Edward993

Am I jinxing myself or what. LOL!

2014 E350 that had the scheduled maintenance done up to the end of its warranty, and now gets its normal oil changes via me. And that's it. The car drives nearly daily, but gobbles up hwy miles on trips etc in total comfort, rock-solid stability, and ownership thus far has involved zero drama; only smiles per gallon. Can I expect more of the same? Is the 212 a modern embodiment of the old-school MB reliability and tales of 500k-miles service? Just wondering aloud as we just came back from a short road trip, am up for another oil change, and going to do another longer trip next month. Man, these cars are great! Who else? ...and with more miles the better!

Edward

DubVBenz

I have own/owned w126s,211s,w212s,r107s and in my family are multiple 211s,w208s,w210s,w126s,w116s,r107s. Judgement is deferred on the 212 for the most part due to how new mine is (7.5 years 2015 with only 50k miles). However, my initial judgements (ownership over the last 3.5 years after purchasing CPO) mean that I think this is the closest thing to a Bruno Sacco W124 you can find in mercedes guise post 2000. That doesn't mean mine is perfect, but it feels way more "mercedes" than the 211s in my life.

DFWdude

As we read the threads about problems with the W212, we lose sight of the fact that most W212s perform excellently, as intended. I've had my 2016 E350 for 4 years now, and have had wonderful service with zero problems. I don't really see this changing for years to come.

Thanks for your encouraging words, Edward993. You are in good company.

badbenz94

I have had a '91 W201 2.6 with 100k miles and a "94 W124 3.2 with 250k miles. Both were tanks. This "13 feels very similar to those two with the exception of the seats which I am growing disdain for. Other than that, Im happy so far.

Chris

OnlyGerman

88k isn't much to begin with. But yes, that motor and chassis are strong.

kajtek1

140k + on our diesel. Did nothing in 4 years of ownership, but oil and air filter change.
Bought ATF for transmission service 2 years ago and it still on the shelf.

Senecat

By "diesel" Katjek actually means his non-OBD Model T diesel.

kajtek1

Would you be surprised with ECO start on old T ?
I was ADDING air filter to the engine, so started and killed it few times in the row. The T has starter switch separate from ignition switch, so I have to do the sequence.
At 1 of the restart, I switched ignition on and the engine start to run.
Rare luck, 1 of the pistons had to stop at top of the cylinder and when I turned the ignition, the spark fired and engine start running.

dmatre

Sorry to say you've got us beat, but not by much.

2014 E350 with 133,XXX miles.
- 1 bad coil (Cylinder #3)
- replaced Main & Aux battery
- replaced shocks/struts
- regular scheduled maintenance per notifications on dash
Done.

Not maintenance free, but darned close.

Edward993

Great feedback, all! Glad to see I am in good company with this series holding up! Someone chimed in on the Aux battery needing replacement, and funny, yes, I had one replaced at the very end of the warranty (glad about that), then needed another one not too long ago. Good thing the aftermarket non-MB ones are cheap, and mine has been good so far.

I know lots of folks have posted threads about seats and overall comfort issues. Funny, I find these very comfortable (we have the ivory leather option which I love far better than the MB-tex). Long trips feel seemless and the seats are a great balance between "firm and supportive" and "cush" such that one feels like one is in a substantial car. Coming from Volvos and aircooled 911s, I know what good seats ought to feel like and I feel the 212 is a great balance.

One niggle I will agree with is the car's ride on washboard surfaces: it is a bit more rough than I feel it "should" be, in my layman's opinion anyway. Keep in mind I have the stock suspension on stock 18s, but I did go with 255s over the factory 245s to get a hair more sidewall (and aesthetically more pleasing ). And even though the Contis are a compliant touring tire, I feel the car does feel rough on irregular oads. I know, that sounds a bit stupid to say ...gee, Ed, it's a rough road, duh!! But I would have expected a bit more compliance from an MB (our first MB, btw). But at least the car never feels wallowy ...I hate underdamped suspension with a passion, so cruising at a good clip the 212 always feels buttoned down and composed.

Cheers to you all ...and hope for more trouble-free miles and smiles for the rest of ya as well!

