Tried a W212 E350 today. Disappointed.

[Savcom]

Tried a W212 E350 today. We were disappointed.

The car was a 2010 model Avantgarde. Good price, Silver, Pano roof, full MB service history, memory seats - All the boxes ticked.

The downside was 104K on the clock - but the service history should cover that, surely. It also needed a B2 service. Expensive, maybe, but worth me doing so I catch anything that needs doing.

Lovely to sit in, engine started easily and idled quietly. Then it all started to go wrong. After engaging D and moving off we reached the first roundabout and a vibration from the drivetrain started. Round the roundabout and accelerate from the exit and ... nothing. Kick down was hard and the car was almost behaving as if it was limping home. True, it was in Comfort mode but nevertheless very very sluggish to pick up. The vibration came back as I slowed for the next junction. Difficult to pinpoint - seemed to be coming from the transmission as it was independent of engine revs. Either way, my wife and the chap from the dealer both complained of feeling sick when they got out of the car at the end of the test drive. Not good.

I had a call from the dealer later on saying that the vibration 'didn't happen' in Sport mode.

Not happy. I think walk away from this one. Pity.

Does anyone have an idea what the vibration may be? Gearbox? Engine? Mounts? ... Costs?

 

[Headhurts]

Shouldn't the dealer be putting any faults right?

The car seem lazy in Eco mode until you get used to the amount of pedal needed, in sport mode it's much better.


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[whitenemesis]

Also, shouldn't the dealer do the service before sale, if the car is calling for it?

How many examples of this model have you had a test drive in?

 

[steve333]

Try testing a 265bhp facelift model if it's in your budget as the difference between that model and the pre facelift is chalk and cheese,I owned a 2012 265bhp E350cdi and it was quick,smooth and economical,the v6 engine in comfort mode can be lazy and I always drove mine in sport mode,hope that helps.

 

[steve333]

Tried a W212 E350 today. We were disappointed.

The car was a 2010 model Avantgarde. Good price, Silver, Pano roof, full MB service history, memory seats - All the boxes ticked.

The downside was 104K on the clock - but the service history should cover that, surely. It also needed a B2 service. Expensive, maybe, but worth me doing so I catch anything that needs doing.

Lovely to sit in, engine started easily and idled quietly. Then it all started to go wrong. After engaging D and moving off we reached the first roundabout and a vibration from the drivetrain started. Round the roundabout and accelerate from the exit and ... nothing. Kick down was hard and the car was almost behaving as if it was limping home. True, it was in Comfort mode but nevertheless very very sluggish to pick up. The vibration came back as I slowed for the next junction. Difficult to pinpoint - seemed to be coming from the transmission as it was independent of engine revs. Either way, my wife and the chap from the dealer both complained of feeling sick when they got out of the car at the end of the test drive. Not good.

I had a call from the dealer later on saying that the vibration 'didn't happen' in Sport mode.

Not happy. I think walk away from this one. Pity.

Does anyone have an idea what the vibration may be? Gearbox? Engine? Mounts? ... Costs?

Vibration sounds like engine mounts but could be wrong,no car should need servicing at time of sale if bought from a dealer.

 

[st13phil]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about what the cause of the vibration is or how much it would cost to fix - they're the dealer's problem. As you asked, there are a number of possibilities, including the torque converter / torque converter lockup clutch.

If the car is an otherwise good example and the dealer is prepared to both fix the drivetrain problems and service it (to the required standard) prior to sale then it may be worth pursuing. However, I'm not sure I'd have a great deal of confidence in a dealer who puts a car with such an obvious fault on the forecourt, so walking away is probably a better plan.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

As Steve states above, aim for one with the 7G Plus gearbox if your budget allows because the difference is night and day with the early boxes which are clunky.

 

[roastbeef]

If the guy trying to sell it said he felt sick after a test drive i think I would walk away

 

[reflexboy]

Find another. Simple. I have a 2011 E350 CDi, 265bhp, and it's everything the guys above mention and more. The torque is incredible, the virtually rattle free, and the ride smooth. Definitely seek out a 265 model.

 

[such01]

As above.

I have had a 2012 W212 E350 sport now for 2 months. Feels rock solid, smooth, even on 19" alloys. Mine came with 68k on the clock, from an independent dealer.

