inthezone0282

Hi folks,
currently mulling a 2014 e class,70-120k miles- what are some concerns I should be aware of- what expenses in $ can I expect to pony up for the next 5 years- I’ve found from research to this year be what they call a tank because of its long lasting ability and overall reliability- how on or off the mark am I? I would love to spend about 10k or up to 12k if the mileage deserves the extra $2k premium on top of the initial $10k willing purchase amount. Appreciate it- fyi long time Honda acura owner no experience w other cars ownership.
thanks

CaliBenzDriver

Once you purchase a vehicle, maintenance cost will be based on engine performance, the mileage you drive and your local dealer or indy specialist.

​​​​​​Get whatever you can afford plus a reserve of $5k for unforseen emergencies.

Maintenance can be cost effective but repairs are a serious step up in $2k or $4k lumps with crown prize ringng at $10k for "oil-in-harness" ECU show stopper.

Your overall ownership will depend greatly on your experience with local independent dealer willingness to address your concerns with repairs. These cars are very well carefully built.

On your journey you may come across :

• AGM Batteries
• VVT timing issues
• Serpentine belts
• CMP sensors... "oil-in-harness"
• Driver seat cover
• Warning messages & CEL
• All things rubber (mounts, arms, hoses,...)
• Electrical modules glitching
• (oils, brakes, tires, leaks, filters)

> Learning curve:
These cars are unlike ACURA that all come with perforated leather seats and few options.

Spend some time to learn about what your must have options are under the Mercedes brand - Nothing is plug-and-play add-on ie. your current options are what you'll be limited by :

• cruise control
• leather seats
• engine size (L4, V6, V8, TT)
• wheel size (17, 18,...)
• suspension type Airmatic ???
• sunroof type
• brakes type
• transmission drive: RWD, 4WD

They all come with a top notch digital fiber sound system and HVAC to enjoy the ride!


++++ ELEPHANT is L4T
The consensus is to avoid 4Cyl turbo like the plague.

Engines are short lived with catastrophic piston failures.

Read @chassis writings about this topic.

chassis

^agree^

W212 E-Class wih a V6 engine is a reliable car. The four cylinder is a disaster. The V8 has serious problems of its own. If your budget allows, buy a 3.5L NA V6 or 3.0L TT V6 E-Class.

inthezone0282

Thank you so much for the long note- honestly I’m grateful I have a lot to think about at this point time vs just a quick purchase - very grateful!

CaliBenzDriver

Now you can focus on available V6, so called M276 engines with options you really like.

Rank things out like a pyramide... you can't get 100% options in your color but will be comfortable with your choice of purchase.

Pricing is +/- $8k according to good maintenance records (tranny oil + ignition @50k), condition of tires, brakes, driver seat...

parts are cheap, labor is often priceless.

inthezone0282

I agree- honestly I’d really prefer AWD - colour etc do t matter- overall health of leather and most importantly components is really front and center- I have a lot to learn befor I head down the Mercedes route I think- honestly the tlx is sounding more my thing as I get power, luxury and with a fraction of the potential fixes I might have to pony up for in a used E class- pre certified to mitigate puts me in a high mileage, high price and old car north of 20k and it just doesn’t fit my bill- I will continue learning thanks to you

S-Prihadi

Make sure tranny oil change records exist and if a 2014, minimum as good and safe 3 tranny oil changes has to occur.
Most likely you will find two tranny oil change only, if MB USA does 5 years per tranny oil change.

NOTE : Tranny oil change + tranny oil filter

At the $$ cost of tranny oil change + tranny oil filter when done at dealer if in USA, many owners MAY NOT carry out this important procedure as 5 years is
after the free service or warranty expiration already.

inthezone0282

thank you really good and specific advice

inthezone0282

WAtching videos on w212 models all the advice is gelling in- thank y’all what a fantastic community much appreciated

BenzV12

V6 is the goldilocks zone to me but nothing is like a V8

ChrisHimself

E350 is the way to go if you want a nice long and healthy life. Repairs will cost you about $1000 a year, that does not include the stuff the previous owner did not do. My AMG/V8 cars cost me about $2000/year adjusted for retail. This doesn't include oil/gas/tires which honestly are fair game if you use durable compounds.

If you have a hubris you will gravitate towards the v8's. I will say that the V8 life is nice they just stuff in them in cars with airmatic, huge brakes, and all the other things that rob me of my money.

