1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 220 CDI Avantgarde 2.2 CDI
Summary:
A betrayal to Mercedes' great reputation. I'd rather drive my Citröen ZX
Faults:
The original CD player stopped working after 4 years.
The doors rusted around the rubber seals after 8 years.
The driver's side window mechanism has been replaced after 10 years. Now the switch needs replacement.
The paint on the switches wears badly; so much that they turn white in less than 10 years of (not much) use.
There was a huge fuel leak in the high-pressure part of the fuel system after a visit to the dealer about a worn clutch.
General Comments:
The car feels as heavy as it really is.
The suspension rolls and squats far too much for it to be a "sporting version".
The front seats were designed for fat people, so, they feel more like bench seats as a skinny occupant will slide around the leather seats.
Braking is good, but has failed at least once.
Fuel economy is very good for the weight of the car.
It doesn't drip, but it does burn a lot of oil.
The "self adjusting" headlights aim too near.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 12th March, 2009
13th Mar 2009, 15:31
You're complaining because you've manage to squeeze 250,000 km in ten years out of a 4-cylinder Mercedes with no mechanical breakdown? Everyone I know has had one electric window motor problem at least once in their cars within 10 years. And if all you're worried about is the paint on the power window button which doesn't last 10 years (but still functions), count yourself lucky. Mercedes had a bad reputation for the most of the '90s because of reliability problems.