New (to me) car model advice please

[markjay]

BMW 3 Series; 2011 (11 reg) £1.6k
2.0 320d ED EfficientDynamics 4dr
• 0-60 = 7.9 Seconds
• Urban = 56.5 mpg
• Extra urban = 78.5 mpg
• Combined = 68.9 mpg

Bingo!

You've found it. Well done. Sorry it's not a Merc, but there you have it.

 

[BTB 500]

I'm a little surprised about the concerns of high mileage diesel vehicles, these are (or at least were) capable of going round the clock at least twice, as it was always said that they go on forever, obviously this is with 100% care and proper maintenance etc, hell back in the day I had a 2ltr petrol Ford Cortina that went round the clock twice, and was still going strong when I got another car, is this an outdated view on cars now?

Unfortunately, yes. Emission control and fuel consumption requirements have made modern diesels highly complex, and any of the myriad sensors etc. they are packed with will bring the car to a halt when it fails.

We've owned a 2007 Mercedes diesel van ('only' Euro IV) from new, with full main dealer service history. From around 90,000 miles it had a spate of engine problems that resulted in six different breakdowns in seven months and a total repair cost of almost £6,000 (and about 5 weeks off the road). And it had broken down twice before that, as well. Now we were probably 'unlucky' to some extent, but more modern diesels (with AdBlue etc.) have the potential to be even worse - with cars (where you have a choice) we have only bought petrol for some time now.

 

[Alan22]

The more miles you will be doing, the more a diesel becomes a reasonable option. I had formed the impression you would not be doing much mileage, and it is low mileage on short journeys that militates against diesels.

Don't buy a car with Airmatic; it's good, but expensive to fix if it goes wrong.

That burgundy E240 (first one in post #16) looks absolutely superb for £2k, if you can live with the thirst, and there's a lot less to go wrong than in later cars. Find one similar with a diesel, and the same applies, plus the economy will be much better. The inline six-cylinder diesel engine (OM648? OM613?) which preceded the V6 in the early W211 is regarded as one of the best (and most bombproof) diesel engines MB have ever made, and more conomical than the V6 as well.

Looking at diesels, bear in mind anything in emissions class euro 5 or lower is likely to incur daily charges in the increasingly common low emissions zones in city centres.

I had formed a similar impression. Perhaps it was the phrase "I don't do long journeys" in the opening post which fooled us?!

Yeah this is the quandary I have, these days I don't do many miles, I always quote 5k for insurance, but not that I track it, my days of doing 1000 miles in a weekend are behind me, But, as I mentioned further down my daughter is\was (well will be past thence soon) a 100 mile round trip, and what with looking after her first child while they were in ICU with the new baby after it needed emergency surgery clocked up a few miles, but I had to use her partners car so it could have been a lot worse in my car, and there were mentions of moving to Scotland, hence considering diesel, it's only 8 hours drive dependent where she has in mind.

But the bombshell dropped tonight, they have sold their house (waiting for pen on paper to seal it as is standard), and they are going to spend a few days\week at Xmas house hunting in Scotland, well to go to the ones they have shortlisted, so the MPG deal is more so now.

I don't know if the charges will affect me or not, I don't go to London much since being housebound, and toll charges and red zone (can't think of the name) charges I am exempt from, it's not an absolute coverage, there are still plenty of times you do have to pay, but not in London for me, but yes I do have that well and truly in mind with the emissions, Damn Mercedes having easy entry\exit seats, it's the main reason I'm trying to get a Merc, I can feel my legs melt away when it moves into position, so this more than anything is the cherry on the cake, if it weren't for this I would not worry about Merc's as much, I had never heard of it until I drove an S class along with the soft close doors, then I stumbled on this function in my car, I doubt the dodgy trader even knew about it, so it would be a dream to get this in the next car.

Well many Thanks to everyone, it's helped a lot, sorry I haven't responded with quotes for specific answers, but my head struggles to keep them separate when replying, and not repeating myself where a couple of people made similar comments, my memory span is that short, so please don't think any answers have not been appreciated, it's just easier to roll down the list as I remember bits, I'm going to have to take a couple of days searching with your valuable input, and see if I can come up with a short list for checking, if only other cars had this seat function I'd be over the moon, but Thanks again everyone, it is helping.

 

[st13phil]

if only other cars had this seat function I'd be over the moon

Be aware that for a number of years now the “easy entry/exit” feature on Mercedes cars does not motor the seat back, it only moves the steering wheel up and away.

However, an easy solution is available and works for any car with memory seats: Set one of the memories to be your driving position, and another to have the seat and wheel motored to a position that allows you easy entry/exit. Then just press the appropriate memory button before getting out of the car and after getting in it.

 

[Alan22]

Damn, tell me you ain't serious, that blows chunks big time, any idea when this happened?
Just wondering if I could get something not as new(ish) that still had that, other cars with memory seats can do as suggested, if Merc's only have half of the dream I found, and now lost lol
Well as much as I love(d) my Merc, it was this feature that made me a convert, I guess that really opens up the options then if I can't get this feature again, totally gutted, but Thanks for the info, it's made the searched quicker if nothing else.

 

[HITECH]

If reliability is really your most important criterion, for £6K forget any Mercedes and buy a Japanese or Korean car. Mercedes have many good qualities, but extreme reliability is not one of them.

lol. funny but kinda true. lol

 

[st13phil]

any idea when this happened?

Not sure, but it’s certainly true for the 204 and 212 series cars and later. But like I said, it’s easy to work around by setting separate seat memory positions.

 

[Alan22]

Well there's one for the books, I now have another £2k according a notification I got earlier, still not sure when or how it will arrive, but it looks like my claim has finally been upheld.
So does another £2k make a significant difference at all?