Always considered E220 cdi underpowered

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vibesg

Active Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
342
Location
Kent
Car
CLS 320 Cdi; Volvo XC90 D5; VW Polo tdi
My SL has gone to the stealership for a week for some warranty work (boot seals and lumbar support). I was promised an '09 E Class so I wasn't too fussed. All I said was make sure its a diesel as I had a 300 mile round trip. I was happy the seals were being sorted under warranty....story for another day.

Anyway I was moving my CDs ipod etc from the SL and waiting for the E class to be brought round when I heard a diesel rumble. I looked round to be surprised with an old shape E220 cdi on an 09 plate. First disappointment. Its a courtesy car with the emphasis on "courtesy" so I hopped in to prepare for the journey home.
Car was in brilliant silver with heated black leather, Comand part electric driver's seat (always wondered why Mercedes offer half fat milk when with a few more wires and looms you can have it fully electric).
My first experience with the HDD Comand so I was quite pleased. The linguatronic was lovely..even obeyed my barritone instructions for radio, cd etc. Very nice. Now thinking of retrofitting linguatronic to my SL though I think it will be the old style Ling. Thoughts on this anyone?

Journey home was quite good. Car settled into the motorway trip with unexpected aplomb. Pick up was decent and it held its own at ahem...upward motorway speeds. Gruff between 35 and 55 mph then settles into an unnoticeable hum. Perhaps I had the stereo on too loud.
Then it hit me. I had driven all Mercedes had to offer including the CLS I was thinking of but never this shape E Class. Did consider the E320 cdi but knew I'd want the new one after 6 months.
My wife is impressed with the space up front. It will be doing the school run this week. The HDD Comand with Ling gets the thumbs up. Connects easily with my phone so the Bluetooth is another plus. Stores up to 10 phones though will probably allow up to 4 at the same time. Same steering wheel as my old W209 CLK with familiar dials. Liked the SBC HOLD which my SL disappointingly doesn't have. Also for an 09 car it doesn't have folding mirrors or Parktronic. Mercedes do have some funny specced cars.

So my verdict. The E220 cdi ain't bad at all. Comfortable drive and returned 45mpg back to Cumbria, figures I am no longer used to after my CLK 270 gave way to the SL.
 
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I have to agree! I had a E220 (58) for a trip up to Cumbria(!) earlier this year when the ML was in the dealers. A good solid car. Not outrageously quick, but the low down pull keeps up with most traffic before running out of puff. The facelift 220 is a big step forward on the very 'taxi' like noises of the 05 model which I had, and the HD COMAND system has most of the toys which the S Class has.
I found the ecomony much the same as you but suprising for an other reason, it was only about 3 mpg better than the S!
I'd say the facelft 220 was the sweet spot in the 'old' E class range.:dk:
 
It's nice that you guys get decent courtesy cars to tempt you!

Every time my car goes in a get something like an A150, on two occasions despite having (I thought) agreed an E Class and a new C Class. I can only assume my dealership (MB Chester) doesn't want me to change my car.
 
My local stealer gave me a CLK350 Sport cabrio as a courtesy car a while ago. Lovely in irridium with black leather, COMAND, Alloys etc - the spec I;d choose if I were going to buy one in fact. Bit of a change from my E220CDi. I think I only had it as I'd specified an auto, and they only had manuals, so assume I was driving a demonstrator normally used by management. Drank petrol like it was going out of fashion compared to my E220, but fun to drive for a change. Shame it poured down for every minute I had it, otherwise the roof would have been down too.......
 
Everytime I used MB Watford I got a new shape C200 except one time they gave me a B180 cdi which I actually quite liked! :) Now I'm out of warranty the days of courtesy cars are over, at least 'till the new MB comes along... :)
 
I'm a newbie to MB having just bought an '09 W211 E220 CDI. I've previously driven mass-market V6's for many years and was a bit worried that the 220 would feel a bit stodgy in comparison. I've been pleasantly surprised so far, as the low end oomph of the E220 is quite adequate for normal motoring. It can't match the 'zing' of a V6 petrol but I find the diesel suits the relaxed character of the E class rather well - better than I would have expected from the boot-lid nomenclature :)
 
I have recently bought the e220cdi on a 55 plate which has done 33,000 miles. The fuel efficiency is no where near what you guys are quoting. I drove recently to heathrow and back (100 miles round trip) along the M1, M25 and averaged 37mpg.

Does anyone have any ideas on why this may be? I have recently had the oil filter, air filter and oil changed but still no improvement.

Thanks
 
I have recently bought the e220cdi

Is it an auto, and what did you drive before?

Steady relaxed cruising is the best thing in a diesel - if you're any kind of "press on" type of driver, especially in an auto, then that will murder the fuel consumption.
 
I have recently bought the e220cdi on a 55 plate which has done 33,000 miles. The fuel efficiency is no where near what you guys are quoting. I drove recently to heathrow and back (100 miles round trip) along the M1, M25 and averaged 37mpg.

Does anyone have any ideas on why this may be? I have recently had the oil filter, air filter and oil changed but still no improvement.

Thanks

A number of factors to consider. Any passengers? Was the boot full? How hard were you pressing on. Did you use cruise? Was your Climate Control?
Being a motorway trip you should average at least 40. Also which guage did you use? If you use the overall average trip computer it will calculate the aggregate mpg since the last time the history was cleared off the computer.
 
There was just myself driving the car and was doing a steady speed of in between 70 and 80mph. I use the cruise control for part of the journey and climate contol was on number 1.

By no stretch of the imagination was a driving this hard yet the "softer" i drive the lesser the efficiency.

My Porsche 911 is not far off the efficiency I am getting with a 2.2 litre diesel engine!
 
You weren't towing a caravan were you? My 05 E220 estate would do 50% better than that!
I think it needs therapy...soon!:eek:
 
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You weren't towing a caravan were you? My 05 E220 estate would do 50% better than that!
I think it needs therapy...soon!:eek:
What therapy would you suggest?

I am completely bewildered as to why the efficiency on it is so low! I have pretty much done everything to try and rectify the problem. Even bought additive from Mercedes to see if that would help but still no joy.

Its really frustrating as the whole reason why I bought the e220cdi was because of its efficiency.

Please advise
 
What therapy would you suggest?

I am completely bewildered as to why the efficiency on it is so low! I have pretty much done everything to try and rectify the problem. Even bought additive from Mercedes to see if that would help but still no joy.

Its really frustrating as the whole reason why I bought the e220cdi was because of its efficiency.

Please advise

The combined figure for the 220cdi estate is 38.6 mpg IIRC. That is about what you will get on a run without special effort. I have driven from Lymington to Heathrow or thereabouts on several occasions and sometimes get 38/39 mpg but other times get high forties. It all depends on traffic, and how far you depress the accelerator. If I want economy I try never to depress the loud pedal more than 1 inch (25mm). Makes a big difference.
 
Can't think of anything else. I'm sure your tyres are at the right pressures..so lets look at the mundane. Did you have a big breakfast, are you due a haircut etc, etc?
 

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