My face-lift S212 E220 has done 256k miles. Absolutely love it. Everything works. In my 3 year ownership (2nd owner), I've replaced alternator, thermostat and front drop links. I've also kept up with gearbox services. It's had about 3 or 4 gearbox services. It's just developed a horrible knock on rough surfaces so it's going in next week for new control arms, ball joints, shocks and top mounts. I'm also lowering it 25mm while I'm at it. Engine wise, I service mine twice a year. I will also replace my diff oil come next service. Happy motoring.
What a legend.Honestly the knowledge sam has & to the detail he goes when troubleshooting. customers that come to him are so fortunate. I would literally drive 3 hrs down to SPR just book my car with them.
Proof If you maintain your car and complete the regular services this can be the result....oh and a cracking garage like SPR, thanks really look forward to your videos.
I've got a 2010 W212 2.2 estate on 160k miles. Had it for almost 3 years and 40k miles. So far apart from a coolant pipe replacement and routine services it has never let me down. This video was great as I intend to keep my Merc for a long time - I don't want an EV or a hybrid!
My s212 E250 petrol (m274) has only done 43k - 9 yrs old - it doesn’t miss a beat - so far always serviced every year by MB, clean MOTs, clean MB health checks, only item beyond the standard service schedule (ignoring disc and pads) has been the gearbox mount, which wasn’t expensive. It had an A service last week, with another clean health check.
Om611 Engine Mercedes Vito MK1 W638. Millage is 142,789. I've Just Changed Original Water pump, Radiator,InterCooler and All The Gaskets on The Inlet Manifold with Elring Gaskets.Changed Copper Washers on injectors, Made a Shortened Straight Pipe off The Turbo Done a Service and Had a Remap. Runs Like Its Brand New Still. Coming up to 25 Years Old. You Can't Beat Mercedes Engineering 🙌🙌
I have a 2011 w212 E350 Cdi OM642/265hp Bought it at 170000km, have now 256000km. In 4 years it has cost me 815€/y in maintenance including tyres. It has cost 1176€/y in fixing the car, mainly DiY including 4 corners airmatic suspension replacement. No oil cooler leak, no injector problem. So it is around 200€ per months all included, 9c€/km
200.000 miles is absolutely NOTHING. In Scandinavia we have W212 and early W213 diesel taxis that have one million kilometers on the clock. And still running. Volvo V70 is another car that can handle absolutely insane mileages.
I’ve been in a w124 taxi in Berlin that had covered 1.4m km. The driver said he’d had one gearbox rebuild and two new drivers seats and that was about it. Halcyon days, before MB dropped the quality so the Mondeo man could become the C class man I guess.
@@guy4469,,Unfortunately we have gone backward in common sense when it comes to car manufacturing today,,,There not cars anymore,,There computers that we sit in ,,With a hundred useless gadgets that we don’t need any of,,,we now allow car makers to put software in the cars we buy with our money that spy’s on us and records and watches us,,And all this information ,,,,,Our private conversations are then sold to third party’s ,,Like the insurance company’s that extort us for car insurance each year,,,,,Some of this information is passed to the police or government who keep files on us,,,,,Most cars from the late 90s early 2000s if looked after would go 3 or 400k miles or more,,,Now people think 200k miles is to be applauded,,How sad….
SUPERB VIDEO FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THEIR CAR. Just what I wished for having subscribed to your channel.I have a pre facelift S212 250cdi purchased at 66K in December 2014. I immediately took it to our local Mercedes Specialists and have had everything done including the rear differential oil and the special filter for the rear compressor. Watch the Swedish blokes channel devoted to the W212. Whilst various sensors and some of the issues mentioned have required fixing that unfortunately is ubiquitous for ALL modern cars. Unlike my 1993 190E owned from almost new. Personally I consider this W212 series better than previous post W124 E Class and more recent models both for quality and reliability post W124 and 2013 E Classes subsequently. It is still modern but not overloaded with unnecessary technology as are later models. Those will really cost. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEOS. IT DEMONSTRATES UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT TAKING YOUR CAR TO A REPUTABLE SPECIALIST AND TAKING THEIR ADVICE WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR CAR LASTS,.👍🏻🏴
Should be 2017. Personally much prefer the pre facelift. Originals are generally best as regards styling. The 4 headlight made it unique unlike the indistinguishable subsequent styling. Same with my 19 94 Volvo 850 petrol Porsche designed 5 cylinder engine estate owned from new and better than the mid-life 97 restyled V70 in many respects. Still capable of driving to the North Cape in Norway and back in winter. Watch the TH-cam 850 Road trip by young Dutch lads. 👍🏻🏴
Watching a workshop channel and being turned off by faults is like visiting a hospital and figuring that human beings are faulty by design due to their many ailings. Also, many Mercs that come into workshops have been bought for relatively cheap or very cheap and are then being neglected because the owner thought that maintenance costs were extortionary, oblivious to the fact that maintaining a high-end luxury car is never cheap, no matter the age. Most Mercs are very good cars that just depend on proper maintenance.
Customer had the exact same car from a taxi, serviced with me from new, 200k brand new chain, lasted all the way up until 450k. Rebuilt the engine and lasted till 700k, then finally got rid. Just goes to show when you maintain the car perfectly, issues will be very slight.
Replaced my engine/trans mounts and it transformed the car. I still believe I have far too much noise transfer into the cabin, so slowly working my way through suspension parts until i solve it...good old c class.
I'd love a decent merc specialist like this near me. The nearest wouldn't even help me buy some gear oil for my clk, finding a good garage is hard. The reason I sold it.
