M278 vs M112/M113

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
M112/M113 BEST 92/100
+30 points over M278
0 / 100
CAUTION M278 Mercedes-Benz
0 / 100
BEST M112/M113 Mercedes-Benz

Specifications

M278
M112/M113
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Verdict
CAUTION
BEST
Reliability
62
92
Years
2010--2018
1997--2006
Displacement
4663 cc
3199 cc
Layout
V8
V6
Type
Petrol Turbo
Petrol Na
Power
408--455 hp
218--306 hp
Known Issues
2
3
Total Risk Cost
€2,500--€9,500
€950--€2,850

Character

M278

"W222 S500, W166 GLE500, W212 E550. Hot-V twin-turbo. Timing chain guides. Turbo oil line leaks. Expensive timing chain job (engine-out in some models). Powerful but costly to own."

M112/M113

"Last simple MB V6/V8. Over-engineered. Cheap to maintain. 250k+ km."

Issues Comparison

M278 2

◆ CRITICAL
Timing chain guide failure €2,000--€8,000 80,000 km--150,000 km
▲ HIGH
Turbo oil line leak €500--€1,500 60,000 km--120,000 km

M112/M113 3

● MODERATE
Air suspension / Airmatic failure (S/ML models) €600--€2,000 100,000 km--180,000 km
○ MINOR
Spark plugs + ignition coils (V6/V8) €200--€500 80,000 km--150,000 km
○ MINOR
Coolant system: thermostat + expansion tank €150--€350 100,000 km--180,000 km

Models

M278 2

SL R231 2012--2018 S-Class W222 2013--2017

M112/M113 23

E-Class W210 1997--2002 E-Class W211 2002--2005 C-Class W203 2001--2005 C-Class W202 1997--2000 E-Class W210 1996--2002 S-Class W220 1998--2005 E-Class W210 1996--2002 S-Class W220 1998--2005 CLK W209 2002--2005 C-Class W203 2001--2005 E-Class W210 1997--2002 S-Class W220 1998--2005 S-Class W220 1998--2005 E-Class W211 2002--2006 CLK W209 2002--2006 SL R230 2001--2006 G-Class W463 2008--2018 E-Class W210 1997--2002 C-Class W203 2004--2007 E-Class W211 2003--2006 SL R230 2002--2008 ML 320 W163 1997--2005 SUV ML 350 W163 2003--2005 SUV
Full M278 Report Full M112/M113 Report