What's a solid wagon to get?
 

I am asking here in this forum because you guys prob have all that awesome MB-history at the tip of your tongue and I haven't a clue what era to search in, so I hope y'all can help me :)

So if I'm thinking of hunting for a basic runabout wagon, no 4-matic, no air suspension, no turbos nor diesels; just a solid-running wagon that simply delivers excellent utility without the fluff, what year/models am I looking for? Cheap and solid so current models don't qualify as "cheap" for me. FWIW, I recall the heyday of the circa 80s-90s MBs that were everywhere, everywhere, and seemed to enjoy lots of trouble-free miles. So help me out: what's a good "ute" that isn't a sport ute ;)

Edward

Look for the lowest mileage and newest E350 in your budget. The M276 3.5L naturally aspirated gasoline engine with 60 degree engine block. Avoid the earlier M272 V6 with the balance shaft and 90 degree vee engine block.

correct me if I’m wrong here guys….

OP - the easiest way to tell the difference of the two engines is in the HP rating. If it’s 302 HP, that’s the M276 engine with direct injection, and I think started in 2012? If it’s around 270HP, that’s the M272 engine. That means you’re likely looking in the 2012-2016 window.

But I’m not sure why the M272 isn’t consider an excellent engine though? I’m not knowledgeable enough on the differences to speak about pros/cons/concerns of one over the other…

I believe the '10 and '11 had the 272 and the '12 thru '16 had the 276

The kind of wagon the OP is looking for is only sold in Europe and is typically found in taxi fleets in European cities. I wish MB imported this utility E wagon to North America, but for many years only loaded wagons are imported to this side of the Atlantic - 4 Matic, sunroofs, lots of bells and whistles are standard equipment and you just cannot buy a basic wagon here.

I bought a CPO 2011 S212 which had @26k miles and was proverbially owned by a little old lady. All maintenance was performed by previous owner at the dealership with corresponding records in the MB dealer database. The engine that was fitted in the 2009-2011 W212/S212 was the M272 which by the end of its run, 2011, had most if not all the kinks worked out. 2012 saw the introduction of the M276 engine with the requisite bump up in horsepower and complexity. I try to wrench as much as possible on my vehicle and while researching topics online there is definitely ease of working on the M272 versus the M276 engine. My feeling is that proper and on time documented maintenance will cut out most of the worry in buying an older wagon but that is not completely guaranteed because they are machines after all. Good luck in your search.

AFAIK, MB wagons for a while have come standard with airmatic in the rear. So if you want a wagon, there's no escaping it. Also, I believe the early 2000's E had an E500 wagon option with the V8. I would have personally loved to have one of those.

My two cents...W211 E500. Best car I ever owned, but 4matic and bags. Battleship.

Yes, aware this is the 212 forum.

indeed, even the early 1980s W123's (the classic 300TD), the wagons all had hydropneumatic self leveling suspension in the rear, this was the predecessor of airmatic (and was a superior system, albeit more complicated).

you can't get a W212 wagon in the USA without 4matic, they simply were not sold here. maybe a 'taxi-spec' car in .EU

my wife went from a 1994 W124 E320 wagon she loved to a 2016 W212 E350 4matic wagon she also loves. key in the 212 is to get a 'luxury' version, not the 'sports' version.

Great info guys ...I appreciate the background. It bums me out, of course, as I want simple, fewer mechanics to break which is time and $$ of course. I guess I really am out of luck with an MB. I loved the old Beemer wagons, but don't care for the maintenance of that marque. Prob will just look at domestic. Or maybe the tried n true Volvo, but some had reliability issues there, too. On with the hunt ...thanks, gents! :)

Edward

One of my friends has a every option Buick Regal "off road" or something, it's the wagon version and he loves it, I don't believe the Mercedes wagon is any worse than any other brand on maintenance, albeit a little more expensive and you need to be a little particular on who works on it. Plus, what drives and rides like a Benz?

FWIW, I drove Volvos before I had Mercedes... I was particularly fond of the 740-940 turbo wagons... Kept my last one til nearly 300K miles. but at 30 years old, it was getting harder and harder to find quality parts for it, and more stuff was starting to wear out from age rather than use. Way simple easy car to work on. cast iron SOHC inline 4 cyl 2.3 liter, low pressure turbo (Mitsubishi), Aisin-Warner (Toyota) 4 speed slushbox. simple live axle rear suspension, with bilsteins and overload springs because it was a wagon and I carried stuff.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...907f4ea992.jpg

afaik, my son's ex GF is still driving it :)

LOL, that car had a thousand pounds of glass! Great cars though, used to see lots of those around, till the salt got them.

Geography teacher's car :D
I' m not saying that but I prefer those Volvos than today's Volvo models

yeah. heh I had a 850 turbowagon for a couple years. i much preferred the rear wheel drive classic volvos, especally the late 740 and the 940 (which were essentially the same). My wife-to-be bought a Volvo 240 GL sedan in 1987 new, and we and our nannys and our kids drove that thing around 500K miles until the mildew and mushrooms of the pacific northwet got to it for good.

kid 2 leaving for college in 2013
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...1afca02ec1.jpg

I have both engines in my household: '09 ML350 with M272 going on 160k miles and '14 E350 wagon with 90k miles.

I've done plenty of work in the M272. Both engines are bullet proof if you follow proper maintenance, change fluids on a regular basis (even if they are lifetime). Some things are much easier to work on in the M272 (air filters, PCV valve) but you also have hydraulic power steering which is a bother since the o-ring connecting the fluid reservoir to the pump fails every 2-3 years. Timing chain tensioner is another issue with these engines, some people don't care about the rattling and go on without an issue.

My M276 has been trouble free for 8 years, such a joy to drive... Last thing I did was transmission fluid change, easy job.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...043963a29a.jpg

and the 276 3.5L NA gets more horses and torques than the 272 3.5L while also getting better fuel economy if you don't abuse that power.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...98979031cc.jpg
christmas eve 2020, at the end of our 'test drive' after taking delivery that morning, somewhere down Big Sur, California.

You make me want to go back to the OEM chrome grill!