I am looking at purchasing a 1997 or 1998 E class. How reliable are these cars? Any rod bending issues with the diesel version? Any a/c nightmares? Any tips will be appreicated.
Thanks

 

I've had a 1998 E300TD Automatic for about 1 year now. Its done 97k and apart from an intermittent starting problem from when I first bought it, has been superb. Surprisingly light on tyre wear, it uses about 1 ltr of oil every 6 months and does 32 mpg.
Servicing by MB is around £300 for a full service. Even a new battery - which is a monster, only costs about £100 fitted by MB. An outstanding ride, comparibly cheap to run and it looks fantastic! Good luck when buying, just ensure it has a FULL MB history.

Geoff

 

I have owned a '96 E320 for the past 3 years. The only problems that I've had were the window regulators. Replaced 3 out of 4 in that time. Burning out bulbs was another problem... Besides those minor issues I have found the car to be very reliable and inexpensive to operate. As long as you keep up on the maintenance you should be very happy. Just acouple of weeks ago I traded in my trusty '96 for '01. I have noticed the gas milage is better in the V6. I was getting 20 mpg. on the average with the I6, as compared to 24 mpg. in the V6. Good luck.

 

I have had my 98 turbo diesel for over a year and I love it. It has 134k on it and is very tight. I've been very fortunate with repairs and haven't had any major issues. I love the gas mileage. I get 25 mpg with local driving and on the highway it gets 32 to 36 mpg. I couldn't imagine not having the turbo.
Jon