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I created an account 10+ years ago, I believe so i could look at some pictures, and im finally now making my first post!
I'm looking at a 2006 E350 wagon. always liked wagons and this one happened to pop up for sale local to me. i looked at the car, it looks like its in great shape, carfax shows just about all of the service was done at the dealer. it shows a few (2 I believe) camshaft sensors were replaced over the years, but nothing about the balance shaft.
so now I'm slightly worried. is there a safe mileage for a car with the balance shaft issue? this car has 125k miles on it and its been 17 years, so does that means its ok, or could still fail? I've seen different things, some said most failed between 60-80k, other said it will fail no matter what, so i dont know what to believe.
The car is nice enough had i never read the various sites about the balance shaft, I would have probably already bought the car. seller is very open and honest, isnt trying to hide anything, but i also dont think he knew about the balance shaft problems.
2025 AMG E 53; 2018 GLC300 4Matic; 2003 360 Modena
I would do the visual test and see how well lined up the marks are. It's not a 100% failure rate - but at the same time - it's not hard to find a non-balance shaft car free of worries. Given the mileage and age, speculation about the balance shaft. It's really a $1,500 car. Buy it and drive it like you stole it.
and please keep the oil services closer than recommended. If the engine survived this long, try making it last for you. It was probably maintained and driven carefully.
Sadly wagons aren’t $1500 cars. Most of the wagons I’m finding are anywhere from $5–10k. I’d love to get into the 2013ish years but those wagons are around $15k, just more than I want to spend for a beater
This one is on the higher side price wise, but it looks very well taken care of. Current owner has had it for 3 years and is downsizing. He knew nothing about the balance shaft when I asked him.
Yeah I’ve checked the various sites to see what they were putting value at. Sadly they just don’t match the market. All of them put the wagons sub 5k. There just aren’t any out there in that price, and if there are they are junk. Wagons I see with rot that looks really bad I see ppl asking $3k for
i have access to a high end Autel diagnostic scanner, I'm thinking of taking that out and running it on the wagon to see if anything shows up. I doubt the owner is going to let me do the visual test pulling teh car apart, so this is probably my best option
Don't buy an 06 unless it comes with receipts for a new engine. They are all bad.
You mean "it better comes with an engine with a serial number greater than XXX". New engine from the 06 era (long block in some parts department) is still a BAD engine.
Yes I read up on everything. I know this car is in the range- all 2006s are.
I have the VIN, is there a way to get the service history on the car from MB? just wondering what that would show for the car since it looks like all of the service was done at the dealership
You'd have to own the car in order to get the VMI. Usually you won't get it unless you're doing some service at MB. Just look at a 2007 that is out of range or a 2008. No way I would even bother with a 2006, it also has SBC brakes which were gone in 2007. Wagons also have the airmatic in the rear for load leveling. The scanner would tell you nothing if it was starting to go. You might not get codes for a few thousand more miles. Stop chasing a dead end unless you want to risk buying a paperweight. Balance shaft replacement is probably at least 5-8k or more as the engine has to come out but the parts are about 1k, it's really all about the labor. Some garages that have done them haven't been able to put them back together correctly and they get weird issues afterwards. Not worth the hassle. Just do the 2007/2008. The 2008 would be safer as you don't have to decode the engine vin and a few more minor items were updated in 2008.
My family has had our 2006 ML350 since we bought it CPO from Mercedes back in 2010, and from what I know there is no record of the balance shaft being replaced. Now, seeing as the car was sold by Mercedes and maintained by the dealer in its first 4 years, I like to think it’s been replaced. but, either way, it’s never been a problem for us. In general, despite what people say about early M272s like the ones found in my car or that wagon, mine has been very dependable. I’d recommend taking a good look around the engine, checking for leaks and weird noises, then take the car for a test drive, and if everything looks alright I’d go for it. My thinking is if one of these engines has accumulated this many miles and is this old, surely the balance shaft would have failed at this point (if it hasn’t already been replaced!)
man its funny, I had just about given up on this car, thinking pass because of the balance shaft, and bam someone posts up says go for it!
the ironic thing is any of the wagons i am finding for sale within a few hundred miles are ALL 2006s. must have been a hot year for wagons.
also i cannot believe the prices the benz wagons are bringing. i was browsing around the newer models- there is a 2011 on carsandbids.com. KBB has it around $11-12k, its already bid up to $14.5 with 4 days to go.
man its funny, I had just about given up on this car, thinking pass because of the balance shaft, and bam someone posts up says go for it!
the ironic thing is any of the wagons i am finding for sale within a few hundred miles are ALL 2006s. must have been a hot year for wagons.
also i cannot believe the prices the benz wagons are bringing. i was browsing around the newer models- there is a 2011 on carsandbids.com. KBB has it around $11-12k, its already bid up to $14.5 with 4 days to go.
A garage princess is in the room. That is why is getting that price from wagon enthusiasts. I saw one from the 2012 year (unfortunately completely down: airmatic issues), and I like last year's bumpers and exhaust tips.
man its funny, I had just about given up on this car, thinking pass because of the balance shaft, and bam someone posts up says go for it!
the ironic thing is any of the wagons i am finding for sale within a few hundred miles are ALL 2006s. must have been a hot year for wagons.
also i cannot believe the prices the benz wagons are bringing. i was browsing around the newer models- there is a 2011 on carsandbids.com. KBB has it around $11-12k, its already bid up to $14.5 with 4 days to go.
It's basically a gamble, don't think just because the mileage is high that it's safe, there are people that report getting the error at 140k+. But it could also be fine because estimates range from 10-30% of the cars have the problem and the others are fine. No one really knows though. You would just be gambling that this is isn't in that 10-30% range. Probably the reason it's still around is that those that know avoid the 2006 so those are still on the market and the higher year ones just sell right away. Just keep checking for a few weeks. That's how I got both my cars, saw it posted one day and bought them within a day or two. Every loaded car or cars with options that you want don't stick around long. Have to check all the sites at least 3-4 times a week.
I have a 2006 with the 272 motor. When I purchased it 6 years ago it had 78000 miles. On the drive home from the dealer my check engine light came on. The car looked clean and had no leaks. Saying that, my car would not pass inspection. The dealer and I had split the cost of repairing the balance shaft and I have no problems with it.
After all of this I found out that MB USA can tell you if the engine had shaft work done, and that the root problem came from bad steel chemistry from a Europe steel maker. (The shaft has softer steel that required.)
The fix is not just a balance shaft, but also the oil pump, oil screen, timing chain, both cam shaft sensors and the cam chains. To remove the shaft on the V6 you have to pull the engine out of the car. (the 273 V8 shaft is two piece and comes off in the car.)
Finally, this issue is not limited to 2006, nor is it limited to the e350. I was told by MB USA it ranges from 2006 to 2009 and E350 E550 and ML350 model vehicles. This motor was also used in E350 w212 models till 2012!
Saying all this, once the shaft work was completed this car tears the road up!
The M273 V8, or any MB V8 for that matter, don't have balance shafts. You must be referring to something else- maybe the crank sprocket that drives the timing chain?
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A garage princess is in the room. That is why is getting that price from wagon enthusiasts. I saw one from the 2012 year (unfortunately completely down: airmatic issues), and I like last year's bumpers and exhaust tips.
