S320 CDI gentle restoration W220
Discussion
So just over a year ago I stopped walking to work when I found a new job. This presented me with a problem as my new commute was 60 miles a day. At the time I had an SLK 230 (w170) which I adored. It would be terrible on fuel doing those sorts of miles though.
At this point I should point out I was a Mercedes technician who had worked in a main dealer for 8 years. I also love a bit of a project as can be seen by the tricks I taught my SLK.
http://youtu.be/vtC8sOzr1jg
or by my track day car build,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
But they are two different stories.
I needed something economical, relatively simple and reliable. Unfortunately I have a bit of a bad back, the standard mechanics curse. So I don't do very well sitting for miles in cheap seats. I'm also a bit to much of a saloon car lover to get a little hatchback. Over the years I have had an Alfa 166 and 164, Merc C class, Audi A4 and a BMW 3 series. The SLK was really just a toy while I was walking to work. Bit of fun for the weekends.
It felt like time to return to what I had always had. I had recently worked on several W220s, 320s, 320CDIs, 500s and even a 600. Every time I drove them I loved it. Not even slightly sporty but with the airmatic suspension and the seat adjusted right, it like driving a sofa. This I thought was the commuting car for me. Also when I started at Merc in 2005 that was the top of the range model, it would be nice to leave owning one.
I hit the classifieds, A 500 was cheap, but I was looking for the economical work horse the 320CDI. To cut a long story short I was moving jobs because I was broke. So we were looking for a car around 2K. I know that sounds silly because at the time C classes of similar age and miles were worth 7K, E classes 10K. But the S class has a great way of depreciating. It is the most expensive saloon when sold new, which means once its over 10 years old, people are scared of them. They think a service will cost the earth and one little break down will bankrupt them. To the naked eye this could be true. But its the same engine and gear box from the E class. So what really should be able to go wrong that I cant fix. Fingers crossed.
Anyway I looked up W220 320 CDI on the auto trader website. Found the cheapest one in the country and went and bought it. Obviously I had a look over it. It was rusty, just superficial I didn't care. It was covered in AMG badges and stickers, I didn't care. It had a cracked window, still solid because they are double glassed. I didn't care. It had failed its MOT on brake lights lights not working, Both rear upper arms excessive play, N/S/F arm excessive play and ABS light on. I DIDN'T CARE.
Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have been around these cars for long enough to know when something is repairable and isn't.
Back to work and got stripping.
I removed both bumpers and all the AMG badges and Stickers. Ground back the rust for a short term fix, then hammerited it. Surprisingly good finish for a brush.
I managed to get all the suspension arms from Euro car parts for less than the front arm from work.
Little service and a brake light switch, then in for MOT. Passed.
I spent my last weekend while employed for Mercedes doing everything I could think of to my two MERCs while I still had axcess to computers and special tools. At this point I was still hoping to keep the SLK as a play toy. That didn't really happen and a few moths later she was sold.
The week after I started my new job and commuting from Hertford to Cambridge every day.
I had spent a lot of time on the service, even fitting a K and N air filter panel. All in the hopes of getting an economical car out the other side.
I call that a win. If anyone is interested I will continue
At this point I should point out I was a Mercedes technician who had worked in a main dealer for 8 years. I also love a bit of a project as can be seen by the tricks I taught my SLK.
http://youtu.be/vtC8sOzr1jg
or by my track day car build,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
But they are two different stories.
I needed something economical, relatively simple and reliable. Unfortunately I have a bit of a bad back, the standard mechanics curse. So I don't do very well sitting for miles in cheap seats. I'm also a bit to much of a saloon car lover to get a little hatchback. Over the years I have had an Alfa 166 and 164, Merc C class, Audi A4 and a BMW 3 series. The SLK was really just a toy while I was walking to work. Bit of fun for the weekends.
It felt like time to return to what I had always had. I had recently worked on several W220s, 320s, 320CDIs, 500s and even a 600. Every time I drove them I loved it. Not even slightly sporty but with the airmatic suspension and the seat adjusted right, it like driving a sofa. This I thought was the commuting car for me. Also when I started at Merc in 2005 that was the top of the range model, it would be nice to leave owning one.
I hit the classifieds, A 500 was cheap, but I was looking for the economical work horse the 320CDI. To cut a long story short I was moving jobs because I was broke. So we were looking for a car around 2K. I know that sounds silly because at the time C classes of similar age and miles were worth 7K, E classes 10K. But the S class has a great way of depreciating. It is the most expensive saloon when sold new, which means once its over 10 years old, people are scared of them. They think a service will cost the earth and one little break down will bankrupt them. To the naked eye this could be true. But its the same engine and gear box from the E class. So what really should be able to go wrong that I cant fix. Fingers crossed.
Anyway I looked up W220 320 CDI on the auto trader website. Found the cheapest one in the country and went and bought it. Obviously I had a look over it. It was rusty, just superficial I didn't care. It was covered in AMG badges and stickers, I didn't care. It had a cracked window, still solid because they are double glassed. I didn't care. It had failed its MOT on brake lights lights not working, Both rear upper arms excessive play, N/S/F arm excessive play and ABS light on. I DIDN'T CARE.
Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I have been around these cars for long enough to know when something is repairable and isn't.
Back to work and got stripping.
I removed both bumpers and all the AMG badges and Stickers. Ground back the rust for a short term fix, then hammerited it. Surprisingly good finish for a brush.
I managed to get all the suspension arms from Euro car parts for less than the front arm from work.
Little service and a brake light switch, then in for MOT. Passed.
I spent my last weekend while employed for Mercedes doing everything I could think of to my two MERCs while I still had axcess to computers and special tools. At this point I was still hoping to keep the SLK as a play toy. That didn't really happen and a few moths later she was sold.
The week after I started my new job and commuting from Hertford to Cambridge every day.
I had spent a lot of time on the service, even fitting a K and N air filter panel. All in the hopes of getting an economical car out the other side.
I call that a win. If anyone is interested I will continue
Unfortunately the SLK was about twice as uneconomical as the S320.
After a couple of days i noticed a strange occurrence. When left over night the car would be jacked up on its rear struts when you came back to it. It had to be left a long time and was never perceivable to the eye to be raising, but it was. There could only be one answer, the Airmatic valve body must be worn and letting air past from the reservoir very slowly. So I priced one up, thankfully a new one from merc was only 70 odd quid, cheaper than some of the second hand ones on ebay.
As you can see the old one was rather tired. Once swapped no more night time rising.
At this point i could have easily gone silly throwing money at the car as i usually do. But I promised myself I wouldn't this time. I had the SLK for sunny weekends and the BMW for track day fun. This was purely a commuter.
So about six months went past, I did nothing but drive it. Very comfortable it was to.
Then the pads started to get low on all four corners. I'm still not going to throw money at it, but I cant do half a job on my own car, I just cant. So I bought brembo discs and pads all round. I finished this off with a set of BFGoodridge hoses. I have these on all my cars, its not exactly an extravagance when you think the set has a lifetime guarantee and is 100 pounds. When one hose that will last a few years is 40 pounds from Mercedes.
I had some brake caliper paint left over from my BMW so nice clean calipers and a brake fluid change later, she stops like new now.
That was it though no more money for a while. But I was pleased 6 months running an S class with no real issues. Ok the thermostat stuck open, but that was about 10 mins work to pop a new one in.
After a couple of days i noticed a strange occurrence. When left over night the car would be jacked up on its rear struts when you came back to it. It had to be left a long time and was never perceivable to the eye to be raising, but it was. There could only be one answer, the Airmatic valve body must be worn and letting air past from the reservoir very slowly. So I priced one up, thankfully a new one from merc was only 70 odd quid, cheaper than some of the second hand ones on ebay.
As you can see the old one was rather tired. Once swapped no more night time rising.
At this point i could have easily gone silly throwing money at the car as i usually do. But I promised myself I wouldn't this time. I had the SLK for sunny weekends and the BMW for track day fun. This was purely a commuter.
So about six months went past, I did nothing but drive it. Very comfortable it was to.
Then the pads started to get low on all four corners. I'm still not going to throw money at it, but I cant do half a job on my own car, I just cant. So I bought brembo discs and pads all round. I finished this off with a set of BFGoodridge hoses. I have these on all my cars, its not exactly an extravagance when you think the set has a lifetime guarantee and is 100 pounds. When one hose that will last a few years is 40 pounds from Mercedes.
I had some brake caliper paint left over from my BMW so nice clean calipers and a brake fluid change later, she stops like new now.
That was it though no more money for a while. But I was pleased 6 months running an S class with no real issues. Ok the thermostat stuck open, but that was about 10 mins work to pop a new one in.
At least you know what you are doing.I rather like this! I'm astonished it managed even an indicated 48mpg, big old girl for that sort of efficiency, what sort of driving achieved that?
You're certainly in the best possible position to run one of these without crippling (and randomly selected) expense, so best of luck and do keep updating
You're certainly in the best possible position to run one of these without crippling (and randomly selected) expense, so best of luck and do keep updating
Fantastic car! Thank god you're saving it from the scrapheap it would have ended up on like so many of these do. Your skills and nerve must be top notch, as these are probably the scariest of all the barges of their time, mainly due to fears over the air suspension system. Good luck, and enjoy the car!
looks really nice on the AMG wheels! I'd certainly be tempted with one of these to run as a daily smoker.
Chap at work just scrapped his '03 plate. Was just over 400,000miles and only got scrapped as someone hit the rear door
I offered him £1000 month ago and he was adamant it was worth £2000, last week he pops in and says its scrapped for £500. Crazy....
Chap at work just scrapped his '03 plate. Was just over 400,000miles and only got scrapped as someone hit the rear door
I offered him £1000 month ago and he was adamant it was worth £2000, last week he pops in and says its scrapped for £500. Crazy.... Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff