What is the difference between the 2005 and 2006 CDI? One of these will be my next car but I can't decide between the two because I don't know the difference. Which one would be more reliable.

 

They are basically the same car. A few different options and some 05 have a different console. If you can find a 06 go for that because a lot of technical and mechanical issues were resolved between the two model years. However, if I was looking and found the right 05 that had documented services and the upgrades via recall and dealer technical bulletins I would not hesitate to buy. See if you can get a VMI from a dealer that lays out the maintenance and repair history done by MBUSA.

 

Thanks edwinwalke;

What specific options were different?

"some 05 have a different console" - what about exterior styling? Any other specific difference with the interior?

What technical and mechanical issues were resolved from the 05 model?

Sorry for asking you to be more specific. If you know of a website I can visit to research the difference please post it.

I did a search, but can't find any answers. Most of the post compares the 05-06 CDI to the newer 07-on blutech. There's no post comparing just the 05 vs the 06 CDI. Hopefully others will reply. Thanks.

 

By different console he means the armrest, here's an example:
2006:


2005

 

Like I said in the previious post if you find a nice 05 go for it. They are great cars if properly maintained. Mine has 103K miles an runs perfectly.

 

Based on the searching that I did prior to buying my 05, I found that the significant 05 to 06 update was the the EGR valve. Most 05's have already had the older design fail. Mine had already been updated under warranty by the time I bought the car. I think the supply of 06's are less appointed with options than the 05's. I was year-agnostic in my search.

-B

 

Bought my '05 last December and it did not have the Sirius option, so I added it and discovered
that the '05s are prewired for the antenna on the trunk whereas the 06s are not!
That did not matter to me because I did not want the factory antenna mounted
on the al. trunk lid as I did not want to drill into the aluminum.

Besides, the dealer wanted $435 for the factory antenna installed!
The last I heard, that antenna was supposed to be coming from Germany and it had been over
two weeks, so I simply bought a 'Turk' and mounted it on the roof and saved hundreds.

Either a 2005 or a 2006 will be fine and your decision should be based on the condition of the
particular vehicle and how well it has been maintained.
Don't worry to much about the odometer reading.

My '05 is a California car bought new in Feb. 2005 in Chicago and driven to California at that time.

It was maintained at the local dealer where the original owner lives. Never saw salty roads.
Had 107,700 miles last December but has 117,400 now; We go a lot!
It had the 'Black-Death' problem with one injector and the usual bad thermostat.
Those problems were easily corrected and it runs like a fiine watch now.

So look long enough and you will find a clean well cared for straight six CDI.
Based on what little I know, I would most certainly steer clear of the later MBZ diesels. Why?
The CDIs do not have DPFs like the 2007s and later diesels do!
The CDI motors are slightly larger in piston displacement, 3.222 liters vs 3.0 liters.
The straight sixes have cast-iron blocks instead of aluminum V6 blocks.
The CDIs have the older five speed transmissions and not the newer seven speeds.

With the 2010s, there is the additional expense of the Ad Blue fluid.
Beginning in 2010, the rear-end gears were lowered from 2.65s to 3.07s because the new
2010s and later are more than three hundred pounds heavier and they do not run like
the older cars do and they do not get as good fuel economy either.

The new cars are rated at only 32 mpg highway. That's only 2 mpg better than the gas engines!

Good luck with your hunt.



Derrel

 

i bought my e320 cdi 2005 new in april of 2005
it has 56000 miles on it
i have replaced 3 glow plugs

thats it

the car was not sold in california or new york but was bought in maryland
my console was different like the top picture because of the automatic seats that hug you when you take curves or massage you

can i add sirius to this car?

thanks

 

Yes you can. An expert in the area of retrofitting, bluetooth, nav and Satellite and selling parts is Keith Valentine 714-746-5930.

Active seats are nice! In my recent search, I ended up without that feature.

 

2005 had many options that were deprecated in 2006. The residual heat function was on early 2005s but not on late 2005s or later. Dynamic seating, ventilated seating, and Airmatic, as well as several instrument cluster settings were in available/present in 2005.

The COMAND units in 2005 has DVD optics, and can read MP3 files from DVD media. The 2006 has CD optics.

 

Yes. That is not all that difficult.

You need to add a satellite antenna and a sat. module into the right-hand side compartment (passenger side) in the trrunk.
Do not use the factory antenna unless you want to drill your aluminum trunk lid!
They have to come from Germany and are not inexpensive.
A 'Turk' antenna is available on EBay for less than $20.
You need to go to the dealer only to have the Command System recognize the added module.

I spent less than $20 for the anternna, $154 to have the Command System set up at the dealer and $150
for a used module on EBay. It seems the dealer no longer stocks that module, and if they did, I am sure
it would be more than what I paid for the one I have which probably was pulled from a wreck.

Lots of little steps, but worth it IMHO.



Derrel