STD Tuning Engine Wife wants a R320 CDI

Wife wants a R320 CDI

Wife wants a R320 CDI

 
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turbojeep
Off roading luxury sedans

81
08-30-2019, 07:07 PM #1
Wife wants a new hauler and I think my MB diesel bug has finally worn off on her... Are we crazy to be thinking about one of these? Seems like you can pick up a decent CDI one for around $6k. AWD, Diesel, seats 6... Seems like it checks most of the boxes. Also, high 20s low 30s doesn't sound bad either. We put an easy 25k miles a year on our stuff and 14mpg is getting old.

I also saw there were several canned tunes that boast another 2-3mpg (and 65ft of torque and 40hp!) for around $500. 

I was trying to convince her that we needed a E320 with the OM648, but that'll probably be further down the road when my commuter bursts into a ball of fire. 

All in all, it seems tempting. Any pointers?

______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 
turbojeep
08-30-2019, 07:07 PM #1

Wife wants a new hauler and I think my MB diesel bug has finally worn off on her... Are we crazy to be thinking about one of these? Seems like you can pick up a decent CDI one for around $6k. AWD, Diesel, seats 6... Seems like it checks most of the boxes. Also, high 20s low 30s doesn't sound bad either. We put an easy 25k miles a year on our stuff and 14mpg is getting old.

I also saw there were several canned tunes that boast another 2-3mpg (and 65ft of torque and 40hp!) for around $500. 

I was trying to convince her that we needed a E320 with the OM648, but that'll probably be further down the road when my commuter bursts into a ball of fire. 

All in all, it seems tempting. Any pointers?


______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 

dcm
TA 0301

63
09-03-2019, 09:01 AM #2
I've never had an R class but they seem to be a lot of car for the money, have heard good things about them over here.
dcm
09-03-2019, 09:01 AM #2

I've never had an R class but they seem to be a lot of car for the money, have heard good things about them over here.

turbojeep
Off roading luxury sedans

81
09-08-2019, 01:40 PM #3
Thanks for the feedback. They're such an oddball vehicle over here that not many people talk about them. And the forum reviews seem very polarized, best car they've ever owned or they're ready to set it on fire. Mind you this is all from 10 years ago and everyone is paying dealer service prices.

______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 
turbojeep
09-08-2019, 01:40 PM #3

Thanks for the feedback. They're such an oddball vehicle over here that not many people talk about them. And the forum reviews seem very polarized, best car they've ever owned or they're ready to set it on fire. Mind you this is all from 10 years ago and everyone is paying dealer service prices.


______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 

atypicalguy
Holset

555
12-30-2019, 10:40 AM #4
They have air suspension etc that goes bad after a fashion. Our neighbors' R sat on the curb looking all deflated for about 4 months before I think they had it hauled away for scrap. I do not think it was a diesel, though. Perhaps they traded it on the even-more-worthless i3 I have seen over there for awhile now.
atypicalguy
12-30-2019, 10:40 AM #4

They have air suspension etc that goes bad after a fashion. Our neighbors' R sat on the curb looking all deflated for about 4 months before I think they had it hauled away for scrap. I do not think it was a diesel, though. Perhaps they traded it on the even-more-worthless i3 I have seen over there for awhile now.

turbojeep
Off roading luxury sedans

81
12-30-2019, 09:39 PM #5
Yeah, the air suspension is a chunk of change if it decides to quit. In the end we bought an 05 CDI to replace my dying w124. So far I really enjoy it and the mpg has been pretty good as well.

We saw a GL350 Bluetec going down the road the other day, wife seemed to like it more than the R320. Might have to ad those to the list of cars to check out later. But again, most of the reviews are pretty polarized and it's all guys that swap cars every 45K and would call a wrecker to change a tire.

______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 
turbojeep
12-30-2019, 09:39 PM #5

Yeah, the air suspension is a chunk of change if it decides to quit. In the end we bought an 05 CDI to replace my dying w124. So far I really enjoy it and the mpg has been pretty good as well.

We saw a GL350 Bluetec going down the road the other day, wife seemed to like it more than the R320. Might have to ad those to the list of cars to check out later. But again, most of the reviews are pretty polarized and it's all guys that swap cars every 45K and would call a wrecker to change a tire.


______________________________

'85 300D ~ 381,XXX miles, HD Bilstein shocks, 27.50x8.50x14R General Grabber AT2 tires, 4 E-Code headlight upgrade with 90w/130w bulbs, boost turned up, new timing chain, and injectors. Brought back from the dead and the hell of WVO! SOLD
'85 CJ7 ~ OM617 swap, Taurus electric fan, T5 trans, Dana 300, 4.88 R&P, Mile Marker locking hubs, ALDA removed, MKII hybrid boost controller, Greazzer's upgraded overflow valve,  AMC 20 rear disk brake conversion, Aussie locked with 33's and 5" Rough Country lift. 

atypicalguy
Holset

555
01-01-2020, 02:06 PM #6
(12-30-2019, 09:39 PM)turbojeep Yeah, the air suspension is a chunk of change if it decides to quit. In the end we bought an 05 CDI to replace my dying w124. So far I really enjoy it and the mpg has been pretty good as well.

We saw a GL350 Bluetec going down the road the other day, wife seemed to like it more than the R320. Might have to ad those to the list of cars to check out later. But again, most of the reviews are pretty polarized and it's all guys that swap cars every 45K and would call a wrecker to change a tire.

Any of this more modern stuff gets long in the tooth and you are looking at random electronic stuff failing and bricking the whole works. The ECU and TCU are likely reasonably durable on the CDI and now there is an aftermarket ECU option from Baldur, so going 648 is reasonable if the rest of the car doesn't fall apart too much along the way. Probably the best compromise between modern diesel technology and long term reliability.

Any of that adblue stuff is potentially going to have emissions system problems. Our 2010 Touareg had the whole adblue system replaced due to a faulty sensor, although my sister is still driving the 2014 touareg we sold her when it came off lease and it has been trouble free for the first 80k miles or so. BMW X5 2018 was not so lucky, with the HP fuel pump failing twice within the first 8k miles and BMW refunding all our money and sending it to auction. So that's two out of three adblue vehicles having major motor failures under powertrain warranty.
atypicalguy
01-01-2020, 02:06 PM #6

(12-30-2019, 09:39 PM)turbojeep Yeah, the air suspension is a chunk of change if it decides to quit. In the end we bought an 05 CDI to replace my dying w124. So far I really enjoy it and the mpg has been pretty good as well.

We saw a GL350 Bluetec going down the road the other day, wife seemed to like it more than the R320. Might have to ad those to the list of cars to check out later. But again, most of the reviews are pretty polarized and it's all guys that swap cars every 45K and would call a wrecker to change a tire.

Any of this more modern stuff gets long in the tooth and you are looking at random electronic stuff failing and bricking the whole works. The ECU and TCU are likely reasonably durable on the CDI and now there is an aftermarket ECU option from Baldur, so going 648 is reasonable if the rest of the car doesn't fall apart too much along the way. Probably the best compromise between modern diesel technology and long term reliability.

Any of that adblue stuff is potentially going to have emissions system problems. Our 2010 Touareg had the whole adblue system replaced due to a faulty sensor, although my sister is still driving the 2014 touareg we sold her when it came off lease and it has been trouble free for the first 80k miles or so. BMW X5 2018 was not so lucky, with the HP fuel pump failing twice within the first 8k miles and BMW refunding all our money and sending it to auction. So that's two out of three adblue vehicles having major motor failures under powertrain warranty.

 
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