Mercedes w210 E430 (no titivating allowed)

[r129sl]

Pursuant to my ever-worsening crumby-Mercedes addiction, this week I bought a 2001 Mercedes-Benz E430 Elegance. The car was showing a mileage of 77,000 with plenty of paperwork to back it up, including a full Mercedes service history with invoices as well as stamps. The specification is high. I won't list it all because suffice it to say that the car is equipped with heated rear seats and a rear electric roller blind among other things. The seller was the dealer 7 Star Classics. I didn't view the car but chatted to the seller on the phone and he seemed an alright sort (despite being a car dealer) so we had a surprisingly enjoyable haggle and I paid £2,900 for it.







The rationale of the purchase is this. I do a lot of miles, often for work. Running my r129 (which has 266,000+ miles on it) and my s124 (now up past 357,000) is quite expensive and neither of them is the last word in refinement. I could do with a refined and reliable fast-ish saloon with a lot of life left in it as a business tool. I figure the 210 is unlikely to cost me much for a couple of years (yeah, right, watch this space) and will take the pressure off the 129 and the 124, perhaps reducing overall costs. I also won't feel quite so knackered after an 800mile round trip to south west Wales.

A friend drove the car up from Swindon on the day I bought it. He gave the impression that it wasn't as good as I had been hoping. But I have to say, in the two days since it arrived, I have been stunned by how good it is. There is no rust (although it has obviously been painted). The only significant defects that I could detect were the air con (but that is the law, isn't it: it is a criminal offence to sell a car with functioning air conditioning), the missing-in-action outside temperature gauge and the a completely pixellated time clock and gear selector indicator in the cluster. It could do with new front discs soon, too.

The car is not intended to become a treasured and cherished member of my fleet so I am duty-bound to resist the urge to spend money on it.

[r129sl]

Non-functioning air con is a total bore and warrants expenditure. The Mercedes- air con system is very clever and you can readily obtain diagnostic information from the driver's seat. Doing so, it was apparent that there was a lack of gas in the system, the pressure being only 3 bar. Surprise, surprise.

I took it to Kwik Fit for a £49 re-gas. You know, I find Kwik Fit pretty superb these days. They told me that it was holding vacuum and it was also holding gas pressure but nonetheless it was not working. Accordingly, despite supplying a kilogram or more of air con gas, they refused to charge me a penny. So far, so good when it comes to fulfilling my duty.



But better yet, when I deleted all the fault codes and re-set the auxiliary fans (again, this can be done without any equipment from the driver's seat), it sprang into life. And crumbs does it blow cold. So the air con works.

Next up was to remove the sat nav magnet that was attached to the top of the dashboard. A bit odd, since the car come with COMAND sat nav built in.






I also removed the hideous "ELEGANCE" badges from the front wings. What on earth was MB thinking about here? There is nothing remotely elegant about this tacky little plastic badges. I used aplastic trim removal tool to pull them off and then to scrape the adhesive foam off paintwork; a bit of alcohol cleaner took care of any residue. Even I couldn't screw this up.








So far you will note I have not spent any money. You will also have spotted the Welsh number plates. Nothing against the Welsh; rather like the people and the place as it happens, but... Must resist.

A more daring job was to try to clear up the pixel issue in the instrument cluster. There is a load of stuff on the internet about how to fix this, Basically, you have to pull the cluster out, dismantle it, and stuff some foam between the ribbon connectors and the shell of the cluster in order to improve the connections between the ribbon and the circuit board. A bit of a faff with plenty of opportunity really to spaff things up. Every time I walked between the car and the work bench with the cluster in my hands, I imagine tripping on one of the children's toys and sending the cluster flying into the ground where it would fracture into a thousand pieces. But it didn't. No luck with the outside temperature gauge; but the time clock is 95% there and the gear selector indicator not far behind.






