BillySmart
New Member
We bought this car last year it's a E-Class 2009 E 320 CDi V6 W211 estate. My wife had just past her driving test and gained an automatic licence, the Mercedes seemed a good choice as it was solid, big, reasonably priced. We settled for a one owner car with full MB service history. 7 services in total. The last dealer service was carried out at the end of 2017 with 98K on the clock and the next being due at 114K (that's where we're at).
We bought the car from a second hand dealer and paid a premium due to it being one owner, with relatively low mileage and a full main dealer service history. We also received a free 3 month RAC warranty.
First off, the air conditioning didn't work, so we were sent away to get it re-gassed at a garage of the car dealers choice. The garage gassed it up. but the unit wouldn't run, so, warranty claim number 1, coming in at just under the £500 limit.
Next, it wasn't pulling away very well, it was stuttering and then it would start racing and high revving, sticking in the gears. I took it to my local garage and they reckoned it was the maf air sensor and something else that needed replacing, so, warranty claim 2, a week after the first and again almost touching the £500 limit.
To be honest, the car ran a little bit better. I was also throwing quite a few bottles of various Wynns cleaners into the petrol tank, as the car had been lying about a forecourt for over a year, so I reckoned it was probably a bit clogged up.
Oh, how my newly driving wife chuckled as the serpentine belt shredded, as she tried to steer something akin to a tank, due to the sudden loss of power steering. Fortunately, the clutch had chucked it on the alternator, so we were covered for warranty claim 3, (all 3 claims within a month) again shading in at just under the £500 limit. Hats off to the RAC, many people say these warranties aren't worth the paper they're written upon, but in our case, we really can't fault them.
We have also had a lot of other problems, nothing major though, just the sort of stuff you would expect with an older motor. Anyway, the time came for the next service and I service my vehicles myself. I have seen a many things over the years, but I have never ever seen an air filter as dirty as this. Looking at the service documents, the last time they were replaced was in 2013, 50K miles ago, which seems excessive. I have my doubts though, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same filter that was fitted in the factory! The other filter is filthy, but is clean in comparison, it does actually look like it has been changed at some point.
I have a new respect for this car, despite having a full Mercedes Benz service history, this poor old car has never been looked after properly, it's owner did its best for it, but the filter doesn't lie. MB full service history? What a crock of .......I am surprised the car went at all. No wonder it was having all sorts of problems!
Needless to say, all the filters, oil etc have now been replaced and it's a different car.
We bought the car from a second hand dealer and paid a premium due to it being one owner, with relatively low mileage and a full main dealer service history. We also received a free 3 month RAC warranty.
First off, the air conditioning didn't work, so we were sent away to get it re-gassed at a garage of the car dealers choice. The garage gassed it up. but the unit wouldn't run, so, warranty claim number 1, coming in at just under the £500 limit.
Next, it wasn't pulling away very well, it was stuttering and then it would start racing and high revving, sticking in the gears. I took it to my local garage and they reckoned it was the maf air sensor and something else that needed replacing, so, warranty claim 2, a week after the first and again almost touching the £500 limit.
To be honest, the car ran a little bit better. I was also throwing quite a few bottles of various Wynns cleaners into the petrol tank, as the car had been lying about a forecourt for over a year, so I reckoned it was probably a bit clogged up.
Oh, how my newly driving wife chuckled as the serpentine belt shredded, as she tried to steer something akin to a tank, due to the sudden loss of power steering. Fortunately, the clutch had chucked it on the alternator, so we were covered for warranty claim 3, (all 3 claims within a month) again shading in at just under the £500 limit. Hats off to the RAC, many people say these warranties aren't worth the paper they're written upon, but in our case, we really can't fault them.
We have also had a lot of other problems, nothing major though, just the sort of stuff you would expect with an older motor. Anyway, the time came for the next service and I service my vehicles myself. I have seen a many things over the years, but I have never ever seen an air filter as dirty as this. Looking at the service documents, the last time they were replaced was in 2013, 50K miles ago, which seems excessive. I have my doubts though, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same filter that was fitted in the factory! The other filter is filthy, but is clean in comparison, it does actually look like it has been changed at some point.
I have a new respect for this car, despite having a full Mercedes Benz service history, this poor old car has never been looked after properly, it's owner did its best for it, but the filter doesn't lie. MB full service history? What a crock of .......I am surprised the car went at all. No wonder it was having all sorts of problems!
Needless to say, all the filters, oil etc have now been replaced and it's a different car.
