It never rains ... but it pours

[Bristolian]

I bought my 2016 Mercedes E-class (S212 facelift model for the afficionados) almost a year ago on 13 March 2024 and since that time it has done 7,125 miles - a 50/50 mix of local and motorway journeys. It is a really nice car to drive, comfortable, powerful enough (without being aggressive) and reasonably fuel efficient. It sailed through the MOT in December with just a couple of advisories that have since been attended to. On the whole I love the car but it has not been the most reliable or particularly cheap to own. The list of repairs are:

• MAF sensor - replaced
• 4 new tyres - they were older than the car and all the local tyre companies refused to fix a puncture in one.
• Both main and auxiliary batteries - replaced
• Number plate lights - replaced (not a simple job)
• Suspension air pump - replaced (reconditioned unit)
• Rear brake discs and pads - replaced
• Front anti-roll bar ball joints - replaced
• Front wheel bearings - re-greased and adjusted
• Collision pressure sensor - replaced
• Front bumper - replaced (used)

In addition, I have spent money updating the satnav maps and enabling Apple CarPlay. Then there are the normal things like servicing, garage space hire*, MOT and various sundries to add to the list as well.

Not including fuel, VED or insurance it has cost me £1,750 in parts and garage time so far and today I got the news that the head gasket is leaking coolant. Fortunately, the leak is to the outside rather than into one of the oilways but it is a job that's going to need garage time again and even if I do most of the actual work myself it ain't gonna be cheap. The current problem manifested itself yesterday when I had to stop for some traffic lights and the amount of steam coming out from under the bonnet was enough to make Flying Scotsman jealous That's what you get when hot coolant hits an even hotter exhaust system

So, I'm in a bit of a quandary; the head gasket obviously has to be done but what to do afterwards? Should I say enough is enough and sell the car on or suck it up and pray for a period of reliability? I spent a long time looking for just this car - the right model with only the gizmos I wanted at a price I was prepared to spend - and I really like it. It's comfortable on long journeys meaning Mrs B doesn't need me to stop every hundred miles so she can relieve the pain in her hip and knees and it's one of the few cars with enough load space to accommodate her mobility scooter without having to put the rear seats down. This is the overriding factor in choosing a replacement should I decide to pass it on.

I'm not foolish enough to think that MB's are uber reliable German Autobahn stormers that never go wrong (although my previous C-class came close) and buying another one could mean repeating the past year all over again. On the other hand a newer (S213 model) might be a better buy, but who knows?

If you've managed to get this far without nodding off, what would you do in my position? Divorcing the wife is not an option, by the way

* = I have a friend that has his own garage where he hires out floor space/vehicle lift and access to tools for owners to do their own work.

 

[Jameshow]

I don't think you were particularly unlucky. Other than you have brought a car which has a number of items that have come to the end of there serviceable life. Such items aren't consumables but do wear out.

Sadly the middle ground is frought with danger the cars still cost a pretty penny, but aren't new or under manufacturer warranty, but aren't old enough to say well it's be beyond economic repair.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Sounds a bit like my passat; very similar list of things that have needed replacing. But mine has done 130k and is a 2014.

If you like the car then it might be worth keeping, at least you can benefit from all the work you've had done.

The other way to look at it is, cut your losses and sell it.

I worked out that mine has cost me £175/month to own. That's including new parts and labour, servicing and depreciation. That's why I'm getting rid, and also because we can do without 2 cars

 

[Drago]

Sadly Mercs from the late 90's have a poor reputation for finish and reliability. I recall fondly when the Rover 75 beat every single MB model in JD Power, and the 45 best the similarly sized C class.

I'd be innclined to repair it and punt it on. If you want a similar motor a 5 series or, even better, a Lexus are liable to be less painful alternatives.

 

[CXRAndy]

I'm not foolish enough to think that MB's are uber reliable German Autobahn stormers that never go wrong

Yes

Those days were decades ago. Mercedes are no better and infact worse, because repair costs can be astronomical - because it's German

 

[CXRAndy]

£1,750 in parts In little over a year 😲

I have probably just spent that in ownership of our car in 6 years. Those are mainly several sets of tyres

Get rid, buy an EV

 

[Cavalol]

To be fair, of the list of what it's needed maybe only the suspension air pump is the only 'non-consumable' there. That's based on the assumption that the replacement bumper and collision pressure sensor are related to a bump. The rest (though the head gasket could be classed as tenuous) are all the sort of things every car is going to need at some point

Otherwise, I'd suggest K-seal and We Buy Any Car.

 

[Gunk]

I ran a 2017 BMW 330d touring until April last year when I retired from full time work. I was doing around 25000 a year, I won’t bore you with all the details but it cost an absolute fortune to run, and that excludes the depreciation, lovely car but anything older and German costs a lot to maintain.

get it fixed and run it for a couple more years to at least get your money’s worth.

 

[Marchrider]

Cars are increasingly being made to last a little over 6 years, that is all the motor manufacturer wants, 2 years for the first owner then 4 for the second, then the quicker it dies the better for them - they are not interested in anyone having something that they are not profiting out of.

Owning a car outside warranty is becoming financially unwise.

 

[Jameshow]

Sell it and get a Skoda superb just as nice to be in plenty of space and much cheaper to run.

A 2.0tdi dsg is nice or if you like petrol and don't do many miles a3.6 V6!!!

 

[gbb]

Agree with much of the above, subtract the costs for batteries, brake work, even the suspension bushes and a MAF sensor could be considered consumables...lots of the above would be at the point of replacing on any car.
The head gasket?..unfortunately and moderately expensive and awkward no doubt but I've known a few people with newer cars that had them fail
I'd soldier on personally, a newer Mercedes isn't going to be any cheaper for the parts and you'll have to face most of those costs again in the medium term if you change cars.

