[Shpingalet]

Hi guys .. in the past i had E420 W124 it was solid car.. Now i am considering to buy E430 w210 01-02..
I heard a lot about "W210 wont Start".. I just wonder guys how your Benzes handle 2017 year ? ... How well W210 ages? Does you guys have a lot problems from EIS or DAS , TCM (transmission control module) issues. ???

 

[hamada128]

Short answer: very reliable with the base E320 being the most reliable one in my opinion. I think it could be even more reliable than the W124 if only does NOT have rust.
Mava will always say here, it is his fill up and go car.

 

[knapster]

I own both the '95 E420 and the '98 E320.

I guess it depends on what you mean by reliable. The M112 motor and 722.6 tranny are great and require little maintenance. Very reliable there.

On the other hand ...

Is it reliable when a cop pulls you over for brake light being out - only to find out that instead of needing a new bulb you need a new light fixture @ $130?

Is it reliable when you go to lower a window and the regulator falls apart leaving you unable to secure your car?

Is it reliable when the door lock actuator fails and again you cannot secure your car?

Is it reliable when you use the sunroof and the cables break?

Is it reliable when the side view mirror breaks and you cannot adjust it?

Is it reliable when that cheap evaporator temp sensor fails and results in catastrophic damage to the compressor?

I could go on and on and a lot of these problems are minor but the number of problems and their frequency will drive you nuts.

You'll miss not having carpet floor mats BTW and you'll miss the solid feel of the 124's steering wheel, center console and it's all around feel.

You live in Binghamton NY? You better look in California for rust free W210 'cause you're not gonna find that in NY.

It's not all bad though, the '98 E320 gets terrific gas mileage (although the M119 E420 isn't bad either) and do like the way it rolls down the highway - much more like a modern car. Lots of nice gadgets too that the 124 doesn't have.

 

[Shpingalet]

Thank you knapster.. for well detail response.. Hmmm i am worry more about Electronics such as EIS or DAS , and TCM systems.. as i mentioned .. anyway i think i got my answer.
And yes M112 and M113 its bulletproof .. even more reliable than M119 .. But M119 its a real engine.. i always liked how he sounded .. Unforgettable on freeway doing 95 mph....

 

[hamada128]

Almost all those issues are not known on the face-lift (2000-2003) models.
I would recommend to find a 2001-2002 Sedan or 2001-2003 Wagon for the best reliability.
And by the way, most of the issues mentioned above can be found in the W124 as well and I owned a W124 before.

 

[Kajtek1]

W210 is mechanically very reliable, but plastics are poorer quality than W124.
Than it drives way better than older model.
Relatively simple diesels seem to gain value lately and I see the lower mileage going on ebay in 10 grands range.
Newer diesels perform better, but than when something goes wrong with them - it takes really skilled technician to troubleshoot.
I don't own W210 anymore, so I am not biased

 

[illstplaya]

Some of the things mentioned in this thread are not necessarily more common on the w210 versus the w124 or any other car.

For example the sunroof and sunroof cables are not a common problem. The biggest issue with that is the fact that people do not lubricate the track or the cables themselves and it's still not a common issue because most people do not do this anyway. The door lock actuator and the side mirrors are not known to fail. These are rare problems. The window regulator is a very common problem however and so is the brake switch. Rust is another big issue on all models of the w210 throughout the years.

To add to the list, the dash cracking, seats fading and cracking (except cars with the nappa leather), rubber trim pieces and seals drying out and cracking are all issues common to all years of the w210 and all models. Computers module problems are not any more common in the w210 versus any other car on the road. The modules themselves are fine. What you would have to worry about a something that would cause one of the modules to act up such as a bad connection somewhere like a bad ground or corrosion between contacts.

The pre-facelift models have a few more issues compared to the post facelift so it would be wise to buy a 2000-2002 model. The later models arguably look better and slightly more modern versus the 1996-1999 models as well.

Some of the goods things about the w210 is the better gas mileage, the fact that there are A LOT more of them on the road versus the w124. Which means, more parts, more knowledge on how to fix things, etc. The w210 handles better. The maintenance intervals are longer compared to the w124.

There's advantages and disadvantages for both the w210 and w124. So it really depends on which one you think looks better.

 

[e-420]

it's a car pushing on 20 years old. So, take that into consideration. If it has a well maintained history, treated well, kept up, it may have plenty of good troublefree years left in it. My 97E420 has 170K miles and is still running good. But it is in need of some TLC that most any 20 year old car may need. Some suspension work, tops the list, with new control arm bushings.

But then between myself and the PO it was well maintained over it's life.

My 97SL500, which also was well maintained by the PO, have service records from day 1 to today, is in outstanding condition with no issues and I expect it to go may more years.

But again, your looking at something that is pushing 20 years old in car years. How many people years is that? I'd say somewhere between mid 30's and late 90's depending on how it was taken care of.

 

[Smartchoice]

my w210 e320 2001 gets 7km to a litre...city driving is that okay? Do I need to look at something?

Some of the things mentioned in this thread are not necessarily more common on the w210 versus the w124 or any other car.

For example the sunroof and sunroof cables are not a common problem. The biggest issue with that is the fact that people do not lubricate the track or the cables themselves and it's still not a common issue because most people do not do this anyway. The door lock actuator and the side mirrors are not known to fail. These are rare problems. The window regulator is a very common problem however and so is the brake switch. Rust is another big issue on all models of the w210 throughout the years.

To add to the list, the dash cracking, seats fading and cracking (except cars with the nappa leather), rubber trim pieces and seals drying out and cracking are all issues common to all years of the w210 and all models. Computers module problems are not any more common in the w210 versus any other car on the road. The modules themselves are fine. What you would have to worry about a something that would cause one of the modules to act up such as a bad connection somewhere like a bad ground or corrosion between contacts.

The pre-facelift models have a few more issues compared to the post facelift so it would be wise to buy a 2000-2002 model. The later models arguably look better and slightly more modern versus the 1996-1999 models as well.

Some of the goods things about the w210 is the better gas mileage, the fact that there are A LOT more of them on the road versus the w124. Which means, more parts, more knowledge on how to fix things, etc. The w210 handles better. The maintenance intervals are longer compared to the w124.

There's advantages and disadvantages for both the w210 and w124. So it really depends on which one you think looks better.

 

[mrboca]

7km/l = 16.5 miles per US gallon. Fine for city driving.

 

[Smartchoice]

Thanks and what should I expect on the highway?

 

[mrboca]

Officially you should expect 26 miles / gallon. You can calculate for liters/km.

This is for the USA model. What you get in your country may be slightly different, based on configuration, gas quality, road, weather conditions etc. etc.



https://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/2001/st-100001475/mpg/

 

[Smartchoice]

most roads are bad, regular grade of petrol only