Edward

kajtek1

Good note on the wheels.
For couple of years we did have W211 on 16" wheels and W212 on 18" wheels.
Years before we had same wheels setup on 2 identical W210.
Changing the car - the difference becomes immediate.
16" tires will give you much softer ride, but than "boaty" feeling on cornering.
18" will stay sharp on cornering, but then beware of street covers.
I also noticed that tire quality on 18" is crucial, when 16" are more forgiving.

Edward993

When we were shopping, we saw/drove a 350 with "Luxury" trim instead of the "Sport" that seemed to outnumber it 20-1. This car had the softer "lux" suspension and 17s, sounded good to me given its intended purpose, but that car was crap for a CPO! Weird that MB is so lop-sided on the lux vs sport spec ...at least that was my experience when looking at the Es back then.

Edward

lucidbenz

My 2012 W212 is just about to cross over 170k miles, and I've DIY'd most the maintenance (except transmission stuff).
Honestly had no idea most W212's had issues, this thing has been a daily driver and a tank for me *Kock on wood*, and honestly I trust it far more than any other vehicle.
I had a 2013 Ram 1500 who shat the bed at 80k miles, paid 10k to get her fixed and she's still barely running. My w212 has surpassed even my parent's vehicles in milage, they had Honda that died at 120k miles, had transmission rebuilt and then still died.
And a Range Rover who's tranny blew out at 90k. So I'm a pretty big W212 fan.
But I guess just the basic maintenance really does go a long way,
I just swapped out the alternator, so here's to another 100k.
One issue is that it seems harder and harder to find OEM parts as alot of stuff is getting discontinued if not already.

lucidbenz

Funny enough, I actually think the 212 seats are IMMENSELY comfortable (I have the leather as well) . I've done a road trips/daily driving in a Ram, Jeep, and a Hellcat, but driving in the 212 is pure bliss for me. After driving those cars, the first thing that goes into my mind when sitting in the 212 is how comfortable and "sunken in" I feel.
I dunno how much more comfortable seating can get, but I suppose to each their own.

kajtek1

I bought GLE last year, hoping it will be easier to use with our aging knees.
NOPE, the GLE is for sale, when E stays.

Bhopkins

I consider batteries and struts as wear items. They have to be replaced on all cars. The coil pack would be the only item that you could say is a less than perfect service record. And even coil packs fail on most all cars. I would say you are doing pretty great.


My '14 E350 Sport has about the same mileage. I just completed the 80k mile service. The only issue I have had is having to replace the torn MB Tex front seat covers. Outside the seat covers, I have had no failures. Just regular maintenance items. Frankly, it has been so dependable that it is a little boring. The SL550 I had before required constant maintenance. There was always something.

Senecat

Wow that bad huh? They really don't make em like they used to anymore, do they.

kajtek1

We bought new ML class back in 1998 and at the time with 3 boys, boat and TT that vehicle worked pretty hard.
But the 2016 GLE makes for "boaty" feeling on turns, while they put ridiculous running boards on it. You can't use it as step to get inside becouse it is to close to door opening, while it prevents putting the leg close to doorway.
30% higher fuel consumption with the same engine is predictable, but on long run, since I don't need big vehicle, why not drive cheaper with better cornering?

Left Coast Geek

we felt the same way about a whole bunch of late model and new small to midsize SUVs we test drove, not just the GLE. surprisingly the best driving experience and balance of ride vs handling was the Mazda CX5, but its seats were way too narrow. wife hated the Lexus RX350

John H

I've had 4 E-series MBs (w124, w210, w211, & w212). Of the three I sold, all had over 200k miles and were running strong at time of sale.
The w210 E55 was sold with 215k miles and I told the seller to give me first right of refusal when he wanted to sell. He called me 5 years after the sale with 285k miles as he was thinking of selling. After some back and forth, he changed his mind as he said it's been the best car he's ever owned.
The w211 E550 was sold with 335k and ran like a top. Thought about keeping for my kid but he was only 12 at the time. Only normal maintenance like ball joints (twice), Airmatic (of course), and a steering angle sensor (super easy to change).
The w212 E550 is at 120k and so far has only needed a front driveshaft (but the car is chipped and I drive it hard including holeshots at highway stop lights). The kid is 14 now and definitely won't get this rocket ship anytime soon (he inherited an '03 Outback as his first car to crash). Planning to make it beyond 200k with this one, too.

