C350e owners club

[CaptainChaos]

Any specific issues I should check on a used car?

Extended warranty?


I would try and get a Premium Plus so you have the Comand sat nav and not the Garmin. Other than that it's the usual used car checks - tyres, condition of wheels, do all the electric bits and bats work, is the locking wheel nut present? Also, if you haven't had a MB before, many cars have Artico artificial leather. This isn't a problem in itself, unless you were thinking it's real leather.

 

[simon326]

Thanks chaps. Some helpful advice. The example I am looking at has 32k miles. I don't do more than 5k a year at the moment so wouldn't add to this greatly. You have allayed my biggest concern... getting into the car in the morning and forgetting to unplug it, I had visions of all sorts of mayhem! Electric range should cover most of my round town driving which will make a difference on my fuel bills.

 

[CaptainChaos]

Thanks chaps. Some helpful advice. The example I am looking at has 32k miles. I don't do more than 5k a year at the moment so wouldn't add to this greatly. You have allayed my biggest concern... getting into the car in the morning and forgetting to unplug it, I had visions of all sorts of mayhem! Electric range should cover most of my round town driving which will make a difference on my fuel bills.

Sounds ideal. Let us know how you get on.

 

[wivenhoe]

Thanks chaps. Some helpful advice. The example I am looking at has 32k miles. I don't do more than 5k a year at the moment so wouldn't add to this greatly. You have allayed my biggest concern... getting into the car in the morning and forgetting to unplug it, I had visions of all sorts of mayhem! Electric range should cover most of my round town driving which will make a difference on my fuel bills.

Just in case the dealer hasn’t told you - all of the hybrid system is covered by full warranty for 5 years or (I think) 60k whichever comes first.

 

[Borderterrier6]

Think the batteries and hybrid system are covered for 6 years.

Ours has done 10k and the car has given no problems at all. The only gripe we have is bogus messages to my phone saying the doors or windows are open, seems I am the only one here getting that. Irrited my wife no end when it announced on her phone the car was unlocked while she was on a mammoth shopping trip and had to go back to the car to check only to find it was still locked. They don’t call me Yoda at work for nothing, any gremlins with anything electrical or IT I always get them. Our compliant with this has been escalated to the highest level several times now according to the man at Mercedes me...not sure what that means....

5k miles a year? You sound like the ideal driver for this car, especially if it’s all short runs.

 

[simon326]

A few more questions... I am not used to spending more than 5p on a car! Do all models of the C350e support the Mercedes me app (this is late 2015 so an early car? I especially like the idea of being able to pre set the temp in the car before I leave the house.
Its from a car supermarket so they dont seem to be all that well versed in the model intricacies.
Apparently it has (I thought all these were standard on the sport):

• Airmatic Dynamic handling pack - C Class
• Lighting pack - C class
• Mirror pack - C Class
• Seat comfort pack - C Class

 

[CaptainChaos]

Yes, it should support the App. Mine is a November 2015 car and it does. You have to register a login for it, but they were very helpful when I rang up. Many used car dealers don't know the specifics of individual models so they tend to list the standard equipment as if it's extra. The standard trim level at that time was called "Sport" and they all have Airmatic. The clincher is if it is a Premium Plus model. (Check for Burmester marked door speakers and a glass sunroof).

Can you not find one through MB?

 

[simon326]

I did ask MB and all they can find is one bit it’s almost new and waaaayyy out of my budget! The one I am leaning towards is a Sport. Seems to be well equipped for a base vehicle when compared to bmw330e

 

[CaptainChaos]

Don't be afraid to travel to get the right car. There won't be many about yet so you'd be lucky to find one on your doorstep. Autotrader has a pretty good search facility now so you can drill down to find what you want (e.g. Fuel type = hybrid). For instance there's a 2015 one in Birmingham from Motorpoint that's only done 8,207 miles at £23,599.

And these guys have got a good selection: Available Vehicles | Wimbledon, South East | Wimbledon Carriage Company

 

[Joe Blank]

Snapped my charger flap off at the weekend. It was only a matter of time. In the dark, unplugged it and clipped the flap with my knee as I moved around the corner to stow the cable. Barely felt it. Terrible piece of design imho (and I work in product development). Hard plastic. Knee level. No compliance. And what’s worse is that they made something easy to break but hard to fix. If you broke your door mirror off every time you brushed against it and then had to replace the door to fix it, they’d soon be in trouble.

Sigh. I know it was my fault being careless, but it feels like a tiny bit of careless crime is punished by an outsize cost.

