Radiator broke at top hose
Thermostat housing broke at top hose
Auxilary fan resistor fault
Occasional Traction Control fault.
The car is a sport-line estate with 7 seats.
It cost the same as a 1993 Renault Espace, but is a lot faster, more comfortable and costs no more to run or repair.
Some small rust spots, but otherwise A! condition.
230+ bhp from 3 litre straight six that sounds glorious at the 7,000 rpm limit even after 150,000 miles.
Hi, here is a progress report. The head gasket blew at 155,000 miles just before christmas. This is a known fault so it was only a matter of time.
The new gaskets, complete de-coke, new valve seals and a good clean was £900.
Now though the engine runs like an engine with less than half its miles. No leaks and even more silky and smooth than before. Well worth the money.
Now on 165,000 miles and still going strong. I am off to France soon with my wife, 4 children a neighbours daughter and a roof box. This is the only car I would consider doing this journey in and that includes MPV's.
Hi, I also have a te24v sportline and must agree it's a great car. I change my car when I get bored - usually every 9 months or so, but I have now had the hearse for well over 2 years and am only now considering changing it and that's only considering.
I have had exactly the same probs as you, a little rust in front of the wheel arches, the top hose at 150k and head gasket at 160k. Unfortunately I didn't get it decoked etc when the gasket went, but its still goes OK except it is a little uneven at start.
Apparently mine has a brabus fast road cam which means I lose some low end grunt, but its amazing over 4 1/2k!
I've done two blasts to the south of France. On an irresponsible note it was great to try for its limit, but the auto box kept flicking between 4th and 5th at 140 mph so I soon gave that up, though it sat fine for miles at 130 - please don't do with family in tow! The car suited the fantastic toll roads and apart from occasionaly bottoming out on the way home due to the combination of the low suspension and half a vine yard in the back it went brilliantly.
Its great to hear of someone else enjoying this rare delight, I hope you continue to get the same pleasure I do for years to come, T.
The plastic breaking on the radiator and thermostat housing is a well known problem in Mercs and should be inspected on a regular basis.
Daimler do not sell the plastic thermostat housing any more, but will sell a metal one for a lot more dollars. However considering the price of repairing an overheated engine it is well worth upgrading.