Buying over 70~90k 2011~2013 E350 bluetec???
 

Recently, I'm trying to buy 2012~2013 between 70k~90k e350 bluete model.

The cost will be under 20000

This is first time to buying the diesel model.

In my knowledge, the Mercedes diesel is the one of the reliability engine in the world.

Please let me know it is great or worst idea?

I need comment, anything guys

Thanks

That figure seems about right. Is there any extended warranty left or anything that will transfer to you? Otherwise be prepared that owning one of these cars with that many miles may be costly. Also you'll be nearing a point in it's life where you'll be likely to have to replace many items(Brakes, Rotors, Ignition Coils, Spark Plugs etc.).

Technically that many miles is really nothing if the vehicle was maintained properly up to this point. Good Luck

Well, I'm a 2011 E350 Bluetec owner with 49K miles, so I'll chip in.

As a diesel it does not have spark plugs or coils, so forget about those.
The biggest issues you will find from the forums will center on the 7 speed tranny having jerks between shifts (not a problem on mine), or the dreaded oil cooler seal leak (happened to me).

The oil cooler seal replacement requires removing everything from the V of the engine to replace a $5 seal. Took me 16 hours DIY and about $300 for seals and fluids. Dealer wants $2500 for this.

Since diesel is a great lubricant, the engines tend to last forever. You will only need to replace the usual pulleys, or external bits typical to any car, under the hood.

There is another potential issue with EGR feeding oil and exhaust into the intake. This tends to gum up the 'tumbler valves' or valve motor that are used for the intakes. MB wants to replace the intake as a whole for $2000. Many OM642 engine owners just disconnect the tumbler valve motor, add a resistor to the wiring, and see no ill affects. That's what I'll do when this happens.

My advice, if you are handy with tools, or have a trusted independent mechanic, these are awesome cars and at reasonable cost to own. My wife considers it the best car we have ever owned, and that includes Jaguar, SL AMG Mercedes, and many others. But any failure requiring dealer repair can bite your wallet, and leaves some owners disappointed, hence the low resale value. If concerned, get a good warranty.

Drive one for a bit and you will be impressed. Get a pre-purchase inspection for issues, and get them fixed prior to purchase. Look for the oil leak at the rear of engine/front of tranny. This is likely the oil cooler seal. Look for maintenance by the book. This won't prevent future problems, but helps for longevity and shows care of the vehicle.

I have 3 MB cars with high miles and while they do require continued maintenance, they were also bought at 10-20% of new prices. That is living large on a beer budget.

Let us know if you buy one.

I have a 2011 with 107,000 miles (~171,000 km) on it.

I have had one oxygen sensor go bad under warranty, and recently lost the heater in the AdBlue tank, that was a $1500 repair, and no way to do it cheaper, as it was all parts and almost no labor.

Did brakes and tires, and front tie rods, but you kind of expect that in >100,000 miles.

As has been said, look for the oil cooler leak, although (knock wood) mine has not had that problem. It is an expensive one if it happens, so so so much labor.

Also, my car, which is P2 and leather, has a trade in value of about $13,000 and a private sale value of $14,500.

KBB says 20-23k for a 2013 with 80,000 miles

https://www.kbb.com/mercedes-benz/e-...&mileage=80000

I just got called from dealer(car in the original mercedes benz delaer and they said the car engine was remanufactured engine and he said it is like new... Do you think it is okay to buying?

no it is a bad idea. how many miles ago was it "remanufactured" from where it is now? price Has to come down knowing that.

these cars are not that difficult to find and you can get one with 60k for 20-25k or so in california. where do you live?

my w205 c300 lease , thank god about to end, had an engine rebuild and fuel injector seals replaced and i bet they'd call that a "remanufactured" engine, or worse. it had a fairly serious issue.

i own a w212 diesel v6 too and it's great. oil cooler seal leaks and a flex disc Repair for me. also wood replacement. looks great now.

Agree the 'reman' engine could be bad news. Why did it fail? Abuse; poor maintenance; overheating? Any of those are engines I don't want to own.

If it was a new factory short block, I would say that's fine, as it is truly a new engine. Anything else I'd walk away.

My 2 cents as we have a 2011 E350 Bluetec with 93,000 miles on her. Bought as a lease return in 2013 with 14,021 miles for $39,900. Over $16,500 in options. This is Benz diesel #10.
To date, 4 modules, complete pano roof, driver seat belt, Limp Mode, HVAC, HVAC, HVAC, have failed. With the exception of 1 oil change it has been dealer maintained. (The local indy shop charged more than the dealer does.)
Outside of the problems we've had, we will buy again but...not with any more than 50K miles on it. With a lot of patience and a few thousand dollars more than a high mileage car you will find a car you like at a good price. If it has an extended warranty, all the better. If no warranty, there is a forum for that. I saved a bundle reading it.
Good luck

I am reading this and you guys are scaring the heck out of me. Why would a tie rod go bad??? it's a steel rod!

And losing a heater in adBlue tank seems like a critical emission related part which really shouldn't go bad for a long, long time.

and O2 sensors simply just go "bad???" Why would it do that??? just because it had a bad day????

