Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDI – 2008 – has run 603,335 km

Taxi is a compliment to the E-class

Some people call this model a taxi. They don’t mean that as a compliment. Silly actually, because what is a car ever intended for? Right, to get people from A to B safely and comfortably. So when a car is called a taxi, it is in fact a compliment. Owner Ewout Keegel purchased a Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI fifteen years ago. He is with us today with his 2008 diesel, with more than half a million on the odometer. As far as he is concerned, he will continue with this Mercedes for a while, but is that possible?

Transfer from C class

Ewout may be from 1966, but he still buzzes like the Rockanje brand, especially when it comes to his black four-door from Stuttgart. Kale with smoked sausage is great, but no one wants that stew every day. So how do you last fifteen years and 600,000 kilometers in the same car? “I once made a bid for a joke on a youngtimer that I came across in the showroom. I thought ‘I’ll just do it’ but it was €35,000 below the asking price, haha. No, I take good care of my things and never throw anything away. I love being on the road with my car, I still think it’s a wonderful thing.” He had to get used to it when he got in in 2008. “I came from a C-class diesel, also a wonderful car, but when I picked up the E and drove home I was really upset. I had to get used to all that space around me.” After all, Ewout had not taken a test drive, he relied on that star on the grille.

In addition to the Mercedes, a Saab 96 and a Kreidler

Ewout is meticulous, keeps track of everything about his car, treats his Mercedes and himself to a glass coating every three or four years. “That really makes him shine!” Moreover, Ewout enjoys the drops on the paint that slide off after the glass coating when braking hard. He also tries to avoid the phenomenon of parallel parking as much as possible. “I really hate that, I’d rather drive around the street or even further.” Finally, he has a special ritual; the pat on the back. “Every thousand kilometers I give him a friendly pat on his dashboard. Well done, boy.” Ewout is an enthusiast, because he cherishes his Benz classic mobile heritage. “I still have a Saab 96 at home with more than two tons on the clock and I also have my first Kreidler moped. A lot of my peers have gotten rid of their first moped. That sucks, because those things are now worth gold!” Ewout never throws anything away, so his first two motorcycles are still at his home. Everything is perfect and looks great. This is how Ewout likes it: everything must be neat, safe and function properly.

When Ewout finished his previous car, a C-class diesel, he went for the next one. “But in the showroom there was this E, brand new and with leather upholstery, and a diesel engine. So that had to be him. At a great price, because the new model E was coming.” Get in, drive away and keep driving. That’s how it went after that. A flat battery and a loose hose from the turbo caused delays. But Ewout scores a nice kilometer price of 28 cents. “That has increased a bit recently due to a few repairs, which are not really cheap at Mercedes-Benz, so I am curious. Joep will probably find something, but I think it won’t be too bad.”

Certain areas are susceptible to rust

That is not entirely the case. Ewout is a bit disappointed, although he always keeps the big picture in mind. But judge Joep Schuurman is as always straightforward and notes everything that is broken or that is scheduled to break. Then the number of defects quickly increases. “It is not surprising that you find defects at this mileage. No car can survive without maintenance and no car can escape wear and tear, not even a Mercedes-Benz,” says Joep. Sometimes a car manufacturer makes choices that are difficult to understand. The E-class has some empty spaces in the front, behind and next to the wheel arches. These are receptacles for damp autumn leaves, which turn into one wet mess. Ultimately, something like this causes rust. Who thinks of that? Who approves of such a thing? In addition, there are some technical inconveniences, but not insurmountable. Joep: “You cannot drive a car without maintenance and that costs money. The longer you drive the same car, the more and more often you have to have maintenance carried out and the more money you spend. Sending this Mercedes to a million kilometers is quite possible, but then you have to keep investing.” Ewout takes a constructive approach. “I’m going to list it out and take it step by step. I still believe: on to the million, so see you soon!”

Owner Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDI

Name: Ewout Keegel
Year of construction: 1966
Place of residence: Oostvoorne
Occupation: entrepreneur in climate advice for buildings
First car: Suzuki Swift 1.0
Previous car: Mercedes-Benz C-class diesel
Do you want to change something about the car?: “No, nothing, lovely car.”
What is your longest trip with this car?: “To the Austrian ski resorts.”

What’s wrong with it?

• The steering wheel is crooked when driving straight ahead and the car pulls quite a bit to the right
• The front wiper blades are mediocre
• The interior lighting and lighting of the driver’s make-up mirror do not work/do not work properly
• The automatic transmission is sometimes a bit jerky when shifting, when releasing the gas and just after switching
• Some pieces are missing from the multi-belt
• There is a lot of leaves in the front left parafan
• The rear wishbones at the front are extensively worn
• The exhaust is bad at the flexible part and the rear silencer/various suspension points are rusted
• The upper right ball joint cover is leaking
• The wiring for the ABS and brake wear indicators was loose (we fixed it).
• The rear hard drive is worn
• The right front wheel arch has hit the tire and now there is a hole in it
• The front wheel bearings have play
• The bottom plate is not properly secured in places because the mountings have broken off
• The chassis is rusting here and there. This is a result of the construction of the car

The opinion of Carrec Technocenter

“Driving in this Mercedes-Benz would be much more fun if it didn’t pull so strongly to the right, which really detracts. We also found quite a few things, but it is certainly not bad. Time and attention has been spent on it, you can see that and you can feel it.”