Not satisfied with that, I turned my attention to the steering wheel buttons. These were minging. It appears they have a soft-touch coating which over the years absorbs grease and dirt and becomes tacky. It can be scrapped and scrubbed off with care and patience, those two qualities which I lack so severely. Using a screwdriver blade, some wire wool, a pan scrubber, a cloth and—most effectively—my finger nail, I got rid of all the grunge but also, unfortunately, a little bit of the grey colour as well. The time will come when I cannot help but spend three figures on new buttons, but at least these no longer feel disgusting.

As they were:




Part way through the scrapping-fest:




And finished. Oops. I was so darned careful, too.

[r129sl]

Finally, some expenditure.

I noticed a broken passenger side sun visor in the boot. This caused me to look at the one in the car. It doesn't match. I have ordered a correct NOS one for £32.44.

I have also ordered a Viseeo MBU-3000 Bluetooth adapter for the integrated telephone system. This should give access to my iPhone through the COMAND unit in the dash and the handsfree circuit in the car. £179. Ouch.

I think I'll order some clean plates and correct fixings, too.

[r129sl]

Front parking sensor display. The rears are in the rear headlining, visible in the rear view mirror. They only peep when you're close; a good system.

I've used it pretty much exclusively since Tuesday night. It is a great car and grows on me more and more. 23mpg: but that's because I have been exercising it and also doing a lot of town work. My dash pixel repair has not lasted. In due course I'll send the cluster off to be repaired for £100 or so. The air con is seriously effective but the auxiliary fans blow all the time. I suspect the relay/control unit is bad. I have ordered a NOS one for £80 (against £170 at the dealer). Oops. I have noticed a few tiny blebs in various places on the paintwork. To be expected, I suppose, but it doesn't bode well for the future. The ViseeO bluetooth adapter works and is quite a well-made piece of kit. Unfortunately it seems to be the only adapter in the market that works with the COMAND 2.0 system and fully integrates the phone with the car's controls. Finally, my boys and I completed the debadging this morning, leaving the bootlid badge-free.

Today, however, I drove the 190 and the 124 for the first time in a while. The 190 is a really charming car. It is very light and direct and has a simple transparency about its controls. It is beautiful to look at and to walk up to. But it is unrefined and hot in summer and not very fast above 70mph. The 124 I reluctantly took to the petrol station just now. What a great car the 124 is. The 210 is so much more sophisticated; it is significantly more refined. But the 124 could last forever. It has a solidity the 210 cannot even approach; and while noisy and slow it is far from unrefined. It just has the mysterious something that makes it great.

Edited by r129sl on Sunday 4th June 22:29

[r129sl]

An eBay price list arrived today. It is a little earlier than the car but the total price on its data came to £47,351.

The sun visor, auxiliary fan control unit and a lovely USA-market brochure also showed up. Something to keep me out of trouble for a few hours later on. The American marketing material is always vastly better than the European stuff.

[r129sl]

Replaced the sun visor. New parts are so beguiling.

Shiny plastic:


New:


Nice matching flock:


I also cleaned the sunroof shutter. The part which sticks out even when the shutter is pushed back was very grubby, with a "masking" line visible when the shutter is pulled forward. I'll spare you a picture of a clean shutter. Cleaning fluid and a cloth for the desperate.

And I have cracked on number plates. The Welsh ones are so gash. Here is the choice:

1. current legal font:


2. pre-September 2001 legal font (a):


3. pre-September 2001 legal font (b):


I kind of like the latter.

[r129sl]

Chris x said:

The bluetooth module thing, how does that work? Is it plug and play? I have an old Nokia phone setup in my W220, wondering if I could do the same?

It is essentially plug and play. It imitates an old Nokia handset and thus mediates between the new fangled smart phone and the COMAND system in the car. I can't get the phone book to sync but I try not to make calls when driving, just receive them. Unless I get really bored.

I can't think of anything to buy for the damned thing, which is limiting my pleasure.

[r129sl]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

r129sl said:

I can't think of anything to buy for the damned thing, which is limiting my pleasure.