As you said it pays to maintain the car. I ran a Mercedes 190 being a D registration with around 15,000 miles when purchased to over 200,000 when traded in with issues similar to what you have highlighted. I used a known Mercedes Specialist to do most of the work after the 12 Month Guarantee provided by the selling BMW dealer. I can only agree with your comments as I then ran a 1997 C Class Estate 2.4 which I ran up to around 190,000 miles and that ran well apart from a Air Conditioning Pump screaming at me but that was solved quickly by turning the air conditioning off. You only benefit if you service them properly and carry out preventative maintenance as you go along. Mercedes cars are not cheap but when you compare what they have and go to compare you end up asking why that is not there and sticking with a Mercedes.
I have a W213 E220D Estate. I pay for the service club and have it serviced at the main dealer and I also have the extended warranty . However it doesn't cover oil seals and I had a £900 bill to reseal the diff this year. 😒 As the car gets older I think I'll start to use a specialist, and forego the service club / warranty fees. I also like the W212 , I wouldn't mind a 3 Litre diesel estate. Do you find much difference between the 212 and 213 Sam ? Keep the videos coming, they're really interesting.
Love watching your video's , I called as I have a vito campervan and need my gearbox and diff oil n filters doing but was told you are no longer doing vito's (Gutted) Your experience , professionalism and what comes over for me is you can tell that you know what your talking about . Great down to earth content , thanks and contine with keeping it real 👍
to help keep car in good condition, use the approved oils by main manufacturers, their premium versions. Mobil, Castrol and shell etc, full synthetic, very high resistance to breaking down. Also the genuine oils are also very good
I've got a 2009 build non stop start port injected W212 S350 wagon. So far only 92,000Km - 57,000 miles. Been Dealership serviced all its life. I'm now into age related issues rather than pure mechanical stuff. Big stuff - Airbags replaced at dealership for free because of 10 year warranty. Problems with electronic part of the transmission which entailed a $3500 fix. (70,000 Km at the time). Air cushion seats are playing up - there's a leak. Air pump constantly operating - I'll need this fixed before the air pump burns out I'm now into replacing plastic parts because they're going hard. DIY as much as I can. Tailgate struts need doing. Battery because of "Smart" battery sensor never fully charges. Time to disconnect it. Tyres wear out on the insides at the rear. Lucky to get 25,000 Km's before the very inside of the tyres show canvas. Car drives beautifully - better than my W213 e220d sedan. Biggest issue is the fuel economy. Around town it's woeful. Woe is me for not buying a diesel but this car was a great opportunity at the time. Great car. I'd rather sell the 2018 W213 which only has 50,000Km's than the W212
My s class is still running great with om642 engine with 370,000 miles , done alternator,water pump same chain and tensioner , I had a 212 model put 250k on it sold before chain started to rattle, I change my oils with 229.52 regularly , I also did water pump on the 212, my vehicles do mainly motorway miles- had rear bags done -Great channel 👍
I think the lack of suspension issues is down to the drivers being more sensible in these whereas a and c class drivers are often driving like they are on fire
Great video. I want to take my cars to you for servicing. I’m like you - give the customer value for money. Even if it means they have to bite the bullet and have a timing chain done. I’m now servicing my own R171 because I can’t trust any of the garages around.
Just watched this..Love the channel. The maintenance cost on that car works out to something like 7 pence per mile. And, it drives like a Mercedes, not a banger. Good value for money in my opinion.
Great informative honest video. I upgraded from a W124 (S124) old school classic 300D to a W212 estate with the 3L V6 Diesel engine and love it. I like the extra horsepower. Car bought with 170k on clock and now has 180k full MBZsh . Last owner sorted the rear suspension plus it had new pads discs all round when I got it. So it's cost me very little to run over the last year apart from the two oil changes and an inlet/outlet sensor. Have you done a video on this engine? Also the 350 petrol engine of same era? I've always changed engine oil and filters every 5k no matter what books say. Gearbox oil too every 30k.
Any car, if you take good care of it, it will serve you well. But I still believe MB still builds the best cars. Even Toyota is feeling the affects of poor decisions today, MB is not without those as well.
Nathan, thanks for bringing up the exhaust clamp my E220 Bluetec 2016 19000 mile coupe nearly killed me last year, luckily the clamp let go and the exhaust separated as I was pulling away from a junction, if it had done it at high speed the whole rear or the car would have gone up in the air as the exhaust dug into the road. Green Flag guy had never seen such a corroded bolt or what was left of it in the clamp on such a low mileage and new Merc and said I had been lucky(Previous owner and myself dont use it over the winter). Please check them, complete Merc history and had an MOT 9 months before. Please check them whenever they are serviced. What was Merc thinking, my much maligned 2015 Insignia has done 96k and the clamps are fine and would come off if asked and used all year. I have kept the bolt as a reminder to get them checked. Great channel thankyou
Yep 50 to 60 a week is what i budgeted for for all my high mileage workhorses (vw mostly), there like part of you after the 250000 mile mark . its bodywork issues or a part that's no longer worth the effort that always finish mine off. Great garage you have with modest staff ! So on top of that would be insurance and tax . No vehicle is `cheep` anymore.
Got an 02 S60 D5 approaching 250k, original clutch just starting to slip at low revs high torque (of which it has plenty!). We've put 200k miles on it in 20 years, serviced properly when needed. Try and use OEM if available. In our ownership: front struts, intercooler, pas rack + pump and the usual dash fault are the only things outside normal wear and tear items. About £1k a year to keep it on the road has been excellent value for money. We agreed we'd keep it until it died and hopefully it will do another 10 years before parts availability consigns it to the recyclers. W205 currently and A251 previously are/have averaged about the same cost per year. Look after well-engineered cars and they keep going.
