Golfnutintib

If one considers getting a 2013 DFI W212 E350 sedan (in the USA) as a short commute daily driver and pleasure car... standard suspension cars (non Airmatic)... one car has 45-50k miles, other one with 100k miles - both in very good condition, well kept by owners, serviced per recommended schedules ... what would be your concerns if you planned to own the car for the next 5-6 years, expect to drive it 6-8k miles a year? What would be major service or repair items that one should plan for and expect to do?

TIA.

Fliplegend

The first one is close to needing spark plugs, transmission fluid service, possibly a new battery, while the second one should have already had all those done and will need it again in a few years. Other than that, just wear items like oil, brakes, air filter, cabin filter, etc.

cetialpha5

In theory those were already done as it's something like years/mileage for the transmission fluid/spark plugs. While the 50k wouldn't reach the mileage, it would have been due because of the years. I'm over 130k on my 2011. When you're over 100k, things like springs/struts will be more of an issue so more wear items like front end stuff at 100k.

Golfnutintib

thanks for your replies

are the standard springs shocks bushings etc prone to fail on mildly driven e class cars of this generation? my impression is that they are fairly robust - we are not talking about a porsche that is driven hard much of the time...

MBNUT1

I would go for the lower mileage car. This will eliminate a lot of guesswork as to what condition the above items are in. A 50K mileage W212 should drive like a brand new car. Can't say for sure that would be true for a 100K car.

cetialpha5

Well at 130k I've already done the rear springs/shocks and the front springs/struts. The rears wore out before the fronts, maybe a tad over 100k and then the fronts wore out after 120k. It's not how hard it's driven, it's how the roads are. Even if the car sits, you still have the weight of the car on the springs all the time.

MBNUT1

I am at 136k original shocks. I had the car aligned at the dealership within the last six months. Concerned that I might have some worn components and not wanting to pay for an alignment twice I asked them to check over the front end. They said it was in good shape. What failings did you have that drove you to replacing the suspension components and what improvements did you observe once they were changed?

cetialpha5

I did the rear shocks first. The tires were cupped in the rear which usually indicates the shocks are gone. I then noticed that the rears were sitting a little lower than before so I did the springs also. FCPeuro had the springs. Then the front springs were also low so I also did the springs and struts. They had to order the springs from Germany, but that only took an extra week. Afterwards they seem better, the car would seem to bottom out on really bad potholes but with the springs/shocks/struts replaced, seems like new, bounces back and doesn't seem like they bottom out. I've noticed a few other MB of the same vintage where the front/rear are a little lower than mine. They don't look modified so I just think the springs are shot and they just don't know it.

bmwpowere36m3

Go with the lower mileage car as you seem maintenance/repair averse...

Suspension, accessory belt/pulley/tensioner, oil leaks, motor/trans mounts, thermostat/coolant, etc... all things that are more likely as you exceed 10 years/100k.

Golfnutintib

your experience makes sense... i remember how bad roads are in the northeast... e350 is no lightweight... plus cobblestones, salted roads, potholes, old expansion joints etc etc...

roads are getting worse everywhere, but particularly bad in the northeast and midwest snow/salt belts

in my case, the lower mile car lacks the option package with the xenon lights, trunk closer, etc etc... while the higher mile car has those... and of course it is a couple grand cheaper...