Sweet spot of MB Diesel ownership

[JC220]

I was driving my (sort of) high miler 2007 w211 E220CDI today and was again thinking about how much it makes sense to have that car as a daily workhorse.

When I bought it about 5 years ago I was looking for 3 things for a MB diesel:

1: As highly optioned as possible
2: Service History
3: More Service History

At 219k miles the car is daily driven and returns 45mpg approx. The heated seats, air con etc all still function 100% and it is mega reliable never missing a beat.

There is a sweet spot of MB ownership here I think. Because you know every time you get into it, it will start and run flawless and do what its supposed to do. I could jump in it tomorrow and take it around Europe knowing it most likely will need nothing. It was paid off years ago so just needs DIY services, fuel and tyres to keep going.

I service it myself with Mobil 1 0W40 Turbo Diesel oil which it has always been ran on its whole life. Still on the original turbo and never uses a drip of oil between services. Well maybe 50 - 100ml top up per year but that's it.

High Mile MB diesels almost tend to get more reliable as they age - no kidding. Anything that would have failed electrical wise would have already been replaced by now and they tend to go on forever with minimal TLC. I have seen w211 diesels advertised for sale with 500k+ miles at times (Taxis)

And although I keep it clean and waxed I'm not bothered about parking in the local supermarket where if it were my 500E or similar I'd be panicking about dings!

So, long live the MB diesel daily driver. I intend to take this car to 300k miles minimum.

Do any other members daily a high mile MB diesel?

 

[gsxr]

My 1987 300D (OM603 turbo) was a semi-daily driver for years, currently has 330kmi (529kkm) on the clock. Original engine & trans, never rebuilt, although the trans has been re-sealed twice. I haven't been driving it as much lately but would like to finish a few projects and spend more time behind the wheel. Love that car...

 

[JC220]

My 1987 300D (OM603 turbo) was a semi-daily driver for years, currently has 330kmi (529kkm) on the clock. Original engine & trans, never rebuilt, although the trans has been re-sealed twice. I haven't been driving it as much lately but would like to finish a few projects and spend more time behind the wheel. Love that car...

Thats cool Dave I didn't take you for a diesel fan! I recall seeing upgrade photos on that car on your site. Keep racking up those miles!

 

[MB V8]

'92 300D 2.5L Turbo....bot about 3 years ago with 170k on the clock, now 201k. So reliable, great daily, alot faster than a non-diesel owner would think. I just keep working away at all the big & little projects that keep it on the road......injectors rebalanced/pop tested, new feed lines, new/used window motors, painted the cladding so the car is mono, tinted it. Black on beige, she looks sharp. Next up new flex discs.

But Gsxr has the real sweet spot of diesels with his '87 300D. Man the grunt from that car is sweet. Anybody contemplating going to the "coal roller side" take a look at the '87's.

 

[ace10]

GCFSB just wrote about a car that the US didn't get, yet is somehow registered here.

2001 Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI | German Cars For Sale Blog

Update 10/18/19: This unusual W220 sold for $7,090. I certainly didn’t expect to see this on U.S. soil. “This” is a 2001 Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI.

germancarsforsaleblog.com

2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 320 CDI - Turbo Diesel | eBay

Métallic light blue with clean ohio title. - To avoid any troubles or misunderstanding ! VIN ( WDB2200261A202562. - Exterior outdoor mirrors are éléctrically adjustable, but are NOT foldable. - 4 magwheels are in perfect condition ( like new ). ).

www.ebay.com

 

[JC220]

GCFSB just wrote about a car that the US didn't get, yet is somehow registered here.

2001 Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI | German Cars For Sale Blog

Update 10/18/19: This unusual W220 sold for $7,090. I certainly didn’t expect to see this on U.S. soil. “This” is a 2001 Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI.

germancarsforsaleblog.com

2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 320 CDI - Turbo Diesel | eBay

Métallic light blue with clean ohio title. - To avoid any troubles or misunderstanding ! VIN ( WDB2200261A202562. - Exterior outdoor mirrors are éléctrically adjustable, but are NOT foldable. - 4 magwheels are in perfect condition ( like new ). ).

www.ebay.com

We are swimming with those here. And they go cheap also. Like £1000 or so. Serious amount of car for the money. With fuel prices here (Diesel around £1.38 gbp per litre at the pump) large saloons suffer value wise. Sadly most of these get scrapped here and more often than not turn up at yards on their bump stops with trashed suspension etc

 

[Bogeyman]

I've written on here before about my '07 E320 Bluetec. 1 repair in 11 years of ownership and yes, I'd drive it anywhere tomorrow.
I also have an '87 300TDT that I don't drive daily but it's always there ready when I need it. 160K miles and all original engine/trans.
I actually came to Mercedes ownership through diesels as my Uncle had one when I was young.

 

[r44raven]

I've had various diesel MBs as daily drivers over the last 30 years.

My 2nd most favourite was, perhaps strangely, a 2.7 litre 5 cylinder W203 (not sure if you got those in the States?). It sounded a bit agriculture, but went like a train!

My all-time favourite was a 1990 W124 300D (non turbo) wagon. I put almost 400k miles on it during the 18 years I had it. I would still have it now, if it wasn't for the fact my local MB garage decided during a service, to refill the engine with Mobil One - instead of the "normal" mineral petrol engine oil. (Yep, surprisingly, the handbook recommended normal non turbo petrol engine oil!). Within 100 miles the engine was wrecked - bellowing blue/white smoke, and no compression on 2 cylinders. I swear it was the Mobil One that caused this, but the garage firmly denied it, saying that the Mobil oil met all the necessary criteria.

If I'd had the time, I would have stripped the engine and got an engineers report, but given the car's high mileage, I don't think I'd have got very far pursuing any claim. We just fitted a remanufactured engine. But for me the car was never the same, and I eventually moved it on.

I'm now running a W212 320cdi as my daily, currently on 200k and going strong!

Stephen.

 

[r44raven]

Thought I'd better clarify re my last post!

I'm fully aware of the merits of Mobil One - my newer Mercs run on it.

However, I just don't think that it's a good idea, with an engine that's done 400k miles on mineral oil, for it to suddenly have Mobil One poured down its throat!

Any thoughts, anyone?