Mercedes-Benz E-Class E250 CDI

This 2011 e250 diesel wagon had 40k kms on it when I purchased for $37k in Oct 2017.

Now just ticked over 55k Kms and has not missed a beat. Whilst it is a large car for shopping runs it easily accommodates 5 adults plus a couple of kids in the fold up boot seats. The economy is fantastic and overall it really comes into its own on highway runs. Syd - Melb @5.9l/100kms in comfort.

The only drawbacks seem to be limited clearance and occasionally the auto box hunts gears at around 45km/h.

Would I buy again? Most definitely.

I had a rear tyre explosion while driving my E250 to the snow fields. When fitting the spare wheel I noticed excessive inner shoulder wear on both tyres. I replaced both and took pictures of damaged tyres. I showed the pictures to Berwick (Vic) Mercedes dealer and requested wheel alignment. To my shock, at the next service interval, it was reported rear tyres wearing badly on inside edges. I pointed to the dealer that last wheel alignment was done by their workshop and it was supposed to correct the wearing problem but instead made it worse. They simply refused to check if negative camber was out of specification but instead explained that Mercedes designed the car in such way and it was nothing they could have done better. Recommendation was to replace tyres every 25,000km which for me was every service interval. A set of Pirelli rear tyres costs $1,000.
I wrote to Mercedes head office asking to confirm the story but no reply was ever received which made me worried. The wear can not be easily detected, car sits very low, tyres are wide and from outside they look pretty healthy while inside is worn down to canvas. This makes the car unsafe.
Note that I get a minimum of 45,000 km of my front tyres. Unfortunately front and rear sizes are different and tyres cannot be rotated.

Ovidiu Marin

Owned our 2012 e250 for nearly 2 years now, covered 24k. It has been very reliable, a pleasure to drive in most circumstances, though traction was an issue in the wet but after replacement of rubber the others had just gone off with age. We average around the 8/100kms around the town, our best run was driving to Melbourne from Sydney, the trip computer told us we still had 800km until empty, incredible result with 4 adults and luggage. Only problem we suffer is ground clearance, you need to be careful.

E250 diesel. Goes like a petrol car, very smooth and responsive. For a big vehicle it is very economical. Seven seats is handy for the kids and the occasional extra friend. Back seat flatten with a flick of a switch. Most things electric as one would expect. Very practical with the extra bonus of being in a Mercedes. It is the driving position that really does it for me. Being 6 ft 4 in is very spacious and leaves space behind my seat for the kids, unlike Japanese cars. The sound system and Nav is at my finger tips and you can change channels 3 different ways. Looks good as well. Like a Volvo it ages well.

I have the current model E Class E250 CDI built November/December,2013. Bought interstate as a demonstrator with 5,000 km. Paid $90,000 unregistered including an unregistered permit to bring it back to NSW. Cost less than $5,000 for rego. luxury car tax etc. Would cost approx. $115,000 if you ordered it brand new with all the options, sunroof etc etc. Demonstrator appears to way to go. Leather seats are great - for "Artico Leather" read vinyl
Car is fitted with 19" wheels that give a very hard ride, somewhat like driving a go-cart but it feels very safe. I am blown away by some of the safety features - the intelligent lighting is fascinating how it automatically drops from high beam for oncoming cars and does not blind cars you are following. The brakes are fantastic. The lane keeping assist is great, you may have it set on 110 km and if going around a tight corner, it will automatically drop to a safe speed and even apply brakes on one side to pull it around the bend.
The feature that allows it to automatically brake when coming up behind a slower vehicle is excellent especially on long trips - I set it at the maximum and "idiots" taking advantage of the "safe distance" are an ongoing problem.
The seats are firm but no back problems after driving for 10 hours.
I thought that the Attention Assist feature was just a glorified egg timer that went off every 2 hours but recently I was driving tired and I got the warning at about one hour 45 minutes - frightening what it knows about you.
The car has very good acceleration and picks up very well for safe overtaking - (sorry Mobile Taxation Dept)
The average consumption over the last 40,000 km is 6.1 litres/100 km but most of this is long distance driving.
Driven carefully at 110 km/h on a trip and avoiding overtaking, consumption can drop to 5.5 litres/100 km.
Tyres have very little profile and it is very easy to damage the tyres and rims on pot holes, roundabouts, driveways etc. Eventually, I will change to 18" wheels and it is a pity that MB do not make 18" standard.
It only has a space saver spare, not really suitable for long distances - if your boot is full, someone has to nurse the really huge flat tyre. Tyres can be expensive - MB dealer quoted $770/ tyre but much cheaper via Tyresales.
Very difficult to get new tyres, recently a tyre was not available in Bourke, Moree, Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and I found a dealer via Ebay in Brisbane. MB Roadside Assist is very poor, I have used them twice and next time they are getting excommunicated - I expected to speak to someone who cared. Rear vision mirrors and those distorted ones so you cannot judge distance. One one occasion trying to pull onto motor way near Brisbane at night, raining, tinted windows, idiot behind honking and I had to wind the window down and put my head out to safely enter the motorway. I bought an after market roof rack for about similar MB branded one.
The GPS is crappy. I have a portable Tom Tom which I rate as 6/10 but the Tom Tom in the car is about half as good as the portable 3/10. The portable when it gets you lost will suggest a safe way of getting back on track the MB version tells you to do a "U" turn in the middle of express ways. The Tom Tom maps are very outdated, even if you pay for updates.
A beautiful car to drive, you know you are going to be ripped off by dealers for an oil change (sorry "a service"), I would definitely buy another MB but safety comes at a cost.

Best car easily of the 16 I have owned. Seven seater for all the family (7 kids, luckily three have left the coope so we sold the Tarago). The ride is magnificent. The grunt is powerful. The 10 speaker Harmon Kardon with rear bass boost speaker even makes the teenagers smile. Wifey loves her one button seat memory that puts everything back in place after I drive it (seat up/down, back/forth, tilt/recline, headrest, mirrors, steering wheel in/out/up/down). Really, too many things you can't even imagine to go on about. Magnificent car.
Everything. Inclusions, ride, seating, grunt, navigation, cd/dvd, bluetooth

We have a V6 and it very economical to run and get 8.5 liters per hundred on the highway. We love those extra features like the sun-visor that slides on its shaft to block out the sun on the side window. The electric seats .
SO smooth to drive.
Service costs. You cannot get a quote before your service is due because the on board computer will have codes logged and that will determine how much work is required. Anywhere between $400 & $2000. They do lack a drink holder.

Great buy as a used vehicle if well maintained avoid buying a new one as you lose 50% of its value. Only buy one if it is well serviced and maintained
A very well built solid motor vehicle. Very comfortable to drive with brilliant build finish. Smooth drive train.
Service costs will send some owners to the wall wiper blade replacement is insanly dear $375 for replacement units. Tramsmission leaks are common with vehicles with lower use than usual which is common being doctors etc buy these cars and they spend alot of time in parking lots and alot of these owners only service them every 12 months 15,000km which is too long.