Hey all, I have been looking for a car to replace my current daily driver and have considered purchasing an 03, 04 E class. The prices are right and they seem reliable and fuel efficient. My family has owned several Mercedes cars over the years and we've had nothing but good experiences with them (I learned how to drive on a merc ). So I'm just wondering what your experiences have been and would also like suggestions too if you have them. Thanks in advance everyone!

 

WELCOME to the forum!!
You can't go wrong with an e-class. Even if they need repair it's parts are considerably less than that of an S and you're right fuel economy is excellent for a sedan.
Good fit and finish, interior holds up well, great ride and plenty quick.

 

Hey mbz connexion! Is there anything I should look out for when purchasing one, like valve noise on a particular engine, tell tale signs of electrical problems, etc. I noticed that they have air suspension. I currently have an older Range Rover (eas removed) and a lot of the people I know have removed the air suspension because its a nuissance and usually expensive to service. Is this the case on the E class? One more thing, probably one of the more important things... How bad is insurance? lol

 

I have an '03 e320 and love it. Right, repairs are fairly inexpensive, but of course, that is if you find the right shop--not the dealers.

Not all have the air suspension and I have heard it is not that reliable. Be sure the SBC braking system has either been replaced or is in good working order. It was a major recall and is a $3K repair job. Dealer will take care of it and add 10 years to the warranty.

Fit and finish is great. I have over 100K miles on mine and have had to spend very little on repairs. Trunk is huge and guess what!? No unintended acceleration!!

Enjoy your new car if you get one!!

 

Well, thats nice to know parts are readily available roadyone. I do most of the work on my vehicles, mainly because its cheaper, that and I just don't trust mechanics to do the detailed job that is required on precision performance machines. On the LR side of things, we call the dealers the "stealers" I'm sure its the same on the Mercedes side of things . I refuse to take any of my cars to a dealership unless it is absolutely necessary. Btw, thanks for the insight regarding the EAS and braking system. I'll make sure to look out for that. I'm still just "looking" but right now the E class just make sense in comparison to other luxury brands.