211 - still loving it.

[Londonscottish]

Two years in and I still love my S211 5.0.

I had the radius arms/bushes/balljoints replaced the other day. So yesterday I decided to drive to work in it for the first time in well over a year and it was just fabulous.

On the way back in the spring sunshine I just had to do a couple of circuits of the roundabout between Paddington and Maida Vale. The turn in and steering feel has been transformed. It felt like I'd traded a bus for a Caterham.

Other than fluids, filters and tyres all it has needed in the last two years is a crank sensor and the radius arms.

I can't wait for three long family trips in the next few months - Devon, Norfolk and its third trip to the South of France.

Next up, though, is dump to get rid of some building waste and the garden centre to get a load of trellis and bedding plants.

The E Class estate is really is such a fantastic all-round machine I really can't think of anything I'd rather have. And as petrol head I can't think of many engines better that the V8. Well apart from the 5.5 or the Kompressor of course

 

[bpsorrel]

I loved mine too, and it was a lowly oil burner! Great cars the S211s!

I can only dream of a V8.....

 

[A210AMG]

Mine gets used quite literally for all sorts, regullary has the boot Full with all manor or stuff and then is happy to go on a trip to Europe full again or tow our caravan. I can understand why my dad who owned this car from new picking it up from the factory kept it so long.

8ft 10" Sleepers...

3M lengths of play area equipment

Holiday to Annecy only a couple of weeks ago on winter rims..

Towcar duties

Back to france in the summer loaded up again..

Rare to see it without a roof rack, roofbox, loaded or towing !!

Great car ! I would love the E55K Estate my old boss had one, however in reality it would drive me mad, 14 to 20mpg would annoy me now. I'm used to over 40mpg and would like 50mpg. THe roads are getting too congested 98% of my time the kids are in the car with me and I don't need any quicker than what I have.

We use the car and I would not want fuel to always be in the back of my mind. I filled this up yesterday just over £100 but I will get around 700 miles from the tank. I guess a 55 would be half this maybe less?

Either way for a dual purpose car they are great

 

[wemorgan]

8ft 10" Sleepers...

Good effort. I bought a few railway sleepers myself a few weeks ago. I didn't even try to fit them in my car.....I took advantage of the free delivery.....they dully arrived, but to the neighbours driveway not mine! Soon resolved, but they still needed dragging to the back garden....70kg each....character building stuff for sure.

 

[A210AMG]

^ I needed 14

At first I used our trailer but with 5 in the trailer the trailer decided it was going to tip all on its own as the bracket to enavble the tipping function was having the washers pulled right through with the weight!

The car took them easily, although a 30 second pause after loading them and watching the rear suspension do its thing.

Delivery was something like £60 and the farm was arund 1.5miles away.... Also that was kerbside delivery so I'm still stuck..

 

[wemorgan]

Not sure where you're based, but I can recommend a decent farmers outlet just north of Banbury (Banbury Farm and General Supplies Ltd). ~£20+VAT per 8'6 sleeper (reclaimed-not new) and free local delivery.

 

[A210AMG]

Thanks I'm in Chester

Mine were £14 each cash.. no VAT

Hence I collected, reclaimed as you see and some better than others but they are down already and will be useds as steps soon

 

[Londonscottish]

Mine gets used quite literally for all sorts, regullary has the boot Full with all manner of stuff and then is happy to go on a trip to Europe full again or tow our caravan. I can understand why my dad who owned this car from new picking it up from the factory kept it so long.

......either way for a dual purpose car they are great

Hi A210. You trump me with those pics!

And you've reminded me I must get my MB bike rack sorted.

I don't have a tow bar so can't use one of the ones you have (is it a Thule?)

I need to get a couple of replacement mounting lugs so I can use mine.

And tick that box too

 

[mobeyone]

I love mine too bar the niggly jobs I have had with it.

The s211 still looks great and to me has the classic MB look about it.

 

[A210AMG]

Hi A210. You trump me with those pics!

And you've reminded me I must get my MB bike rack sorted.

I don't have a tow bar so can't use one of the ones you have (is it a Thule?)

I need to get a couple of replacement mounting lugs so I can use mine.

