Mercedes E350 Wagon?

This popped up during my wagon search. It's a great looking car but the lumpy wheel arch eliminates this particular example from consideration. What do we know about these things?

2007 e350 sport 4x4 wagon loaded navigation runs drives good 155 k $5500

I don't know anything about MB wagons but I have always had a thing for them. They always seem to have better proportions than the sedans IMO.

Woody wrote: This popped up during my wagon search. It's a great looking car but the lumpy wheel arch eliminates this particular example from consideration. What do we know about these things? 2007 e350 sport 4x4 wagon loaded navigation runs drives good 155 k $5500

I think that at best that is a 3K car.

My CLS has the same basic chassis. There were some really significant chassis changes in 2004 that were all for the better, so if you can find an 04+ like that, that would be good. In general, the car has exceeded my expectations, though the e350 and CLS63 have some really big differences. In general the fit and finish seems excellent, the car is wearing very well, and the car seems fairly easy to work on in the same germanic way that seems familiar to me after years of BMWs. They are not sport in non AMG trim, but are great cruisers, and can be made sportier with swapping in the AMG suspension bits.

The E500 wagons are the ones tempting me. I do wish they weren't all beige though...

Woody -

I can't offer much, but I did see this one in my new wagon search (inspired by your Volvo thread):

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/5524622027.html

I seem to have a talent for finding the highest mileage examples, but the car looks clean and is a claimed two-owner.

In reply to dj06482:

Thanks for keeping your eyes open. I can't really do any car shopping for another month but I think that a Volvo T5 may still be the front runner.

I'm just window shopping right now, as well. My wife prefers a car to an SUV/minivan, but having 4 children makes it more difficult to have one. With the Volvo/Merc wagons, our second vehicle could potentially be an AWD car (which is her other requirement). The rear-facing seats would be ideal for her running the kids around town, and I'm sure we'd always have a minivan or 3rd row SUV for longer trips.

In reply to Woody:

If you find a Merc that you are considering shoot me the VIN and I will have my neighbor run it through Mercedes NA service system. He will be able to look at all of the work done on the car at any MB dealer in the country.

In reply to Rusted_Busted_Spit:

Cool deal. Thanks.

Your wagon thread has been like deja vu all over again for me as I went through the same set of make and models (+VAG offerings) looking for a wagon 18 months ago or so before settling on a 2004+ (updated engine and trans) Volvo V70T5. I simply could not find any hence the V70R purchase that I am happy with. The later T5s are very rare. There are lots of V70 2.4T light pressure turbo variants that will serve the same utility. The sport seat option is quite common which feel pretty much like the R seats to me if not quite as regal. I found a 2005 V702.4T with 85K on the clock for $6.5K for a friend and after a remap, cat back, IPD sways and Bilstiens he has quite a beast of a grocery getter/road trip car. If compares pretty well to the V70R until the road goes south of damp.

Deja vu for me too, I find Volvo to be too heavy and staid, no more Saab's for me, Audi is too unreliable, a new VW Golf was more than I wanted to spend , the e350 was a little too Grey Poupon for me although I really think they are cool, so E91 was the winner.

In reply to Shaun:

Tell me more about these 2004+ T5 updates...

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: In reply to Woody: If you find a Merc that you are considering shoot me the VIN and I will have my neighbor run it through Mercedes NA service system. He will be able to look at all of the work done on the car at any MB dealer in the country.

Would you be willing to do that for me as well?

Sure Mark. Then lurching I ask is that you are serious about the car.

Woody wrote: In reply to Shaun: Tell me more about these 2004+ T5 updates...

T5 B5234T3 2000–2004 250 PS (184 kW; 247 hp)330 N·m (240 lb·ft) @2400–5200 2,319 cc

T5 B5244T5 2004–2007 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp)350 N·m (260 lb·ft) @2100–5000 2,401 cc

The 2004+ HPT T5 found in the S60 V70 T5's uses the same turbo as the 2004-7 R's and has longer rods with more material in section than the earlier 2.3 HPT so they will take more boost safely. Coupled with the thicker sleeves compared to the 2.5 R engine this 2.4 HPT is the favorite of the HPT litter. They will get to 350hp 400 ftlbs ish (crank) safely with stock drivability on the stock turbo (if done right) unopened and burble along at 70 getting 25 MPG. The S60 V70 2004 also gets an improved Aisin automatic that a Volvo only independent shop owner tech I am friendly with says is a big improvement over the previous unit. Same guy said never ever get a 2001 auto.