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Hello al! I’m new to this forum. I have my eyes set on a 2013 e350 4matic with 68k miles on it. Im excited to get a Benz. As a previous BMW owner, I want something more refined and nice. Any buying advice? How’s the reliability? Maintenance costs? I’m no stranger to German repairs etc, BMW = Break My Wallet, but I was told Mercedes is more reliable. Then again my last BMW was abused and neglected so it’s not fair to demonize the brand for that, anyways I’m all ears
I've got burned to BMW buying their 750 iL flagship almost 20 years ago and never tried another BMW.
MB in last years are not all bulletproof, but W212 seems to iron all the glitches.
The only complain I heard is build ups on direct ignition gasoline, or on diesel intake flappers.
Those are issues at high mileage, so opinions are mixed.
Good luck shopping. I love my 40 mpg E250 Bluetec for performance, but hate it for parts cost.
I come from a loooong line of wrenching cars from my youth, as well as my extended family's cars, for many decades now: I am what the family/friends call "that car guy" So whenever they about car reliability and longevity, I always reply with "Consumer Reports." Not for their recommendations, but for their published data on frequency of repairs, which also is broken down into vehicle systems like electrical may show few issues but drivetrain is problematic. By no means perfect, it is the most accurate and unbiased snapshot I can attest to for gauging a vehicle's reliability; certainly for a new car. If factoring used, then weigh in CR info along with the previous owner's records, or lack thereof!
OK, that said, when I was shopping for my wife's "special" car a few years ago, I followed my own advice and landed on the E350. So yes, good choice! I found the "comparable" cars like the A6 and 5-class to be poor in their reliability compared to the E350, just as a data point. So here we are with our 2014 at around 48k miles and the car has been stellar. I am hoping for many more smiles per gallon
I agree. Of my 4 MB's, the 2014 E350 has been the most reliable and trouble free. At 60k no squeaks, rattles or rolls, she provides smooth, comfortable and quiet trips. So far, I have only had to have the auxiliary battery replaced under warranty and a couple of system software updates for the eco start/stop system and the shift program, and a tranny fluid top off. Most maintenance (oil changes, etc.) I have and can easily do myself, but I purchased the 3 service pack for the 60k, 70k, 80k big required services that in addition to the oil change and standard checks, require the dealer to: at 60k, replace the plugs and the brake fluid, re-aim the headlights and lube the sunroof; at 70k, replace the tranny fluid and cabin air filter; at 80k, replace the air filter and brake fluid, re-aim the headlights and lube the sunroof. For some reason, MB requires and will give you new windshield wipers at every 10k mile service that you pay for (I just have them put mine in the trunk -- ( I made perfectly fine wipers by putting better wipers in the standard MB wiper arms [there is a thread on that one], that I'll replace when necessary).
Note, on the 4matic E350, I am told by MB that there is no separate differential, that when the tranny fluid is changed the fluid for the two incorporated differentials is, necessarily, also changed. Further as discussed on this board, this car being direct injection requires the intake manifold to be removed before you can change the plugs and the new OE MB plugs must be torqued to the exact OE spec. for everything to work. Lubing the sunroof is a pain in my mind and requires expensive sunroof specific MB grease and I find tranny fluid to be hard to change in a home garage -- none of those things, however, are particularly difficult to do, just more involved than otherwise may be expected.
I guess you did not meet Plutoe yet
Customer reviews need to be interpret.
20 years ago I bought 2nd year of breakthrough technology in ML320. The first generation of digital SUV was bashed right and left not only becouse mechanics were butchering repairs on technology they did not understand, but ML was "affordable" Mercedes and not much loaded.
So the car was having opinions in red in almost all categories.
Couple of years later Nissan start selling Pathfinder. That SUV was having all positive reviews. My ski buddy happen to buy one of those, so we have been ride-sharing.
Nissan had much less leg than ML, it was bottoming up with 4 guys quite a bit, the mpg was poor and friend had some technical problems with it as well.
Our ML on other hand spend 13 years in family, needing only $300 worth of broken parts in all those years, or $25 a year in repairs.
I start comparing the reviews - when you have to kick the door hard to close in Pathfinder - it is perfectly normal, but when ML needs more than 2 fingers - that leaves bad reviews.
I can continue the list, but that should get you a drift?
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
My 2 cents on the BMW vs Mercedes realibility comparisons... I've had success and failures with both brands .... My last BMW 530xi..I purchased it with 50k ..sold it at 190k and that thing only broke down once ! And that was at 125k for the water pump had her for 5 yrs and she was a workhorse... Rewind to the present .. purchased a 2015 e400 with 50,600 miles and I just got it back from the dealer for a cyl head replacement and burnt valves In 2 cyls .. so honestly it's about choosing wisely and kind of the luck of the draw I guess . As any of these high technologically built cars can give u a headache at any time, any mileage.! Any of these brands can have u staring at a similar invoice like this one
I drove BMWs almost my entire life until recently. I’m on my second MB now, a 2016 E350. Love the car. The first MB was a CLK 350 Cabrio that, while fun, was not at all useful for the things my wife and I needed to do, like carry luggage. I made the switch to MB back when because I had an E39 that I loved but absolutely hated the looks of the E60, and their early iDrive implementation was a catastrophe. Actually, I hated all the Bangle designs. And now, most recently I considered BMW again, as they have for the most part de-Bangled their designs, but you can’t read the dash displays with polarized sunglasses on. With the E350, no problem. So it looks like I might be stuck on MB now. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
08-18-2018, 10:54 AM
