2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E220 CDi SE 2.1 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Very nice so far
Faults:
Nothing so far. Full Mercedes history with this one. Do not touch these cars without full history and do your homework to avoid disasters.
General Comments:
Huge, metallic black traditional Mercedes E-Class saloon. Love this car so far.
Was told to stay away because "Mercedes from this time are not what they used to be", but the car feels very solid and exudes quality so far. I am not expecting it to be perfect (or cheap to fix) if something goes wrong, especially at the age and mileage, but if the car returns with generally good reliability over the next couple of years (I look after it well) then it will have been worth it; I got an amazing deal on this car, usually they are overpriced.
CDI SE model is common, and so is the engine and transmission setup (2.1 diesel automatic). It is both economical and powerful, so no wonder this is a popular choice. Fantastic to drive.
Really good looking car, original Mercedes alloy wheel are very nice.
Interior is as comfortable as it gets. Leather seats. Electric everything. All going well I hope to keep it a long time, very impressed so far.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 31st May, 2024
23rd Mar 2025, 21:51
Diesels and petrol engines are indeed much more complex due to ever stringent emissions regulations. But Mercedes definitely isn't built like they used to ("Engineered like no other car in the world"). My nephew bought a 2011 E-class, used, from a fleet owned by a doctor. Had the "conductor plate" issue happen. That conductor plate issue has been plaguing the 5G-tronic gearbox for nearly a decade, and you'd think buying the last of the bunch would have meant it's been sorted for good. An ex-Mercedes mechanic friend told me 15-20 years ago, you might have normal wear issues with an old Mercedes automatic gearbox, but never anything major; they were robust and never failed. The W204 C-class had long-running issues with the inside door handle design which needed the whole door car replaced. There is nothing complex about a cable and an inside door handle. Dacia can do it. That's not how Mercedes used to design and build cars.
20th Mar 2025, 15:26
It's not that Mercedes from this time are not what they used to be, it just comes from a time when cars (in particular diesels) were getting really complex and difficult and expensive to fix when things go wrong.
Add that to the fact it's a Mercedes and there you have it - a car people can afford to buy, tax fuel and insure relatively cheaply, but cannot stump up the cash come repair time due to being a premium brand on top of what may be an expensive repair to any car.
So they get rid of them at the first sign of any trouble and cars like this at this age sit on used car lots unsold for ages because people are afraid to touch them. But they are still a classic Mercedes and will provide a quality experience for the used buyer if you do your homework and get a good one. Same can be said for Audi, BMW, and so on.