250cdi or 350cdi
Discussion
Hi Everyone
Looking at getting either a C (W204)or E (W212)
But cant decide between the 250 cdi or 350 cdi.
My driving includes short school runs each day. Weekly 15 mile there and back journeys.
Monthly long distance trips between an hour and 2 hours and occasional extra long distance for day trips up the country.
Family of 4 so reliability is important. Seeing a lot about timing chains on the om651.
But outgoing expenses cheaper on the om651.
The 250 would be enough as far as performance but the 350 is a beautiful sounding engine which has awesome performance.
I feel the 350 would be the more reliable option but expensive to run
The 250 would be the more risky option but cheaper to run.
This is based on what ive read so far. So im very undecided.
Also does the w204 have bluetooth audio for streaming music directly from my phone?
Thanks guys
Looking at getting either a C (W204)or E (W212)
But cant decide between the 250 cdi or 350 cdi.
My driving includes short school runs each day. Weekly 15 mile there and back journeys.
Monthly long distance trips between an hour and 2 hours and occasional extra long distance for day trips up the country.
Family of 4 so reliability is important. Seeing a lot about timing chains on the om651.
But outgoing expenses cheaper on the om651.
The 250 would be enough as far as performance but the 350 is a beautiful sounding engine which has awesome performance.
I feel the 350 would be the more reliable option but expensive to run
The 250 would be the more risky option but cheaper to run.
This is based on what ive read so far. So im very undecided.
Also does the w204 have bluetooth audio for streaming music directly from my phone?
Thanks guys
I have a E350. Don’t test drive a 350 if you think you might want a 4 cylinder, once I drove the v6 there was no way I would be happy with the 250.
The 350 is not very economical in town driving. I don’t know how much better the 250 would be though.
The E class is a fair bit bigger than a C class and I think it feels a better place to sit. Although mine has a lot of options, I noticed that there are a lot of cars with few options so it took a while to find mine with the bits on it that I wanted.
The 350 is not very economical in town driving. I don’t know how much better the 250 would be though.
The E class is a fair bit bigger than a C class and I think it feels a better place to sit. Although mine has a lot of options, I noticed that there are a lot of cars with few options so it took a while to find mine with the bits on it that I wanted.
Edited by Scrump on Sunday 3rd January 12:13
I had a W212 E250 before, test drove a e350 at the time too, the e250 which I had for 18 months was quite a loud 4 cyl and not in a good way, mpg was decent. If I had to buy again i'd go the 350. The one I drove had grey smoke and I bought the 250 but the pull, torque and feel was so much better in the 350.
MPG won't be a huge difference between the two probably 3-5mpg at most bit more if you cane it but should be ok in general.
MPG won't be a huge difference between the two probably 3-5mpg at most bit more if you cane it but should be ok in general.
I have tested a c220 cdi which i found just too sluggish with little torque thrust and tested cls350cdi. The cls wasnt quite for me as far as size and style but the engine i absolutley loved. Plenty of torque and really felt good putting the pedal down, smooth, lovely engine notes.
My only cons are that my insurance, tax and fuel will be more expensive but it is worth it for the reliability as ive not seen the 350 having any issues. But the 220/250 having a timing chain issue, gruff sounding engine but will cost less to run.
Reputational reliabilty vs running costs 😅
My only cons are that my insurance, tax and fuel will be more expensive but it is worth it for the reliability as ive not seen the 350 having any issues. But the 220/250 having a timing chain issue, gruff sounding engine but will cost less to run.
Reputational reliabilty vs running costs 😅
Whichever you choose, please make sure you do at least one drive of over 25 miles. My 250CDi used to do a 50 miles each way commute, then we moved so my commute is only 4 miles each way. I cycle in as often as I can, but I still try to give the engine and dpf half a chance. No issues yet, so fingers crossed.
Rickyd1991 said:
I have tested a c220 cdi which i found just too sluggish with little torque thrust and tested cls350cdi. The cls wasnt quite for me as far as size and style but the engine i absolutley loved. Plenty of torque and really felt good putting the pedal down, smooth, lovely engine notes.
My only cons are that my insurance, tax and fuel will be more expensive but it is worth it for the reliability as ive not seen the 350 having any issues. But the 220/250 having a timing chain issue, gruff sounding engine but will cost less to run.
Reputational reliabilty vs running costs ??
Timing chain issues are not that common in relation to number of cars on the road.My only cons are that my insurance, tax and fuel will be more expensive but it is worth it for the reliability as ive not seen the 350 having any issues. But the 220/250 having a timing chain issue, gruff sounding engine but will cost less to run.
Reputational reliabilty vs running costs ??
I have had four 4 pot Mercs, one C Class and 3 E Class albeit the 220 version.
Between them I have driven them nearly 1.2 million miles, the current one on 318k miles, and none of them had any engine issues.
I think you will find the 350 has more issues, but in itself is still pretty reliable, and I would still love one.
Yeah to be fair twice a week i do a 20 minute there 20 minute back trip. I tend to take the kids for a sleep drive which is usually a 45 minute drive across the sussex downs.
We do big trips through the year to places like legoland, chessington, different zoos. Sometimes a trip to paris. So with the small school journeys we do long trips too. Its very mixed
We do big trips through the year to places like legoland, chessington, different zoos. Sometimes a trip to paris. So with the small school journeys we do long trips too. Its very mixed
We're now on our third V6 diesel Mercedes, and having also owned two I4 diesel Mercedes, here are my thoughts on our V6 diesels:
W203 C320: Effortless overtaking with as much torque as a C55 AMG from the V6 diesel, which can deliver 0-60mph in 6.7 secs or 50mpg through the 7 speed auto if you really want it to.
