which is the better car....2004 e500 or 2004 e320

 

All things being equal, the E500 will have quite a bit more power, usually have more options, and ride nicer thanks to the airmatic suspension. The major concern with the E500 though, is the airmatic suspension. The air springs are pricey, and they will eventually leak and require replacement. The compressors are also known to burn up, particularly if a leak has been neglected for too long increasing the run time of the compressor. Maintenance costs will be a little higher as well.

One of the major issues with both cars is the SBC brake system. If the SBC pump hasn't been replaced, it will have to be at some point, and the unit is rather expensive from the dealer and installation requires a Star diagnostic system so it's not easily a DIY job.

Since we're talking about two 13/14 year old cars, which one is "best" is the one that's in better condition, and has been maintained correctly. You don't want to buy one that's been neglected.

 

I'm guessing you're concerned about cost if you're looking at a car this old.

If you buy the E500 you better have the $$$ to maintain it... Most notably the airmatic suspension described previously.

There's 4 struts, and they all fail every 50k miles... and if you're buying OEM, we're talking $1k/each... This isn't counting the reservoir.

Admittedly there's aftermarket options, but they're not cheap either.

 

If you're not partial to gas, the 06 E320 CDI (with springs, not air shocks) is honestly the best car I've ever owned. If I found another used one as well kept as mine is, I'd buy it again.

My interior plastics are still holding up fine with a couple of rare exceptions (headlight switch had a bad clear sealer on the face and it peeled after ~8 years, the center speaker tends to disintegrate in the sunlight, costs 100 dollars to replace), no squeaks/pops/rattles. I finally got to needing to replace shocks/struts after 11 years and 115,000 miles.

06 was the last year before the new V style engines, it was still an inline 6 diesel with a solid cast block, with no fluid-filtered exhaust system that must be serviced every 2-3 years like the new ones. It's a very low maintenance engine from my experience.

Other than the above, the only oddball maintenance issues out of the ordinary that has happened to mine is the key computer getting fried when I was driving through a bad storm, and the GPS/radio antenna going out once. The antenna isn't that big of a deal but for needing to take the trunk liner apart to get at the wire for it.

 

Honestly, do you research on ALL the problems they each have. I have a 2003 E320 and it is a lemon.. and with all the problems I've had, I've found out that they ALL are common to this model/build. A 2004 E320 is the pretty much the same as the 2003.. Make sure the SBC pump has already been changed. This is a minimum $1600 repair from indy and $2500+ from stealer.

 

Now HOW do you figure your car to be a lemon? And if so, WHY are you still hanging on to it?
I have a 2003 and other than the SBC Pump and a faulty seat regulator, I had nothing but regular maintenance items to take care of.
As I live in Northern CA and my car is parked during the day in nearly 100 degree Temperatures, I do not consider suspension parts (rubber components, bushings, etc.) failing after 12-14 years as lemon parts.

Valve Cover Gaskets leaking is also something you will experience with other brands and models for sure, ............... so where are your issues?

Other than the above stated, no issues with my car, ........... knock on wood.

 

^ This.

Show me another car that has no issues with plastics and rubber wear items after 10-12 years? It's a machine, it is going to require fixing things here and there over time.

But from my experience E class sedans without air shocks are the best cars that Merc makes. That's why they have a half dozen variations of it... people keep buying them.

 

My issue is really not so much with the ball joints, tie rods,sway bar link and control arms that have gone bad on my car with less than 115K, it's mainly the SBC pump, battery regulators, radio, SOS system, battery drainers (seat modules) and anything else that sets off the red "OMG YOU BETTER BRING YOUR CAR TO THE DEALER" light. I've owned 9 cars in my life, many of them went 175K+ miles, and I've never had an issue before like I do with this Lemon. It's just not normal to have a part go bad after whatever is programmed, that costs over $2500 from the dealer to fix. And it's all the cars, not just mine.

So my BMW had 220K miles when I sold it. I put on control arms, changed the "lifetime" transmission fluid and every window regulator twice, but those are all minor. My wife had a honda accord she got in the 90's NOTHING ever went bad with it. She had it for 12 years and ~160K miles. My parents had Mercedes from the 1970's to the early 2000's..never these kind of issues. however, I do have to say that my 1987 Ford Taurus had just about everything go bad under the hood. Because of that, I have and never will own another Ford.

Mercedes motto is "The best or nothing". Well, I think my car got the nothing.

 

Well, I will say it again, OTHER THAN the SBC Pump, I have had no other major issues. So, ....... I disagree, it is NOT all the cars, as mine would be part of ALL
I think it is also important to know if you are the original owner, or did you buy your E320 used? If used, how do you know if the car was properly maintained? Possibly it was messed with by a "Do It Yourself" kind of guy who did not know what he was doing????? Maybe you did not know any better and purchased this lemon because you did not do your homework first?

I am sorry, but I do disagree with you and am still wondering why you are hanging on to this car if you hate it that much? Go back to a BMW, ...... these cars have issues as well. My wife is on her 7th BMW, as this is all she drives and believe me, I had issues with these cars as well.

So on your 220K mile BMW, you never had leaking valve covers? No oil pan gasket ever started to leak, water pump, thermostat/thermostat housing never was leaking???? No issue ever with seats not properly re-adjusting because of bad cables, no electrical mirrors ever malfunctioning? What about the shift shaft seal, crank case vent valve, vanos oil line/oil separator leaking????? Check Engine Light coming on because of bad coils? Yes, window regulators go out on ALL BMW's ALL the time, ...... to date this issue has yet to be fixed/addressed so this will no longer be an issue, but it still is.
Maybe only I had BMW lemons and you didn't? All these issues I had with my wife's BMW's over the years does not make me qualify these cars as lemons? Did I only get the ULTIMATE, but not the DRIVING part of the MACHINE?????

Now, if you rather drive a Honda, go for it. I myself rather drive a Benz, with some issues that can be addressed, than a Honda any day.
IMO, you cannot compare a Honda (boring design, in some cases quite ugly, interior looks pathetic, ......) with a Benz, PERIOD, and I find it ironic how many times and how often I hear that a Honda or Toyota is so much better.


But, to each their own!