Unfortunately manufacturers have extended the production numbers before replacing tooling. This has been highlighted with the production of chains where manufacturers have increased the number they produce before replacing the link tooling hence the tolerances are in some cases very poor even when new. All in the name of cost saving rather than customer service.
Great information video Sam. £14k for 200k of servicing sounds very acceptable to me. I love your videos they are presented in such a clear and concise way with great close up shots to show the issues being dealt with. 👍😎
Hi new to your channel and subscribed immediately. I have the same model you have commented on but 2011 plate. Well maintained through out from dealership to local garage . Very few problems until this year @125k miles. MB replaced rear subframe, foc but had to go to local garage for rear brake pipes and air bags and compressor.. but I love the car so have reinvested as I only do very low mileage. My last car was a vectra 2.2cdi. Passed it through family and it died at 225k. RUST! Look forward to watching the rest of your vids.😊
£14k for a fully maintained car and 207k miles, based on the jobs you did which are beyond the scope of a competent and inclined self maintainer the total is probably about half that =£7k. A rough estimate at 45MPG on average over that mileage is about £30K spent on fuel which puts the cost of ownership into perspective.
Nice w124, maybe a 300TD, could be a 280TE. The 280 & 300 had the Premium bigger Headlights as far as I know. I usec to have the w124/200 (non-injection and 4 Speed Manual, was amazingly nice for a Merc Manual! Nice Vid, thanks.
Good one Sam,as you say maintenance is the key for longevity ✅ Almost applies to us humans and I had Bilateral lung replacement,and that was in 2021 and doing ok,but alas I have the final round(9) of Chemo tomorrow ✅ Cheers. Sam Frank
@@frankirvine316 Frank send me an email with your address, i have some Large hoodys left from a prevous competition we did, i would like to send you one. sprautos@gmail.com
I have one so very interested in your advice as mine is going in for a health check in a couple of weeks it’s done 130k with full service history Thanks for another great video
Personally, mine has 250,000ish kilometers, and I have paid a fortune in keeping it like new.. However, it's been serviced by Mercedes except for a radiator flush, A/C recharge, and rear airbag springs. I have also had the bumpers and rocker panels repainted as 'necessary.'' I am now going to a DIY with professional assistance place, so the maintenance prices are going to go down 75%. No more 500 euro brake jobs or 500 euro oil and filter changes.
Mine is a S204 , same engine , owned since 5k miles / face lift dealer demo in 2012 and now 150k miles up. 3 gearbox services (40k, 90k , 130k miles, ) , LED indicator module replaced in OS door mirror (60k miles) Clock spring ( 90k miles) , low boost pressure (95k miles) , both anti roll bars (105k miles) water pump, (128k miles) dpf sensor (136k miles ), new battery (139 k miles) , osf control arm (142k miles) , fuel filter replaced twice, air filter ever 20k miles ..... rocker cover gasket is now leaking and needs replacing , and I'm listening out for any timing chain rattle on start up but so far so good and is quiet as a mouse as I have been doing my own oil /filter changes from 90k miles up every 5-8k miles with correct products purchased directly from the 'stealership' . Rear sub frame still appears to be ok and some surface rust starting to show on rear brake pipes noted at last MOT in Feb ( 142k miles). Some wear on driver's seat bolster and electric motor on driver seat no longer working. It all paid for and i dont owe any finance on it , bought for £28k and is worth £5k now (probably less) but the utility value to me is worth so much more. It still looks smart and gives me 55 mpg on my daily 86 miles round trip commute mostly motorway . I am fine to keep spending on it when I compare to the cost of depreciation and finance charges if i was to buy a newer model
P.S I used to own a S124 / E220 from new in 1994 , sold it 9 years ago with > 200k miles and it is still showing on the DVLA web site with a current MOT at 260k miles - they don't build them like that anymore 😀
Miss my W212 Facelift, was such a good car, had to sell it when I moved to France as we needed the funds, got a S210 OM606 now, also great but not a patch on the W212.
Loved my 212 estate, much better than more recent models. One issue I had which I was told was a common fault was that both rear suspension top mounts broke - made of aluminium which oxidised, degraded and shattered at around 4 years and 50k miles. Have you experienced that?
High mileage cars that are just cruising on the motorway all day sitting there at 2,000 RPM are not highly stressed so can carry the miles easily. It's not like a taxi.
Love you're videos very educational. I'm in California own a E55amg do most maintenance work myself and love you're while you're in there love the stock E55 would like to hear your thoughts on smaller supercharger pulleys
Your videos are interesting to watch and are quite informative. I’d like to know your opinion on these OM651 engines compared to OM648. Some time in the future I will need to replace my W211 inline 6 CDI with something. My concern is that 651s are more sensitive to how earlier owners maintained it.
Really enjoying your channel, everything about it, you re too critical about your delivery and presentation, don't change a thing ! I do have 2 questions, as a Benz tech myself (mechanic since 1991) though only on Classic Mercedes cars, we would never replace just 1 shock. Always springs and shock in pairs, what is your opinion on that ? Also on the CLK C209 you did for JJ when replacing the front suspension arms I always torque them with the weight on the car. Really enjoying the diverse models and jobs you did and the way it's done so thoroughly !
Pairs is always recommend, depends on customers wallet really. We give them the option. Airmatic always pair. Yea it went on the 4 post for tracking were we can redo the torque with weight on.