Theyre PRETTY reliable, the chassis itself is very tough, the interior trim pieces can creak, but the interior itself is bulletproof and super durable. The suspension is a touch firm if youre expecting a plushmobile but I think thats more of a tire and PSI choice.

If you want to think about maintenance for 5 years, I would budget 5-7k for repairs/brakes/tires in that time. I keep a spreadsheet for the fleet and thats about the running average per mile scaled up to 5 years. This is the price when you save whatever it is it depreciated. But hey 5 years is a long time, you could be dead, you could be boring, and a Honda Pilot needs parts too. Also support your forum Amsoil dealer.

Jack McCarty

Hello. & welcome to the Forum…
As I’m driving my 3rd “Estate,” from my initial 1994 E320 (RWD) to my 2001 E320 4Matic to my present-day 2011 E350 4Matic, I am glad to share my experiences & knowledge of this E model.

About the 2014 year, please be alert & aware that there were 9 recalls, so be sure to do your research here on MBWorld!

The standard 2014 interior is NOT Leather; it is Vinyl, called “”MB-TEX,” which was of better quality in earlier years, from the 1990’s through the early 2000’s.

In the W212 era, the Vinyl is lower quality than in the earlier W124 & W210 series, & it is COMMON for the driver seat to split at the horizontal seam in the driver seat / I repaired mine & then covered the front seats with high quality Sheepskins;
the bottom driver seat OEM replacement cost me
$400 installed & the 2 Sheepskins were $600.

Leather seats were a $1600 option; if you’re lucky, your 212 will have the vertical pleated real
Leather which is far more durable.

Other Issues:
Engine issues include the Direct Injection System
of the 2012-2016 E350 vs.the Naturally Aspirated 2011 model.

When I was shopping for my 212, I test drove 2 D.I. E350 Wagons which had acceleration lag / 1 of those Wagons blew a cylinder, according to the CARFAX report. & the Engine had to be REMOVED to clean the Engine bay of all the oil spillage! I passed on that 2013 E!

When you’re focused on an EWagon, be sure to get an independent mechanic’s inspection which will cost you $350-$400 / you can arrange for an inspection by a local MB dealer, if the Wagon is out of town.

ENGINE MOUNTS:
This is a critical component of the W212 E models. Unlike the W124 & W210 series with their solid rubber do-nut shaped mounts, the W212 series engine mounts are 2 oil-filled bags which leak over time & wear.

The 3rd mount is solid rubber for the transmission, & is inexpensive to replace.

The 2 engine bag mounts are expensive to replace, ranging from $1300 at my local Indy shop to $2500 at local dealer.

When you get mechanic’s inspection, have the mounts inspected!

SUNROOF:
Avoid the Panoramic option which can leak &
creak / see the Forum for details.
I love the stanfard sunroof & avoid the Pano!

WOOD FADING
the Forum is full of faded wood reports.
Bring yourself up to date on the court action suit abouf replacing UV-burnt wood.
there is lots of into here, including my input.

good luck!
Jack / Jaxview

Jack McCarty

I think the retail price range you quote is low, based on my read of the current market.

Research on KBB.

EWagons are a subset & hard to find, especially in the Sunbelt / West Coast desirable markets.

If possible, avoid the Snow / Rust belt Wagons due to corrosion & road salt damage.

There is a recent Court decision about rear axle
Corrosion replacement which you can find in MB
World.
FYI
JACK

Jack McCarty

My comments were based on my EWagon experiences, but I’ve had a 210 ESedan, too.
My notes apply to both…
good luck!
jack

inthezone0282

Thank you solid advice! Will do- viewing a car and inspection for it on Saturday

inthezone0282

thank you I’ll be purchasing from a pvt seller for $12,750 w 83750miles. Stoked! Car has no scratches and interior is very clean- lady driven!

inthezone0282

If inspection is a success- then I look fwd to owning a dark blue 2014 E350- loved it’s life in Florida and Texas- and am super stoked. No accidents- buying from second owner. Have taken jacks valuable advice on what to get checked at inspection- thank you all- will post pics when/ if sale goes through!!!

inthezone0282

Hi there,

had the car inspected yesterday by a German car specialist mechanic and he slipped his hand by the engine and showed me and the seller fresh oil and advised it is a valve leak- normal at this mileage (83k) on 2014 e350.

the seller had his mechanic look at it and advised that grease/ oil residue on the valve is not a sign of valve leak. He also advised he has not seen any signs of leak while parked.

