bluetec15

Hi everyone,
I realize this forum might have bias towards certain maker but regardless, which one of these 2 will hold its resale value when buying a 2014-2015 model?
This will have lots of variables of course like mileage, condition etc but looking for general impressions out there.
Also if you have real experience with E250, any long term issues to look out for, have you had the odor/mold issues from vents?
There are lots of W212 E250s in my area up to around 30 or more in Greater Toronto Area, while only 7 A6s.
Whats also interesting is that only 2 of the E250s come in the Luxury trim, as not a big fan of the sporty nose...
Any feedback is welcome

ml3504matic____

Hi, I was in a similar position as well, except with gas models. But for diesel’s the E250 does carry a 4 cylinder engine instead of the Audi A6, I assume it has 6 cylinders. I now own a 2014 E350 that used to travel to Florida on the daily from Up north of Toronto, and no I don’t have Moldy cabin smells at all. I personally find the Audi’s to hold up better in terms of resale value as well when looking at autotrader. Pm me I’m in the GTA area as well

given the whole diesel gate issue as well. It’s hard to say which is better. Try both and see what you’re comfortable with.

drdantheman1

I was between the two when looking for a diesel sedan. In the end, it came down to what my priorities were. My main purpose of getting a diesel was for great MPG with less frequent fuel stops and for that, the mercedes wins. A RWD e250 will do 40-45 mpg on the highway easily. The A6 all came with AWD and with the v6 diesel, does around 32-38 mpg highway. I didn't mind the slight penalty in performance since I also have a fast car in my garage. If you want a better performing car with the security of AWD at the penalty of slightly less mpg, the audi is a good choice.

As far as problems, the only diesel specific issue I've had is with the adblue tank heater, which mercedes agreed to pay half of the cost to fix.

mfab

The E250 has been the best car I've ever owned. It's really magic on the highway, smooth and quiet. I just did a round trip to Florida and averaged over 40mpg. I made each leg of the trip on a single fuel stop.

You don't really care which has held it's value better from new, you care about which will hold value from this point forward. I believe that's the Mercedes by far.

I think you have to have some concerns as these cars age about reliability. I think the Mercedes is reliable, but any issue you have will be more expensive to fix than it should be. I like the Audi interior better, but that said, I would NEVER own an Audi out of warranty. The biggest concern with the E250 is how the blueTec system will age.

The E250 luxury model probably has the comfort springs. The comfort springs are still relatively taut. I found the sport springs to be way too firm for me. Get the all wheel drive model if you have a choice (in Canada they might all be, but in the US they make a RWD).

Good luck.

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bluetec15

Honestly moldy cabin smell is what would steer me away from this model so good to know you dont have it! I had a W211 E320 bluetec at some point with the smelly vents and as much as I loved it, that was the primary reason it was sold - at just above 305.000 kms while still going strong.
But yes I agree I would have to see how A6 drives and go from there.
Best of luck on the roads!

bluetec15

It is my understanding that the E250 only came with 4Matic in Canada so the choice might be obvious
I do love the MB all around having owned the previous model for about 3 yrs. What kind of warranty did E250 come with 3-4-5yrs? Im wondering if I grab a 2016 MY I might have some warranty left.
The TDI on the other hand does have the extended TDI warranty due to the VW scandal which in some cases is good till 2022 and 200000 kms...

bluetec15

So which model did you end up going with? Due to the Android Auto hidden features in 2016 MY I would like to get that but I just checked AutoTrader Canada wide and there are no Luxury trims available...
Also has anyone done the adblue delete due to the added complexity/potential issues? Getting rid of that plus EGR and engine can surely do 1 million kms easy

mfab

Mine is an E250 4Matic Sport but I have the comfort springs. This is the best combination for me. The 4Matic is very unobtrusive, but the car is really poised in the snow/wet.

Do the Canadian cars offer a year with the 9 speed transmission? If so, I would get that model. I honestly think the only flaw in the car is it just needs a little more gearing.

I still have my Adblue system and it's working 100%. But, there are a few members who have had it removed by a Canadian company.

I'm at 85K miles and still under 100K CPO warranty. Only issues beyond normal maintenance have been: Key push button not recognized and the parking brake lever. Dealer fixed both under CPO. I figure the expensive things will break in another 20K miles or so...

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kajtek1

Not direct comparison, but years ago when I was driving E320 wagon 4M, I bought Audi Avant quattro for my son.
Hated darn Audi as for much smaller and lighter car it had lower mpg and several options like "take a break" every 2 hr, very weird shifting paddles and higher road noise.
Now we are comparing new era cars, so that might be different story, but OM651 is the best diesel engine that ever made it to America.
Just compare that Sprinters are also sold with those engines and 4-cylinder models have resale value about $4000 higher than V6 siblings.
My black car is limo version, when white is sport. I don't see big difference in ride comfort. Both have low-profile tires and that makes street bumps pretty feelable.

drdantheman1

Agree with the above. The only other diesel I might consider instead of the E250 would be the Audi A7 TDI and that's only because I could retrofit the wheels/bumpers from an S7, which I think is a fantastic looking car.

mikemargolis

Let me chime in here as a former owner of an E-350 diesel.

Mine was a 2011 with the 6 cyl OM-642 engine. At 125,000 miles, I got the dreaded oil leak, which is quite common with that engine.

It was $4000 to fix, and the car, despite being perfect condition, had a book value of under $7000. Disgraceful

I sold the car to Carvana, who never even opened the hood by the way, and bought a 2019 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid.

This car blows away the E350 in every regard except two: the hood ornament and the size of the gas tank.

I get an average of 44mpg, tons of power, more technology than you can shake a stick at, and an oil change costs $50. Not $550 or $1050.

Please please please, I get how wonderful it is to own a Mercedes, stop now before you are subjected to DEF heaters which break and cost $3000, and all the other crap MBUSA puts their owners through. Go buy the Honda.

kajtek1

My ski buddy is driving Honda for years. He's got 360k on older one before it would not pass smog test.
So few years back he was driving 3 yo Honda, while I was driving 10 yo MB diesel with 220k miles on it.
We shared driving, so every other weekend I was driving my car and the other he was driving Honda.
He was always amazed how my old, beaten up MB was much smoother than his newer Honda.
When more of us took a ride and I was on back seat, I had to yell to people on front to be heard.
Oil cooler for OM642 cost $200 when you DIY.
Thank you very much.

mikemargolis

I don't expect current MB owners to agree with me, but the former ones sure will.

Enjoy your car, I am enjoying mine (which by the way, has active noise cancelling, so zero road noise, even from my snow tires).