Opinions on e class cabriolet engines.

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Wed 22 May 2019 17:52
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - barney100

I have an SLK but since the dogs arrival we need to be able to have somewhere for her to travel. I've had a look at e class cabriolets and wondered if the 2.1 diesel...which seem to be more in my price range ... or rather what swmbo thinks is. Will that engine strong enough for the larger e class? I have it in my SLK and it's fine. I had a 350 diesel on loan once and that was superb but the economy wasn't great.

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Wed 22 May 2019 18:45
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - badbusdriver

Given that same engine is used in the Sprinter van with GVW of up to 3.5 tons, i'm not sure why it wouldn't be strong enough to haul an e class cabriolet at not much more than half that weight. Might not be the fastest car on the road, but 200bhp and 500nm of torque should surely suffice!.

Just noticed that there is more than one option with the 2.1 diesel, the figures i quoted are for the 250CDI. But given the E Class is more cruiser than sports car, even the 220CDI (170bhp, 400nm of torque) should manage.

Bear in mind, that Sprinter vans manage with as little as 88bhp, and they seem to have little difficulty overtaking!

Edited by badbusdriver on 22/05/2019 at 18:55

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Wed 22 May 2019 18:57
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - Happy Blue!

Unless you want a lot of speed the E220CDi has reasonable performance. It's not too slow under any circumstances, but the more powerful the engine the faster it will be, obviously.

I test drove an E220CDI before buying my E350CDI estate and the difference was noticeable but not significant during regular driving unless you really want to show someone a clean pair of heels.

A friend has a 2012 E500 cabrio. That really is the dog's whatsits.

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Wed 22 May 2019 19:29
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - Alby Back
I've had two E Class estates. My current one is a 220 diesel and I'd describe its performance as adequate, cant fault it, but equally, it's not what I'd call super quick. The previous one was a 250 diesel and that was noticeably more powerful, if a little less economical.

Don't think you'd be disappointed by either engine in the end though.
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Thu 23 May 2019 01:35
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - Avant

The 2.1 diesel is noisy, although the newer 2.0 is better apparently.

Do you need a diesel? I'd have thought a petrol would suit a convertible better.

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Thu 23 May 2019 09:34
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - barney100

A lot of people say that! I reckon if you are looking for a performance cabriolet then that's a fair point but the e class is is more of a tourer unless you go for the the AMG's. I watched a video on you tube where a 250d SLK is given a blast on the autobahn and the speed was quite alarming touching 150 mph if I read the speedo properly.

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Thu 23 May 2019 10:08
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - cws

Irrespective of which variant you choose (220/250) both are bullet-proof engines (OM651 to be precise). Perhaps a little more noisy compared to others but on the flipside a strong engine which MB got right first time and gives little trouble.

Personally I'd opt for the 250 as it's the most fun to drive. As ever, find a car with service history and if it's done 75K plus ensure the gearbox fluid has been changed.

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Thu 23 May 2019 10:27
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - SLO76
Agree that these are very robust engines and transmissions if correctly maintained by a Mercedes dealer or genuine specialist. It’s vital to longevity and resale that they have a full history from an appropriate garage so don’t buy if you can’t afford a few big bills as neither will be cheap and you must be sure the specialist is as they claim and not just Joe Blogs backstreet workshop claiming they are but without any required equipment or Mercedes trained expertise.

That said I personally wouldn’t want a Diesel engine in a convertible. They don’t suit the nature or image of the vehicle and as they age they are prone to a lot more in the way of problems than the largely bulletproof petrol models and demand further down the years will be less for the diesel than petrol. A well kept Mercedes convertible will always reach classic status but the diesels never will.

If you don’t do more than 15,000 miles a year I’d go for petrol instead.
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Thu 23 May 2019 12:31
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - barney100

You may be right about petrol as mileage won't exceed 8k.

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Thu 23 May 2019 14:02
Opinions on e class cabriolet engines. - SLO76

You may be right about petrol as mileage won't exceed 8k.

I wouldn’t buy a diesel then. The 4cyl petrol models are decent enough on fuel and all are turbocharged so there’s no lack of go when needed. Quieter cruising with the hood down too.
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