Happy to help:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHROME-AMG-BOOT-BADGE-EM...

I want the one with "Black Edition" in little letters on a black square.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes-amg-emblem-badg...

[r129sl]

Ordered plates in number 2 style.

[r129sl]

Remagel2507 said:

For now I'll make do with my E240 Avantgarde - Been in the family from new and only 34k miles. Not the 1st choice of car for a 23yr old but I absolutely love it.

Nice picture and nice car. I owned a C240 when I was 25. The little V6 is very smooth and quite a joy to wring out. I think the 210 is a bit of a bargain, so long as you get one that isn't riddled with rust.

killysprint said:

R129sl, saw the car yesterday and looks in great condition....

Good luck with the car, and look forward to updates.

Thanks KS. Whereabouts did you see us and what were you in?

I see a Triumph about but not a Dolly. I think it is a 2000-series. It is a yellowish colour. I really like those cars. They remind me of my childhood. A well-off aunt (distant branch) had a Dolomite. They are kind of beautiful in a way which suggests car design might have gone down a different avenue altogether. Your Sprint is obviously a very interesting car.

[r129sl]

The hideous weather having passed, I got round to changing the auxiliary fan relay. My concern was that the fans seem to run at speed an awful lot. The usual culprit (according to the sages of the internet who all speak in an American accent) is the auxiliary fan control unit, located somewhat awkwardly (easy access—yeah right!) above the near side fog lamp. To access this, remove the nearside front wheel and strip back the wheel arch lining. Then it is a single 10mm bolt. Actually it was easy.

What I found was interesting. First, it is immaculate under there. All the suspension components are clean and rust free. Second, there is no major rust on the chassis, although there is a fair bit of speckling. Third, all the rubber components look brand new. See below:





You can see the old relay hidden here:




And new and old on the chopping block:




When I was finished, I sprayed Dynax S50 liberally on any painted metal. The chassis leg, the backside of the front wing, the inner wing, the wheel house. Who knows whether it is worthwhile but it surely can't do any harm.

I am not sure whether the fans now run less. I went for a road test but in all honesty it was hard to tell. They still seem to run more than they should. However, I cannot see any bad sensor value which might be causing them to switch on. Maybe the refrigerant volume is not quite high enough. It runs at 17 to 22bar but I have seen it suggested that it should be higher.

Finally, the steering is a bit squeaky. This is probably just the rubber boot at the foot of the steering column being a bit dry. However, just in case, and in order to spend £7, I ordered some Lubrizol additive from the main dealer. Into the reservoir, run the engine, jerk the steering around at each lock.

[r129sl]

killysprint]129sl said:

Thanks KS. Whereabouts did you see us and what were you in?

I was the kind chap that let you out yesterday outside the RGS. In the black lexus with the big wheels and the daft body kit.....

The sprint will be out soon just sorting out a bits and bobs, don't think it'll be used on the school run though, my daughter won't be seen dead in it!!!

Hahaha, I made an arse of getting out of that parking space! Thank you. The driving round there can be thoughtless.

Edit: I have sussed out the fans. Either there is too much gas in there or the pressure sensor is bust. The fans switch on at 14bar. The pressure is never less than 14bar. Makes sense? I think I'll just let a bit out (screwdriver pressed onto valve) and see what happens.

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 7th June 23:00

[r129sl]

Dunno, really. It is an additive intended to reduce steering noise and stickiness. Looks good. Costs £7 for 50ml. Must be good.

[r129sl]

EJH said:

Who did you order the plates from, if I may ask?

www.fancyplates.com

They arrived today. Very satisfactory:



I am going to acquire the correct screws.

[r129sl]

Thanks for the info. I'll get my man to take it out. I've had a few cars with leaky air con could circuits so that might make me a major environmental criminal.

[r129sl]

RiccardoG said:

RiccardoG said:

r129sl said:

Running my r129 (which has 266,000+ miles on it) and my s124 (now up past 357,000) is quite expensive and neither of them is the last word in refinement.

