Just thought I'd post an update on my experience with my E430.

I'd guess I've owned the car for a year and half now. I bought it with about 72,000 miles, and now how just over 85,000 miles.

Other than routine maintenance, things like oil and fluid changes, brake pads and rotors, the things I've had to replace due to failure are:

1. rack and pinion - Turns out the rack had failed at one point during the previous owner's ownership of the car, as a factory rebuilt unit had been installed. Anyway, this factory rebuilt unit failed, and degraded to a point that at times it was hard to turn the car to the left. Cha ching. $1,500.

2. radiator - The radiator developed a leak at the bottom left hand corner. Looked like a manufacturing defect. Cha ching. $500-ish.

3. crank position sensor. Just failed this past week. Car failed to start when warm. $75 for the part. Installed myself.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

$2k worth of stuff in a year and a half isn't bad at all. Cheaper then the old SDL by a long shot.

Plus even though the radiator cost $500, now your good for another 10-15 years.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah, but the rack and pinion failure was completely unexpected and pissed me off.

It is completely unacceptable that a 6 -7 year old Mercedes should require two (2) rack and pinions.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

You know, going back to the W210 vs. W124 discussion, I sure wish my W124 had been a wagon instead of a sedan. If it was, I'd a kept it.

With the twins, the utility of a wagon would be super. Plus, I could use a wagon from time to time hauling things like top soil, plants, and other supplies from the home improvement center. It's hard to fit things in a sedan.

Also, I've been looking at run.exe and his story of buying a '93 300TE wagon and convert it into a "hammerwagon", with either a 5.6 liter M117 V8 or a 5.0 liter M119.

I'd love to build a V8 W124 wagon. If you remember, my prime motivation in selling my W124 was to have a V8. I just had to have a V8.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Many people say that the rack and pinion systems introduced with the W210 provide better road feel than the recirculating ball systems traditionally used with MBs.

What is your opinion about the steering types? I am sort of surprised to hear of your steering going out at such a low mileage.

Radiators should generally last 100K+ miles, so I agree that it's probably a manufacturing defect.

The crank position sensor, is more or less a wear part that does go out at various intervals. As you experienced, they can be fairly easy to replace depending on the model of the car you have.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your car. Though I like the 210s I just find them to be somewhat larger and more bloated in appearance to the 124s, which to me look more purposeful and after 20+ years yet to look all that dated.

Regards,
Gerry

I guess the rack and pinion provides better road feel than the old recirculating ball. It certainly feels more natural, in that it basically feels like every other Japanese car. I guess that is both good and bad. What I did like about the old recirculating ball is that it made the Mercedes so unique, and although different, it was easy to get used to. If I had my druthers, I wish MB would've kept the old recirc. ball. In fact, I don't think I've ever read a detailed explanation of why they went away with it.

While I like the front end design of the W210, namely the hood design with the curves and the round headlights, but overall, I'm with you. The W124's look better.

While I still enjoy the W210, it's just not the special car that a W124 is. Or a W126 for that matter. My next car, either in addition to or to replace the W210, will either be a 124.036, a W124 wagon, or W126, sedan or coupe.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Interesting, I have a W210 E420 which has been pretty good to me, I bought it at 70,000 miles and have since put 38,000 miles in about 2.5 years. The only problems that I've had are those common to W210's.

One of the cats failed at just under 80k and the mechanic replaced with a universal (bad idea as it was under warranty then)
This cost me about $700
Then the pre cat failed on the same side and took out the one that I replaced, both this time cost me $450
Other the that, I've had the spring perch which was replaced under warranty and both front lower control arm bushing replaced by a friend who works at a MB specialist and does some work for me on the side at a very reasonable cost.

I love the way this car looks and I love the way it drives, the steering feels a lot lighter then on the w124 or any other older Mercedes that I've driven.

The only outstanding issue on the car right now is to replace the tail light cluster (not lens) as it's suffering from a common defect where it melts down at the brake light mount.

For a 9 year old car, I really cant complain.

