Mercedes-Benz Problems

Along with the flood of imported passenger cars in the past decade or so has come a wave of imported light commercial vans.  With them is the Mercedes-Benz Vito, a semi-bonneted van that has delivered a new deal to long-suffering light commercial drivers, with a blend of comfort, safety, agility and performance.MODEL WATCHThe Vito is a mid-sized one-tonne payload front-wheel-drive van. With its sloping bonnet and windscreen, and neat van proportions, the Vito is an attractive light commercial, one that presents your business well when out and about on the job.  Big grey plastic bumpers provided important protection for the front and rear, while wide rub strips protected the sides.The SBV design provided occupant protection through front crumple zones and there was also a driver's airbag. Throw in disc brakes front and rear, independent suspension front and rear, and power-assisted rack and pinion steering, and you have an impressive primary safety package. Anti-lock braking, which came with traction control and electronic brake force distribution, enhanced the safety aspect.Hop into the driver's seat and the advantages of the SBV design are immediately apparent. You simply slide into the seat, there's no climbing up over the wheel arch as you must in a COE van.Inside, the Vito had a neat dash layout, lots of pockets to store the workday needs and a two-speaker sound system.  On the road the Vito was comfortable, another virtue of the SBV design, the ride supple and absorbent, the handling precise and balanced, the brakes powerful.Power came from one of two engines at launch, one petrol and one diesel. The petrol engine was a double overhead cam 2.0-litre four-cylinder, which with fuel-injection put out 95kW at 5300revs, and 186Nm at 4500revs, and gave the Vito a decent amount of grunt.The diesel was a 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit which delivered a modest 58kW at 3800revs, which was very economical if lacking legs.  The real change came in 1999 when Mercedes released a double overhead camshaft 2.2-litre common rail turbo diesel engine and transformed the Vito.In 2001 it was joined by the 112 CDi which gave 90kW at 3800revs, and 300Nm at 2500revs, for even more zip. The Vito came in one size. It had a payload of 1.1 tonnes, a payload volume of 4.9cum, with load zone measuring 2300mm long, 1630mm wide and 1390mm high.Tracks on the roof allow operators to fit roof racks for additional carrying capacity. Access to the work area was through a tailgate and sliding doors on both sides.  Airconditioning came standard on the 112 CDi, but was optional on other models.IN THE SHOPThe Vito is a worker so it has to be checked for signs of hard work. Look at door hinges and latches for wear and looseness; the sliding door mechanisms have been known to fail completely. Also look for damage inside the load zone where poorly restrained loads have been allowed to slide around and bump into the body sides.Mechanically, look for evidence of regular servicing. Dip the oil and look for contamination and sludge. Check the cooling system. The clutch can be a problem if the Vito is worked hard at close to full-load capacity, so look for signs of slippage.Check the body work for signs of neglect such as bumps, scrapes and paint touch-ups. Also look for mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and wobbly doors that might indicate a crash.Generally the Vito is owned and operated by small business operators and tradesmen who often use it as family transport, so they tend to get better looked after than some fleet vehicles.

There are bigger and more expensive Benzes and there are smaller and cheaper ones, but the mid-sized E-Class is what the star marque is all about.MODEL WATCHThe E-Class was one of the new generation of models that helped Mercedes regain much of the ground it lost to the first Lexus.  The previous W124 E-Class was a resounding success so the new W210 had much to live up to.At first it seemed it might struggle, with traditional Mercedes owners horrified at their first sighting of the bug-eyed front-end styling. It doesn't rate a second glance now, but back then it was regarded as radical.  Beyond the front end the styling was smooth and typical of Benz: strong and substantial.There were two models launched in 1996 – the four-cylinder E230 and six-cylinder E320. Both were available in Classic and the more luxurious Elegance versions.  All had better crash protection than the previous model.There were refined crumple zones, stronger passenger cells, new load-sensing seat belts, dual airbags and optional side airbags for front-seat occupants.  Active safety systems included ABS and traction control.The E230 was powered by a double overhead cam 2.3-litre fuel-injected four-cylinder engine, pumping out 110kW when working at its peak, and 220Nm. For performance there was the E320, which had a 3.2-litre straight six. With double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and fed by fuel-injection, the smooth six boasted 162kW and 315Nm.A smooth five-speed auto was the choice when it came to transmission. The suspension was independent front and rear, steering was power assisted, brakes were powerful discs all round, with the assistance of ABS.The E230 Classic came with full wheel covers, cloth trim, cruise control, airconditioning, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, immobiliser and radio-cassette sound. Step up to an Elegance and you got alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, 10-stack CD sound and auto-dipping interior mirror.When you ordered an E320 Classic you got all of that, plus 10-stack CD sound, multifunction instrument display and an illuminated vanity mirror.  In July 1997 Mercedes moved to a new generation of V6 engines and a 164kW 3.2-litre version replaced the 3.2-litre straight six in the E320. The E230 continued until January 1998, when it was replaced by the E240 with a 125kW 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft V6.IN THE SHOPMost Mercedes are well looked after in their first years, usually by people who can not only afford to buy them, but who can also afford to service them.  After that they tend to be sold off to people who sometimes struggle to keep up the maintenance. That's where they can have trouble, particularly if service is done by people who aren't familiar with the car and generic parts are used.If you want all the E-Class can give, look for one with a genuine Mercedes service history, if not by a dealer, then by a recognised specialist with a Mercedes background.  The E-Class stands up well to the rigours of daily life on the road. They are tough and reliable. Go for a E320 if your budget will stand it, otherwise try a later V6 rather than the small E230 four.Look for evidence of an uncaring owner – scratches down the sides, scarred bumpers, damaged alloy wheels. Also do the usual checks for evidence of a crash: uneven panel gaps, mismatched paint and doors, or a boot lid or bonnet that doesn't open smoothly.

