W211 E220 or E270

[RidleyRumpus]

Looking at a cheap W211 Estate.

E220 with <120k FSH £2800

Or

E270 FSH 166K £1700

Both look nice, but the E220 is nicer. E270 has never failed an MOT, whereas the E220 has failed the last 5 despite FSH...

 

[jdrrco]

The 270 engine is a peach. Although not the quietest, especially on a cold start, but powerful and very economical. I regularly got over 50mpg from mine in a CLK and an E.

Both engines were very much tried and tested in many different models and in vans as well as cars and either one should be capable of over 250k miles without too much trouble.

Go to see both and make your own mind up based on condition and your personal preference.

 

[m80]

The 270 is pre facelift,
is the 220?

MOT stations vary in their style, What it fails on can be a big pointer toward a heavy life, or just a garage generating revenue. Was it Kwikbucks?

 

[Paulo1967]

I own a 220 cdi so may be slightly biased, but equally I have driven a 270. I too loved the character and shove of the 270 despite its agricultural feel on startup. The one I have driven was being used as a courtesy car by my local MB specialist, and was a well used example that had covered 163k. Once I got it onto the A14 it became quiet, refined and super comfortable. the 220 is for me the ideal engine because it will do 45-50 mpg on a long run, driven sensibly, yet it has plenty of power and torque for cruising. My criteria, as one of the other posters has mentioned, would be to go for the later one, especially if it is post facelift, simply due to the greater likelihood of early issues being sorted. As far as the MOT concerns go, it would depend on what it failed on, and whether this may also be an indicator of a careless owner that might conceal other issues.