09 W204 Vs 2012 Passat Estates

[Aletank]

Just pondering future car purchases, I've had Mercedes for the past 13 years, always slightly older models. My GF had a brand new Vx Zafira and the build quality was poor compared to my older, probably 4/5 times cheaper Mercedes.
I am maybe looking at a car change in the next 12 months or so and was thinking rather than a older Mercedes have a look at something newer with a less prestige badge.
I know it's a Mercedes forum so views are going to be leaning one way (ish)

So do you think the 2009 W204 is the better buy over a 2012 Passat - both about £9k

2009 W204 Estate - Click Me
Vs
2012 Passat Estate - Click Me

 

[trapperjohn]

Hard choice. Passat possibly a little bigger.

Never had a Passat so cant really say.

 

[Spin_bowler]

The heavy mileage on the Passat probably skews this particular comparison back towards the MB.

It would be more interesting if budget were upped a touch and In warranty examples became an option but I suppose, if that were a big influence then you may as well be looking at a Kia, Hyundai or Vauxhall and get yourself into something newer.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I owned a saloon version of the Passat for 8 months and there was nothing wrong with it. Having said that, there wasn't much right with it either.

I must have put around 30k miles on it in that time and it wasn't particularly frugal at motorway speeds, urban driving was though.

The car showed it's limitations to me driving across Northern Spain in convoy with another Brit in a newish E class, we were both booting it in the wilderness and taking it in turns to take the lead (and possible speeding traps). The guy in the W212 looked relaxed where I was feeling the strain, for comparison the E was a 220Cdi.

In summary, if just bumping around town the Passat will be fine. If doing longer trips the RWD more powerful MB will be better.

 

[cunny678]

I had a 2.0 tdi common rail Passat. Bought it a year old and did 40k in it over 3 years. Six speed manual and would do over 60mpg at 70 mph. Very quiet and reliable and enough power for over taking. Mine was the highline which had a good spec then inc climate / leather etc.

Think the top spec car is now called executive style and comes with almost everything as standard.

 

[flat6buster]

FWIW I had the previous shape passat estate from new in 2007 with 170ps. Nippy, handled well, very comfortable, did about 45mpg average over 2 years and I drove that quite hard.

I rented a new shape passat 150ps whilst waiting for my current S212 to be delivered in 2013. That was even better that my old one, good quality interior (certainly as good as my current merc E220), bit slower but that would be fixed by having a 170ps one, bit wallowy but thats fixed by buying a sport one. It averaged 62mpg whilst I had it!

My current Merc E220 is no better inside than the VW, much more expensive to buy, SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE on fuel (think I am on 35 or 37mpg over 30,000 miles - can't check as wifey has car at the mo), has the most risible DAB reception and continues to fail to impress me almost as completely as my old S211 won me over with its impressive breadth of ability.

Hate to say it but I can't see any difference in the VW and the new E class (certainly at the bottom of the E class range where I live) and I shan't be having another.

Maybe the real value of the cars is shown by the leasing costs which have the Merc costing less than a Passat. Seems about right to me.

I will replace this current 212 with an older Merc or something different. Last time I have a new Merc for a while I think - I just think they used to make them a LOT better.

VWs have a following for a reason and if you can get over the slightly repmobile image of the passat (which reputation, to be frank, can be levelled at the C and E class Mers) I think you'd not be disappointed.

Pity they dropped the R36.

 

[scgfull]

I have just changed from a "58" plate 2.0litre Diesel Automatic Passat Highline Estate to a new E350 Estate.

The Passat I owned for nearly 5 years (& approx 60K miles) and it was a very competent car, economical to run and maintain (on occasions 60+Mpg!) but was very uninspiring.

The Mercedes, is less economical (although only just run in and settled) but is much more inspiring and comfortable generally.

Steve

 

[geraldrobins]

I had a 2.0 tdi common rail Passat. Bought it a year old and did 40k in it over 3 years. Six speed manual and would do over 60mpg at 70 mph. Very quiet and reliable and enough power for over taking. Mine was the highline which had a good spec then inc climate / leather etc.

Think the top spec car is now called executive style and comes with almost everything as standard.

I had a 2010 mk6 and can agree and the obc showed 60mpg at 70 regularly but was in fact about 10% optimistic but still good. If yours was the mk 7 then mpg was theoretically better.
I was pleased with my Passat and also my merc c class.

 

[Williamwoo]

I think you'd find the Passat will be considerably roomier.