how long should I keep my 211?

[scouseman]

I bought my 280 Estate two and half years ago with 18k miles on the clock from a MB dealer. I took out a two year warranty extension at the time and that takes me through to May 2010. The car will be six years old in February and has just clocked through 52k miles. As a mileater and load carrier its been perfect. There have been a few, mainly electrical niggles, so the warranty has probably been a reasonable investment. My quandry is do I swap in May for a younger 320D (not sure how much mine is worth at the moment) or should i bite the bullet, see if I can extend the warranty again and stick with the old girl? Any views on longevity of the 280 W211 would be appreciated and also if anybody has made the jump from the 5 cylinder motor to the V6.

BTW, does anybody have a way to contact Nick Mercedes? I ordered some pads from him at the beginning of December but nothing has arrived yet and emails havent been replied to.


Cheers Keith

 

[st4]

Keith the car you have has many more miles in it. Its a 270cdi not a 280. Many here have the 320cdi and swear by it but I'd say its more a matter of want than need as a 6yr old car isnt old in my book. Try a 320cdi and see if its worth the outlay

 

[Brian WH]

I've had the 280 Petrol EClass, but a W210, then a 320 CDI W211.

If it is the 280 Petrol the only advantage is better economy and more power.

If it is the 270 CDI, which it probably is, then there is little difference between that and the 320CDi apart from more power.

Either way the 280 will last a lifetime and up to at least 200.000 miles. The body will go before the engine.

 

[scouseman]

Thanks guys, my error its the 270 Diesel, I get decent mileage from it and cant complain about that at all. I suspect the difference wont be that noticeable with the 320 but when the times comes I'll have a test drive. The car does feel like it has a lot of miles left in it, in fact its very hard to tell its a six year old car.
Cheers and merry Christmas
Keith

 

[Brian WH]

The difference with 320 CDI Straight 6 and the latest V6 engine, in mine and the W211, is that the V6 is quieter, but less frugal by about 2-4mpg.

 

[Druk]

My 320 diesel is six years old last month. 120000 miles. Some stone chips on the bonnet edge and new front suspension bits-n-bobs is all it's had. (fingers X'ed). Wouldn't get rid of it for the world. Best car I've ever had.

 

[Michael G]

Thanks guys, my error its the 270 Diesel, I get decent mileage from it and cant complain about that at all. I suspect the difference wont be that noticeable with the 320 but when the times comes I'll have a test drive. The car does feel like it has a lot of miles left in it, in fact its very hard to tell its a six year old car.
Cheers and merry Christmas
Keith

IMO I suggest you hold on to your 270 CDi.
I don't know your situation is, but I don't think you would be able to justify the extra expense just to get a car with a lower number on the clock.
I think you should keep your current car, 'better the devil you know'.

 

[christopherwk]

The car does feel like it has a lot of miles left in it, in fact its very hard to tell its a six year old car.

Indeed, I'm still getting people getting into my car and asking me "Is this car new?"

The odo hit exactly 182,000 miles today!

Keep the car clean in and out, stick a private plate on it, and it will look a million dollars!

 

[st4]

Indeed, I'm still getting people getting into my car and asking me "Is this car new?"

The odo hit exactly 182,000 miles today!

Keep the car clean in and out, stick a private plate on it, and it will look a million dollars!

Effing H, saw you about 3 weeks ago and you were on 178,000???

What a nice way to spend time and miles though

 

[scouseman]

Guys as an aside, I had to make a long trek to North Yorkshire, fully loaded with kit for Christmas. The weather was pretty horrible with snow, Ice and Fog and the journey took five hours for around 270 miles. As usual, even during these conditions i stepped out of the car feeling fresh and relaxed and it occurred to me that not many cars would convey you and your belongings so efficiently and safely in such nasty conditions. Once or twice I would have appreciated snow tyres or four wheel drive but frankly it was hardly worth worrying about. Great car!

 

[timskemp]

140k just passed on mine, no intention of moving it on in 2010. Just had a spring replaced, in 140k miles (90k of them in my hands) I've had to replace a MAF sensor and an alternator and now a spring. The height adjuster (front one) has failed on the drivers seat probably due to me being above average size but I always have it as low as possible so it doesn't bother me.

They are very good cars. I've run much lesser cars to 180k miles and above, this feels fresher at 140k than some of the others did at 50k.