Great video! If you have a chance sometime, would love to see how M264 C class belt is changed. Repair manual I have (alldatadiy) states to drain coolant and remove intercooler. Wondered if there’s a way around that for when I replace it. Nearing 90k miles now on my 2019. Btw hello from Oklahoma 🇺🇸
Good to see Stk MB local expert garage review on the E class 220 cdi as this & C class most popular models…as I’ve been looking for a while at getting a c220 cdi estate as is it same engine I’m assuming?? Similar things to look out for?? 🧐👀👍🏼
I love to see high mile late model Mercs, we all know the older 123's and 124's last but its nice to see later 211 and 212's In my humble opinion the 212 was the peak of all Mercedes E-class cars, after that they all kinda melted into unreliable blobs...
Will Merc replace the rear subframe FOC even if it hasn't broke yet? The rotten rear subframe problem on most Merc models from 2012-2022 is putting me off their used vehicles
I was considering buying an SL till Sam announced that he wasn't taking any new customers. Don't think I'd trust anyone else to look after a Mercedes-Benz.
Another question - the Bluetec versions of the diesels. My specialist told me to stay clear of them as long as possible - both the mercedes guy and the Citroen guy ( I run a Citroen too and have for 40 yrs) Adblue - is system flawed as it's made out to be?
My 1999 bmw E38, 728i is on 200,000 miles now ive had it 6 years its as quiet as an EV. i have it serviced every 6000 miles At a specialist near me only realy does BMW . I had the vanos done and other bits water pump viscouse fan pipes and belts its lush and its peppermint green and its mint like realy mint. its well known in manchester. if it ever blows up i will have another lump put in it and carry on .I can get another Engine for £350 all day just labour costs .
Would a person do well by addressing the cosmetic issues and then drive it until it wears out? Obviously this particular car is exceptional. it makes me think there might be great value in dressing the car up.
we had a vito with the cdi engine it was a taxi it had oil and filters etc every 12 weeks it was a hard woriking vito did just over 5===== before we sold it
There are two kind of Mercedes driver's, the true and faithful and will look after and do what is needed to keep there car or the road, and expect a bill of some kind when needed, then there's the badge hunters, looks great on the drive, look what I'm driving in the pub, then when it come to looking after them there not interested, and when something needs major money because they have missed the service's they sell it and pass the problem onto someone else..... in my opinion.... could be wrong.... don't think so... people today what all the bells & whistles but are not prepared to pay for it.... 200K+ just getting started.... makes my 18,500k on my 5yr old look very weak, but has never missed a service or any work needed, I may add...
My local specialist said is a big chance to need 4 new injectors if they’ll change the rocker cover gasket on one of these engines. Is that something that happens often?
We change loads, never happens to me. I believe the early 651 engines yes which all got recalled and swapped for better injectors. So those injectors should be long gone.
My face-lift S212 E220 has done 256k miles. Absolutely love it. Everything works. In my 3 year ownership (2nd owner), I've replaced alternator, thermostat and front drop links. I've also kept up with gearbox services. It's had about 3 or 4 gearbox services.
It's just developed a horrible knock on rough surfaces so it's going in next week for new control arms, ball joints, shocks and top mounts. I'm also lowering it 25mm while I'm at it.
Engine wise, I service mine twice a year. I will also replace my diff oil come next service.
Happy motoring.
What a legend.Honestly the knowledge sam has & to the detail he goes when troubleshooting. customers that come to him are so fortunate. I would literally drive 3 hrs down to SPR just book my car with them.
I don't own a Mercedes or live anywhere near Stockport but I would be absolutely privileged if my mechanic was as thorough as Sam and team.
Proof If you maintain your car and complete the regular services this can be the result....oh and a cracking garage like SPR, thanks really look forward to your videos.
I've got a 2010 W212 2.2 estate on 160k miles. Had it for almost 3 years and 40k miles. So far apart from a coolant pipe replacement and routine services it has never let me down. This video was great as I intend to keep my Merc for a long time - I don't want an EV or a hybrid!
Great video I owned a w124 300d bought very cheap because 360k miles understressd truck engine the glory days of merc
My s212 E250 petrol (m274) has only done 43k - 9 yrs old - it doesn’t miss a beat - so far always serviced every year by MB, clean MOTs, clean MB health checks, only item beyond the standard service schedule (ignoring disc and pads) has been the gearbox mount, which wasn’t expensive. It had an A service last week, with another clean health check.
Om611 Engine Mercedes Vito MK1 W638. Millage is 142,789. I've Just Changed Original Water pump, Radiator,InterCooler and All The Gaskets on The Inlet Manifold with Elring Gaskets.Changed Copper Washers on injectors, Made a Shortened Straight Pipe off The Turbo Done a Service and Had a Remap.
Runs Like Its Brand New Still.
Coming up to 25 Years Old.
You Can't Beat Mercedes Engineering 🙌🙌
Great mileage out of this car with very little that has gone wrong in 207k miles.
Great video as usual. Thanks
I have a 2011 w212 E350 Cdi OM642/265hp
Bought it at 170000km, have now 256000km. In 4 years it has cost me 815€/y in maintenance including tyres. It has cost 1176€/y in fixing the car, mainly DiY including 4 corners airmatic suspension replacement.
No oil cooler leak, no injector problem.
So it is around 200€ per months all included, 9c€/km
200.000 miles is absolutely NOTHING. In Scandinavia we have W212 and early W213 diesel taxis that have one million kilometers on the clock. And still running. Volvo V70 is another car that can handle absolutely insane mileages.
