Used 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Diesel Consumer Reviews
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Best car I have ever owned!
Totally trouble free. This car has been as reliable as my Honda (no small feat!). 36MPG on the highway at 70 mph. Quiet, passengers have no idea it is a diesel. Performance is better than the gasoline version of the same car. This is the last year with the straight 6 mercedes diesel, as bullet-proof a motor as Mercedes has ever made. I would never consider buying another Mercedes that wasn't a diesel.
Most Fun to Drive (Still is.)
The 2005 E320 CDI is the most fun to drive car that I've ever owned in my short 70 years. This car was made to be driven and driven hard! I've owned four Mercedes vehicles-1 gas and 3 diesels and the 2005 E320 CDI is the fastest and nearly has the most torque of the three. I absolutely love to drive this car. It literally is as solid as a rock. It tracks down the highway like an arrow and when I pass a semi at highway speeds (or a little more) it doesn't waver one single millimeter. I sometimes take it out on the Interstate and drive it just for the fun of it. I LOVE THIS CAR!
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- E320 CDI Diesel SedanMSRP: $7,99583 mi away
- E320 SedanMSRP: $6,500171 mi away
- E500 SedanMSRP: $9,699191 mi away
Car Performance
Car when running correctly was wonderful, but had it in 11 times for major problems, 0 rings replaced twice, two fuel line leaks, transmission went out, and on and on. Lots of keyless go problems. Mercedes would not extend warranty for me. Dealership was very good in handling these problems, but Mercedes would not stand behind product
Outstanding automobile
This is my third MB. It is the best auto I have ever owned or driven. My wife and all who have driven it, rate it as the best drive and ride they have experienced. Mileage is fantastic. A 1000 mi. trip, with 900 miles of turnpike driving resulted in 35.9 mpg as measured with fill to cap to start and fill to cap at finish
A Great Ride So Far
We bought our 05 CDI with 48K on it 1 year ago tomorrow so I thought this would be a good time to right a review since I came here to read a bunch before I bought it. This car is a joy to drive and has been nothing but great for us. We downsized from an 07 Suburban because we really didn't need the room anymore and the Suburban is hard to give up if you've ever driven one. Great mileage, pretty much 28 in town and 35-37ish highway. This car feels safe, drives great, is quiet and has been bulletproof. I had one service issue, a door lock problem. The extended warranty covered it for 100 bucks. Drive one and put your foot into it. The diesel torque will put a smile on your face, I promise.
Beauty AND the Beast are one in the same!!! STILL!
Bought this well-cared for E320 CDI from a MB mechanic. Engine and chassis all in great condition. The interior is kinda dirty but cleaned up decent, and I will re-dye the seats. As for performance in my short time having it...it has been the fastest, best handling yet fuel efficient car I have owned in my 61 years. It has classic MB looks, so does not look dated. The ride is smooth, braking smooth and power???? Yikes! Now, to be fair, the previous owner did some mods, like a Race IQ performance tune, EGR, cat and muffler deletes and a larger intercooler. He claims it has 280HP in this configuration and about 470ft lb of torque. All I know, is it goes 0-60 in about 5 seconds!!! He liked this car so much, that when it hit 200k miles, he found another one of same year but with only 60k, which he will simply do it all over again. This car is beauty AND the Beast! UPDATE: 3/11/12 My 2005 E320 CDI is the Bomb! The ride is sooo nice and love the way it throws you back in the seat. It looks like new outside and decent inside. The cloth side got patched, so it looks ok. The positives for this car is: 1. Great MPG for such a fast car, at 37mpg. 2. It IS such a fast car. 3. The ride is smooth with decent cornering. 4. The body is holding up amazing for a 17 year old car in NE Ohio. Still original paint. 5. All systems work. 6. Nice size trunk. 7. Most of the work that needs done on the car(brakes, thermostat, oil/coolant/transmission/brake fluid changes, suspension parts, the average mechanically inclined person can do...especially with the help of YouTube. Cons are: 1. Yes, it has had some work. It has 204k miles. 