running costs for 10yrs S320?

[Houstonrice]

guys,

I just thought that why not being an owner of 10yrs+ S class (S320 or S350), and found a particularly model S320 CDI 7G-tronic.
Since i have no idea re maintaining cost, simply throw a question for annual running costs for such an old silky driving motor?

it's done 120k miles since born in 2006 and available at £5.5k (may able to get at £5k only)
3.0L auto diesel,
AMG spec,
FMBSH available,
2 genuine remote keys,

Once I drive, probably will do
12k miles driving/yr,
DIY for annual A & B services + most other minors (brake pads/discs, ATM fluid etc) with genuine parts being bought from ebay or so,
average mpg is 34mpg on paper, but practically how much you can get?

apart from tax and insurance costs, how much am I talking about for having this 2006 reg motor for another 5 years, if can be driven till then?

 

[Eddy77]

I don’t think anyone can give you a definite answer as some of it is down to luck as much as anything!

My 2008 CLK 350 is maintained by a merc Indy and I budget £1,000 a year on “stuff” excluding tax and insurance. Some years it’s half that, some years more. If you are DIYing a lot of it, I’d budget between £700 and £1,000 on servicing and general maintenance.

Invest in preventative maintenance too....change the auto box fluids and filters straight away....just try and keep on top of it. The Diesel engine could throw a few nasties....isn’t this the era of injector and other issues?

But a 120k miles 11 year old s class could throw any number of issues at you and it may be a case of only sorting the big issues and living with minor faults.

 

[Eddy77]

Google Mercedes Black Death injector issues. Does that apply to the car you are looking at?

 

[grober]

FMSB service history----- for how long exactly? The entire life of the car or just the first few years? Advertisers are known to be economic with the truth! A one/two owner car with a "full life" + no gaps MB service history maintained regardless of expense might be a good buy- anything else pretty much an expensive repair waiting to happen sorry.Generally speaking Mercedes attitude to the S class is -if you can afford to buy it you can afford to pay for the big maintenance/parts bills . Electronic laden luxury cars like the S class need to be plugged into bona fide Mercedes Star systems to be diagnosed. Unless you have cheap/ready access to one of those I would tread carefully.
SBC brakes, self-levelling suspension issues lots of electronic trickery etc etc I could go on.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

3 points to be made:

The biggest risk is buying badly. Buy one £2k cheaper than average and you'll pay £4k in "fettle costs" to fix all the things that are wrong with it or are about to go wrong because it hasn't been properly maintained.

The S class, of itself, probably isn't any more expensive to maintain than an C class or 3 Series. These are well designed & made volume cars. Yes, bits will be more expensive (see Grober's comment above), but IMH Experience the prior owners will be generally better heeled and will have looked after it better than Poor People look after their C Class - from Garaging to Servicing, from Cleaning to Family wear n' tear.

Prior owners will be Business, Carriage Trade, or Private. Private = loved; Business = worked; Carriage Trade = worked hard.

 

[horatio]

Does W221 have SBC?

I would go for a petrol on the basis that there's enough s*** to cause nasty bills without bringing V6 diesel gremlins into the game. You would have to drive many miles to recoup the inevitable cost of work such as oil cooler seals. Obviously swot up on balancer shafts.

 

[horatio]

Prior owners will be Business, Carriage Trade, or Private. Private = loved; Business = worked; Carriage Trade = worked hard.

A mate of mine drives these for a hotel. Apparently they are very reliable and well cared for. They are punted through auction after a certain period and would probably make a good buy if you are brave enough.

 

[mat8n]

I used to get high 40s mpg in mine.

 

[a111r]

I find with this age / mileage MB, the most usually neglected 'group' is suspension parts! Worn stuff gets through MOTs.
I.e. front LCAs, ARB connections, 8 x rear arms, 2 x torque arm bush, 2 x sub frame bushes.

None of that will be near new at 120K miles. Paying someone to restore the ride quality by replacing that lot, and probably more... will add up.
If you can DIY, maybe under a grand? (Not to familiar with S Class prices..)

Of course, you may find it's ALL been done already. If so, snap it up.