Used petrol Merc.

[fifthwheel]

Hi all, having had enough of M271 and potential OM651 engine aggro I am looking for advice re my next car.
We are looking for a car or estate petrol powered around 2015 to 2017. Class of car or engine size does not matter
we just want a bombproof engine if there is one. Thinking of defecting to Jap but asking here first. Thanks John.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Have you been spending too much time on the internet recently?

Toyota and Honda are more reliable, for sure, but what makes you think that the engines that power Mercedes Taxis comfortably up to a quarter or half a million miles, won't suit your needs?

What's really driving your change? Have you had a particularly unreliable car, or do you know someone who curses theirs?

 

[fifthwheel]

Have you been spending too much time on the internet recently?

Toyota and Honda are more reliable, for sure, but what makes you think that the engines that power Mercedes Taxis comfortably up to a quarter or half a million miles, won't suit your needs?

What's really driving your change? Have you had a particularly unreliable car, or do you know someone who curses theirs?

Can you tell me which petrol engine the taxi guys use that will last me 500,000 miles as this is the info I am looking for.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi all, having had enough of M271 and potential OM651 engine aggro I am looking for advice re my next car.
We are looking for a car or estate petrol powered around 2015 to 2017. Class of car or engine size does not matter
we just want a bombproof engine if there is one. Thinking of defecting to Jap but asking here first. Thanks John.

I’m sorry to hear of your past problems. Unfortunately it takes a while for a track record to establish and so buying a relatively new car means that you may not know what the future track record will be unless you deliberately buy a car with an engine at the end of it’s lifecycle.

Personally I would buy the car - and engine - which best suits your needs, and worry about common engine problems when you start to experience them. Alternatively, invest a little extra in a warranty to take the financial shock out of the situation should worst happen.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I dont think I've ever had any engine problems in any of my cars ever, apart from the old air-cooled vw engines I built myself.
I've been driving over 30 years

 

[MercedesDriver]

Here are my findings from my recent petrol engine market research.
You’ll struggle finding MB estate with petrol engine from that era unless you’re ready to go for AMG.
From VW group most of the petrol engines are either 1.4TSI or newer 1.5TSI, both with their own issues. A lot of issues reported online.
French, hmm, maybe Peugeot 1.6 litre petrol in 308 sw and 508 sw but it’s French.
Japs, to rugged for my taste so never looked at any.
I ended with Jaguar 2litre 250bhp petrol and so far very pleased.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I dont think I've ever had any engine problems in any of my cars ever, apart from the old air-cooled vw engines I built myself.
I've been driving over 30 years

I had a con rod detach itself and shoot through the side of the block on a 15-year old Morris Minor in 1968, so best to steer well clear of one of those. And talking of cylinder blocks, about 35 years ago I had a core plug leak on a 1970's Jaguar XJ6, so that's another one to avoid. I hope I'm not tempting fate in saying that in over 25 years of Mercedes ownership (all petrol cars) I've never experienced any engine problems.

 

[fifthwheel]

I have owned Mercedes cars for over fifty years and never had any problems until these last few years. W204 2011 M271 timing chain problems, same on an E class 2006. Replaced with 2011 W204 OM651 three years ago plenty of problems with this car and have recently learned the 651 engine is not the best. I have just repaired it for the last time and am selling before it lays an egg in the middle of the road. I appreciate all your replies but it seems I am going to struggle getting the car to suit me. Still waiting for a reply re the taxi engine cars. The shift away from diesel is as we are both retired and now dont do a lot of miles per year and the short runs we do would suit a petrol better.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have owned Mercedes cars for over fifty years and never had any problems until these last few years. W204 2011 M271 timing chain problems, same on an E class 2006. Replaced with 2011 W204 OM651 three years ago plenty of problems with this car and have recently learned the 651 engine is not the best. I have just repaired it for the last time and am selling before it lays an egg in the middle of the road. I appreciate all your replies but it seems I am going to struggle getting the car to suit me. Still waiting for a reply re the taxi engine cars. The shift away from diesel is as we are both retired and now dont do a lot of miles per year and the short runs we do would suit a petrol better.

Petrol powered taxis with high mileage will be thin on the ground. The closest you’ll find are probably chauffeur driven cars, where the owner insists on petrol, so an S500 for example - but most Executive hire will be diesel.