When we think of sports cars, we tend to think of small, light two-seaters high on performance but with few creature comforts.  The image is very British, which can be explained by the dominance of British sports cars in the 1950s and 1960s.  But many other brands, including Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, took a different path. Mercedes in particular was building sports cars on a much grander scale.The British were achieving new levels of performance by using small, mildly tuned engines in lightweight chassis, but the Germans were using bigger, more powerful engines.When a new wave of sports cars arrived in the late '90s, Mazda mostly followed the British tradition with the MX5, but Mercedes took its traditional path with the SLK. It was more sophisticated, with lots of creature comforts to make the experience more enjoyable for those not hooked on old-time sports cars.Model watchAT $98,500 the SLK slotted into the middle of the market. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't the most expensive on the market either.  Typically Mercedes, the SLK was packed with the latest technology. It had a clever steel roof that folded into the boot when you wanted to soak up the sun, but provided all the security and comfort of a coupe when raised.The only downside was that it slashed the available boot space once it was lowered. It was best to travel light if you were touring in an SLK.  Chunky was the best word to describe the SLK with its wedge shape and large flanks, but it was attractive whichever way you looked at it.Inside it was a little cramped, but it was stylish. The seats were typically Benz, flat and broad, which meant most people would fit in them, but they didn't provide the best of support in the sports-car tradition.  The trim was a dashing blend of bright colours, leather of course, and there was a touch of nostalgia with the classical instruments and retro alloy touches on the centre console.At first there was just one engine, a supercharged 2.3-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder unit that pumped out 142kW at 5300 revs and 280Nm at 2500 revs.  When stirred into action, the SLK230 was capable of accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds.As with the engine, there was no choice when it came to transmissions – it was a five-speed auto. True, it could be shifted manually when you wanted to up the fun stakes, but it wasn't in the class of the Porsche Tiptronic, and a long way short of a real manual box.Underneath was independent suspension front and rear, four-wheel discs with ABS, traction control and power steering.  Inside there was standard airconditioning, power windows, power roof, remote central locking, immobiliser and dual airbags.On the road the SLK behaved well. It handled nicely, rode comfortably and braked with assurance, but it was geared more to highway cruising rather than spirited driving down a winding country road.A few months after the initial launch, Mercedes offered a slightly cheaper SLK200 model with a 100kW unblown 2.0-litre engine in place of the supercharged 2.3-litre unit.In the shopMERCEDES-BENZ cars generally stand the test of time, and with about 100,000km on average on the odometer, SLK models are still in their prime when it comes to service.  Check for a service record because it's better to buy one that has been cared for by a Benz dealer or at least an acknowledged specialist.Have it checked by a specialist who knows the make and model.  Unlike some other sports cars, the SLK is unlikely to be used in motor sport, so they're not normally abused.Owner's viewJANICE Hyndman has travelled 54,000km in her SLK230 and loves it, particularly on a sunny day when she can lower the roof.  She loves the uncluttered, classical style, says it has sufficient power, and the boot is roomy enough for her needs.She says it's comfortable for her, though her husband finds it a little cramped, particularly in the footwells.  Apart from a window winder motor that needed replacing, Janice says her SLK has been very reliable.Look forCLASSICAL stylingGREAT folding steel roofCOMFORTABLE rideSECURE handlingGOOD performanceRating18/20 Good-looking droptop that makes a perfect cruiser on a sunny day.