OM606 vs OM642

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
OM606 BEST 96/100
+14 points over OM642
0 / 100
BEST OM606 Mercedes-Benz
0 / 100
BUY OM642 Mercedes-Benz

Specifications

OM606
OM642
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Verdict
BEST
BUY
Reliability
96
82
Years
1993--2001
2005--2020
Displacement
2996 cc
2987 cc
Layout
I6
V6
Type
Diesel
Diesel
Power
134--174 hp
190--265 hp
Known Issues
2
3
Total Risk Cost
€280--€700
€1,500--€4,400

Character

OM606

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

OM642

"Legendary V6 diesel. 250k+ km. Fix swirl flaps and enjoy."

Issues Comparison

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--∞

OM642 3

▲ HIGH
Valley oil cooler seal failure — #1 issue €800--€2,000 80,000 km--150,000 km
● MODERATE
Intake swirl flap actuator failure €400--€900 60,000 km--130,000 km
● MODERATE
BlueTEC NOx system / DEF issues (where fitted) €300--€1,500 60,000 km--∞

Models

OM606 2

300D W124 1993--1997 Sedan E 300D W210 1995--2003 Sedan

OM642 13

E-Class W211 2005--2009 S-Class W221 2005--2009 GLE W166 2015--2019 C-Class W203 2005--2007 CLK W209 2005--2009 S-Class W222 2013--2017 C-Class W204 2009--2014 E-Class W212 2012--2016 E-Class W212 2009--2016 E-Class W211 2005--2009 S-Class W221 2009--2013 G-Class W463 2010--2018 ML 350 CDI W164 2005--2011 SUV
Full OM606 Report Full OM642 Report