Unless anyone has a better idea it’s off to the body shop for a new bumper tomorrow.

 

[CaptainChaos]

It is a stupid design. I don't think it's just Merc who have the same issue. I know of someone whose Mitsubishi PHEV flap snapped in the wind! I think they used the same design concept as a fuel filler flap, which is opened occasionally, usually with plenty of space around it on a brightly lit forecourt. Not used every night and every morning in the dark. They need to come up with a motorsport style connector which doesn't have a flap at all.

Or go wireless!!

 

[simon326]

It really needs the bumper replacing to fix the flap? that sounds crazy (and expensive!)

 

[simon326]

Found the car, deposit put down! I am working away so have to wait two weeks to pick it up... a 2015 Sport Premium Plus in black with sunroof and privacy glass, has everything I want, cant wait to pick it up!

 

[Deleted member 126969]

Don't be afraid to travel to get the right car. There won't be many about yet so you'd be lucky to find one on your doorstep. Autotrader has a pretty good search facility now so you can drill down to find what you want (e.g. Fuel type = hybrid). For instance there's a 2015 one in Birmingham from Motorpoint that's only done 8,207 miles at £23,599.

And these guys have got a good selection: Available Vehicles | Wimbledon, South East | Wimbledon Carriage Company

As someone who purchased one of these outright for cash just over a year ago....I find these prices depressing! I was, of course, expecting pretty significant depreciation but not that bad. Ho hum. The plan was always to keep it long enough so it no longer hurt, but plans can change. Just hope I don't decide I want to sell it too soon I suppose. Trouble is, I find myself lusting after an I-Pace and still a Tesla.

I did look at used when I was considering the purchase but couldn't find what I wanted spec-wise and at that time, they weren't all that much less than new anyway.

That car listed above looks like good value.

Doh!

 

[Deleted member 126969]

It really needs the bumper replacing to fix the flap? that sounds crazy (and expensive!)

There have been a couple of folk on here saying just that - new bumper. Presumably the break happens on the bracket attached to the bumper that can't be repaired (read - MB won't repair). Does seem very poor bit of design. If the flap was sacrificial to protect the bumper, you could kind of understand that as a repair could be relatively cheap and easy to effect. As it is, it seems to save the flap and trash the bumper.

That said, all the charge port covers seem to be a bit fragile and vulnerable for some reason. I'd think a top hinged one would be safer personally - shorter lever if you do catch it, somewhat protected by the charge plug when on charge, less likely to be at knee-height. And it might help keep out the rain.

 

[wivenhoe]

Found the car, deposit put down! I am working away so have to wait two weeks to pick it up... a 2015 Sport Premium Plus in black with sunroof and privacy glass, has everything I want, cant wait to pick it up!

I am px'ing my Sept 2015 PP in black, with privacy glass and a stack of options including Driving Assistance Plus. Impressed so much I am px'ing it against an E350e. It has never let me down over 26k and in terms of depreciation it has lost 35% over 30 months which I think is well above most other cars. I am sure you know this, but if not - download the Mercedes Guides App, it contains the manual but in easily readable / searchable format. You can also spend the next 2 weeks reading the previous 189 pages here !

 

[mknight1701]

Snapped my charger flap off at the weekend. It was only a matter of time. In the dark, unplugged it and clipped the flap with my knee as I moved around the corner to stow the cable. Barely felt it. Terrible piece of design imho (and I work in product development). Hard plastic. Knee level. No compliance. And what’s worse is that they made something easy to break but hard to fix. If you broke your door mirror off every time you brushed against it and then had to replace the door to fix it, they’d soon be in trouble.

Sigh. I know it was my fault being careless, but it feels like a tiny bit of careless crime is punished by an outsize cost.

Unless anyone has a better idea it’s off to the body shop for a new bumper tomorrow.

I glued mine back on. Worked a treat.
Very specifically, Loctite Super Glue All Plastics 2. Do as the tin says and you’ll get a good solid bond.
I’m on lease, 8 months in, so at least this way if I do it again, there’s no loss.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[simon326]

What do people do about charging when out and about? Is it worth joining one of the many charge point schemes? I looked at exotriciry and it told me not to continue as my car wasn’t suitable for rapid charging.
One of the others wanted to charge me an admin fee every time I charge..... confused by it all!

 

[Nick Harper]

The company that installed my charge point operate a scheme, pod point. I've not used it yet but it looks like you just add credit. You tell it what car you have and it lists compatible charger points.

 

[Nick Harper]

BTW, just taken delivery of my new 350e Sport Estate. Order September 17th 2017. Delivered to dealer last Friday.