2. Diesel is $1.00 more than regular. While diesel is more expensive, the ride more than justifies the small extra cost per tankful If you can find one of these in good shape...buy it. You too will love it. UPDATE: I have had the first issue. One of the brake lines started leaking, so the SBC system shut down and the car only had 40% braking power. Enough for me to carefully drive it home. used my Foxwell scanner on it but the car didn't throw a code it could read. Took it to a indie garage that is good w euro cars, and they found the leak/issue. Cost me $400 for line replacement/brake system flush and bleeding. Dealer would have been worse. Still love this car, but be aware...if you have a CDI MB, most indie garages will not want to work on them. So that means you need to find one that will, or you're stuck w the Stealerships. Luckily, I found one. This is still my second favorite car I have ever owned out of approx 40 cars in 62 yars. I have 5 as of today. I like buying cars that have depreciated to 80% of new value but have good reliability reputations. This was just such a car. UPDATE: I have owned this car for 21000 miles. In addition to the brake line mentioned above, I have replaced the battery, motor mounts, a wheel bearing and usual maintenance. It has been a pretty reliable car and is my most fun to drive. Now that I have a good indie to work on things I can't do, the costs aren't too bad. It still looks great, runs great and is still worth what I paid for it. No new car can say the same.
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I would drive this into the afterlife if I could
Go for the mechanical beauty of the naturally balanced Inline 6 with the iron block. At 18:1 compression it will outlast subsequent aluminum versions. Use Power Source Diesel Kleen once in a while and keep the injectors clean and lubricated. I have had my 2006 CDI for 145,000 miles and would not part with it EVER. I have driven 1,300 miles in one sitting (several times) and felt great afterwards. MPG is best with the right tires. I had Michelins and could easily get 40 mpg. Switched to other brands and it was a little harder to get that level of MPG. The car is VERY solid and well built. Get clear impact film for the driving lights to protect them from rocks. The rear seat is a little awkward to get out of. The cloth door jambs have worn a bit on the driver's side. Great stability. I upgraded the headlight bulbs to Phillips brightest and it was a great improvement. Suggestion for MBZ, let us adjust the high and low beams individually not as one set. Honestly I would put this against any other car for comfort, performance, efficiency and longevity.
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Change your transmission oil!
I really loved having this car, but now I am told that I need a new transmission. I drive a lot, which is why I got the diesel. One time I got 40 miles per gallon on a trip to the shore! I brought the car in religiously for service which is why I was so shocked that my tranz needed replacement. Transmission oil is not listed to be changed at intervals like regular oil. I wish I changed it at 80K because then I would not have been writing this review. Learn from my mistake. Change the tranny oil.
295000 miles need I say more
Best kept secret
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Economy With Class
Fast,Quiet,Smooth. My sixth E class and the best.
2005 E320 CDI Review
A fantastic car to drive! Great fit and finish. Love the acceleration...better than my previous Q45. Stalks on the left side of the steering wheel take some getting used to and the cup holder layout in the front is abominable. I would highly recommend this automobile! A lot of fun!
2005 E320 CDI
First 6000 miles are uneventful. The attention to detail is amazing. I need to make excuses to not drive this car all the time. Getting an average of 29.5 mpg (60% highway) is a little disappointing but has been improving with time. The ride is not too soft but soft enough for the horrible roads around here, especially for my neck problems. The acceleration is more like a big block V8 with the fuel economy of a Corolla. Handling is very confident and I don't even need to slow down on highway entrance ramps. I love the safety features, which include very refined brakes, head curtain airbags, and standard yaw control. The computer is easy to use.
