New Eclass Estate less capacious.

[Deleted member 6183]

Just an idea here for the OP

View attachment 74666

I did that to a settee years ago.

We bought a house from an elderly couple who asked if we would like to buy a load of their furniture, a couple of bits would have been handy but they insisted on leaving more than we needed including an old 3 piece suite.
The settee was too big so I set about taking it out, it soon dawned that the reason that they were so keen to leave it was that it wouldn't be removed without taking a bay window out.

I sawed it in half and took it to the tip.

About a year later I called in a furniture guy to buy the remaining stuff, he looked at the 2 matching chairs and said 'shame you ain't got the settee to match, would be worth a few quid'!

 

[MercedesDriver]

w213 looks a bit small-ish compared to its predecessors

when compared to
W212

W211 which looks smaller than W212,W211 and W124 but bigger than W213

W210

And probably the largest E class boot space of W124. I've moved a three seats sofa in such boot with rears down. I don't think it would fit W212 now.

 

[Mactech]

Back in 2006 I bought a rigid 'Car Box' plastic boot liner with 200mm sides to fit my 211 Estate. It keeps the dogs tidy....ish!
After having two 211's I was delighted to find it fitted in my W164 ML in 2008. Since then it has fitted in a BMW 5 series, a Cayenne, several Audi A6's, a Range Rover and is now sitting comfortably in my W166 GLE.
The only Mercedes estate it didn't fit was the 203 C class which was too narrow between the arches.
I suspect almost all Mercedes estates are much the same size...ish!

 

[Aviator]

I have just purchased an S213 having previously had both the 211 and 212.
The load area on the 213 is slightly shorter in length by around 5mm but the width is the same. I have had a problem with the cage for the dog which fitted easily into both the 211 and 212 but the height is just too tight for the 213. The door height must be at least 2cm less than the 212. This was a disapointment as I had assumed, wrongly, that the cage would fit without a problem.
The seats that form part of the load area fold almost flat 175deg with no weight on them and compress to 178deg when under load. This is better than the 212.
The upside is that fuel economy is much better, probably in part because the aerodynamics are improved which is a reason the roofline at the rear door is lower.

What I do find dissapointing is the fact that it has lost the spare wheel and I have a tyre inflation kit as a substitute. Ther is no jack and no wheel spanner included which makes wheel changing impossible even if you carried a spare.
I travel a lot on French motorways and dread the thought of getting a puncture, or worse still a blowout miles form anywhere. If this were to happen on a Friday night you would probably have to wait in the nearest town at least until Monday to be able to buy a replacement tyre. That assumes that the tyre is in stock.
So far in my travels I have not had this problem but now I dont have a spare it is a real nightmare scenario.
Apart from this I am still getting to know the car with the electronics being far more complex.

 

[PaulXC]

What I do find dissapointing is the fact that it has lost the spare wheel and I have a tyre inflation kit as a substitute. Ther is no jack and no wheel spanner included which makes wheel changing impossible even if you carried a spare.
I travel a lot on French motorways and dread the thought of getting a puncture, or worse still a blowout miles form anywhere. If this were to happen on a Friday night you would probably have to wait in the nearest town at least until Monday to be able to buy a replacement tyre. That assumes that the tyre is in stock.
Apart from this I am still getting to know the car with the electronics being far more complex.

I blew a tyre in Girona on a Bank Holiday so I put the space saver on and drove to the Charente ( where we were staying for the next week ) - about 450 miles. I assumed I could just go to NorAuto or one of the other big tyre companies and get one the next day. - Took them 5 days to get a 235/18 in stock.

Looking at S213 yesterday I think you 'may' be able to get a space saver in the well under the floor but I didn't measure it.

A spare wheel is always on my must have list - I was forced to buy an E500 Cabrio as the E350d Bluetc didn't have a one .....

 

[Aviator]

Looking at S213 yesterday I think you 'may' be able to get a space saver in the well under the floor but I didn't measure it.

I have not measured it but think it is just too small to get even a space saver in.
If anybody has tried it and found a solution I would be really intersted and would buy it in a heartbeat

 

[MercedesDriver]

This shrinkashion of loading spaces is a new mantra for all manufacturers forcing us who need a lot of space to go for large SUV's. I for example was really disappointed with the size of new V90 which from outside looks like a big car but booth size is really small, much smaller than any E-class or V70 which I had previously. The only new car options, which will have enough space for large dog cage, are SUV's GLS and XC90 which I really don't like.

 

[Ash]

I have just purchased an S213 having previously had both the 211 and 212.
The load area on the 213 is slightly shorter in length by around 5mm but the width is the same. I have had a problem with the cage for the dog which fitted easily into both the 211 and 212 but the height is just too tight for the 213. The door height must be at least 2cm less than the 212. This was a disapointment as I had assumed, wrongly, that the cage would fit without a problem.
The seats that form part of the load area fold almost flat 175deg with no weight on them and compress to 178deg when under load. This is better than the 212.
The upside is that fuel economy is much better, probably in part because the aerodynamics are improved which is a reason the roofline at the rear door is lower.