Plenty around, so I would be inclined to walk away and look elsewhere.
I did look at main dealer for mine, but there was not much choice, but older models that I saw were usually at least £1500 more.god

good luck

 

[grober]

A V6 diesel engine possibly" tuning box tweaked " by a previous owner- probably torque convertor/ gearbox about to give up the ghost. Best to walk away - quickly.

 

[st13phil]

From the OP's "other" thread, I believe that this was an E350CGI - i.e. a petrol - not an E350CDI.

 

[tylerdurden]

Would write off a model based on a test drive of a >100k car that obviously had technical issues.

I have a W210 2010 car. It's the original one. Drives absolutely fine. Still brings a smile to my face. Still wafts along a motorway at impressive speeds in silence which untimely is what a Mercedes is designed to do.

For the money I think a good example is an excellent second hand buy

 

[tylerdurden]

Wouldn't

 

[developer]

If I was disappointed enough to bring it to a forum I'd be looking elsewhere - even though there are less CGi's.

These things niggle away at you - imagine how you're gonna feel between deposit and collection .

 

[Savcom]

Sorry - late start, so only just got back on this thread.

Thanks, everyone for the comments. although let me clarify my original post. The car isn't from a MB dealer, it's from a used car company - very sorry for misleading you all.

The fact that it's from a used car company is why I'd want to do the B2 service under my control, rather than him do a quick oil change and reset the service indicator. Equally, I'd rather get a clear picture of the repairs likely before getting them fixed - hence posting on a forum asking about the likely issues - I can then perhaps negotiate the price accordingly.

From the OP's "other" thread, I believe that this was an E350CGI - i.e. a petrol - not an E350CDI.

Yes, @st13phil is correct. I'm only after a petrol E class. Since buying the SLK I really don't do the miles in the saloon to make a diesel worth considering - and is why I'm seeking a replacement for the 530D I have. Unfortunately, searching Autotrader for petrol W212's (E350 CGI) shows there are only seven for sale in the UK - none close to where I live.

Sorry for the confusion, folks, but very happy to hear your thoughts.

Savcom

 

[ftb]

Vibration should be more or less easily identifiable by any competent mechanic. If you like the car, I'd suggest arranging an indy inspection at the garage with the view of fixing the vibration issue and putting on/splitting the cost with the dealer. This way or another it will be fixed by the next owner and it will be a shame to walk away from the car that is pretty rare these days (CGI that is).

 

[grober]

Your problem is that the 350cgi is a rare beast such that there will very few workshops MB dealer or independents that have any experience dealing with them. Direct injection at that time was pretty much in its MB infancy- with high pressure injectors and high compression ratios precise fuelling is essential. I have heard rumours of a problem with vehicle speed sensors throwing this off for example which might explain the cars symptoms but it could be lots of other things. Direct injection Audis suffered from carbon build up on the inlet valves at high mileage because they were no longer washed by fuel from injectors in the inlet manifold for example.
there's this treatise [ in german] on CGI principles
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...RjbB98Q6AEIWjAN#v=onepage&q=m272 de35&f=false

 

[gIzzE]

I have a 350 cgi, later 300hp model with the 7g+ 'box.
It is smooth as silk, but there are some issues with the earlier cars apparently.
One of the Merc techs at Norwich said they have had cgi cars that have had the issues you describe from day one and no matter what sensors and injectors they change they can't get rid of it.

When I bought mine it was the only car I insisted on buying local enough to be able to test it first. I actually gave up looking for one, and then one turned up 20 miles away a couple of years later. I wasn't planning on buying it but as it was only 20 mins away I had a look, it drove perfectly and I bought it.

It has been faultless, with one exception, if the tank is sitting 1/3 full or less and I have been sat in traffic for an hour or so, when I hit the motorway and flaw it the EML light can come on. It shows an error on the NOX sensor when you scan it. It doesn't lose power or anything and it will go out on its own, in the States there was a software update to raise the threshold of when the NOX sensor monitoring gives an error, but obviously Mercedes UK know nothing about this.

But all in all a great car and only around 10% behind the E350cdi I had before it MPG wise which still amazes me.

 

[Savcom]

I have a 350 cgi, later 300hp model with the 7g+ 'box.
It is smooth as silk, but there are some issues with the earlier cars apparently.
One of the Merc techs at Norwich said they have had cgi cars that have had the issues you describe from day one and no matter what sensors and injectors they change they can't get rid of it.

Hi @gIzzE. Very interesting to read that! Maybe as you say, that's a 'feature' on the earlier models. OK - I'll pass on this one then and wait for another to turn up that I can test again.

Cheers