[shadowbethesda]

I recently acquired a 2006 E350 AWD for $740. The interior and body are in great shape. The car needed a new secondary air pump, an upstream oxygen sensor, and tires. The transfer case (Car shudders on low speed turns) is low on oil or gone. The SBC and cam magnets were done at the dealer a year ago. Everything works on the car aside from the mentioned problems.

It’s been garaged (and dealer maintained) for most of its life and has 78,500 original miles.

My question is should I start saving for a used engine or the balance shaft replacement? Can someone please give me a definitive number on the cost of either the replacement or balance shaft fix? Or should I just dump the car? It looks and drives beautifully at the moment aside from the shudder.

Also would a dealer install a used engine? I’m going to talk to independent shops as well but wanted to see if I could negotiate if need be.

 

[cowboyt]

Not all VIN's were affected by the messed-up balance shaft, but yours is in the time period when that was a problem. I'd first check your VIN to see if it's got the problem. If it does, then yes, start saving up. A dealer would probably install a remanufactured engine, at high dollar; an independent shop would do a used engine from, say, a 2009 or 2010 car.

How did you score this car for $740?

 

[Ivanerrol]

My dealership service guy advises using the correct oil but change it more frequently and this should lessen the balance shaft issue.
He says that the engines they have repaired or replaced with the balance shaft issue are mainly due to lack of service.

Not every engine in the affected range breaks down, its a percentage.

 

[shadowbethesda]

I did check the VIN and unfortunately this engine does fall under the balance shaft potentially breaking. And yes, I agree about changing the oil frequently. I’m planning on 2-3 times a year (I normally only clock a collective 6,000 miles/year between all of my cars).

Regarding the price? I have a friend who just ordered a new Tesla and didn’t want to pay for the tires, O2 sensor and the air pump. Go figure.

 

[shadowbethesda]

The car as I got it and now a few days later after a quick wash.

 

[CetiAlpha5]

There's no safe mileage where your car won't be affected. But you can check to see what the status of it is, there's several youtube videos on how to check it. For $740, you could just drive it until the problem shows up if ever. There's no real good estimate of what percentage actually develop the problem, some say 10% others say more. Even if you get the problem though, you could still drive it for a few thousand miles before one day it leaves you stranded and the car won't start. May people had a theory that not changing the oil was the problem, but MB basically used too soft an alloy in the balance shaft so it wore down. I don't think the evidence is conclusive that using the correct oil and more frequent changes would help with a manufacturing defect. And it's also not clear if every single one was too soft or if there was just a manufacturing problem that was later corrected and cars after that period don't have the problem. Remember correlation does not imply causation.

 

[cowboyt]

OP, you got a smokin' deal. If your userID relates to your actual location, then I kinda understand why; the area I'm thinking of is very affluent, indeed. My mechanic buddy likewise got an E320 4Matic, with good bones, at a really good price because a well-off family didn't want to be bothered with the maintenance.

Definitely follow up on the above advice you got about the YouTube videos.