E500 - Back from France

[Londonscottish]

Well guess what? A 212 E500 is a great way to take the family and bikes to France and back.

Unsurprisingly it's similar in character to my previous 211 500 but with a a fairly long list of additonal little details that are often quite minor but that help smooth the journey.

I found the lane assist, blind spot assist and distronic handy on the autoroutes and the reversing camera useful in car parks. Being able to swich the headlights to LHD on the console was v handy. The additional music options were handy as was the improved navigation. Being able to check tyre pressures on the move was good as was the fact I could immediately see if one of the kids had taken off a seatbelt. The privacy glass not only looks good (to my my eyes anyway) but the kids love it and I like the fact that it hides all manner of potentially stealable items from view.

I didn't get to use ILS properly but can see how good it will be on windy dark B roads in winter. I did use all 388bhp quite a few times either when I'd sneaked off on my own or when on the autoroute.

The tanzanite blue looked amazing on sunny days and the light grey interior felt very airy. Loved the interrion LED's at night.

Thanks again to Biglips for spurring me on to get it as nothing remotely similar has come up on Autotrader before or since.

(I'd post some pictures but can't remember how to do this on this site -- when I try it it keeps telling me to post a link can't I point it a directory on my PC?).

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Photos

(I'd post some pictures but can't remember how to do this on this site -- when I try it it keeps telling me to post a link can't I point it a directory on my PC?).

The trick is to upload the photos into YOUR directory / profile on the the mbclub.co.uk site, and then to put their http address into your posting....

I hope that makes sense.

Glad the trip went well.

 

[Bri]

I think it fair to say you are quit pleased with your car then......enjoy

 

[Biglips]

Glad to hear you had a good trip and enjoyed the new car. Look after it I want it when you are done with it!

I have been racking up the miles in your old e500 and starting to get to know the car much better. They really are very capable and I am very pleased with it. We did a lot of family visiting around the country this week for which it is ideal, and it will be pressed into service with a collection of logs and a run to the tip over the easter weekend.

I took it in to get the ball joint done as it felt a bit vague on turn in. Needed not 1 but 3 (!) new ball joints and a new arb but it has transformed the handling massively. I also got front discs and pads done at the same time as they were low. I will get it laser aligned and serviced before we make our own trip to France in the Summer.

 

[Londonscottish]

OK; Here goes;

https://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/members/londonscottish-albums-212-e500-picture10685-a2.html

 

[Londonscottish]

Another try;

 

[Londonscottish]

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Use the photo box to insert the link

Use the photo box (the yellow box with an image of landscape and a sun) to insert your picture URL
(The picture URL in the middle of that photo page, it's not the URL of the page).
And your photo will show straight away, like this:

 

[Londonscottish]

The trick is to upload the photos into YOUR directory / profile on the the mbclub.co.uk site, and then to put their http address into your posting....

The only way I could see how to do it was to create an album, open each picture and use the URL from there.

Didn't work properly.

I assume I'm doing it wrong?

(but I assume you can see them in the album if you click through?).

(in other news I've got some more that I've managed to maroon on a directory on a Chromebase. If I can figure out how to liberate them I'll post them).

 

[Londonscottish]

Glad to hear you had a good trip and enjoyed the new car. Look after it I want it when you are done with it!

It's being well looked after. I'll take it to the local Merc specialist soon and have them give it the once over. And get the gearbox fluid done.

EDIT; and I've just podered a clear plastic bumper protector fot the back bumper. That dark blue shows every mark.....

I have been racking up the miles in your old e500 and starting to get to know the car much better. They really are very capable and I am very pleased with it. We did a lot of family visiting around the country this week for which it is ideal, and it will be pressed into service with a collection of logs and a run to the tip over the easter weekend.

E Class estates are so capable.....

I took it in to get the ball joint done as it felt a bit vague on turn in. Needed not 1 but 3 (!) new ball joints and a new arb but it has transformed the handling massively.

Wow I had no idea. Bushes degrade so slowly that it's only when you get them done do you realise how loose they were getting. Still. you should be good for a few years now.

And now they're done you'll have to take it out for a solo drive in Sport II if you haven't done so already.

 

[Londonscottish]

Like this?

 

[Londonscottish]

 

[Londonscottish]

 

[Londonscottish]

 

[Londonscottish]

I think it fair to say you are quit pleased with your car then......enjoy

Very happy to have managed to snaffle it. When it came up I was off work so was able to move fast.

Starting my new job on Tuesday so the timing was perfect.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

How are you finding the driving position? I could never get quite comfy enough, the door card was at a funny height so I had nowhere to rest my elbow and the seat seemed offset to me?

Great to see you're enjoying it though, certainly has to be one of the rarest modern cars on the road!

 

[Londonscottish]

How are you finding the driving position? I could never get quite comfy enough, the door card was at a funny height so I had nowhere to rest my elbow and the seat seemed offset to me?

I drop it right down and can rest my elbows on both sides BUT the standard seats are nowhere as good as the orthopaedic ones in my C43's, the dynamic ones in my 211 or the ones you get in 212 Sports - the bolsters are too widely spaced for me and I do end up slouching a bit - not ideal but OK.

certainly has to be one of the rarest modern cars on the road!

Mr E or Mr E's mate was doing a count here and on Pistonheads/Autotrader and reckons he got to 13 in two years IIRC.

Deffo not a lot around.

 

[Londonscottish]

Final pic

 

[Biglips]

More e500 musings

So far I like:
Effortless torque, build quality, seats. In fact I really like the seats. I wasn't sure about the dynamic seats at first but I now have them on as a default. SBC braking and hold function are very impressive.

The tech is surprisingly good despite its age. COMAND nav works well when you understand how to use it. HK is very good, probably the best I have had in a car. Hands free phone is a real bonus which I have never had before. I like the clever way it sends my iPhone a notification as to where I have parked the car. Not very useful but clever nonetheless!

Fuel economy is low 20s in town and high 20s on a run which is about what I expected. Larger tank is a nice bonus.

Small areas like the wipers show real quality.

Less pleased with:
Limited storage in cabin and boot for niknaks SBC pump is noisy. Is this normal? I think I will need to budget for a new one in the near future. Not much else really. Very pleased and definitely a keeper for a few years!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

S211 thoughts

So far I like..........

Fuel economy is low 20s in town and high 20s on a run which is about what I expected. Larger tank is a nice bonus. Small areas like the wipers show real quality.

Less pleased with:
Limited storage in cabin and boot for niknaks SBC pump is noisy. Is this normal? I think I will need to budget for a new one in the near future. Not much else really. Very pleased and definitely a keeper for a few years!

SBC pump isn't noisy in mine.

I get annual fuel economy of 25.5mpg living in the 'Burbs. As discussed before, call it £150 a year more than an E350 - insignificant in the annual running cost, especially if it's a second or third car.

"Limited storage in the boot" Even allowing for underfloor storage for torches, tools, High viz jacket, oil, and any ad hoc valuables? And behind the "rear" storage cushion, although it's awkward to reach - so only suitable for rarely stuff. (Or is this a 7 seater thing?)

The cupholder thing is a minor bug - I loathe coffee glugging at the wheel - it's unsafe and encourages drinking sheet coffee in stupid quantities - but the later S500 does it much better

Great cars - I've picking up an enormous Oled TV tomorrow - no problem at all.