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With best regards

Al

Enrique's got that white '94 wagon he fixed up and sold a couple of years ago back again and up for sale. The guy who bought it's run it up to 190k miles, wants to sell it; not sure if it's a consignment deal or if Enrique bought it, but it's at the shop. It could badly use a detail, but generally in good shape for that age. Before he sold it in '04, I remember he replaced the evaporator and th rear suspension spheres. Just a thought..

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81 300SD
08 MDX Tech
93 525i

05 F650GS

The reason is very easy why they did away with recirculating ball...HIGHER COST for recirc.

You just named my current crop of cars: E500, 1995 M104-engined E320 wagon, and a 126 560SEC. For the past 3+ years I've been PERFECTLY content wiht this stable of cars, with absolutely NO desire to change anything. It's just about a perfect balance of cars -- design, exclusivity, performance, reliability, value retention, etc.

In a few weeks I will be picking up a 42,000-mile 1988 560SL (R107) for my wife as her 10th wedding anniversary present. So a 107 will be joining the stable....another one it's difficult to go wrong with.

Just wish we could use it year-around here in Portland.

Cheers,
Gerry

Come on Gerry, you know we need to get you into another 6.3 or 6.9. A nice fixer upper

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With best regards

Al

Sweeeeeeeeet. Those are the very three (3) cars I'd like to own.

As far as a convertible is concerned, I will own one when the kids get older, and I'm going back forth between a 107 or a Miata.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Actually I OWN a 6.3, it's a complete running car that was rolled in Oklahoma that I had shipped to Dan Smith's house a few years back. I purchased it as a complete parts car for the 6.3 that I had at the time but sold.

As soon as the M-100 Group gets its leadership act together, I'll be the first to rejoin, re-engage, and pick up where I left off. Alas, I fear for that organization...when the time comes for leadership change.....one can take the M-100 Group (leadership) out of the East Coast, but one can't take the East Coast (mentality) out of the M-100 Group.

We'll have to wait and see on that one.

Cheers,
Gerry

Interesting that you lost your rack as we also had one replaced on our 99 wagon (thank god for Starmark).

On the steering, I'd take the recirculating ball on my 300 over the rack and pinion on our wagon any day. It just feels better and adds so much to the driving experience.

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1993 300E
1999 E320 Estate

Paul,

don't know if you me remember me from the Dallas' GTG of June '04 but I had the pleasure of meeting you, Larry Bible and several other MBShop contributors. At the time I had a '93 300D 2.5 Turbo; great car and I miss it dearly. However, on returning to Houston from that very trip to Dallas, the three children, then aged 11, 9, & 4 did no coexist well in the backseat of the sedan. My wife and I decided that we needed to separate them but we were not going to go down the SUV path. This left us with few choices. A used Volvo or Mercedes wagon. Yes, we looked at a few Volvos with the third seat option but it did not appear to be as completely integrated or as thoroughly engineered as the MB. I'll try and be brief. We found a '95 E320 TE with, at the time, just over 65K miles in pretty good shape with all of the service documents and history. With time the predictable items needed attention (evaporator, wiring harness, & head gasket) but I was able to anticipate them thanks in large part to your very thorough input to this forum. Aside from the three aforementioned items, this has been a great car for the family. It rides and handles very well, feels safe, has an abundant amount of power for our purposes. I might be biased but I rather like the looks of this model too.
Look forward to reading your continued contributions to this forum.
Stuart

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'82 300D Turbo 204K
'10 Toyota Prius 85K
'13 AMG C63 (P30) 23K
'14 Audi Q5 TDI 46K
'16 RAM 2500 CTD 12K

'10 VW Jetta TDI 65K (traded)
'12 Nissan Leaf 34K (returned end of lease)
'15 Audi A6 TDI 25K (traded)
'95 E320 166K (traded)
'93 300D 2.5 Turbo 168K (sold)

Congrats on the E320 wagon. I'd love to have a W124 wagon.

Yes, remember chatting with you in the parking lot. Your car was white, wasn't it? I also recall that you are originally from Canada, right?

Thanks for the kind comments.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".