My new Mercedes

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jeremytaylor

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 27, 2005
Messages
2,414
Location
Surrey Hills
Car
E280CDI Sport Est., CLK 200k Cab., VW T5 174, Citroen C8, and a 2CV!
Well, new to me.

Much as I loved my C320CDI Estate, it just wasn't big enough in the back for 3 kids and their booster seats. So I needed something bigger. Having had a W211 estate before, I knew it was a front runner to get my vote, but in the interests of fairness I did look around.

I needed 5 good seats - an extra 2 in the boot would be a bonus but not essential. It had to be diesel auto with a 'proper' spare wheel (in my book that includes space-savers, but excludes Blue-tak and hair-driers :D and definitely excludes run-flats - so no BMWs!). Four wheel drive might be handy if it didn't wreck the economy. And I didn't really want to add much to the value of the C320.

The Ford S-Max was on the list until I realised it's spare wheel was of the Blue-tak and hairdrier variety. I looked at a Mondeo estate. Briefly. Too cheap inside and very few diesel autos, and so little power. (Remember I was coming from a top notch V6 diesel). I quite liked the idea of an Audi Allroad, but their prices are just too high. I drove a Volvo XC70 - nice and comfortable at the dealers, but get it on the open road and the diesel was just too unrefined, and the auto gearbox was doing very strange things :crazy:

MB Direct were listing an 05 E320CDI A/garde Estate with 52k on the clock and well speced (Leather, Comand, Parktronic, rear seats, memory seats) for 'only' £16,500. Without seeing my 41k C320 with a dented wing and curbed alloys (neither down to me ;) ) they offered £14,000. Then their E-class was 'sold', although they could offer me a very similar one (actually less well speced) for £20,000. No thanks, I told them. Make it £16,500 and I'll have a look.

Then the 'sold' one reappeared. Then it was a 'mistake', and finally it reappeared again. This time I got to see it and drive it. The rear bumper had been resprayed (not unusual) and the alloys refurbished (not unusual) but otherwise it looked fine. They agreed to fit an iPod changer for free (£490) and just as I was about to sign up came the usual 'Paint and Leather Protection' sales patter (£500). I politely declined, but remembered that the inside did look particularly clean, and there was a Paint and Leather Protection Pack on the back seat of the car.

Come collection it turned out the car had already been treated! :bannana:

So now I'm back in an E-class. And loving it. No, it's not as quick and responsive as the V6 320CDI, but it does have that nice 'heavy' feel that perhaps only proper Mercs have.

(It's silver with anthracite leather and 17" twin 5-spoke wheels - so I don't need to post pictures, do I?)
 

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