210 E55 AMG to 211?

[RossMB]

I have had my 210 E55 for over a year now and love it to bits but I'm really starting to feel the need for a 211.

I'm sure some of you have made the transition, pros and cons? Would really like to stay with an estate...

Picture of my current baby...

 

[The _Don]

A backwards step in every sense keep the 210 it's a classic.

 

[John]

I personally prefer almost everything about the W211 over the W210.

However, I think you need a fairly healthy budget to pick up a good E55K Estate.

I think SPX might know of one for sale soon:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/classifieds-cars-sale/194463-fs-my-7-seat-s211-e55k-amg-estate-brabus-brakes.html

The performance is in a different league over the W210!

 

[Grovsie31]

A backwards step in every sense keep the 210 it's a classic.

LOL classic rust bucket.

 

[Alex]

A backwards step in every sense keep the 210 it's a classic.

Someone must have hacked his account. A true Mr. S I know would say 'skip the 211 and go for 202 C43'.

 

[John]

LOL classic rust bucket.

To be fair, early W211s are the same until galvanised - and even then I still got surface rust on my 54 W211.

Thank god MB decided to boost profits to the detriment of build quality.

 

[Celicasaur]

God bless the W211.

 

[Will]

To be fair, early W211s are the same until galvanised - and even then I still got surface rust on my 54 W211.

Thank god MB decided to boost profits to the detriment of build quality.

I've never seen 211s rusting anything like how almost every 210 does?

210s go rusty everywhere, cosmetically and structurally and have done since they were a few years old.

The youngest 211 E55s are pushing 10 years old now, many are 12/13 years old - I've only really seen/heard of minor issues e.g. rear arch lips and boot lids/tail gates but nothing to the extent of typical 210 corrosion

 

[John]

No, that's true - although I haven't seen many bad W210s.

Tends to be Vitos and the like.

 

[MOR8A]

No, that's true - although I haven't seen many bad W210s.

Tends to be Vitos and the like.

I have seen loads of very bad 210's living on the south coast probably helps (me see them and the rust to be worse) lol. Lots of bad vitos too, my God they were having it away for a few years with that crap metal and finish! Mofos!

 

[AMGeed]

I had two W210's. A 98 one with not a spot of rust.
The 2nd one was a '01 updated model and it was showing a few signs in the usual places when I sold it. There are some nice ones, but rust was not kind to that model.

Looking at them both now, the W210 felt bigger inside, felt more comfortable although far more dated. The W211 is one of MBs finest IMHO. In E55K guise, it is a blast and although the n/a 55 is quick, the 55k is light years ahead of the W210 performance wise.

Only natural progression really, and the current Biturbo 5.5 engine blows the 55k/63 n/a engine away in performance too.
That is something that MB can be proud of in that each evolution of engine is quicker and more economical than the last generation.

 

[Celicasaur]

One of my biggest automotive regrets was selling my E55. And I sold it so cheap in the end because money was tight. I wish I could buy my old one back off the guy I sold it to

 

[RossMB]

So general feelings are it wouldnt be a move I would regret?

Im guessing the 211 will cost me in the region of 10-12k for a decent estate?

Need to get out and drive one, always felt the 210 a bit underwhelming from a performance point of view compared to my old RS6 & M5 but its such a practical old tool I have really grown to love it!!

 

[RossMB]

Maybe keep it and buy a saloon 211 to have alongside it!

 

[John]

So general feelings are it wouldnt be a move I would regret?

Im guessing the 211 will cost me in the region of 10-12k for a decent estate?

Need to get out and drive one, always felt the 210 a bit underwhelming from a performance point of view compared to my old RS6 & M5 but its such a practical old tool I have really grown to love it!!

I think the E55K is more inline with the C5 RS6 and E60 M5 so you should feel like you are back where you were.

If you can afford both and want both - why not keep both!

 

[E55BOF]

I came to a W211 E55K from a W210 E55. The 210 had an interior that could be described as retro; the 211 is much more modern.

The 55K's performance has never been described as even slightly underwhelming; 'sledgehammer torque from nowhere in the rev range' and 'crushing, relentless acceleration' are more accurate descriptions. It will waft along if that's what you want, but driver for driver, it will still eat most things for breakfast, at least in a straight line.

I liked my 210; I love my 211...

 

[RossMB]

That sounds more like it! The search begins.

Out of interest is your 211 an estate? Any noticeable handling differences from estate to saloon?

 

[John]

I believe the estate is quite a bit heavier than the saloon although I'm finding the extra 200KG in my CL is not really hindering the handling (ABC aside).

Not that I am chucking it around of course - just typical motoring at a reasonable pace.

 

[Pathewolf]

I would certainly agree that the W211 is a much better car and I am sure you will enjoy the upgrade!

Not all W210's are rust bucket's! Mine certainly has some rust but nothing major that can't be sorted and it is 16 years old!

I bought mine because I wanted a car with character and not something seen on the road every day! I have had faster cars, but still giggle when I out pace newer cars with unsuspecting drivers!

No doubt I will get something newer and faster again, but newer is not always more interesting they don't all turn heads like some older cars

 

[RossMB]

^^^ Thats what I love about mine, a great deal of people have no idea that it is anything other than just another old estate car.

Then one of our suppliers turned up the other day and saw the car for the first time and was gushing over it for half an hour saying how great it was and that he hadnt seen one on the roads for years!