Janis Joplin.

[pogweasel]

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

I currently have the mega horn for an older Merc. Ideally I fancy a W123 or 124, but obviously if it's for general domestic duties NCAP & airbags and associated safety twattery comes into playSpotted a '52 plate E320 wagon marked up at a non-shite budget of £3995... are these W210's really as dreadful as folk make out?? Because that still sounds like alot of motor for the moolah.Car sounds nice: 1 doctor owner, full history, jewish racing gold etc, so unlikely to be a total pup. Anyone have experience of these over & above german airpot taxis??

[Milford Cubicle]

I like the older MBs, but the newer ones seem to just trade on the over-engineered/reliable name in spite of being nothing of the sort.I'd love a 190 or W124.Having said all that, I'd hope by 2002 they'd have sorted out the W210's rot and built quality issues.

[ashmicro]

W210s even of that vintage can rot in the inner guards, rear arches and behind the rear bumper. Avoid sunroofed models.I know quite a few blokes who've used them as taxis, and the electrical system doesn't like all the extra electronic shit that tax drivers are wont to use - radios, meters, roof signs, built-in phone kits, aftermarket stereos, LCD tvs - you know the sort of thing I mean.

[j-j]

Old Mercs Rawk! get an oldie and forget all this sensible 90s nonsense.

[r.welfare]

Rust still affects 'em up until 2004, when M-B finally went to fully-galvanized metalwork across all the range.

[Cavcraft]

All of the above, and also the many ECU/sensor type problems that plague them need to be mentioned. They really can be a flipping nightmare.

[strangehighways]

I think the W210 is a nice looking car, but as already mentioned, so many of them have bodywork issues.I personally would get a late W124 (I'm sure they have airbags).

[meggersdog]

As above but also late 90's Mercs suffer with auto boxes in a Renault Clio type way.I have just sold a very nice 190e and over xmas a 300se.J and K plate both had ABS and airbags.The 124 series only really rusts on one or the other front wing just above the bumper.Later cars use Russian metal from the seventies (probably)

[r.welfare]

I think the problem with the new Merc/BMW slushpumps is they are supposedly "sealed for life", which means that the ATF turns to treacle after a while and destroys the internals.I understand the fluid can be changed but it's quite a faff, so if I plumped for one I'd be seeking a switched-on tech out to do so.

[meggersdog]

Yep very much so.I did once change the fluid on a C180.There is a steel panel with eleventy million bolts securing it and no drain plug.Very messy.Once removed replace the filter and gasket then fill with new ATF.Replacing the fluid and filter doesn't always work as often valves get clogged up.

[messerschmitt owner]

Yep very much so.I did once change the fluid on a C180.There is a steel panel with eleventy million bolts securing it and no drain plug.Very messy.Once removed replace the filter and gasket then fill with new ATF.Replacing the fluid and filter doesn't always work as often valves get clogged up.

I think I'd have bought a new steel panel, and welded a drain plug into it! Then fitted it with the eleventy million bolts

[Mike D]

W210's are ace Pog, I've got an E320 saloon as my daily and it's the business, fast, comfy, not that bad on fuel (low 20's round town, mid to high on a run)You need to watch for rust, but find a reasonable one and you're fine, the later E320's are V6, same as mine, it sounds lovely, oil changes will be expensive though, mine hold just over 9 litres!! If it clunks at the front going over bumps it'll be the anti roll bar drop links, easy job and for new links, all the bushes and brackets and new bolts from Merc it's just under 40 quid for the bits. Benz parts are pretty well priced. The estate is colossal, and will tow over 2 tons, my saloon will do 1900 so GR8 4 recovering tatGive me a shout if you want to know owt else:)

[Owain-328i]

I think the problem with the new Merc/BMW slushpumps is they are supposedly "sealed for life", which means that the ATF turns to treacle after a while and destroys the internals.I understand the fluid can be changed but it's quite a faff, so if I plumped for one I'd be seeking a switched-on tech out to do so.

Yes i know BMW have been using the 'sealed for life' ploy on its gearboxes and diffs since 1997. Just a marketing ploy they know it wont go bang until the warrantys well out.However the fluid is still easy to change on the sealed for life units, they still have fill and drain holes. However they dont use Dexron ATF fluids like the older boxes, they need some super expensive dealer only bum rape oil!