I’ve been in a w124 taxi in Berlin that had covered 1.4m km. The driver said he’d had one gearbox rebuild and two new drivers seats and that was about it. Halcyon days, before MB dropped the quality so the Mondeo man could become the C class man I guess.
yes morocco and in berlin i know a few 300D that are on 800,000 miles .
@@guy4469,,Unfortunately we have gone backward in common sense when it comes to car manufacturing today,,,There not cars anymore,,There computers that we sit in ,,With a hundred useless gadgets that we don’t need any of,,,we now allow car makers to put software in the cars we buy with our money that spy’s on us and records and watches us,,And all this information ,,,,,Our private conversations are then sold to third party’s ,,Like the insurance company’s that extort us for car insurance each year,,,,,Some of this information is passed to the police or government who keep files on us,,,,,Most cars from the late 90s early 2000s if looked after would go 3 or 400k miles or more,,,Now people think 200k miles is to be applauded,,How sad….
£166 per month for servicing and i would guess its never let him down. Pretty good for any car
SUPERB VIDEO FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THEIR CAR. Just what I wished for having subscribed to your channel.I have a pre facelift S212 250cdi purchased at 66K in December 2014. I immediately took it to our local Mercedes Specialists and have had everything done including the rear differential oil and the special filter for the rear compressor. Watch the Swedish blokes channel devoted to the W212.
Whilst various sensors and some of the issues mentioned have required fixing that unfortunately is ubiquitous for ALL modern cars.
Unlike my 1993 190E owned from almost new. Personally I consider this W212 series better than previous post W124 E Class and more recent models both for quality and reliability post W124 and 2013 E Classes subsequently. It is still modern but not overloaded with unnecessary technology as are later models. Those will really cost. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEOS. IT DEMONSTRATES UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT TAKING YOUR CAR TO A REPUTABLE SPECIALIST AND TAKING THEIR ADVICE WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR CAR LASTS,.👍🏻🏴
Should be 2017. Personally much prefer the pre facelift. Originals are generally best as regards styling. The 4 headlight made it unique unlike the indistinguishable subsequent styling. Same with my 19 94 Volvo 850 petrol Porsche designed 5 cylinder engine estate owned from new and better than the mid-life 97 restyled V70 in many respects. Still capable of driving to the North Cape in Norway and back in winter. Watch the TH-cam 850 Road trip by young Dutch lads. 👍🏻🏴
Watching a workshop channel and being turned off by faults is like visiting a hospital and figuring that human beings are faulty by design due to their many ailings. Also, many Mercs that come into workshops have been bought for relatively cheap or very cheap and are then being neglected because the owner thought that maintenance costs were extortionary, oblivious to the fact that maintaining a high-end luxury car is never cheap, no matter the age. Most Mercs are very good cars that just depend on proper maintenance.
Customer had the exact same car from a taxi, serviced with me from new, 200k brand new chain, lasted all the way up until 450k. Rebuilt the engine and lasted till 700k, then finally got rid. Just goes to show when you maintain the car perfectly, issues will be very slight.
Replaced my engine/trans mounts and it transformed the car. I still believe I have far too much noise transfer into the cabin, so slowly working my way through suspension parts until i solve it...good old c class.
Great video. They are a handsome car, although I was distracted by the W123 TE on the ramp in the background…
😂
I'd love a decent merc specialist like this near me. The nearest wouldn't even help me buy some gear oil for my clk, finding a good garage is hard. The reason I sold it.
Fantastic video, Sam. Can you do one of these on a W213 Estate with OM654 engine please?
As you said it pays to maintain the car. I ran a Mercedes 190 being a D registration with around 15,000 miles when purchased to over 200,000 when traded in with issues similar to what you have highlighted. I used a known Mercedes Specialist to do most of the work after the 12 Month Guarantee provided by the selling BMW dealer. I can only agree with your comments as I then ran a 1997 C Class Estate 2.4 which I ran up to around 190,000 miles and that ran well apart from a Air Conditioning Pump screaming at me but that was solved quickly by turning the air conditioning off. You only benefit if you service them properly and carry out preventative maintenance as you go along. Mercedes cars are not cheap but when you compare what they have and go to compare you end up asking why that is not there and sticking with a Mercedes.
I have a W213 E220D Estate. I pay for the service club and have it serviced at the main dealer and I also have the extended warranty . However it doesn't cover oil seals and I had a £900 bill to reseal the diff this year. 😒 As the car gets older I think I'll start to use a specialist, and forego the service club / warranty fees. I also like the W212 , I wouldn't mind a 3 Litre diesel estate. Do you find much difference between the 212 and 213 Sam ? Keep the videos coming, they're really interesting.
Don’t go to the dealers
Love watching your video's , I called as I have a vito campervan and need my gearbox and diff oil n filters doing but was told you are no longer doing vito's (Gutted) Your experience , professionalism and what comes over for me is you can tell that you know what your talking about . Great down to earth content , thanks and contine with keeping it real 👍
Thank you, and yes we’re stopping vans.
Glad you’re enjoying plenty more to come. All the best
A very popular car among cab drivers especially Uber in London
to help keep car in good condition, use the approved oils by main manufacturers, their premium versions. Mobil, Castrol and shell etc, full synthetic, very high resistance to breaking down. Also the genuine oils are also very good
Agreed. I would also recommend Total Quartz 9000 as it’s MB229.5 approved and compliant 😊
I've got a 2009 build non stop start port injected W212 S350 wagon. So far only 92,000Km - 57,000 miles. Been Dealership serviced all its life. I'm now into age related issues rather than pure mechanical stuff.