And tick that box too

Hello Yes its a Thule one for two bikes, however when deciding to go away eldest (who was 4 then now 5 !) decided she wanted to take her bike so in the above picture you can see I've added another carrier unit to the two bike fittings.

Its a Very neat unit, very stable even at 'cough' speed. Also it drops down to access the boot. So even with the bikes on you can get in the boot. Very clever (again in the top picture) you can see I've not flipped the cover up near the number plate. You click this up and the whole unit folds down.

It also locks to the towbar and then the bikes lock to it.

 

[Londonscottish]

Hello Yes its a Thule one for two bikes, however when deciding to go away eldest (who was 4 then now 5 !) decided she wanted to take her bike so in the above picture you can see I've added another carrier unit to the two bike fittings.

Its a Very neat unit, very stable even at 'cough' speed. Also it drops down to access the boot. So even with the bikes on you can get in the boot. Very clever (again in the top picture) you can see I've not flipped the cover up near the number plate. You click this up and the whole unit folds down.

It also locks to the towbar and then the bikes lock to it.

Thule racks are the business. Two of my mates have got the 3+1 version. Love it. But need to pay for one plus the two bar......muchos £££.

For now I'll pay a fabricator to make up the brackets I need for the roof-mount MB ones. So I can do local trips. But of course can't do the Euro long-haul thing with 4x bikes and roof box....

BTW I notice your cars always have superb gloss on them (as do mine!). I assume you polish them yourself/have them polished periodically?

 

[st4]

211s are great but there are better ones than the one I have....

I may do a mini tour on Sunday to rekindle my enthusiasm for the car. It does touring very well

 

[A210AMG]

I use autoglym polish athough it only gets done once or maybe twice a yr if lucky.

I do keep it clean though and it has a weekly wash with shampoo (cannot remember the make) but its costco special huge 5L bottle for around £4

Agree the Thule stuff is great. I'm in the same boat for summer as taking the caravan...so bikes on the rack or in the caravan.


Edit to add the pic above with rack on was taken the week before our summer hols and I was checking everything. At this point the car has just had a polish so is looking very clean

 

[jumperjohn]

Love mine too! Just need the Airmatic and front sensors looking at tomorrow. I don't think they'll be big jobs, maybe .............

 

[A210AMG]

My sensors are playing up both front and rear.

It was hooked up to Star machine and apparently its one rear one. I think they are arund £40 plus paint and fit (£120 ish done)

I've not had it done yet will sort it next time its in but I was told having one faulty one throws them all out...?

 

[Londonscottish]

211s are great but there are better ones than the one I have....

I may do a mini tour on Sunday to rekindle my enthusiasm for the car. It does touring very well

Yeah, you've had a bad time......

Still, it should be in rude health now and looking forward to some amazing West Coast roads no?

 

[Londonscottish]

I use autoglym polish athough it only gets done once or maybe twice a yr if lucky.

I do keep it clean though and it has a weekly wash with shampoo (cannot remember the make) but its costco special huge 5L bottle for around £4

That's roughly what mine gets. Keeps it looking very fresh

 

[mobeyone]

Love mine too! Just need the Airmatic and front sensors looking at tomorrow. I don't think they'll be big jobs, maybe .............

Its what put me off a sport, I would have loved the sport but at the age and mileage I was looking at I feared the cost of replacement!

 

[developer]

Is there a more complete car I wonder?

I looked at them all, but none had everything I needed.

I've also carried all manner of this in mine on one day and the next day (after a major clean) I've batted it down the motorway to a GTG, enjoying it's considerable road presence.

Fourteen months in and I just love it. .

 

[st4]

Yeah, you've had a bad time......

Still, it should be in rude health now and looking forward to some amazing West Coast roads no?

You know me so well. A great grand tour I have lined up over three days later on this month. Clue, it takes in day one of last years forum tour and day two takes me to Durness via Applecross, Gairloch and Ullapool and back to Helensburgh via Bonnar Bridge, tomintoul and Braemar and over the Sma Glen to loch earn head and the dukes pass.

Excited me, very much and the week before the shed will waft me down to York on a tidal wave if torque and power interrupted by 7g pain in the **** tronic