G400CDi...... Not all bad surely?
Please help!
Having run several petrol 460's in the past I am keen to get back into G ownership. The most obvious choice for me is a G400CDi LWB, got the grunt and great fuel economy.
Question being..... Virtually every post I have read 'slates' the 400? Having owned my own MB specialists workshop for over 6 years I have to report that if anything the 270/320CDi engines are a weak link and I wouldn't bother with either for various common factors.
I am told on very good authority (MB Technicians) that the 400CDi hasn't been imported into the UK for one reason only.... It's so good that MB UK would not sell any V8/V6 petrol vehicles!
Are the reports we see on the web solely from the USA where inferior quality diesel plays it's part?
Any constructive posts would be very much appreciated.
Kind Regards
Peter M
Hi Peter,
I think were some problems with the early 400s because not only was it a new engine for merc but complete new wiring loom and interior at the same time so not all the problems were to do with the engine. The early engine problems were to do with the high preasure fuel pump and injectors but later 400s had different pumps and injectors fitted.
So try and buy as late a model as you can, I get an adverage of 19mpg out of my swb but the lwb models get a little less but this will soon go down to 13-14mpg if your in a hurry.
good Luck :D
The 400 CDI is a shame for Mercedes. If you think the 270/320 CDIs are the weak link, better not think about the 400. It is so bad that Mercedes is going to discontinue this engine in the G range for 2007, pure and simple. Both 270 and 400 CDI will be replaced by the 320 CDI V6. And the fuel economy is simply not there. Driving briskly a 400 will get you in the 12 to 15 mpg territory.
Speaking from hearsay, I think one of the other problems is repair bills are horendous due in part to the fact that the engine is far too big for the G's engine bay. In order to compensate the frame had to be redesigned. Also it is very difficult to work on due to the tight constraints and hence more labour intensive.
There are no official G400 owner's in the states as it was never sold there.
Is it fair to say the engine is so bad they are discontinuing it? I'm not sure - they discontinued the G300 TD which many argue was the best diesel engine ever made... and most of the G400 UK owner's seem quite happy with them.
If you look around in Germany 400 out sell 500 by a long way. I know of one 2001ish 400 in the UK which MB told my had a lot of problems. This put me off buying one.
I understand that the later models are better. I would take advice from owners of these later models as they have experience of them.
One thing you have to bear in mind will the 400 and newer 500 is they are packed with electronics, which is never a good thing in my view.
My brother in law has a 2000/2001 G400.
The engine is great and fuel economy is certainly better than a G500. The engine bay is certainly tight, compared to a 463 with an M103 engine, but not moreso than an s-class with a similar V8 or a G500 even. What about the CLK500 then??
The 400CDi is very quiet and refined with very good power and acceleration, as you would expect. The chassis suspension and damper settings are also taughter than on my old 463, making it very good on tarmac.
The main problems he's had are mainly due to dealers not being familiar with them- both G-wagens and in this case the engine too.
He had a major service carried out the other week, but then discovered that the dealer did not grease the prop-shafts. Why?- Because they didn't have a grease gun as they are not required for other mercs. Probably they did not grease the front axle swivel housings either.
The electrics are C-Class based and as long as you don't get one of the first ones, they are quite reliable. However, all the systems are more complicated than they used to be. Originally, the 463 only had ABS, now additionally there's ESP, Brake Assist, Electronically controlled Transfer-case, Electronically controlled auto-transmission, Computerised engine management and fuel system, a Comand system...
Also, getting insurance on a LHD G400 was difficult as it's not on most company's lists and the few that would insure it all required it to have a Thacham Category One immobiliser /Alarm. This it did have from the factory, but because it was not a UK car they would not accept it and the dealers could not / would not verify it (not even MB UK). They were even afraid of adding another immobiliser to the already complex C-Class electronics. Eventually, an independant alarm specialist was able to verify the factory-fitted one.
George Fraser managed to break more things on it than he fixed and now a local MB service centre is getting used to it. Apart from replacing brake discs (it goes through them quite quickly) it's had a gearbox sump-gasket replaced to fix a leak, but otherwise it's been OK and it has nearly 46,000 miles now.
Other than that, the reversing light and fog light had to be swapped around for it to pass its (second) MOT and the front headlamps masked or replaced. MB will not sell RHD headlamps for a LHD car- (probably need to buy them on a RHD G500 chassis number.) The LCD information display on the dash can be programmed to give the speed in MPH, so that you don't need to recalibrate the km/h speedometer to MPH.
Hi All, I've done 11,000 miles in my G400 this year and apart from a TDC sensor which is the same as all merc's that failed its been problem free.
I love the torque of the engine and I'm getting 19 mpg since I've had the vehicle and that includes off roading and pulling trailers around.
I've had more problems with the 280 cdi and 320 cdi since they came out than any any other diesel that I'm running. :roll:
A failure with a sensor in the first 11,000 miles, " the same as all the Mercs" surely there should have been a recall?, sorry dont mean to sound sarcastic, just very surprised is all.
How serious or embarrising was the failure then?
Regards,
Marcus
Hi Marcus when i said the same as all the merc's I ment the same sensor as used in all merc's meaning that the fault wasn't just 400cdi related but could of happened to any merc. It just caused a stutter at tick over nothing serious. :D
Eventually, an independant alarm specialist was able to verify the factory-fitted one.
Would be good to get more info on this as it is a common problem.
George Fraser managed to break more things on it than he fixed....
Friendly guys, but unfortunately I have had the same problem... twice.
Well, all recent European Merecedes are fitted with the MBSS3 immobiliser system. The trouble is that the Thatcham List only refers to alarms and immobilisers that fitted and type approved to officially imported UK vehicles. MB UK was not helpful in confirming that the existing immobiliser on the G400 was the one and the same as other UK vehicles. Instead they insisted that the UK versions are modified and are not the same (it sounded as if they did not really have anyone technical there). The only difference is actually that the MBSS3 system on UK cars has the alarm part with the interior cabin sensors, which are an option in the rest of Europe. However, the engine immobiliser part, which is what the insurance companies are interested in, is one and the same. As you all know, MB now uses infra-red ignition keys on all recent and new vehicles and these are linked to the coded engine management unit. Local dealers were also not able to verify that the G400 had this system, but they were trying to do it from the car's data files and didn't know where to look. (Just looking at the ignition key should have been enough!)
Anyway MB UK have been particularly unhelpful in this and also a few other respects because it was not an officially imported vehicle.
As I mentioned we also tried Geroge Fraser, who's technician decided to take a look and dismantle most of the dash, breaking a number of items in the process and when my brother-in-law went back to collect the vehicle he was amazed to find the technician hammering away at the glove-box! Later he noticed that the lock and catch had been broken and other parts of the dash were loose and ratling. At the end GF could not figure out how to add an other immobiliser and they did not pay for the damage they caused (it required a new glove-box assembly).
Eventually, an independent alarm specialist came and had a look. He instantly recognised that the car had the MBSS3 and wrote out the required certificate, albeit at a cost of £300 for his trouble.
Still, it was worth it as it saved any messing about with the existing electrical system. Very few people take the trouble to fit alarms and immobilisers properly and then this can cause a lot of problems down the road.
advise
Forget George fraiser not as good as people say, second forget MB uk and speak to Holland instead, there more helpful.
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