W251 R320: Perfect for crossing continents in supreme comfort & quietness.
X218 CLS350: So glad I took my son's advice who said "You'll thank me later...", and opted for the smoother, more refined & effortlessly torquey V6 350 CDI, instead of the I4 250 CDI alternative. I thanked him later.
Imho, you've answered your own question: "the 350 is a beautiful sounding engine which has awesome performance."
"Plenty of torque and really felt good putting the pedal down, smooth, lovely engine notes."
"250 - gruff sounding engine"
And I agree with Rameez-Q: "MPG won't be a huge difference between the two probably 3-5mpg at most..."
"...the pull, torque and feel was so much better in the 350."
Imho, once you're over 30mpg, the small difference in fuel costs is more than outweighed by the much larger benefits from driving the effortlessly smooth & refined V6's every day vs. needing to rev/thrash the gruff I4's in order to get them to move 50% as briskly.
Hope this helps you to the right decision vs. regretting a decision for the sake of a few mpg - you'll thank me later...
W203 C320: Effortless overtaking with as much torque as a C55 AMG from the V6 diesel, which can deliver 0-60mph in 6.7 secs or 50mpg through the 7 speed auto if you really want it to.
W251 R320: Perfect for crossing continents in supreme comfort & quietness.
X218 CLS350: So glad I took my son's advice who said "You'll thank me later...", and opted for the smoother, more refined & effortlessly torquey V6 350 CDI, instead of the I4 250 CDI alternative. I thanked him later.
Imho, you've answered your own question: "the 350 is a beautiful sounding engine which has awesome performance."
"Plenty of torque and really felt good putting the pedal down, smooth, lovely engine notes."
"250 - gruff sounding engine"
And I agree with Rameez-Q: "MPG won't be a huge difference between the two probably 3-5mpg at most..."
"...the pull, torque and feel was so much better in the 350."
Imho, once you're over 30mpg, the small difference in fuel costs is more than outweighed by the much larger benefits from driving the effortlessly smooth & refined V6's every day vs. needing to rev/thrash the gruff I4's in order to get them to move 50% as briskly.
Hope this helps you to the right decision vs. regretting a decision for the sake of a few mpg - you'll thank me later...
Firstly, what age?
I would make sure it is 7g "plus".
The later gearbox seems to make a big difference to MPG, and if buying diesel I guess that is your main reason?
I had a 2010 350cdi and MPG was awful. OBC used to say 38/39 but calculated was more like 33mpg.
I used to get around 580 miles from a tank.
Using it for sub 10 mile journeys it would do 26-30mpg.
6 mile school run, local roads and no traffic, just cold start was 26mpg.
On a run it would say 44mpg, but reality was 38 at best.
My mate had the E250cdi and his OBC used to say 42mpg, but calculated was only 35mpg, so still not great.
I swapped for the 306hp 3.5 V6 petrol E350 estate.
That was 35/36 on a run, averaged 31mpg and on the 6 mile school run it was actually 3mpg better than the diesel. It got to temperature in less than a mile.
It actually worked out no more in fuel as petrol was cheaper.
I did 60k miles a year in it over 2.5 years. If I had been someone doing 12-15k miles a year without lots of 100 mile runs and lots of short, sub 20 mile journeys, it would have been cheaper to run than the diesel.
I think I would probably find a later E220d, they seem to get considerably better MPG. True 42-45mpg average.
How many miles a year do you do?
I would make sure it is 7g "plus".
The later gearbox seems to make a big difference to MPG, and if buying diesel I guess that is your main reason?
I had a 2010 350cdi and MPG was awful. OBC used to say 38/39 but calculated was more like 33mpg.
I used to get around 580 miles from a tank.
Using it for sub 10 mile journeys it would do 26-30mpg.
6 mile school run, local roads and no traffic, just cold start was 26mpg.
On a run it would say 44mpg, but reality was 38 at best.
My mate had the E250cdi and his OBC used to say 42mpg, but calculated was only 35mpg, so still not great.
I swapped for the 306hp 3.5 V6 petrol E350 estate.
That was 35/36 on a run, averaged 31mpg and on the 6 mile school run it was actually 3mpg better than the diesel. It got to temperature in less than a mile.
It actually worked out no more in fuel as petrol was cheaper.
I did 60k miles a year in it over 2.5 years. If I had been someone doing 12-15k miles a year without lots of 100 mile runs and lots of short, sub 20 mile journeys, it would have been cheaper to run than the diesel.
I think I would probably find a later E220d, they seem to get considerably better MPG. True 42-45mpg average.
How many miles a year do you do?
Op your mileage is similar to mine.
To be honest and only my opinion of course. Forget the diesel and go for the 350 petrol if you can.
Great engine, silky smooth, sounds good and plenty of fun when you boot it.
On a run easily 35 to the gallon. My normal use is around 25-30 to the gallon.
Can often be seen at 18 -21 to the gallon, mainly because I didn’t buy it to worry about it’s mpg lol.
Try one out.
To be honest and only my opinion of course. Forget the diesel and go for the 350 petrol if you can.
Great engine, silky smooth, sounds good and plenty of fun when you boot it.
On a run easily 35 to the gallon. My normal use is around 25-30 to the gallon.
Can often be seen at 18 -21 to the gallon, mainly because I didn’t buy it to worry about it’s mpg lol.
Try one out.
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