C350 reliability
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400ixl
MB Enthusiast
Out of the dozen CDI owners I know personally, 5 have the 350, 2 the 250 and 5 have the 220.
All are 2010 onwards cars and the least reliable has unfortunately been the 350 with 2 suffering roadside breakdowns requiring recovery. It was one of the things that convinced me to go with the 250, along with the better 10+ mpg and little real world performance difference between them.
The 350 is a nice smooth engine though.
All are 2010 onwards cars and the least reliable has unfortunately been the 350 with 2 suffering roadside breakdowns requiring recovery. It was one of the things that convinced me to go with the 250, along with the better 10+ mpg and little real world performance difference between them.
The 350 is a nice smooth engine though.
RSTurbo50
Active Member
That's very interesting because if you do a google search it appears the 220 and 250 diesels seem to suffer problems with DPF's and injector issues...very very rare the 350 suffers such problems.
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
Maybe, still see more 350 badged cars on the side of the road with flashing hazards than any other. Could be CGI's of course though.
One of the 350's destroyed an engine when the cam chain failed.
Neither is what you would call unreliable, but personal experience with a group of people I know face to face suggests the 350 has been the lone which has caused issues. None of the 220's or 250's have had DPF or injector issues. From what I have seen, those were on the early engines and pretty much solved on the later ones.
Every engine has moving parts which can fail, I wouldn't let it concern me provided I could see the one example I was buying was well looked after.
One of the 350's destroyed an engine when the cam chain failed.
Neither is what you would call unreliable, but personal experience with a group of people I know face to face suggests the 350 has been the lone which has caused issues. None of the 220's or 250's have had DPF or injector issues. From what I have seen, those were on the early engines and pretty much solved on the later ones.
Every engine has moving parts which can fail, I wouldn't let it concern me provided I could see the one example I was buying was well looked after.
D
Deleted member 37751
Guest
4cyl CDI engine is a tough old unit if a bit clattery, earlier 212/204's had problems with injectors.
V6 CDi in the age you're looking at is a peach; 265bhp and mpg will comfortably achieve into the 50s. Suits the E-Class perfectly and feels even more lively in the smaller C-Class.
If you've got the budget, go for the V6, it's almost petrol-like in it's smoothness.
V6 CDi in the age you're looking at is a peach; 265bhp and mpg will comfortably achieve into the 50s. Suits the E-Class perfectly and feels even more lively in the smaller C-Class.
If you've got the budget, go for the V6, it's almost petrol-like in it's smoothness.
RSTurbo50
Active Member
The 4 cylinder diesel is just too noisy, tractor like sounding though I'm sure it's extremely frugal. But the V6 performance is superb and it's so quiet you wouldn't think it was a diesel. I'd take the 350 anytime...
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
Driven both in a convertible a lot and to be honest you can't tell the difference in diesel sound other than at tickover. It is definitely smoother, but really not that faster in real life than the 250.
There weren't anywhere enough positives for me to choose the 350 over the 250 after spending a month with each. If it were performance, then it would have been a petrol every time as they aren't that much less economical on a run than the 350.
There weren't anywhere enough positives for me to choose the 350 over the 250 after spending a month with each. If it were performance, then it would have been a petrol every time as they aren't that much less economical on a run than the 350.
RSTurbo50
Active Member
Iv driven the 250 and for me I could tell quite a big difference in terms of performance between the 250 and 350. The 350 is also much smoother and quieter and just feels much nicer in an. E Class. Everyone is different but in an E Class for me it suits the bigger V6 diesel than the smaller 4 cylinder unit.
D
Deleted member 37751
Guest
Just for clarity, I've owned every diesel made by Mercedes since the late 90's. I'm not saying the four pot is a bad engine, it's not, it's just the V6 is so good.
I'm not sure exactly how both engines sounded the same to your ears but the 4cyl is noticeably clattery, famously so in fact, whereas the V6 is so smooth it's unreal.
And your point about the power is a strange one; you couldn't feel the difference between a car with 200bhp and one with 265bhp? (Unless you drove the earlier 231bhp V6, but still...)
The economy point is also one I struggle with too, my 265bhp E350 would do 55mpg on a run and low 40's around town. Show me a V6 petrol that does those figures...
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
I said in real driving conditions. Yes if you want to do the traffic light drag run then there is a difference. 50-70, not enough to make the lower economy worth it. f I was still looking for a traffic light car then it would be a petrol all day long. The economy you are talking there is not the typical experience, so you are doing very well, My experience has been in line with the economy thread on the forum. There is on average a 10mpg difference between the two from pretty much everyone's experience in that thread.
The E class A207 platform isn't the size of the W212, and the C class as the OP is looking at is a similar size to the A207's but even lighter.
Each to their own, but I would recommend driving both and taking into account the other benefits.
The E class A207 platform isn't the size of the W212, and the C class as the OP is looking at is a similar size to the A207's but even lighter.
Each to their own, but I would recommend driving both and taking into account the other benefits.
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My C350 has been a peach so far, I love the flat 4, V8 and V10 engine noise and I generally hate the sound of diesel engines. The CDI V6 gives me the best of all so far.
London to North Yorkshire at warp 9 average speed, with the odd blast on the secret NYM roads when appropriate - and all done at an average 40 MPG.
Only fault was a dicky engine start relay module, one punch to the fusebox fixed it until replacement. Happy Days.
London to North Yorkshire at warp 9 average speed, with the odd blast on the secret NYM roads when appropriate - and all done at an average 40 MPG.
Only fault was a dicky engine start relay module, one punch to the fusebox fixed it until replacement. Happy Days.
Yesterday did 146miles on m/way, A roads and town, averaged 49.6 MPG in my 9g V6, so much more power and torque than the four pots, will pull 60 MPH in 9th at 1000 rpm, and do 85mph at 1500 rpm, excellent engine, I've owned 220's and 250's V6 by far the best, no contest!
I had the E300 Hybrid (2014), this had the 250 engine with the added punch from the Hybrid drive.
I now have an E350 S212 (2016).
The 350 engine is much quieter and smoother, the E300 is very quick when the electrics kick in not a huge amount from standing start between the two but there is a marked difference when already on the move, the 350 just keeps powering on.
Both cars were excellent but given the choice the 350 engine would be the better option IMO.
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I now have an E350 S212 (2016).
The 350 engine is much quieter and smoother, the E300 is very quick when the electrics kick in not a huge amount from standing start between the two but there is a marked difference when already on the move, the 350 just keeps powering on.
Both cars were excellent but given the choice the 350 engine would be the better option IMO.
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JamesG66
Active Member
If you've come from a 4 cyl diesel I am sure a V6 diesel feels smooth but if, like me, you've come from a C350 petrol (272bhp) there is no comparison. A few days in to ownership of my C350 CDi the delta in smoothness was such that I checked the oil because I was convinced it was running dry. Oil level was fine.
Economy, I've once got 50mpg on a 150 mile run back from collection, in the six months and 6k miles I've had it I've averaged 38mpg.
