin, is not such for the size of these microscopic particles. I could go on and reference different clinical studies regarding the health impact of environmental pollution but for that I would need a different forum to save all of us from loosing our interest on cars, and on many other modern inventions that make life easier. As everything else in life, it's all about balance. The conflict arises when we all have different ideas of what balance is.

Silly_me

So you are wary of the safety of a modern low-sulfur fuel common-rail diesel exhaust based on a report that focused on diesel particulates from engines on the road over a decade and a half ago? I'd be more worried of the toxins pumped into the environment by all the nickel mining for hybird batteries.

Everything causes cancer in white rats.

bobsquad7

I have an 06 E class CDI, purchased used from a pvt party 3 years ago. Thus far, absolutely no service issues of any kind. The electrical system is flawless, no squeeks or rattles, no wind noise, no oil leaks, etc, . .
The passenger compartment has a "cabin air filter" so the "air" you breath is no doubt cleaner than most vehicles.
Personally, I would be more concerned about dying in a car accident than from "breathing in those nanoparticles".
I guess we could all start riding bicycles or riding water buffalo's to work, . . . then someone would come up with a study claiming health hazzards from buffalo flatulence or the bicyclist farting!

$23K is a really good price if it's clean & no accident history. As far as a warranty, you could just put $2 or 3k in a savings account and provide your own warrenty.

NorseWagon

Yup, cabin air filter for everyday operations, then there is a special "push button" charcoal gas-mask type super filter. I only push the button when stuck in traffic.

Having spent way too much time around diesel engines, I should be dead by now, but several years in ship's engine rooms, driving diesel trucks and MB diesel taxi cabs in Europe as well as running my own diesel powered boats around Florida and the Caribe for years, I am still doing great: Blood pressure, blood analyses and chest x-rays comes back pretty boring.

If MB sold diesel 211 wagons in the US, I would have bought one long time ago...Sadly they don't so I am stuck with the E-500 Wagon.
If they sold E-550 Wagons I would have bought one of those as well, but the *******s only sell the wimpy E-350 Wagon nowadays and I am looking elswehere..Volvo Diesel Wagon anybody..?

220S

Interesting. The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach (the two are basically attached together) are the country's largest ports in respect to traffic (cargo tonnage.) The port authority has undertaken a massive campaign to reduce diesel particulates and has developed a program of electrical power plug-ins that container ships use while they are unloaded. That allows them to shut off their engines during that time.

It was the Longshoremen who worked hard to help promote the campaign. They were concerned about health issues (and were developing them; cancer rates are much higher in San Pedro.)

Granted the ships are using low quality bunker oil but it was determined that the biggest polluters were standard diesel trucks that move the containers out of the port into LA and the rest of the country. They spend a lot of time sitting idle while in line waiting for their container pickup. Electric trucks and newer diesel trucks with better burning efficiency will now be mandated.

Anyway, lower sulfur fuel and the urea technology is a good thing, imho. And I still argue that the newer car, the better for everybody in the long run.

Nor

This is the stupidest debate ever. All cars pollute, whether it be the exhaust that they emit, the materials they've been made from, or from the raw materials that they're batteries (Prius, hybrids) are made of. Buy the car that you like the most and don’t worry about what others on the internet think of you.

I purchased a private party 05 E320 CDI at 49k miles with 100% up to date service history last Sept for 21k. The car was/still is flawless, no accidents, original owners, heated/cooled seats, Command, and many other great features. I've decided to go the no warranty route and deposit money into a savings account monthly to cover repairs.

So far I've fixed the following items myself: Blower motor, thermostat, changed the oil. Also, new air filter, fuel filter, and activated charcoal air filter.

Make sure to do your homework and have a pre-purchase inspection done on the car from a reputable shop/dealership. Good luck!