Performace over 33 months
When the car is performing well, not in the shop, it is wonderful. Have had numerous major problems with the car, such as O rings having to be replaced twice, the transmission going out, numerous problems with the keyless go, and on and on. Have asked MB to extend warranty to 75K with being turned down. Will not buy another MB car, ever
Incredible car
I bought this car after having driven its larger, S-class, cousin in Europe. I rented one for a week and, after a week of driving in the mountains and highways of northern Italy was amazed at how few liters of fuel went into the tank before returning it. Impressed, I bought an E-class shortly after my return. I have not been disappointed. It's performance is nothing short of phenomenal both in 0-60 terms and when passing at highway speeds. Better yet it consistently delivers 37-38mpg on trips and in the high 20's around town. Coupled with its comfort and handling, it's clearly the best car I've ever owned. My only complaint is that the HVAC controls are needlessly complex.
not like 1999 model
The new one is smaller and much more plastic. Driver seat is comfortable, passenger is not. Sure, it has more zip but it should be called a 200 series as that is the size of the body. Nowhere near the space for passengers in rear.
I love this car!
I live approx. 26 miles from work. I needed a nice luxury car with good gas mileage since my last ride was a Hummer H2. This car has it all. Good gas mileage, a perfect blend of comfort and sportiness and luxury. Safety features are top notch. I feel very safe, secure, and pampered in this car. Funny thing with this car is the faster I drive it, the better gas mileage I get. I drove it to California and averaged about 33 mpg. I usually get 28 back and forth from work. First thing I did was put on some custom chrome wheels. So far had the car for 4 months and no problems. If you do purchase this car make sure you take time at delivery to learn all the great things this car can do
One of the BEST
This car gets 37 mpg on the highway and 27 in town - better than most light weight hybrids. It drives better than the gas 320. Excellent car!
Best Ever!
After having driven this car for a few months and reflecting on my ownership experience with previously owned upscale sedans I have determined this is, by far, the best car I have ever had. Mercedes has done an excellent job of engineering and elimininating all the negatives one may have heard about a diesel car. I defy you to find a better combination of performance, luxury and value!
BIG PROBLEM
Purchased new for my wife, It was in shop more days than she drove it, They said it was a computer problem, who knows? Had a S-class before, will purchase LEXUS for her. Let M/Benz get the bugs out of this one first!!!!
My first Diesel
This car has so many things going for it. The diesel engine so far has been amazing. I averaged 37.5 MPG on a recent trip to Florida. I drove 722 miles on one tank. I like that! That and 0-60 in 6.6 sec. in amazing to me. The car is beautiful in every way. It has a great ride. Recently I have been hearing a whistle in the vent fan. Not sure what that is. It sounds a little more noisy than when I purchased it 4 months ago. I would buy this car again. The only complaint is that Mercedes thinks they know better than we do and automatically turn the recirculate button off when it thinks it should. I press that button a hundred times a day. It's my car, let me decide!
My cdi
Best car I ever owned.
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This was a LEMON.
Right from the purchase this was a problem car. The entire fuel system ( diesel ) had to be replaced, a warranty item. Then the front ball joints had to be replaced. This happened twice. This vehicle had fancy seat controls all of which FAILED. Brakes were bad and had to be fixed. The fuel injectors ( diesel ) failed and required THREE REPLACEMENTS. Yes, the almighty Mercedes Benz can still makes lemons. And I met people who had similar issues.
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My new E320 CDI
This is my first Mercedes Benz vehicle and I love it. The 3.2-liter turbo diesel is very fast and powerful. The fuel economy is awesome, 27mpg in the city and 35mpg on the hwy. There is no annoying diesel chatter or smell.
First diesel
I wanted the performance of an 8 cylinder at the cost of a six and found it with the E320 CDI. Fantastic appearance and acceleration. Not crazy about Mercedes service. Warranty work seems hard to get unless their computer shows a fault even though mechanic diagnosed problem during test drive. The car "bucks" briefly when pulling out from a stop.
