hypothetical spend £20k to get into MB - what would you buy and why?

[developer]

Presumably a petrol one will be a pig to shift on afterwards though

Something like an E500 probably - an AMG version might re-sell as it's a bit more "specialist".

 

[219]

While the estate has obvious advantages for load lugging ; if you're going to be doing much distance with three large-ish , and still growing , kids in the back , I'd seriously look at a LWB S Class .

I can only compare my W124 estates with my 500SEL , but I wouldn't want to cram three adults in the back of an E for too long , with knees against the backs of the front seats , when the space in the back of the S offers sprawling room and significantly greater comfort .

Perhaps worth dragging the whole family to the dealers and see how they all fit in ?

S Class will have a decent boot , and for vino trips , put a box on the roof for luggage so you can fill the boot with vino .

 

[jonnyboy]

While the estate has obvious advantages for load lugging ; if you're going to be doing much distance with three large-ish , and still growing , kids in the back , I'd seriously look at a LWB S Class .

I can only compare my W124 estates with my 500SEL , but I wouldn't want to cram three adults in the back of an E for too long , with knees against the backs of the front seats , when the space in the back of the S offers sprawling room and significantly greater comfort .

Perhaps worth dragging the whole family to the dealers and see how they all fit in ?

S Class will have a decent boot , and for vino trips , put a box on the roof for luggage so you can fill the boot with vino .

Derek

You'd actually be surprised how much legroom there actually is in the modern e class, knees nowhere near the seatbacks for me and I am 5'10. The estate rear squab seems slightly less shaped than the saloon which we thought made the centre seat more appropriate for the youngest. The tunnel is an issue, but will be on all rwd cars, unlike the current incumbent.

You can't really compare a w212 to a w221 by citing the example of a w124 vs w126. The designs are 20/25 years apart.

I can't see me ever doing a roof box again - been there, done that a few times. Can you even get a roof rack for a w221? Would you want to?

Just trying to find a dealer where we can do a back to back between an estate and a 221 then its proper search time.

 

[jonnyboy]

Oh dear me.
That didn't go to plan.
Drove an E Class estate - a 220. Underwhelmed by performance - so we agreed a 250 was the best compromise.
Then piled the kids into an S350CDI LWB.
B*gger. B*gger.
Far more legroom, far too little bootspace but then I noticed the slots for roof rails.
B*gger. It drove lovely as well.


I still believe that the GL is actually the best option for our needs space wise.
Not getting anywhere with Mrs JB.


B*gger