Great News

[Ashley]

I just got the nod for a new car from my better half (how I love her).

E500 elegance fully loaded in dark blue and light leather me thinks.

:bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[GrahamC230K]

Mmmmm E500

What's the difference between a fully loaded Elegance and the Avantgarde (stock or fully loaded)?

 

[prprandall51]

Elegance or AG

Hi Zooman,

You're a lucky man. E500, mmmm. (EDIT: Just noticed I copied this from post above subliminally)

Only one thought. The bi-zenons are amazing - and part of the AG pack (and with Airmatic you still have a lovely soft ride). When I was buying, I found the AG wheels and blue tint glass more attractive, too. Whichever way you go, I urge you to check the bi-zenons before you order. They make night driving a pleasure.

I really miss that fission of excitement from ploughing through the brochures....

Philip

 

[RichardM]

Mmmmm E500

What's the difference between a fully loaded Elegance and the Avantgarde (stock or fully loaded)?

The dark wood and blue tints mainly, plus slightly different bumbers. The wheels and bi-xenon's may be spec'd anyway if its fully loaded.

 

[Brian WH]

The dark wood and blue tints mainly, plus slightly different bumbers. The wheels and bi-xenon's may be spec'd anyway if its fully loaded.

Plus part leather seats etc.

But all worth the £500 to make it an Avantgarde.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Plus part leather seats etc.

But all worth the £500 to make it an Avantgarde.

This was my point really.

Why buy a "fully loaded" model that is not the top of the range base spec?

 

[Ashley]

Simply answer is lowed suspension on AG comfort on elegance. I don’t want it. I’ve always thought that German cars are all ready to firm and that they don’t need any help. I will also be getting 16 inch wheels not 17 inch.

Also by the time I come to sell my present car (keys for new one in hand before that happens) I will have had it 10 years and I’ve have no complaints and never regretted buying the elegance.

What really shocks me is by the time I got my present car to the level I wanted it on the road it was circa £45k in 96 and look at the price now.

But I will know more after a weekend trial as I may ask for both to compare over different weekends. Also a little devil on my shoulder keeps saying BMW 5 series (I’m trying hard to ignore it).

Also can anyone help me here? http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=17486

 

[prprandall51]

Hi Zooman, I am like you - comfort above all else. You can specify the comfort suspension on the AG, anyway (no cost). However, if you are planning on keeping the car and would like a really comfy ride, then I strongly suggest you check out Airmatic. It is the best thing on my car (well, that and the bi-zenons).

I was put off the 5 series by the interior (too whacky for me) but also the frequent comments in the press about how difficult it is to specify the suspension / steering to provide a comfy ride. BMW has become excessively sports-oriented in my opinion. What finally did it for me is that the BMW was more expensive once both cars were spec'ed up to the same level.

Has the AG moved to 17" wheels? Mine came with 16" wheels - but with more sports-oriented tyres than the Elegance (Dunlop vs Continental).

My final tips would be to buy online (I got 6.7% off) and collect straight from the factory (a fantastic experience).

Best regards
Philip

 

[saorbust]

Get the airmatic suspension. comfort setting is lovely even with 17 inch wheels. I have an avantgarde with an option list as long as your arm, yet with airmatic I can make it sporty, comfortable or really firm it up for some speedy cornering.

Would also agree re bi Xenon's.

Clarky.

 

[RichardM]

Plus part leather seats etc.

But all worth the £500 to make it an Avantgarde.

An E500 has full leather as standard.

It also has Airmatic and 17" wheels whether Avantgarde or Elegance, so i don't think the comfort would differ between the two.

 

[prprandall51]

It also has Airmatic and 17" wheels whether Avantgarde or Elegance, so i don't think the comfort would differ between the two.

Good point - but it was Zooman himself who started us off on the discussion of steel springs - I note that in my first post I assumed he would have Airmatic (it being a 500) but by my second post I had forgotten.

 

[Ashley]

Ag still has lowed suspension over elegance that’s why I preferred the elegance model on first EClass also why my wife picked elegance for her clk.

As of yet I haven’t driven a car with airmatic but I am aware it is standard on the elegance.

I may be wrong as I’m only going from causal conversation when we where buying my wife’s car and the dealer knows my preference of comfort over sport. But as said I’m going to give the Ag a chance as I intend to arrange a test weekend for both models as I too do like the blue tint of the ag.

Just to make things more complicated my mother pennyworths is an estate (although this is from a selfish point of view as she enjoys days out as a whole family). We wonders.

My final tips would be to buy online (I got 6.7% off) and collect straight from the factory (a fantastic experience).

What is the comfort suspension option on AG?

Where online?

