petrol 320e running costs

depends on model year. i own a '95 e320 wagon (w124 with M104 engine) that get 20 mpg at best using premium fuel. major potential issues with the car above is engine wiring harness, head gasket and A/C evaporator failures. all these are expensive repairs, i would not hesitate to buy the car if above has been done already.

I guess I've been lucky in many respects. My mileage runs 28 on the open road and 16 in town. I've only had the sedan for 6 months and the only failure was a flat on the freeway. That's when I learned that ANY owner of a MB less than 30 years old (the car, not the driver) has free road service. Mine is a 2002 E-320 with 56K miles. I've never enjoyed an automobile as much!

James Idaho, USA

Has this changed? I thought it was any Mercedes. Admittedly, the last time I used it was for a '72 280 SEL back in 2001.

I don't understand. I didn't specify models, only years of age. It could be the guy was kidding when he mentioned "30" years because that's a ridiculously long time in itself.

I just called 1-800-222-0100, the number for roadside assistance, and after punching 250 numbers gave up. I then called the dealer in Spokane, WA and asked a sales person. WRONG. He spent 25 minutes yacking about this and that. I finally asked him politely to "shut up and listen!" :-( Finally he did and said, "It's for ANY MB regardless of age." (Damned salesmen!)

So there you have it, neither of us really know.

Although I then looked up their Web Page,

, and found, "Every Mercedes-Benz in the U.S. - no matter how old, how many miles it's logged or how many owners it's had - qualifies for Roadside Assistance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year." They show a phone number of 1-800-367-6372.

Mobilo Life applies in Europe, covering cars from a certain year onwards (2000?) for 30 years. This is roadside assistance in general. If the cause is a manufacturing fault the vehicle recovery is FOC. Otherwise one gets charged.

I recently needed a tow and, after discussing it with the European call centre, decided to get my local motoring organisation to do it; it would be free whatever the cause. Good thing, too, as I saved myself about 120 pounds sterling...(I had gone over a speed bump too fast...).

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

update: much to my amazment, the car managed to get 28mpg this weekend on the trip to NC mountains average speed was 75mph. wow.

"James O'Riley" > that get 20 mpg at best using premium fuel.