M112 vs OM606

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
OM606 BEST 96/100
+12 points over M112
0 / 100
BUY M112 Mercedes-Benz
0 / 100
BEST OM606 Mercedes-Benz

Specifications

M112
OM606
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Verdict
BUY
BEST
Reliability
84
96
Years
1997--2006
1993--2001
Displacement
3199 cc
2996 cc
Layout
V6
I6
Type
Petrol Na
Diesel
Power
170--245 hp
134--174 hp
Known Issues
7
2
Total Risk Cost
€1,280--€3,625
€280--€700

Character

M112

"Three-valve V6 from the last simple Mercedes era. Nothing expensive inside; the harmonic balancer rubber and the crank sensor are the two things to check. Runs for ever on synthetic oil."

OM606

"Legendary. 500k+ miles documented. Tunable to 500hp. One of most reliable engines ever."

Issues Comparison

M112 7

▲ HIGH
Harmonic balancer (crank pulley) rubber delaminates €280--€650 N/A--N/A
● MODERATE
Oil leaks — valve-cover gaskets, front crank seal (V6), rear main seal (V8) N/A--N/A N/A--N/A
● MODERATE
Air suspension / Airmatic failure (S/ML models) €600--€2,000 100,000 km--180,000 km
○ MINOR
Oil sludge from conventional oil on long FSS intervals (MY1998-2001) N/A--N/A N/A--N/A
○ MINOR
Crankshaft position sensor fails when hot — stall or hot no-start €50--€125 N/A--N/A
○ MINOR
Spark plugs + ignition coils (V6/V8) €200--€500 80,000 km--150,000 km
○ MINOR
Coolant system: water pump, thermostat, expansion tank €150--€350 100,000 km--180,000 km

OM606 2

○ MINOR
Glow plug failure (only meaningful issue) €80--€200 80,000 km--∞
○ MINOR
Injection pump seal wear (age-related) €200--€500 200,000 km--∞

Models

M112 12

E-Class W210 1997--2002 C-Class W203 2001--2005 E-Class W211 2002--2005 E-Class W210 1997--2002 C-Class W202 1997--2000 S-Class W220 1998--2005 E-Class W210 1997--2002 C-Class W203 2001--2005 CLK W209 2002--2005 S-Class W220 1998--2005 ML 320 W163 1997--2005 SUV ML 350 W163 2003--2005 SUV

OM606 2

300D W124 1993--1997 Sedan E 300D W210 1995--2003 Sedan
Full M112 Report Full OM606 Report