Solid German tank
Our family has owned three MB diesels, one reaching 530K miles (Ford truck hit it, o/w would still be driving it). Safety was our primary reason for puchase, along with MB durability. This Benz is typical solidity, heft ad assurance. There is some diesel grunt to the engine,but at 80 mph, it's actually quiter tha the gasoline sister. Torque is breath taking.
E320 Diesel Rocks
Love drive and feel. Get 600 miles + per tank which really saves time at the pump (and cash). Car simply looks classy, even when dirty. Issues w/known quality problems with power window mechanism. Both rear windows became disconnected, the right side twice. Dealer says Mercedes knows, but they have not found fix. Car stalls when gas is pressed to far which is an issue for pulling into traffic. Fog lights have an inherent fault as does the A/C sensor on the outside. Bumber cover for winter heater plug and tow ring falls off and is expensive to replace. However, no other car beats its styling, so faults can be overlooked.
This can't be a diesel
Remarkably quiet, incredibly powerful and fun to drive. This is my first new Mercedes, bought with the idea it will have to last several years. I don't think I'll be disappointed. I'm 6'6'' tall and look forward to long trips in this car. It's that comfortable and a joy to drive.
Nearly 3000 miles -- Awesome car!
This car is very different than anything I have driven. New to diesels, I can't get over the launch at low revs. Taking off, you need to push the throttle gently at first to spool up the turbo and then let it go. Amazing torque! In regards to looks, feel, ride, quality, it truly does the Mercedes brand justice. A fine car with great toys and beauty throughout. So far I am delighted! In regards to MPG, I have a mixed highway city daily commute of 30 miles. I am seeing 30 MPG consistently on each leg.
Better than gas
I owned a gasoline engine E320 Sport and was dissatisfied with the acceleration, fuel economy and ride. This diesel puts the gas model to shame. This is the best car I've owned in 40 years of driving. Averaging over 30 mpg with mainly in-town driving.
After four months of driving
Have had car for four months. Averaging 33 MPH at highway speeds of 80. Around 26 in town driving. Only had one computer update on console system. No problems. Love car, the acceleration, braking, comfort of drive.
E-Class CDI
This auto is great. I drive on the road in sales, it is comfortable, and fun to drive. The pickup is outstanding, not what many think of when looking a a diesel, this one will push you back into the seat. Diesel fuel is not hard to find, one tip, carry a pair of plastic gloves to wear when refueling, keeps the diesel smell off of you and the auto.
Sweet CDI
This is the vehicle that blows away all the old dirty diesel tales. It's quiet, burns clean and with all the torque available, absolutely hauls the mail. Add to those qualities the fact that I get almost 38 mpg on the highway (Reno to Phoenix on one tank)...the fuel efficiency increases with high average speeds (75-85)...and about 30 mpg in town. If you're on the highway a lot...you gotta go for the 6CD changer and Sirius system (when's the IPOD dock coming?!)...COMAND is cool. I'm never leaving this car.
Lovin it
This is an amazing car. Luxury, power and economy. Our test drive sold us on the CDI. It was more powerful than an E320 gas model.
Diesel for me
Pricey, but very reliable, quick, and economical. On a road trip I averaged 35.0 mpg for a big heavy solid car. Just wish Benz, would put the diesel in a sport utility for sale in US.
My Final Benz!
I have had 61 new cars in my life, and 8 M-B's before this. Clearly, this is the worst car ever owned and the worst Benz! When it wasn't in the shop or on the back of a truck headed to the shop -- which happened every 2 months or less -- it was excellent. The dealer tried to help, but he couldn't make a silk purse out of this sow's ear. Hopefully I can dump it before a potential buyer finds that it is a Consumer Reports "used car to avoid!" M-B has produced a real disaster, and was totally unwilling to even discuss assisting me with my problems beyond the now expired warranty. Maybe it's time to return to Japanese quality -- quality cars which have never let me down/left me stranded.
Simply the best !
It is amazing how mercedes has coupled the durability and mileage of a diesel platform into a quiet, high performance engine. The Audi, Acura, BMW are all nice but are no match for this vehicle.