I'm interested in your views on refinement of the W210 vs the W124.

Granted its been nearly 10 years since I last drove a W124 (our old 200TE), but from memory at the time I didn't notice that much difference between a W124 and slightly newer cars, in this case my E39 (same period as the W210), in terms of refinement.

Just thought I'd post this again in case you missed it, ta!

The w210 is quieter by far; road or tyre noise is much better suppressed (I note there is barrier material in the wheel arches and much thicker sound deadening everywhere) but also body and suspension noises are far less than in the 124. The body shell is notably stiffer (but I'm comparing a 210 saloon with a 124 estate).

Noise apart, I am not convinced the V8/5spd auto driveline is any smoother than the I6/4spd auto in the 124. But a petrol V8 is always going to be nicer than a diesel, even an I6 diesel.

The w210's ride is not as good as the 124's. It is stiffer and roll-rock is greater in the 210 than in the 124. And yet, curiously, the 124 handles a bit better. I think this may be down to the size of the 124 and directness of the 124's driving controls.

Where the 210 really falls down is in simplicity and ease of operation. Its controls are not as transparent or mechanically simple as the 124's. It is also bigger, with less visible extremities. Finally, there is a whole extra level of gadgets which are actually a distraction. Maybe that will wear off in time. However, sometimes you don't want choice: rather you a single solution that is perfect. I think of a restaurant I go to. There is no menu. You get what you are given and it is spot on. It is far more "luxurious" than the tyranny of choice. Thus with the 124. No steering wheel buttons. No fancy climate control. No COMAND. It just works as it is.

Finally, finally, quality to me is a component of refinement and you can tell the 210 has had quality taken out of it. I'm not sure how and I cannot be specific but it is definitely perceptible.

Edited by r129sl on Friday 9th June 18:53

[r129sl]

Air con. I had Terry evacuate and re-gas it today. This was the right thing to do. He told me that the system was low on refrigerant but had far too much gas in it. I knew there was oil in there but I thought the gas was the refrigerant. So you learn something everyday. It now works beautifully. The fans do not come on. They system cools very rapidly (much quicker than the 124's). A good result. £40.

[r129sl]

RiccardoG said:

Thanks for the insights. This is something that always interests me, whether cars are actually improving in refinement through their generations or not. Obviously something like a Golf or Mini has improved, but I feel that on the larger German saloons there hasn't been much change since the 2000's, or at least not enough alone to warrant "wanting" a newer car on this aspect alone.

Elimination or insulation of noise and vibration together with body shell rigidity have advanced by leaps and bounds over the last two or three decades. Those changes are good for refinement. There is no doubt in my mind that the m113 V8 in my E430 is vastly smoother than the m117 V8 that was in my old SEC, for example; likewise the current V6 turbo diesels are much smoother than the OM606 in my 124.

But against that have to be set massive increases in size, weight and complexity, together with a cheapening of construction (especially trim) and (I suspect) a shortening of design life. Obviously those things are all bad for refinement.

On the PS fluid, I just fancied tipping the little bottle in. It was a new discovery for me. Sooner or later I'll service the PS system, it's fairly easy (or it was on the other cars I own).

[r129sl]

I had a nice run down to a client in Teesside yesterday. After commuting into Newcastle in heavy-ish traffic, then driving down to Yarm and back at a steady 80 to 85mph, this was the result. I'm quite pleased with this.




Then on the way back from a big dinner last night at midnight I found myself on a private test track. It will run "off the clock", not so much slamming into the speed limiter as gently butting up against it. It is very quiet and stable at very high speed, although nothing I have ever driven has had the high speed stability of my 500 SEC.

[r129sl]

New numberplates fitted. A lot better. I bought the rear numberplate screws from Merc at something daft like £1.30 each; I subsequently bought 100 of them on eBay for £10. They go a bit rusty after a year or so.