I'm tempted to buy a Mercedes E500 - secondhand, probably a 2003 model. However, to my surprise, I read something on Wikipedia about this particular model having a very poor reliability record - problems with electrics, brakes, engines, etc. Can anyone comment? How to spot a good one from a dud?
Thanks.
A relatively low mileage recent model won't have much wrong with its mechanicals - unless it's been in a crash, then all bets are off. But the electronics cause owners' unhappiness. And nobody can look at one car and know whether IT will or will not have problems. A fleet yes but not a single sample.
In the USA M-B dealers (only) sell recent vintage cars with a Certified Pre Owned warranty - 12 months to 100K miles. Such CPO cars are also eligible for a purchased M-B Extended Limited Warranty at additional cost - about $2,000 for one year and $2,500 for two years following the CPO.
Gamblers can buy used M-Bs quite cheap and take a chance on their repair cost, others choose to stay within the system, pay extra and know the inevitable repairs will be covered by M-B.
Repair cost apprehension isn't part of owning a luxury product, IMHO.
'03 was the first year for the 211s and there were many complaints about the electronics, if the car is a late year build you'll probably have less issues, you need to get the service records and see what problems the car has had and how the issues were resolved
It was actually right around this time and laregely because of this car that MB admitted they'd gone too far with the complexity of their electornic systems and vowed to make it 40% less complex.
I took this to mean "c-lan".
A long-serving employee of Merc London -- currently working in parts dept -- said to me this week that all the issues in the C and E class (many South African-built) have been addressed and all new ones will be fine. I can't recall from which date this applies but it wasn't that long ago. Doesn't help buyers of used ones, though.
But it does explain why my CLK Cabrio hasn't given me any big problems; this range wa snot affected, according to this guy.
Apparently the issues were dealt with with and then the CEO made that announcement in which he acknowledged there was a problem.
Whether it was a factory matter or electronics complexity or both, let's hope there will really be an improvement in the bread-and-butter ranges.
DAS
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