which model to choose?????

[paddy_murphy]

hi, im new to all this!!

Im thinking of buying a merecedes E320 cdi avantgarde 03/53. I hear all these different things about electrical probs and src pump or something, can anyone shed any light on probs and what i should be looking for as this is quite a lot of money for me to spend on a car and just want to get the right 1!!!!

any help greatly appreciated

thanks

russell

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

My father bought a 320cdi estate in 2003 collected from the factory, currently on around 125K he has had a broken spring and the rear load cover stopped closing on its own, coulple of parking sensors played up. Other than that nothing bar the normal servicing / tyres etc.

Car does 40 plus mpg on any journey, he's seen 60mpg !!!

No probs (touch wood) with the Brakes hold, I think his has self leveling but not the fancy adjustable suspension?

Great car, so good he hasn't found anything yet to swap it for.

 

[paddy_murphy]

oh right he's lucky or its only the bad bits you ever hear about!!!! its just when you read through reviews on the computer they all say about electrical probs or about the src pump!!! so that is brakes is it??? Sorry to seem so dense trying to find out as much as poss on this before i buy one. looking at it saturday!!!

cheers

 

[A210AMG]

I think the brake system is called SBC but I'm not sure its when you press it twice and it holds the car.

No I speak / see my dad regularly and we always talk cars, his has been great. Obviously check all the buttons work, no funny noises etc.

I think the springs cracking is fairly common, his did it while in europe and he limped (drove home @ 55mph = 60mpg)

Apart from the parking sensors and the rear load cover he's had no electrical issues.

 

[paddy_murphy]

yeah i guess the obvious thing to do is just try all electrics on it as you would on any test drive, don't know if theres anything else different on these cars to look for other than the usual??? its done 75k so you would hope its ok. all bar 1 service is merecdes or specialist the other is some garage!!!

cheers

 

[renault12ts]

Paddy. Forums do tend to attract the problems because people are looking for help. That does not mean that everyone has a problem.

I suggest that that for every one with a problem there are ten without. Inspect any car you are looking at in light of what you learn on here, that way you may avoid some of the problems you have read about.

 

[paddy_murphy]

Yeah I know but like when today I was Reading about these and they were saying bout a certain dodgy radiator, just makes u start to wonder how many probs these cars get, and it's a lot of money to be landed with dodgy 1!!!!!???!!!!

Cheers