Who Needs a Hybrid?
Excellent Car--Great Drivetrain. American drivers won't believe it's a diesel. This car seems too good to be true. It is quiet, economical, luxurious and powerful.
Fantastic Car
We have had for one month. Combination of city (DC-Baltimore) and highway (I95) driving. Fun to drive, fuel economy is fantastic. This is our 2nd Mercedes and we love it.
Different paradigm of diesel technology
This car is in no way similar to the diesels my dad drove; gone are the days of turning off the air conditioning to get up the hills on the freeway. The harder you push this diesel the more refined it sounds. It seems to have a deep well of power and torque that never stops pleasing. I love this car!
Benz Rules!
What a Car! First Benz and am regretting didn't step up years ago. Genuine pleasure to drive, quiet in and out. Average fuel economy since start 30.3 mpg at average city/hiway speed of 53 mph. 0-60 in less than 7 sec., plenty of torque, incredible for a diesel. Would recommend this car to all.
by Jim S.
The turbo-diesel has all the response and acceleration of my previous 2000 E320. On trips, I typically get around 34mpg. If I keep the speed @ 65 or less , I have experiened 37.6 mpg over a 250 mile stretch
A better car than I expected...
I had owned a 2002 Mercedes C240. All the news and great reviews on the new Diesel model caught my attention. I went for it. The 2002 C240 was a great car. I did not expect any car could get better - but the 2005 Mercedes E320 CDI Diesel is fantastic!
What a car!
I went into the dealership wanting to drive a C class but drove the E320 CDI first and drove off with it. This is my second MB and I am impressed with the power, quietness, performance, and MPG. This is the most impressive car that I have ever driven. It will make hybrid technology extinct. You owe it to yourself to drive this car.
the mb
from the moment i drove my e class mercedes off the lot i knew that it was something special about this car. i went a hour out of the way of my house before i took it home to show my wife. when i pulled it into the garage i honestly didnt want to get out. the new e class diesel is nothing like you'd expect from a disel car.
Impressive
I can not believe the power this vehicle has...much more than the 320e. Hope this diesel lasts the fourteen plus years and over 200,000 miles of the last one owned. You can't beat a diesel engine...now it is combined with luxury!!
Even better than I had hoped
We have owned a turbodiesel in the past, so we thought we knew what we were getting. We were prepared to accept the trade off of "diesel" acceleration, noise and smell for the higher mileage, durability and understated luxury looks. Even after thoroughly test driving a number of differently equipped versions, and streching for the only totally loaded vehicle we could find, we feel like we've gotten the bargain of the century. This car is quick, powerful and easy to drive. Best of all, everyone does a double-take when they find out it runs on diesel. At first the controls were difficult, but after a short learning curve they have become second nature. We are extremely pleased.
CDI
the main difficulty is that interior door trim is cloth rather than other more durable and more easier cleaned material. the car is in all other respects outstanding
My Benz
I am so surprised at how much I love this car and how peppy it is. You'd never know it was a diesel. It is smooth and holds the road so well. Mileage runs 35 on the road and 27-30 around town. Better than what the hybrids are projecting for Lexus and Toyota.
Torque Galore
Incredible torque and great handling. This is a beautiful car that is fun to drive. The build quality is outstanding and I have had no problems with the electronics (yet).
Mercedes Benz E320 CDI
We bought the new E320 CDI after deciding buying a new car every year was a luxury we could no longer afford. We bought a used 1976 240D in 1999 and had the car for 12 years. It was the most dependable car we ever owned and sold her in 1991 for the down payment for our first house. We always vowed that someday, somehow we would get another Mercedes Diesel and are we glad we waited. This car is amazing truly amazing. Fast, Firm, Quiet, and undeniably a Mercedes. This E320CDI is really a sweet piece of machinery. I have no doubt they sell the 3000 alotment for the US market. I want another one.