 

[Emanresu]

This graph should always be borne in mind when buying complex engineered products like cars. There is a sweet spot somewhere between 3 and 10 years where there is less hassle with a car. It should be reflected in the depreciation too e.g. JD Power ratings. Where your car is on the graph, only you can guess.

By Bathtub_curve.jpg: Wyattsderivative work: McSush (talk) - Bathtub_curve.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7458336

 

[Marchrider]

I wonder if head gaskets is a problem with mercedes, my wife has one (a mercedes that, her head gasket isnt failing) when the manufacturers 3 year warranty ran out we took out an extended 2 year warranty, one of the exclusions in that warrant is the failure of any gasket!

I will add that her car is coming up to 5 years now and 30k, and it hasn't been any bother at all, and nor should it have been the money they cost - she will probably get another

My van is 16 year old and there always seems to be something wrong with it now, spent 700 last year keeping it going, which seems a lot, but then far less than the depreciation on a new one.
Rusts getting the better of it now, i doubt it will pass its next MOT in dec.

 

[lostinthought]

I bought my 2016 Mercedes E-class (S212 facelift model for the afficionados) almost a year ago on 13 March 2024 and since that time it has done 7,125 miles - a 50/50 mix of local and motorway journeys. It is a really nice car to drive, comfortable, powerful enough (without being aggressive) and reasonably fuel efficient. It sailed through the MOT in December with just a couple of advisories that have since been attended to. On the whole I love the car but it has not been the most reliable or particularly cheap to own. The list of repairs are:

• MAF sensor - replaced
• 4 new tyres - they were older than the car and all the local tyre companies refused to fix a puncture in one.
• Both main and auxiliary batteries - replaced
• Number plate lights - replaced (not a simple job)
• Suspension air pump - replaced (reconditioned unit)
• Rear brake discs and pads - replaced
• Front anti-roll bar ball joints - replaced
• Front wheel bearings - re-greased and adjusted
• Collision pressure sensor - replaced
• Front bumper - replaced (used)

In addition, I have spent money updating the satnav maps and enabling Apple CarPlay. Then there are the normal things like servicing, garage space hire*, MOT and various sundries to add to the list as well.

Not including fuel, VED or insurance it has cost me £1,750 in parts and garage time so far and today I got the news that the head gasket is leaking coolant. Fortunately, the leak is to the outside rather than into one of the oilways but it is a job that's going to need garage time again and even if I do most of the actual work myself it ain't gonna be cheap. The current problem manifested itself yesterday when I had to stop for some traffic lights and the amount of steam coming out from under the bonnet was enough to make Flying Scotsman jealous That's what you get when hot coolant hits an even hotter exhaust system

So, I'm in a bit of a quandary; the head gasket obviously has to be done but what to do afterwards? Should I say enough is enough and sell the car on or suck it up and pray for a period of reliability? I spent a long time looking for just this car - the right model with only the gizmos I wanted at a price I was prepared to spend - and I really like it. It's comfortable on long journeys meaning Mrs B doesn't need me to stop every hundred miles so she can relieve the pain in her hip and knees and it's one of the few cars with enough load space to accommodate her mobility scooter without having to put the rear seats down. This is the overriding factor in choosing a replacement should I decide to pass it on.

I'm not foolish enough to think that MB's are uber reliable German Autobahn stormers that never go wrong (although my previous C-class came close) and buying another one could mean repeating the past year all over again. On the other hand a newer (S213 model) might be a better buy, but who knows?

If you've managed to get this far without nodding off, what would you do in my position? Divorcing the wife is not an option, by the way

* = I have a friend that has his own garage where he hires out floor space/vehicle lift and access to tools for owners to do their own work.

Just by way of counterpoint, I have a 2016 E-Class as well (an X218 CLS, but same thing). I've done 45K miles in in in the two years I've owned it, and only needed to replace consumables in that time- tyres, batteries, front disks and pads, the odd drop link. It is serviced on the button at a good Merc indy and appears to be running perfectly at its current 125K miles. I intend to keep it for years yet, I'll expect to take it over 200K.

Obviously I am now hammering on any wooden objects near me.

I would always choose to repair rather than sell, on the basis that you now know what else has been fixed; you obviously have mechanical sympathy and can do some work yourself which makes it more feasible to keep a fairly complex car running.

 

[a.twiddler]

I'ts a dilemma. It used to be said that certain older generation cars were a better buy...less emissions devices and sensors to go wrong for a start, (a disadvantage if you regularly entered ULEZ zones, when the charges would mount up). More straightforward engineering. Things like head gaskets leaking is so...1960s! How can it even be a thing in this age of advanced technology?

Low profile tyres? A bit fragile for our modern potholed roads. Normal profile wheels and tyres might not be as pretty, but they are practical.

I suppose a prestige car will attract prestige servicing and repair costs, but nothing is "cheap" these days. Even local non franchised dealers struggle with some more run of the mill cars if they need special tools and equipment, and franchised dealers charge like an elephant for the privilege of having them.

Now that older generation cars are the ones with all the electronics and non user serviceable gizmos, to cause expense and headaches as they age, the DIY motorist on a budget is being left with less and less choice. Buy newer? Leasing? It's becoming even more about the finance, and a car is just one more interchangeable commodity amongst the other consumer products available today.

For vast carrying capacity, a Skoda Superb Estate is impressive. I owned one for a few years. Now that Skoda are going up market, it would no doubt develop the same afflictions and expense as other cars as it got older.