Big Estate - what to buy now?

[E55BOF]

Time to be sensible? Not exactly a ‘Road to Damascus’ moment – it was the road to Abingdon, and I’m not Saint Paul – but I think it may be time to move on down from the E55K. The faster I go, the faster (and more often) I want to go, and I think it might be wise to grow up a little and get something less easily licence-threatening as my daily driver. The cloth cap and pipe are calling…

What, then? I need a big estate for the dogs, and I don’t really want a diesel – I fear they may become increasingly seen as antisocial as time goes on. If I’m going to change, I might as well get something low-mileage. I don’t think I want an E500 – too pricey for what they are; I might as well keep the E55K - and there’s precious few if any low-mileage examples out there for sale.

I’m strangely drawn to the Chrysler 300C estate – an awful lot of low-mileage car for the money. It would have to be a 3.5 litre V6, though, and yes, I know it will be a slug by comparison, but that’s rather the point. I like the estate’s looks, and I think I could live with the somewhat downmarket image provided it’s not been messed with – no “Bentley” grille or huge wheels for me. Colour’s a bit tricky, as well; I don’t want silver, and black would be a pain to keep clean, and look rather ‘airport taxi’ as well.

Does anybody know which MB 3.5 V6 engine they have, and whether it is prone to any particular problems?

Does anybody have any other ideas? Definitely not an RS6, though…

 

[m2287]

How about a Range Rover, I'm quite surprised by how calm I drive my Mrs one!

 

[BTB 500]

Does anybody know which MB 3.5 V6 engine they have, and whether it is prone to any particular problems?

I assume it would have been the M272, which certainly does have some potential issues (depending on build date): http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/137229-complete-m272-engine-thread.html

 

[moonloops]

I’m strangely drawn to the Chrysler 300C estate

 

[John]

The faster I go, the faster (and more often) I want to go, and I think it might be wise to grow up a little and get something less easily licence-threatening as my daily driver. The cloth cap and pipe are calling…

I don’t think I want an E500 – too pricey for what they are; I might as well keep the E55K - and there’s precious few if any low-mileage examples out there for sale.

Pretty much the same reason for me.

I looked at E500s too and they are pretty slim in numbers - particularly beyond 2006 which is what I wanted but a non-sport.

I'm not a fan of the Chrysler myself but if it suits then why not...

 

[219]

G-Wagen ?

 

[Lennox]

G-Wagen ?

Do you know what you can spend on one of those??? £180k!!!! Seriously!! They are mental money!!

 

[E55BOF]

G-Wagen ?

That really is out of left field. Not for me: I want a car, not a 4x4.

Bill, re the balancer shaft issue, I had the same thought, so tried Googling Chrysler Balance Shaft problem. Nothing at all came up. Some more research revealed that it is Chrysler's own engine, not an MB design at all.

 

[Darrell]

Big Volvo estate.

 

[merc85]

W212 e350 petrol, 300hp loads of space. I'd personally go for a e320/350 cdi but I'm not adverse to diesels, I love the low down torque and not high reving engines, also on the plus side is the mpg as 90% of the time you don't need to use all that power.

 

[MercedesDriver]

For similar reasons like yours (4 persons + a dog) I went for Volvo V70 petrol. Three petrol options 2.5T, 3.2 naturally aspirated and 3.0T. I went for 3.2 and I'm very pleased with it. 238bhp/320Nm a lot of space (much more compared to E class) very comfy and cheaper to maintain than MB. Nice trims are SE and SE Lux. There are also AWD versions XC70.

 

[fabes]

Chap at work has just got a Jag XF estate and it does look nice inside and out (space not great in the boot though?)

They do a decent range of engines, budget depending.

What about a CLS shooting brake thingy...... ?

 

[merc85]

If your used to a 211, i think the Volvo will seem more modern but cheap in places. Thats what i found anyway.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

What's the budget?

If it's similar to what your E55K is worth, the only thing I can think of that's a big petrol estate is the Audi S6. Other than that, there's not a great choice of V6/V8 petrol estates outside of the AMG's etc.

What about a facelift S211 E500?

 

[219]

Do you know what you can spend on one of those??? £180k!!!! Seriously!! They are mental money!!

New ones are very expensive , I guess that's the price of what is arguably the last vehicle still in production to offer traditional undiluted Mercedes-Benz engineering .

Used ones are available , of course , in all price ranges .

 

[DRIVER200]

Assume you don't want to stay with Mercedes but if you did what about the new C43 AMG Estate which may offer you all you need?

 

[developer]

Not big though.

 

[BTB 500]

Bill, re the balancer shaft issue, I had the same thought, so tried Googling Chrysler Balance Shaft problem. Nothing at all came up. Some more research revealed that it is Chrysler's own engine, not an MB design at all.

You could be right, the gen II cars definitely have a Chrysler petrol V6. But gen I was when they were DaimlerChrysler so I was guessing they used both petrol and diesel M-B V6 engines. But maybe not!

 

[developer]

I’m strangely drawn to the Chrysler 300C estate

Like the dad in the Trebor advert said...


Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

[E55BOF]

I don't really care what others think; if it meets my needs, it will do me. HOWEVER...

I drove a 60K mile 300C 3.5 estate today. It's a smooth-riding, quiet (but both no better than the E55), (relative) slug, as expected. The seats are big and soft, but unsupportive, and the overall impression was of size and softness.

I was struck by the wasted space inside - long stretch to the base of the windscreen- and by how (relatively again) small the load area is - significantly narrower than the W211, and very high-waistline claustrophobic; narrow windows, small tailgate glass area. The dogs wouldn't like it.

There's no pull-out mesh to use as a dog guard, either, and no easy way to attach an aftermarket dog guard. No satnav, no CD changer, no sunroof... it's the minor details that matter.

All right, I just didn't like it. Nothing at all to enthuse me (except the aftermarket reversing camera). Not the car for me.

Unless I can find an E500 estate that suits (see my other new thread), it looks as though I'm stuck with the E55K. It's just too good...

How to preserve my licence, though? Perhaps a carefully-calculated length of strong bungee cord, with one end tied round my scrotum and the other attached to the loud pedal...