Big stuff - Airbags replaced at dealership for free because of 10 year warranty. Problems with electronic part of the transmission which entailed a $3500 fix. (70,000 Km at the time).
Air cushion seats are playing up - there's a leak. Air pump constantly operating - I'll need this fixed before the air pump burns out
I'm now into replacing plastic parts because they're going hard. DIY as much as I can.
Tailgate struts need doing.
Battery because of "Smart" battery sensor never fully charges. Time to disconnect it.
Tyres wear out on the insides at the rear. Lucky to get 25,000 Km's before the very inside of the tyres show canvas.
Car drives beautifully - better than my W213 e220d sedan.
Biggest issue is the fuel economy. Around town it's woeful. Woe is me for not buying a diesel but this car was a great opportunity at the time.
Great car. I'd rather sell the 2018 W213 which only has 50,000Km's than the W212
My s class is still running great with om642 engine with 370,000 miles , done alternator,water pump same chain and tensioner , I had a 212 model put 250k on it sold before chain started to rattle, I change my oils with 229.52 regularly , I also did water pump on the 212, my vehicles do mainly motorway miles- had rear bags done -Great channel 👍
Is that a w222?
That’s great going. Keep the miles rolling
Really good video, and honestly for the price he paid for all these years of service to do 200k miles, it's money well spent.
I think the lack of suspension issues is down to the drivers being more sensible in these whereas a and c class drivers are often driving like they are on fire
Great video. I want to take my cars to you for servicing. I’m like you - give the customer value for money. Even if it means they have to bite the bullet and have a timing chain done. I’m now servicing my own R171 because I can’t trust any of the garages around.
Fantastic delivery as always, Sam.
Thanks for the video mate. About to switch from A4 to an W212 E class so now I know what to look out for
Just watched this..Love the channel. The maintenance cost on that car works out to something like 7 pence per mile. And, it drives like a Mercedes, not a banger. Good value for money in my opinion.
That is great value for the mileage and reliability the customer has enjoyed. Well done to SPR & a savvy owner getting the best from their Mercedes.
Great informative honest video. I upgraded from a W124 (S124) old school classic 300D to a W212 estate with the 3L V6 Diesel engine and love it. I like the extra horsepower. Car bought with 170k on clock and now has 180k full MBZsh . Last owner sorted the rear suspension plus it had new pads discs all round when I got it. So it's cost me very little to run over the last year apart from the two oil changes and an inlet/outlet sensor.
Have you done a video on this engine? Also the 350 petrol engine of same era?
I've always changed engine oil and filters every 5k no matter what books say. Gearbox oil too every 30k.
Any car, if you take good care of it, it will serve you well. But I still believe MB still builds the best cars. Even Toyota is feeling the affects of poor decisions today, MB is not without those as well.
Merc should be paying you for this analysis. Worth at least £90-100k for their engineering design team.
Nathan, thanks for bringing up the exhaust clamp my E220 Bluetec 2016 19000 mile coupe nearly killed me last year, luckily the clamp let go and the exhaust separated as I was pulling away from a junction, if it had done it at high speed the whole rear or the car would have gone up in the air as the exhaust dug into the road. Green Flag guy had never seen such a corroded bolt or what was left of it in the clamp on such a low mileage and new Merc and said I had been lucky(Previous owner and myself dont use it over the winter).
Please check them, complete Merc history and had an MOT 9 months before. Please check them whenever they are serviced. What was Merc thinking, my much maligned 2015 Insignia has done 96k and the clamps are fine and would come off if asked and used all year. I have kept the bolt as a reminder to get them checked.
Great channel thankyou
I will let him know, we change them all the time.
Yep 50 to 60 a week is what i budgeted for for all my high mileage workhorses (vw mostly), there like part of you after the 250000 mile mark . its bodywork issues or a part that's no longer worth the effort that always finish mine off. Great garage you have with modest staff ! So on top of that would be insurance and tax . No vehicle is `cheep` anymore.
Got an 02 S60 D5 approaching 250k, original clutch just starting to slip at low revs high torque (of which it has plenty!). We've put 200k miles on it in 20 years, serviced properly when needed. Try and use OEM if available. In our ownership: front struts, intercooler, pas rack + pump and the usual dash fault are the only things outside normal wear and tear items. About £1k a year to keep it on the road has been excellent value for money. We agreed we'd keep it until it died and hopefully it will do another 10 years before parts availability consigns it to the recyclers.
W205 currently and A251 previously are/have averaged about the same cost per year. Look after well-engineered cars and they keep going.
Unfortunately manufacturers have extended the production numbers before replacing tooling. This has been highlighted with the production of chains where manufacturers have increased the number they produce before replacing the link tooling hence the tolerances are in some cases very poor even when new. All in the name of cost saving rather than customer service.
That’s interesting, thanks for sharing.
Great information video Sam. £14k for 200k of servicing sounds very acceptable to me. I love your videos they are presented in such a clear and concise way with great close up shots to show the issues being dealt with. 👍😎
Thank you 🙏
The E 350 CDI must be really good ! There isnt a single video in this channel with them !
Hi new to your channel and subscribed immediately. I have the same model you have commented on but 2011 plate. Well maintained through out from dealership to local garage . Very few problems until this year @125k miles. MB replaced rear subframe, foc but had to go to local garage for rear brake pipes and air bags and compressor.. but I love the car so have reinvested as I only do very low mileage. My last car was a vectra 2.2cdi. Passed it through family and it died at 225k. RUST! Look forward to watching the rest of your vids.😊
@@johnbeveridge2998 welcome plenty to catch up on
Crikey, chain lasted till 210k, some going that.....a figure BMWs can only dream of.
