Hi All, Thinking of replacing the A6 with a 2004 E320 wagon 4-matic that has 100K miles on it. (yes, 100K) What are the typical 100-150K issues with this car given good maintainece? Can a backyard mechanic that can do timing belts/bearing seals/starters/suspension partsect. in an Audi or VW be able to do maint. and repairs on this car?
Thanks in advance

 

I have an 2002 E320 Sport with 70,000 miles and it has been no trouble at all. They will run forever as long as you take are of them. As far as a 2004 with 100k on it, that seems very high for a car thats only a few years old.

 

If you pay any more then 24k you pay to much,for that much money you could buy two 2000 4 matics .both with fewer miles and rotate them daily!Or one sedan and one wagon!
Plus the 04 has quality issues,that lead to problems and your satisfaction with the make.
ohlord

 

Agreed- 30K a year is high, quite high. On the plus side I would have to assume this was a freeway car to make those kind of miles. While it probably doesn't matter to the drive train, the suspension and body like that better than the pot holes on surface streets.
Under $24K is my plan or I keep looking.
No "All motor mounts go at 120K" or something like that to alert me to? Are these 200K mile cars given great maintenance? Reccomended timing belt R&R interval?
What are the quality issues alluded to?
Thanks
Larry

 

No timing belt,it is a chain.They solved the early motor mount problems.The quality issues are generally with qc issues,parts breaking,falling off,trips to the dealer for lots of things that have made mercedes fall off the charts satisfaction wise.The last good years were up to about 01,they had issues also,but not the qc type that happended after the complete change over to cost control by chrysler corp
ohlord
If you are new to benz,pick up a cherry 1999-2001 low miles for 9-11 k and learn your way around the make.For that money you could get an 80000mile car and avoid the high mile problem of the one you are looking at.
As to life if taken care of,plenty of members with 200k plus and in germany where they use them as taxi cabs 300k miles is common.

 

If I really need to avoid 04 I will probably need to move on. The creature comforts that I think start in 04 (was there a redesign at this point?) and the "newerness" (if that is a word) are important to my wife, and this would be primarily her car to drive.(but mine to repair) I know Germans just drive like hell, but I drive with a coffee and need a place to put it when I do drive it.I have probably spilled 5 gallons of coffee in our Audi over the years. A cupholderseems to have appeared in 04.(very weak reason to choose a car, I know), and the solutions I've seen for adding them (floor mtd holders) don't work if you are 5'2" and have the seat ran way forward as my wife does.
As an aside, I am leaning toward looking for a lower mile 04 vehicle--found some in my state in the 60K mile range.
So, buying something older is probably not on the table. Does anyone want to tell me that while a 04 is not as good as a 01 (or any earlier year)it is still as reliable as an A6 or 525 or XC70? Remember, if all I wanted was reliability I would be on the Toyota forum but I don't want a nearly gaurenteed annual repair bill of 3K!!!!!
Cheers.
Larry

 

I am getting the feeling that you are looking for someone to agree with the 2004 purchase right or wrong.
I think if that is what you have your heart set on then that is what you should buy. We will all be here to cheer you on and offer repair advice when you need it.
Enjoy

 

It would definately be easier to decide if it was a "heart set on" issue. I must confess to wanting to round out my German auto experience (well my BMW ownership is the 2 wheel variety) with a Mercedes at some point, but it doesn't need to bethe daily driver this purchase would be. Justinterested in seeng if there is a good experience out there with 2004. I think the only wrong purchase is an uninformed one.
Cheers,
Larry

 

If you got your wife into an 2000 or early 01 in great shape,she would think it was a new car,would never want anything else again after driving it,and you would be up 12-14 grand large.Plus you would not be at the dealer every other week with ......what fell off this time..........
ohlord
I'm with Carolin,if you are set on it...........
00 and 99 and 01 had cup holders,just don't spill the coffee.

 

Hey 515- you must've put alot of miles on that Audi to be looking to trade it in for an '04 with 100K miles! I've got a newer A6 and absolutley love it. I'm just researchingthe various German forums in caseI get the urge some day to move on to a different/newer vehicle.To be honest the A6 serves as a good benchmark, and anythingI'd get would have to be as good or better than it. I think we all agree that the Germans treat cupholders as an afterthought; fact is we shouldbe driving and not drinking, jah?