The interiors are very hard wearing (mines cloth) - we have a valeter a few doors away and when I let him loose on it it comes up like new.

 

[wemorgan]

My quandry is do I swap in May for a younger 320D (not sure how much mine is worth at the moment) or should i bite the bullet, see if I can extend the warranty again and stick with the old girl? Any views on longevity of the 280 W211 would be appreciated and also if anybody has made the jump from the 5 cylinder motor to the V6.

Hope this thread helps:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/64745-what-mileage-too-high.html

I think MB cars are designed to last longer than most, so I say keep the car and maintain it well, it'll cost less than depreciation on a newer car.

 

[grufflybear]

In theory they should easily live beyond 100,000 miles, and isn't longevity through quality supposed to be a Mercedes aspiration ??? At the moment it is nicely run in and though the new E is very tempting just think of all that lost depreciation. I am intrigued by the idea of extending the warranty though... my E will be 3 years old in March and so will be "out of warranty" - at last service I enquired about what to do for the future and was told that I couldn't extend my warranty, so now I wonder if that is the dealer's own policy ???

 

[christopherwk]

:bannana:

 

[scouseman]

In theory they should easily live beyond 100,000 miles, and isn't longevity through quality supposed to be a Mercedes aspiration ??? At the moment it is nicely run in and though the new E is very tempting just think of all that lost depreciation. I am intrigued by the idea of extending the warranty though... my E will be 3 years old in March and so will be "out of warranty" - at last service I enquired about what to do for the future and was told that I couldn't extend my warranty, so now I wonder if that is the dealer's own policy ???

I would try again, I extended for two years (on top of the dealer supplied one year) and it cost £1500 which wasnt bad value. Having said that its not perfect, software glitches are classified as "adjustment" believe it or not and aren't covered, so when my wipers stopped working I had to pay to have them "adjusted" i.e. plug their computer into the cars system and reset it £60....

If you are in the UK and the car is less than 6 years old you could try tesco premium insurance (dont knock it) a few of the guys on the Porsche forum swear by it and its around £450/year with what appears to be no nasty gotchas unlike most after market warranties.

Cheers Keith

 

[Ian_Mac]

I would try again, I extended for two years (on top of the dealer supplied one year) and it cost £1500 which wasnt bad value. Having said that its not perfect, software glitches are classified as "adjustment" believe it or not and aren't covered, so when my wipers stopped working I had to pay to have them "adjusted" i.e. plug their computer into the cars system and reset it £60....

If you are in the UK and the car is less than 6 years old you could try tesco premium insurance (dont knock it) a few of the guys on the Porsche forum swear by it and its around £450/year with what appears to be no nasty gotchas unlike most after market warranties.

Cheers Keith

Looking on the Tesco website tonight it looks like they no longer offer warranty cover

 

[hi_flyer437]

Picking up on this thread, I've been having the same dilemna myself these past few months.

Ours is an 04/04 270CDi estate; Avantgarde with a relatively standard spec I guess - auto, leather (not heated), xenons, integrated booster seats in the back, basic audio - and has just passed 133k. We've had it for 2 years now and it was a fleet car before-hand so good history. Just had it serviced by those nice chaps at MBS who apparently could find nothing untoward - phew!

The wife was using it on the school run for the first year but this proved to be barking on a big auto diesel, so now I use it for my flog to Heathrow, substituting it with the Saab 'vert on those rare sunny days. She now has an A-Class. Since the change, I've averaged 37mpg; this is my prime reason for considering a change as I know I could get better mileage out of a Passat/Octavia, for example.

However, I think my decision to keep it has just been sealed these past 2 days. A 300 mile journey from Oxford to Dover to Cambridge to rescue stranded family was accomplished with ease and I emerged after 5 and a half hours feeling really rather fresh. Another 200 miles today to pick up an oak coffee table and then on to a certain Swedish furniture emporium, all swallowed by the capacious boot, at an average of 37mph has returned - apparently - 40.3 mpg. And I'm still awake to write this! Having had it valeted last week, it looks a lot more car than the £7.5k I could probably get for it.

Sorry for the ramble!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Looking on the Tesco website tonight it looks like they no longer offer warranty cover

Correct. I checked with the admistrator of the product a few weeks ago.