First time watcher, cracking vid.
One of the best cars on the road!
£14k for a fully maintained car and 207k miles, based on the jobs you did which are beyond the scope of a competent and inclined self maintainer the total is probably about half that =£7k. A rough estimate at 45MPG on average over that mileage is about £30K spent on fuel which puts the cost of ownership into perspective.
Would you be able to find time to compile an e63 buyers guide (5.5) to go on top of this?
5:35 Where is the rocker cover gasket video you mention? I could not find it on your channel. Thank you!
Nice w124, maybe a 300TD, could be a 280TE. The 280 & 300 had the Premium bigger Headlights as far as I know. I usec to have the w124/200 (non-injection and 4 Speed Manual, was amazingly nice for a Merc Manual! Nice Vid, thanks.
Good one Sam,as you say maintenance is the key for longevity ✅
Almost applies to us humans and I had Bilateral lung replacement,and that was in 2021 and doing ok,but alas I have the final round(9) of Chemo tomorrow ✅
Cheers. Sam
Frank
Keep going frank, all the best.
Take care Frank God Bless 🎉😊
@@JeffPower-dv3zl Thanks 🙏 very much Jeff,much appreciated
I had the 9th round of Chemo today
Cheers Jeff
Frank
Thanks Sam, It’s been quite the journey for sure
I had the 9th round of Chemo today,and I’m using Genuine parts 😃🥳
If you don’t laugh your ✅ done!
@@frankirvine316 Frank send me an email with your address, i have some Large hoodys left from a prevous competition we did, i would like to send you one.
sprautos@gmail.com
Great video 👍 wouldn't touch a mercedes without watching your videos ...
I have one so very interested in your advice as mine is going in for a health check in a couple of weeks it’s done 130k with full service history
Thanks for another great video
Personally, mine has 250,000ish kilometers, and I have paid a fortune in keeping it like new.. However, it's been serviced by Mercedes except for a radiator flush, A/C recharge, and rear airbag springs. I have also had the bumpers and rocker panels repainted as 'necessary.'' I am now going to a DIY with professional assistance place, so the maintenance prices are going to go down 75%. No more 500 euro brake jobs or 500 euro oil and filter changes.
Mine is a S204 , same engine , owned since 5k miles / face lift dealer demo in 2012 and now 150k miles up. 3 gearbox services (40k, 90k , 130k miles, ) , LED indicator module replaced in OS door mirror (60k miles) Clock spring ( 90k miles) , low boost pressure (95k miles) , both anti roll bars (105k miles) water pump, (128k miles) dpf sensor (136k miles ), new battery (139 k miles) , osf control arm (142k miles) , fuel filter replaced twice, air filter ever 20k miles ..... rocker cover gasket is now leaking and needs replacing , and I'm listening out for any timing chain rattle on start up but so far so good and is quiet as a mouse as I have been doing my own oil /filter changes from 90k miles up every 5-8k miles with correct products purchased directly from the 'stealership' . Rear sub frame still appears to be ok and some surface rust starting to show on rear brake pipes noted at last MOT in Feb ( 142k miles). Some wear on driver's seat bolster and electric motor on driver seat no longer working. It all paid for and i dont owe any finance on it , bought for £28k and is worth £5k now (probably less) but the utility value to me is worth so much more. It still looks smart and gives me 55 mpg on my daily 86 miles round trip commute mostly motorway . I am fine to keep spending on it when I compare to the cost of depreciation and finance charges if i was to buy a newer model
P.S I used to own a S124 / E220 from new in 1994 , sold it 9 years ago with > 200k miles and it is still showing on the DVLA web site with a current MOT at 260k miles - they don't build them like that anymore 😀
Used as was intended and maintained as prescribed.
Thanks Sam and Team 🎉❤😊
Miss my W212 Facelift, was such a good car, had to sell it when I moved to France as we needed the funds, got a S210 OM606 now, also great but not a patch on the W212.
Great episode, 14 grand in 7 years, rolling in a e class, outstanding 👍
Seems very expensive to me.
when you consider the guys doing almost 30k/year (which is 4x the average) it doesn't seem so expensive@@bbarling1
Great video Sam thanks for sharing, do you have to remove the engine to replace the timing chain
?
If it needs guide yes, if it doesn’t no
Loved my 212 estate, much better than more recent models. One issue I had which I was told was a common fault was that both rear suspension top mounts broke - made of aluminium which oxidised, degraded and shattered at around 4 years and 50k miles. Have you experienced that?
Yea I’ve seen that happen
High mileage cars that are just cruising on the motorway all day sitting there at 2,000 RPM are not highly stressed so can carry the miles easily. It's not like a taxi.
True... there's no need to go at top speed on any motorway....at 2,ooorpm, not much can go wrong!
Love you're videos very educational. I'm in California own a E55amg do most maintenance work myself and love you're while you're in there love the stock E55 would like to hear your thoughts on smaller supercharger pulleys
Your videos are interesting to watch and are quite informative. I’d like to know your opinion on these OM651 engines compared to OM648. Some time in the future I will need to replace my W211 inline 6 CDI with something. My concern is that 651s are more sensitive to how earlier owners maintained it.
Really enjoying your channel, everything about it, you re too critical about your delivery and presentation, don't change a thing ! I do have 2 questions, as a Benz tech myself (mechanic since 1991) though only on Classic Mercedes cars, we would never replace just 1 shock. Always springs and shock in pairs, what is your opinion on that ? Also on the CLK C209 you did for JJ when replacing the front suspension arms I always torque them with the weight on the car. Really enjoying the diverse models and jobs you did and the way it's done so thoroughly !