BenzV12

W212's are solid strong cars . During my ownership of 4 years , only pano roof caused wreaked havoc on me and it was probably I was abusing it . A/C worked well , no weird noises or trim sounds , creaks at all . If a Japanese manufacturer's engine could turn up to 250K miles why not a Mercedes-Benz engine

nc211

I've had mine for 5 years now, purchased as a 2014 CPO lease return with around 21k on the clock. I'm at 65k today. Has it been perfect? No. But do I love it? Abso-freakin-lootly!

I was at a dealership just yesterday looking at a GLA for my elderly parents, and sitting in the showroom was a brand new 2022 maroon color C class with AMG package. The interior is the new version with the tilted iPad center stack. I have to admit, it's the first MB sedan I've seen in a while that really made me drool a bit. I was surprised it was only $50k too. I won't lie, for a split second I did the math in my head, but when I looked out at the parking lot and saw my 212 sitting there in between all of the others (and not many in general), that math did not compute in my head. The further away from sharp angles and defined lines the designs get, the more and more I love the 212 and the classic Mercedes Benz appeal. The 212 will go down in the books as one of those E series designs that really nailed it right.

On mine, the issues I've had I think are mostly user error related. When I bought it, I noticed two new rims were installed in the history books. Hindsight now 20/20, I'm guessing previous owner hit a nasty pothole or two, to the point were repair wasn't an option, and I think that likely accelerated the problem I had with a leaking front diff last year. My seat was terrible, but think that had something to do with the previous owner as well, and it was an easy fix for me. Other than leaking cam caps, which is common on the car in general, I really can't point to much that's been wrong with the car via MB design/execution errors. The lumpy transmission is what it is, and reviewers have always said it was "outdated feeling" from the beginning, along with a crashing suspension system (yet they still loved the car).

Perfect? Nah, not quite. Parking the transfer case inside the transmission housing is a gamble, along with no drain plug on a front diff. But overall, I do love it and have no plans to replace it anytime soon. It's my time machine back to when humans designed the cars instead of just computers. It's a frame that twists when pulling into the driveway at an angle. It's turning off the nav screen at night while listening to your favorite tunes and admiring the design an beauty of the gauge cluster in front of you, the amount of time it took to come up with the design, while enjoying the night sky instead of blue glow of a computer screen. It's not a "throw away" car, by any means, and I think the pure MB loyalists will see the history built into it for a long time, especially as the brand continues to evolve into the more modern space ship iPad electrified technowizardery stuff that happening right now.

A well maintained Mercedes can become that perfectly worn baseball glove, or that favorite old sweatshirt you pull out on the first cool night of fall. When I got back into my 8 year old 212 yesterday and drove home, that's exactly what I felt after sitting in that brand new super sexy slick 2022 C sedan (and, it was sexy as hell!) I liked both, but I only appreciated one of them...and that's the one sitting in my garage right now (that needs a $800 PCV replaced)! Ha!

Senecat

Well said. I agree on all points. I will never get rid of my 212. I might borrow against it here and there, but I'll never let it go!

Edward993

This is precisely my peeve with many cars now, MB and others. I am no luddite, I love tech, but only where it makes genuine improvements in utility as the gee-wizz factor has always been off-putting to me. Which is why I love an analog watch, my aircooled 911s, and our 212! The lines are crisp ...enough with the heavy-handed sanding block that morphs everything into a jellybean! The car's interior is purposeful, like business class comfort meets serious, not a pimped-out arcade. I don't want nor require a blasted "i-screen doo-dad" in my car ...I've got enough devices for work and play, thank you, this is a car! Ok, so maybe ok in a Tesla because that is what it is, but not a petrol-burning beauty like these. So yeah, I most certainly do not fit today's demographic. So long as it stays solid, it's a keeper.

Edward

nc211

I guess the best way I can explain a 212:

It’s like Eric Clapton. You either get it, or you don’t…

Me? Oh hell yes, I get it. One of my favorite places on this earth is behind the wheel of my 212 and heading to Nashville from DC, via West Virginia backroads with some genuine Clapton, at 11…

The 212 is the raw guitar, and when tuned, in the right hands, can not be touched and absolutely commands respect. Whoever designed it, all of the committee meetings they must’ve been subjected to for approval to build it - should be applauded! In my opinion, they saved Mercedes from the stigma of Chrysler!