What I do find dissapointing is the fact that it has lost the spare wheel and I have a tyre inflation kit as a substitute. Ther is no jack and no wheel spanner included which makes wheel changing impossible even if you carried a spare.
I travel a lot on French motorways and dread the thought of getting a puncture, or worse still a blowout miles form anywhere. If this were to happen on a Friday night you would probably have to wait in the nearest town at least until Monday to be able to buy a replacement tyre. That assumes that the tyre is in stock.
So far in my travels I have not had this problem but now I dont have a spare it is a real nightmare scenario.
Apart from this I am still getting to know the car with the electronics being far more complex.

Darn i think we're using the same dog crate (can it be put in semi collapsed and then popped up?). i'm also moving to a s213 from capacious s212.
Some measurements on the attached in case useful. It doesn't contradict what posters have written here.
Incidentally i've only seen a handful of S213s on the road, mostly taxis. Nixe looking cars. But I think people are going for GLCs and similar, which have even smaller boots and are a bit of a leap up for dogs
Ash

 

[MercedesDriver]

Loading space of my 212 when we travel looks like this

There are a suitecases in the back on each side of the cage, 4 folding chairs behind the cage, numerous plastic bags with kids toys are on both suitecases, on the top of the cage is usualy a blanket and two cushions for the kids if they feel asleep. In the well are usually lights, extension power cords and tools.
All this can’t fit in GLC, GLE, V90, XC60. I haven’t tried 5 series or new A6 estates so can’t comment on those.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

It’s obvious that the evolution in car design has vastly reduced the practicality of estate cars. Years ago 210’s & especially Volvos were very ‘brick’ like and not as pleasing on the eye as today’s offerings (IMO).

It’s a compromise between practically and style which I think they have got spot on. Saloon v’s Estate sales are as close as ever.

If the buyers criteria is a vast space/opening then they’ll be tempted/forced down the commercial route. That’s no bad thing either because vans nowadays are very luxurious and car like to drive.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Am I right in saying the Skoda Superb Estate has a larger boot than the 213 E Class?

Edit: yes, current Skoda Superb Estate has 660/1950 boot capacity

 

[Ash]

Am I right in saying the Skoda Superb Estate has a larger boot than the 213 E Class?

Edit: yes, current Skoda Superb Estate has 660/1950 boot capacity

Superb volume is higher but it might be because the boot is higher. E class boot 'plan view's is as deep/wide

 

[SW18]

Looking at MD’s very helpful photos above, it does seem to me to be the case that shrinking aperture size is an issue. I occasionally pack my S212 to the max for camping trips, and I’ve noticed that a sizeable portion of the load space is positioned well above the top of the boot opening due to the rounded-off rear of the body. I tend to pack the last of my camping gear by sliding it in from the back seats as this is an easier way to get things into the hard-to-reach space at the top of the boot. The photos of the 210 and the 124 give the impression that the boot aperture was larger relative to the overall boot size.

By the way, shrinkification of boot spaces may not be new: I recall a friend’s Dad in the 80s bemoaning the fact that the Volvo 940 had a smaller boot than their older 240.

 

[SW18]

Superb volume is higher but it might be because the boot is higher. E class boot 'plan view's is as deep/wide

The superb also seems to have an unhelpful lip to cross to get things in and out of the boot, which put me off when looking at one.

 

[Ash]

Just bought a Nov 2016 S213 estate this morning. We weren't going to get a skoda, nice car but i prefer mercs. The smallest E class estate boot yet then, despite car and w-base growing ever longer

 

[Markssl]

w213 looks a bit small-ish compared to its predecessors

when compared to
W212

W211 which looks smaller than W212,W211 and W124 but bigger than W213

W210

And probably the largest E class boot space of W124. I've moved a three seats sofa in such boot with rears down. I don't think it would fit W212 now.

Wow great pics.
The 210 had a larger opening than 211.


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[french]

I haven't had a W212 but have been very impressed with the capacity of my W211 saloon boot with the back seats down.

Ther's always one that has to show off...

 

[JBD]

It’s simply because it was the class leader, so focus was put in other places. The wheelbase has grown, freeing up more legroom in the rear, which was more of an issue


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[219]

Isn't room the objective with an estate car? Or is it now more about life style than true practicality?

Certainly the C Class estates are more about lifestyle : after several W123 and W124 estates , I bought a W203 estate and was hugely disappointed both in the load space , and weight carrying capacity without SLS , which had been standard on the others .

I still have a hankering to get another 124 estate , but good ones are harder to find now .

 

[MercedesDriver]

w213 looks a bit small-ish compared to its predecessors

when compared to
W212

W211 which looks smaller than W212,W211 and W124 but bigger than W213

W210

And probably the largest E class boot space of W124. I've moved a three seats sofa in such boot with rears down. I don't think it would fit W212 now.

The same 3 seater sofa I moved in with S124 CAN’T fit in S212. We’ve tried all possible approaches to fit it in, but avail, S212 back opening is too small. Of course I didn’t forget reminding my Mrs that we moved it in with our “old” Mercedes and pointed out all the reasons why S124 is the best car ever made.