A Mercedes-Benz E-Class for every budget

If you search for Mercedes-Benz E-class on the AutoWeek used website, the results are numerous but not very inspiring. The vast majority of the range is painted in a shade of gray and ‘functional’ with solid equipment and a modest but effective powertrain. Not surprising, given that the model has been the favorite among taxi drivers and businessmen for decades. An E-class is for representative, comfortable and mostly efficient transport.

Most of the copies, at least. But Mercedes-Benz wouldn’t be a German luxury brand if it didn’t also have something to offer for completely different target groups. Target groups that, to name but a few, want to roll their hair in the wind to the golf club on Sunday, stay seven seats or hate rear tires. The E-Class is also for those people – and has been for years.

That’s why we made a varied selection of E-classes from the past four generations. In that selection, one copy for up to €10,000, one for up to €20,000, and so on. Let’s start with the most expensive – and perhaps the most sensible – for a change.

W213 Mercedes-Benz E300 e Hybrid, €45,895

A list with only striking E-classes with big engines is nice, but not for everyone. Different budgets mean different options, so we also give an option to those who want to know whether their E-class wishes can be reasonably justified. Spending just under €46,000 on a used car is almost never entirely rational, but in this case you do buy a ‘young used’ plug-in hybrid in a chic but not too modest composition with a lot of luxury for that money. Just four years old, fresh from the first (leasing) owner and already for half the new price. Not crazy, right?

W212 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, €39,950

Not crazy enough, you say? Then the first AMG in this list – in the €30,000 to €40,000 price range – might be something for you. There is a good chance that it is one of exactly the generation you want most, because it has the acclaimed 6.2-liter atmospheric V8 block under the hood. This meant that the model was only delivered for a short time, because the block soon had to make way for a 5.5-liter with two turbos. A rarity, this also original Dutch E-class. It had four owners, is twelve years old and covers about 10,000 kilometers a year. Nice: this generation not only did without turbos, but also without four-wheel drive. As a result, this E63 is not that heavy at all by today’s standards: 1,740 kg. Saves on taxes, let’s just say.

W211 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, €24,950

For no less than €15,000 less you will find the AMG of a generation before in our range. A car imported in 2018 that has since had two Dutch owners and has covered just over 100,000 kilometers in its entire life. That was due to a 5.5-liter V8 with compressor; depending on how old you are, perhaps an even more imaginative power source than the 6.2-liter described above. The 5.5-liter V8 from this AMG era is not only relatively reliable, but also unprecedentedly rich in torque. No less than 700 Nm ensures effortless acceleration, while its appearance is downright modest. Just take a look at what was in Ferrari showrooms in 2002 and you’ll understand how impressive this car was – or is.

W212 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe, €19,950

But now something completely different: an E-class Coupé of the W212 generation, an almost forgotten model. When was the last time you saw one? Well, if you can remember, it probably wasn’t as fancy as this one. The beige upholstery contrasts nicely with the black on the outside and is complemented by the partly wooden steering wheel. Lush things like the creamy V6 with more than 300 hp, the panoramic roof and the Harman / Kardon sound system fit it perfectly. The car is ‘only’ ten years old (do you also think it looks a bit older?) and that is – unfortunately – reflected in the asking price.

W210 Mercedes-Benz E430 Estate, €5,750

Fortunately, we have also selected a car for the (much) smaller wallet, even if it is one that is certainly not cheap to use. The W210, introduced after the very high-quality W124 E-class, is a model generation that hardly evokes warm feelings in anyone, but the undersigned secretly likes it the most. The silhouette of the station wagon, the casualness of the sedan’s butt; it has something. This copy has a V8 under the hood and is full of all the gadgets you could get in the late 90s. That has something scary – after all, a lot can be broken – but the fact that the selling garage company gives a guarantee on all its used cars offers some perspective. Fat, right?