213 e220 estate compared with BMW M520d Touring

[Ash]

Minor insurance claim gave me the use of 520d for a week.

• Big wheels and tyres didn't seem to harm the ride. Nightmare near curve.
• Very comfortable over poor roads.
• Quiet cruiser. Less noise than e class
• Touch more space inside
• Generally v user friendly and nice to punt around. So is e class but just not quite as easy
• Great engine and gearbox. Sounds quite ordinary but a tad smoother.
• Overall I prefer the e class looks, image, sensible wheels... and we need the bigger boot for dogs.

I can see why people rate the 5 series. Interested in views of others on here
Ash

 

[mercmancdi]

Not a fan of bmw , I got a new x1 2.0 td fully loaded in black in dec 17 and changed it to a vw Tiguan in june 18 .
I used to have one of the old 2002 BMW’s loved it , but after that I never could find one to match it.
Not saying they are a bad car but just not for me.

 

[Williamwoo]

Surprised you thought the Bimmer roomier than the E.

 

[Deleted member 11979]

I’ve just bought a used 535d touring after comparing it to the e350 cdi estate.

Things I noticed:

Great ride in bmw despite 19 inch wheels
Lovely engine and 8 speed box
Better interior ambience than the Mercedes which in comparison looks very plain
Easy to get familiar with the controls, even I drive
Small boot compared to Mercedes

I am sure if I had plumped for the e class I would have liked it, but I love and I mean love this 535, it seems that BMW’s of this era (2012) were still able to be equipped with many single options, like a w124 in a way, so my SE spec car has big wheels, shadowline exterior trim, soft close doors, head up display (very useful), electrically retractable towbar and many others.

Overall the reason I chose the BMW was the way it feels like a special car when you drive it, on the whole all the Mercedes were amg spec (not for me) with black leather (not for me) and the BMW stood out.

 

[renault12ts]

Interesting that the 5 series has a bigger "boot" with the seats up but the MB wins with the seats down.

When I had a 210 estate in 1999...the BMW didn't come close.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I said it on another thread but I’ll repeat it here - it’s the only time in my driving adulthood that I’d be happy to own either car in their current form - the E-Class just edges it on purely biased level though!

 

[Ash]

The BMW isn't for me but I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable it was. Without feeling special, in my admittedly highly subjective view. The Mrs thought BMW not as nice inside - dash etc. She much prefers e class steerin wheel shifter, now she's used to it.
Bmw is a touch wider. I measured it at about 2cm longer from front foot well to rear seat back. Mercedes has decided to put that inch or so in the boot. The e class boot is also wider and does not taper so much, ie more upright rear window. No way I could fit the dog crate in the BMW. (Mind you, it fitted better in our s212. The 213 boot is lower and a touch shorter so I had to butcher the crate to fit it.
Incidentally the BMW rear view blocked by rear headrest. No rear camera, but diagram view on screen is almost as good for parking. It just doesn't let you see what is coming up the road, pedestrians etc
Happy with the merc
Ash

 

[MercedesDriver]

Mercedes has decided to put that inch or so in the boot. The e class boot is also wider and does not taper so much, ie more upright rear window. No way I could fit the dog crate in the BMW. (Mind you, it fitted better in our s212. The 213 boot is lower and a touch shorter so I had to butcher the crate to fit it.

The crate I have is like in the photo and it fits in S212 even without taking off the boot cover, do you think it can fit in S213?

 

[Ash]

View attachment 80864 The crate I have is like in the photo and it fits in S212 even without taking off the boot cover, do you think it can fit in S213?

I've just been outside with tape-measure and probably. The boot aperture is only 72cm or 73cm high (we have a protective mat) and lower at the sides, more like 67cm. The 819mm they quote in the pic for boot height is the tallest part of the boot, in the passenger-end. so 70cm should fit just.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Thanks Ash. The thing is my crate is a sturdy one and the best would be, when I decide to look for S213, to bring crate with me for a test.