........or are they air shocks/struts ??
Pairs is always recommend, depends on customers wallet really. We give them the option. Airmatic always pair.
Yea it went on the 4 post for tracking were we can redo the torque with weight on.
Great stuff !@@sprautos
Top man 👍👍
Great video! If you have a chance sometime, would love to see how M264 C class belt is changed. Repair manual I have (alldatadiy) states to drain coolant and remove intercooler. Wondered if there’s a way around that for when I replace it. Nearing 90k miles now on my 2019. Btw hello from Oklahoma 🇺🇸
Great videos!! love your content!! It would be awesome if you could do a video on the W212 Petrol V6 3.5 Engine.
Nice 123 in the background. How about a video on one of those soon 😊
Enjoyed watching again - Thanks !
Great channel Sam. Is the 4 cyl petrol engine any better? I'm 61 and never owned a diesel car!
Thank you.🙏
I would prefer the petrol allot less to go wrong and just a nicer sound when driving
Good to see Stk MB local expert garage review on the E class 220 cdi as this & C class most popular models…as I’ve been looking for a while at getting a c220 cdi estate as is it same engine I’m assuming?? Similar things to look out for?? 🧐👀👍🏼
Yes very similar
I love to see high mile late model Mercs, we all know the older 123's and 124's last but its nice to see later 211 and 212's
In my humble opinion the 212 was the peak of all Mercedes E-class cars, after that they all kinda melted into unreliable blobs...
Brilliant channel. Can you advise what grade oil you use for pre 2009 merc cdi 220 and dpf merc cdi 220i
We use 5w30 229.52 spec oil
I use Petronas oil on my cars servicing best oil
Is that the one you were telling me about Sam?
You can use my E350 for a vid next time its in if you like!
its one of them mate yea, thanks pal
A w212 doing 200k without a major issue. I feel attacked! 😆 Great video Sam & team.
Regarding suspension would it matter what sort of driving the customer does, you think with the high mileage it’s mainly motorway
Thankyou sir greetings from belgium
Please do a video explaining and performing spark plug indexing.
Brilliant again,
Why is only one Reading Light working? Are they individual? (Noticed at just under 18:00m).
That’s a credit to the owner. I do exactly the same. Eye watering cost to keep them maintained.
Overall though 200k miles in 7 years for £14500 is a lot cheaper than buying a new car
There’s a reason long haul taxi drivers use them for sure. Does the £14000 include tyres ?
2 grand a year maintenence on a car doing serious mileage is pretty good
A great insight into this engine and car , 👍
Will Merc replace the rear subframe FOC even if it hasn't broke yet? The rotten rear subframe problem on most Merc models from 2012-2022 is putting me off their used vehicles
The subframe needs to be cracked or holed, they don't replace them just because they may rot or crack in the future.
I was considering buying an SL till Sam announced that he wasn't taking any new customers. Don't think I'd trust anyone else to look after a Mercedes-Benz.
I’m also very apprehensive about buying a Mercedes Benz for the same reason. I was looking at a GL 420.
Was taking no new customers in a previous video ? Was looking at a CLS 350 but would have no idea where else to take it
There are many Independent MB Garages out there Just carry out research first 😊🎉
Would you recommend the 212 over the 213 reliability wise?
Another question - the Bluetec versions of the diesels. My specialist told me to stay clear of them as long as possible - both the mercedes guy and the Citroen guy ( I run a Citroen too and have for 40 yrs)
Adblue - is system flawed as it's made out to be?
My 1999 bmw E38, 728i is on 200,000 miles now ive had it 6 years its as quiet as an EV. i have it serviced every 6000 miles At a specialist near me only realy does BMW . I had the vanos done and other bits water pump viscouse fan pipes and belts its lush and its peppermint green and its mint like realy mint. its well known in manchester. if it ever blows up i will have another lump put in it and carry on .I can get another Engine for £350 all day just labour costs .
Would a person do well by addressing the cosmetic issues and then drive it until it wears out? Obviously this particular car is exceptional. it makes me think there might be great value in dressing the car up.
If it was mine I certainly would as mechanically the car is 👌
Very informative..
Rees casually walkin round like the boss LOL
😂
😂😂🎉❤😊
Thanks for doing this one
we had a vito with the cdi engine it was a taxi it had oil and filters etc every 12 weeks it was a hard woriking vito did just over 5===== before we sold it
There are two kind of Mercedes driver's, the true and faithful and will look after and do what is needed to keep there car or the road, and expect a bill of some kind when needed, then there's the badge hunters, looks great on the drive, look what I'm driving in the pub, then when it come to looking after them there not interested, and when something needs major money because they have missed the service's they sell it and pass the problem onto someone else..... in my opinion.... could be wrong.... don't think so... people today what all the bells & whistles but are not prepared to pay for it.... 200K+ just getting started.... makes my 18,500k on my 5yr old look very weak, but has never missed a service or any work needed, I may add...
time to put the kettle on and roll up a fatty. even though diesels are the devils work ( and lpg). love the vids keep it up.
Any advice on the previous w211 ?
My local specialist said is a big chance to need 4 new injectors if they’ll change the rocker cover gasket on one of these engines. Is that something that happens often?
We change loads, never happens to me. I believe the early 651 engines yes which all got recalled and swapped for better injectors. So those injectors should be long gone.
Thank you Sir 👍
My Hondacivic 02 dun 220k miles on its original clurch..i serviced from 60k up.