 

[Maff]

Just a thought, but would it be worth holding out until the E500 comes with the new V8 engine (388bhp) which will debut shortly in the new S500 and ML500 (September)?

 

[BearFace]

"Also a little devil on my shoulder keeps saying BMW 5 series (I’m trying hard to ignore it)".

I drove a 530d recently and to me it didn't have the finesse or the sheer tactility of the previous-generation 5-series (I used to have a 1997 528i SE - a company car). On the latest model I drove, the steering was numb, the ride was harsh (an SE on 17" wheels) and the interior was spartan and contrived-looking. Factor in the exterior styling, which to my eyes is overdone and slightly pretentious, and I'm left unimpressed. The diesel was very quick though, I have to admit

If I was wealthy enough to be buying in this price-range, it'd either be the spec'd up E-class or possibly the Audi A8 4.0 V8TDi. Just my thoughts.

 

[fuzzer]

"Also a little devil on my shoulder keeps saying BMW 5 series (I’m trying hard to ignore it)".

I drove a 530d recently and to me it didn't have the finesse or the sheer tactility of the previous-generation 5-series (I used to have a 1997 528i SE - a company car). On the latest model I drove, the steering was numb, the ride was harsh (an SE on 17" wheels) and the interior was spartan and contrived-looking. Factor in the exterior styling, which to my eyes is overdone and slightly pretentious, and I'm left unimpressed. The diesel was very quick though, I have to admit

If I was wealthy enough to be buying in this price-range, it'd either be the spec'd up E-class or possibly the Audi A8 4.0 V8TDi. Just my thoughts.

Having had E 210 , e211 and now a 5 series to compare. E 211 was a wonderful advancement over the 210 in regards to interior design and handling. 5 series is another leap forward in interior design.

I can't help notice every time i get into my 530d se ( running on 17" wheels) that its another world spartan isnt the word id use to describe the interior. Its very modern and by the looks of things one step ahead of mercedes ( if the new S class is whats going to happen to the rest of the range as it usually is )

Everybody bangs on about the hard ride , runflats etc etc. Yes runflats are a little annoying from the fact you ahve to order a spare tyre if you want one , but the ride is superb and every bit as good as the e 211 riding on the same profile of tyres.

its all personal perference , but have a look at the 535d , i think you will be hard pushed to justify the E500 once youve driven it

 

[peterchurch]

Check out a company called www.broadspeed.co.uk They have saved me £7K on my new Saab... and If you want finance for it they had a deal with HBOS that was offering 7.2% APR instead of the 10.6 MB was offering

All in all a wacking improvement on the sorts of figures that MB would normally offer you still buy the car off the main dealer so there is none of this grey market crap to deal with...

 

[prprandall51]

Ag still has lowed suspension over elegance that’s why I preferred the elegance model on first EClass also why my wife picked elegance for her clk.

Not if you have an E500, which will have Airmatic as standard.

As of yet I haven’t driven a car with airmatic but I am aware it is standard on the elegance.

Yes, it's standard on both E500s.

Just to make things more complicated my mother pennyworths is an estate (although this is from a selfish point of view as she enjoys days out as a whole family). We wonders.

If you do get an estate, I urge you to get the automatic tailgate closer. If Glojo were online he would definitely chip in at this point to tease me for omittting it.

What is the comfort suspension option on AG?

This is all not applicable for the E500 with Airmatic, but on lower models, you can specify comfort suspension on the AG - in other words, they put the Elegance springs back on the car. It is a no-cost option. This option was certainly available 6 months ago when I bought mine.

Where online?

I bought from Autobytel.com. They were great. They then transfered the order to MB of Coventry (they always do - AutobyTel are owned by Inchcape), who were also great. They didn't treat me like a pauper for buying online.

Philip

 

[bahamars]

I rejected the 530D on the grounds that there are no rubbing strips on the doors - says a lot when you have to buy a car based on the behavior of people in Tescburys carpark!

 

[Ashley]

Well yesterday I visited my local dealer. After chatting for awhile he give me a quote for the car I would like. Shock horror. I couldn’t believe just how basic the Merc is. I know my wife’s car was pretty basic but I didn’t expect a top of the line eclass to be just as basic.

I will not go over 50k and I just don’t think I can do that with the merc without having a compromise which isn’t what I wanted. So I’m going to have a look at a year old LS430 today (everything is standard) if I like the car all I will have to do is find the right colour combination for me.

 

[fuzzer]

I rejected the 530D on the grounds that there are no rubbing strips on the doors - says a lot when you have to buy a car based on the behavior of people in Tescburys carpark!

I normally just take up 2 spaces , kinda solves that problem , but i know what you mean