 

[E55BOF]

Japanese or South Korean for you, I'm afraid, if reliability is high on your list of requirements. Lexus and Toyota, even the hybrids, just don't break.

I was talking to Terry Gates yesterday, and apropos an owner of a five-year old E350E which has battery capacity down to 50% (main dealer's solution? Fit a new battery; £5500 + VAT to you, squire...) we happened to speak about this. His mechs fix cars for a living, and don't want to do it in their spare time as well; they have a Lexus and two Hondas.

 

[jdrrco]

Petrol W201s are known to run into the millions of miles.

Sometimes the best option is the car you already have. Even if you have spent a lot on it, at least you know the work has been done to your satisfaction. Any replacement could potentially have issues. With the car you have, you know what its history is.

 

[fifthwheel]

Petrol W201s are known to run into the millions of miles.

Sometimes the best option is the car you already have. Even if you have spent a lot on it, at least you know the work has been done to your satisfaction. Any replacement could potentially have issues. With the car you have, you know what its history is.

Funny you should mention the 190e I have an auto from 1990. Body in great condition I am temped to spend a couple of grand on it and run it. John.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Funny you should mention the 190e I have an auto from 1990. Body in great condition I am temped to spend a couple of grand on it and run it.

That makes a lot of sense. Inexpensive to maintain, inexpensive to repair, relatively robust, and relatively little dependency upon electronics.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I had a con rod detach itself and shoot through the side of the block on a 15-year old Morris Minor in 1968, so best to steer well clear of one of those. ..
I hope I'm not tempting fate in saying that in over 25 years of Mercedes ownership (all petrol cars) I've never experienced any engine problems.

Knighterrant: A man to my own heart.

In 750,000 miles of petrol engine driving, I spent £500 on new short engine in a 1979 VW Golf 1.1 after driving it 4,000 miles around Europe, four up, in the Summer of 1982. So, maybe steer clear of VW Golfs.

Can't remember any friend ever having had an issue with a petrol engined vehicle that needed serious work, or scrapping.

It would take too long to list the friends which have had problems and rebuilds with diesel engines but, in fairness, they've all been stupid people who bought diesels as local runabouts, rather than as commercial, long distance workhorses.

People scrap cars because they can't be bothered to maintain them, and because everything bar the engine plays up on them. Gearbox, clutch, bodywork, electrics, electronics, brakes, suspension, ventilation.

.

 

[fifthwheel]

That makes a lot of sense. Inexpensive to maintain, inexpensive to repair, relatively robust, and relatively little dependency upon electronics.

Ive been having a play this afternoon with the 190. The rear scuttle under the screen has a rusty mouse hole near the boot lid hinge. I think the screen will have to come out to make a proper repair. The engine sounds as quiet as it was when new but has an intermittent misfire, I will try new plugs and leads first. I might start a new thread if I get really serious about restoring the old girl.

 

[davymead]

Ive been having a play this afternoon with the 190. The rear scuttle under the screen has a rusty mouse hole near the boot lid hinge. I think the screen will have to come out to make a proper repair. The engine sounds as quiet as it was when new but has an intermittent misfire, I will try new plugs and leads first. I might start a new thread if I get really serious about restoring the old girl.

How could you go wrong. Anything you spend is surely money well spent, and you get to drive around in a cool as classic. Win win.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

If you don't trust the Germans any more, it's the Honda Accord Tourer.

Readily available in petrol form, and large enough to take wheelchairs in due course. (And, yes you will have friends and relatives with wheelchairs soon enough)

Reliable on all counts, not just the engines. People usually spend nothing on them beyond servicing.

Want something smaller? Buy a petrol engined Toyota Prius. Used all over the world and plenty of examples that have already done half a million miles. A million? Yes, that's already been done.

 

[Bellow]

Funny you should mention the 190e I have an auto from 1990. Body in great condition I am temped to spend a couple of grand on it and run it. John.

I went back in time (1999) to obtain the durability and simplicity with a petrol engine you are alluding to. I can change the serpentine belt on it with one tool and no dismantling in the time it took to type this sentence.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Lexus

 

[Smart320]

Toyota