E350 Estate - Is This The One For Me?

[E55BOF]

Thank you gentlemen. I'm not staying, just going down and back on the same day. It's two hundred miles each way, but virtually all motorway - M4 then M5 - so provided the traffic is OK and there aren't too many roadworks, less than six hours' driving. (If it weren't for speed cameras, it would be under five).

Nick, he's having the wheels done at a local place -http://southwestwheelrepairs.com/. It's at my expense, but it's only £250, whereas I paid that about five years ago down here to have the same job on another car. The wheels look OK in the photos of the car, but obviously they're not perfect, or he wouldn't have suggested it, and if the rest of the car is as good as it looks, the wheels would have spoiled the overall look a bit. I'm happy to pay it; I'm making more than that in profit with the part-exchange price for the rattler. He's also having a full valet done before I collect it.

Mac, you'd be disappointed in my standards. I look after the machinery, but I'm not one for cleaning cars much; I only visit the Detailing sub-forum (a.k.a. The OCD Lounge) when something catches my eye, and I usually come away shaking my head...

 

[tanuie]

Good luck with the car.

 

[Londonscottish]

Getting the wheels done by his outfit saves a fair amount of hassle and they do look amazing when refurbed properly. But I assume he's going for he proper factory finish rather than just having them powder coated silver? Might be worth asking.

I've become somewhat OCD now I have a dark blue car with those rims and light leather.

I've learnt how use a detailing spray after washing it (it only takes 15 minutes and a couple of microfibres).

A quick wipe with Autoglym leather then a wet cloth does the seats in minutes.

Waxing the wheels occasionally takes longer but means they keep the factory gleam. I blame Woodythewise for that last bit as I didn't even know wheel wax existed until I bought his wheels and started chatting to him. LOL

Failing that, finishing them off with detailing spray removes any remaining brake dust.

 

[Mactech]

I don't think I'm OCD...much! My preperation standards come from years spent in motorsport where everything is clean and spangley so you can see if it is broken or not.
But I do keep a pack of baby wipes in the glove box in any car with light colour leather....oh! maybe just a bit OCD then!

 

[Londonscottish]

I don't think I'm OCD...much! My preperation standards come from years spent in motorsport where everything is clean and spangley so you can see if it is broken or not.
But I do keep a pack of baby wipes in the glove box in any car with light colour leather....oh! maybe just a bit OCD then!

Don't tell anyone but I keep a bottle of Autoglym Rapid Detailer, a bottle of Autoglym Tyre Dressing and some microfibre cloths in the underfloor boot compartment in mine.

Shh. It's normal. Isn't it?

 

[E55BOF]

Not for me, it wouldn't be...

I hate you anyway; you pipped me to that E500 I would have bought if you hadn't!

Regarding the wheels, take a look at the firm's website. It sounds good to me.

The seller seems very genuine in his assertion that he wants all his buyers to be entirely happy with the cars he sells them, and I've only found one review anywhere online; that was negative, but reading his response to it I'm inclined to suspect that the complainant was a bit of a d1ck...

I'll find out when I go for the car

 

[nickgar]

The place you're having your wheels refurbished in Exeter is without doubt the best it the South West!
My son wants his 19" wheels on his Scirocco done in gloss black, and will only use this place, as many enthusiasts will.
Trouble is, the earliest they can do them is end of October - always a good sign though.
Good luck with everything

 

[E55BOF]

I rang them to see when the wheels would be ready; end of next week/beginning of the following week. B****r! I want to play with my new toy NOW! The one question I didn't ask when I agreed to buy it was: "Is it ready to go now?" I'm not used to buying from dealers, and private sales invariably are so.

I guess I'll just have to wait. It could be risky for the seller, though; if one I like better comes up at a decent price, I'm quite prepared to forfeit my deposit...

And b****r me! A quick check, and I've found a 2014 in black with porcelain leather, better spec, 247 bhp Euro VI engine, 74K miles as opposed to 64K, for only £3k more than I'm paying for the 2011. There must be something wrong with it... but if not, and that price isn't a mistake (I bet it is...) there's no comparison, really. I'll give them a call in the morning - unless I find something even better.

 

[Codger49]

Euro VI engine must be worth having, given your proximity to London.

 

[KBL777]

Looks a nice one. I have bought two cars from this dealer including my current E250 and cannot fault the quality of the service or the after sales so hopefully you need not worry on that front.

 

[E55BOF]

Parkers values indicate the price isn't a mistake. I'll go and see it tomorrow, and with luck drive it back...

 

[E55BOF]

Looks a nice one. I have bought two cars from this dealer including my current E250 and cannot fault the quality of the service or the after sales so hopefully you need not worry on that front.

Thank you for that; it's good to know. After-sales might be tricky, though, as they're just over a hundred miles away.

 

[Londonscottish]

And b****r me! A quick check, and I've found a 2014 in black with porcelain leather, better spec, 247 bhp Euro VI engine, for only £3k more than I'm paying for the 2011.

Ahhh.... scope creep. Excellent.

 

[Codger49]

That place has a very high satisfaction rating on www.reviews.io.

Did notice one reviewer from your sort of distance stated they allowed him to use his local indy for a post purchase fix and re-imbursed the cost.

 

[E55BOF]

It's a no-brainer, really. Nearly 60% depreciation in not much over three years, half the age of the other one, better spec, 15% more miles, but only 20% more expensive to buy. I just hope it isn't gone when I ring in the morning.

 

[Druk]

It's a no-brainer, really. Nearly 60% depreciation in not much over three years, half the age of the other one, better spec, 15% more miles, but only 20% more expensive to buy. I just hope it isn't gone when I ring in the morning.

Linky? I won't buy it....honest!


.

 

[Londonscottish]

Euro VI engine must be worth having, given your proximity to London.

This is what made me stop in my tracks when originally looking at pre-facelift 350CDI's - the fact that they weren't Euro VI and therefore being legislated against in the smoke. Critical for me as I live there and tend to keep cars for 5+ years.

 

[E55BOF]

Linky? I won't buy it....honest!.

I know you won't; I just did. This is it:

http://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/us...gn=consumer&utm_term=00343&utm_content=dealer

I like it so far...

 

[toolman1954]

WOW----That's nice, very nice. I bet you are really pleased with that. I hope it drives as good as it looks.

Steve

 

[Mactech]

Very nice!...and 2 years younger.
Did you get a p/x value £101 better than you were expecting?