I did see blackened liquid on my mechanics hand when he showed us-

what do yall make of it?

chassis

Valve leak? What kind of valve? Photos?

dmatre

Valve cover leaks are not common on the M276. Timing chain covers (front side on engine, below valve cover) is more common with that age. About $1200 to fix at dealer, not too bad to DIY.

Do check cam position solenoids and sensors - as there is history of them leaking into the wiring harness - big$$$ if caught too late.

MB has sacrificial pigtails which can be installed to prevent just such a problem. You can get them from FCP Euro, install is 10 minutes.

Otherwise, the 2014 W212 is a tank. Ours has 138k miles, and literally drives like the day we left the showroom. Only the Sensatec wear issue (which affects all W212 without real leather) belies its age. And that’s only $229 and a couple of hours labor to replace the seat bottom.

We’ve had ours since new, and other than normal wear items (brakes, tires, wipers, shocks/struts), the only ‘failure’ we’ve suffered is the leaking timing chain covers.

Good luck with your new car!

CaliBenzDriver

Don't mind the grime, all engines get dirty and so do hub caps. Don't pay attention to decoys!

Everything can get fixed on these great cars... the keys are:

1. who will pay ?
2. when will you get your car back ?

Try to figure how soon and how many will be the next $3000 repairs

Pay attention to facts on the service records :

you need to see tranny oil + spark plugs near 50kMi

you'd be happy to see timing chain tensioners replaced to prevent chewing of more expensive VVT Gears.

Ask to listen to a cold engine start... hear short rattling right at start. It is yours to appreciate.

Pay $300 if you have to Get a fresh list of scanned faults... these will be yours to fix. Post it and we'll let you know hard faults vs. vanilla.

These are heavy cars. Inquire about current brake wear level and tires condition.

No question these great cars are serviceable.
How soon are the next tabs to avoid $6k "engine misfire" surprises. Any form of warranty is better than none.

Make them sign a "full disclosure" so startup-rattle job doesn't hit you 3 days later... it's only money + time!

This the season: do diligence now to avoid Xmas-Tree dashboard on the roadside... lookup carfax for wreck history.

S-Prihadi

Maintaining a W212 E350 or E400 is not too expensive even if you do twice more often than what the MB maintenance manual advised you to do, keeping it feel and behave like brand new is another story.

The aging part of the car is what's never been mentioned by ANY car manufacturer maintenance list, except they write INSPECT INSPECT this and that.
The definition of INSPECT is equal to, if it has not fallen off or broken, then no need to replace....LOL.

Study the car, it will tell you by sound, by feel and by azz-dyno it is not up there at 99% healthy. Do lots of visual inspection under the car and in the engine bay.
By 10-12th year will be the most expensive aged components, plastic + hoses yada yada, which can lead to coolant loss, engine oil loss and other very damaging fluid loss
when and if overheat or worse oil starvation occurs. Turbo engine need more attention to the coolant system and the oil related to the turbos.

I got a decent good deal on my E400 in 2018, low 10,000KM mileage.
Brand new was US$ 108,000 in 2014 , my currency Rupiah rate 12,440 to US$1.00
I bought it in May 2018 at US$58,000 Rupiah rate sank to 13,750 to US$1.00
Today its value is approx US$32,000 at BEST, Rupiah rate 15,500 to US$1.00 ...yep, I get poorer each year.
Next year and starting from this year, I will need minimum US$15,000 to do refurbish my car as it is already 10th year.

By year 20th let say its worth only US$1,000 or zero.
Even if my annual mechanical* maintenance ( *no fuel and road tax & insurance ) up to 20th year and the pre-owned buying price is equal to a new car of US$108K
108/20 = US$5.4 a year loss is cheap for an E400 when and if it can feel very new to its last 20th Bday.
The key word is FEEL LIKE BRAND NEW.

inthezone0282

Gentlemen thank you all!

just completed purchase today- 83k miles, 2014 and we agreed at )12,750. Being lady driven and in great condition I don’t think I would be able to get a better deal on a gently driven 1@ yr old Mercedes- looking forward to making lots of memories in this beast thank you all so very much!

BenzV12

That's great
Happy Driving

dmatre

Congratulations, and welcome to the family!