I have a CPO diesel from 2014 but now I am having serious thoughts about buying an extended CPO warranty for 2 more years. that'll take me to 2020 with full coverage warranty but that's about it. I'm naked after that.

I guess I was having pipe dreams about keeping my diesel to at least 250K to 300K miles like I did with my 2001 Lexus RX??? Or at least with a reasonable cost of upkeep. I'm OK with about $1000 per year on repairs but anything after that is simply an expense for an item that is rapidly depreciating.

Mellonc,
Tie rods bend. Hit a pothole while in a turn is all it takes. This applies to all cars. Other parts may or may not break. It isn't a general indicator that the car is junk when something does. New cars have a warranty for a reason. Sheet happens.
My 1995 E300D was impressive. Had it not been for the body rot I'd still have it. The only problem was a solenoid valve shortly after I bought it. I gave it away at 398,000 2 years ago. Our 1981 300D was sold for $100 because of rust. 450,00 + miles. The buyer wanted the motor.
I have no doubt that a Benz diesel, assuming proper maintenance, can pass "250-300K" miles. I only doubt mine.

Am I alone in thinking that $1,000 per year is a bit high?

I'd agree. Tie rods shouldn't just go bad unless you damaged it somehow....

Like I said before I'd agree that parts, when aged, dies out. But hearing things like pano roof being replaced and HVAC system going south along with other critical parts of the car like the DEF injection system is really discouraging....

Benz took a bad turn in reliability in the late 90's to early 2000's and I avoided the make until now. I hope the newer models don't have as many issues as I have absolutely no loyalty to Benz or any other make except to that of quality itself.

I think right around there is to be expected. The service B cost $600 in my area. So assuming you drive anywhere from 10k-20k miles a year you'll be getting 1 Service B and 1 Service A (Which cost $300 in my area). That's $900 right there.

Of course that's assuming nothing else comes up and your not on a brake/rotor/tire change or tune up interval. So I think 1k a year is to be expected and I'd consider my self lucky if that's all I spent a year.

I've spent 5-6x that already in my 2 years of ownership.

Never again
 

I had a completely opposite experience. I bought a 2009 with 138K miles. It had already had the swirl motor done, and no record of an oil cooler leak. Drove it until 180K and totalled it in a hydroplane incident (poor tires).

No complaints, but the car was a one owner dealer serviced car.

That said, Mercedes diesels are either no longer a DIY service car, or I'm losing my motivation to the work on them myself.. one or the other.

I love the way the diesel pulls out of a stop and the effortless acceleration of the Mercedes diesel machine. I can afford to buy them cash and if it averages me less than $1200-1500 a year to dealer maintain.. that's a cheap ride.

By the way, the insurance company gave me $87 more for the car than I paid for it 2 years and 40,000 miles ago... So my $80/month maintenance bill was well spent.

After reading this article, I'm beginning to think its more about driving conditions than service..

One cute fact, the new 4 cylinder diesel has a 13 quart oil pan vs. the 3.0 litre which has a 8.5 quart pan.

http://www.stephensservice.com/bluet...ssuesproblems/

I'm actually looking at buying a 2011. I'm more inclined to go with a high-mileage car than a lower mileage car.. more highway miles are a good thing for the Bluetec.

Although this article says don't buy a used one, PERIOD. I guess I've been warned.

I have a 2011 lease return that we bought at 1 1/2 years old with 14,000 miles. $16K plus in options for $40K. We now have just over 125K miles on her with a few warrant problems and just recently an $850 repair bill.

To date, nothing much has cost us a lot of money. We like the Mercedes diesels and will stick with them.

I hate to those people that get one of these and have a great deal of trouble. It truly bothers me.

Lou

What was the repair that cost $850?

Songminer
Yes. 2 relays took a dive.

I just bought a 2011 with 164K miles. Did you have any trouble with your wood trim fading?

All of the pre 2012s have fading wood. Maybe even some beyond that.

update post
 

I purchased a 2012 model in April this year, with 128,000 highway miles. It has the original engine, so I calculated that if the engine had survived past the 90K mark without failure that it had been maintained at least reasonably well. The Carfax showed regular maintenance, but nothing extraordinary. I had all the service items done to bring the baseline of service up to normal, new tires and alignment. I follow Mr Stephens recommendations for service (Filter at 2500 and oil change at 5K) and fuel additive with every fillup. I just took a 3500 mi road trip for 300 dollars in fuel costs. It runs like a champ. So far, so good.

UPDATE

After 17 months, 30k miles, and Tropical Storm Imelda, my lil Bessie is no longer among us. She was starting to show some seal failure, losing oil. It was 18 months of driving pleasure...every minute of it. Insurance paid several $k more than for what I bought it, due to its aesthetics and maintenance records. I have given up on finding another 2012/2013 due to a MB service tech's advice that the emissions system is the Achilles heel of that vintage. The sense of loss is palpable, even if it was just a car. RIP, Bessie... gonna miss you.