Over 2.5k miles in 10 days in my W212 E63

[ChrisCLS55]

I’ve not long come back from a 10 day road trip in my E63 starting with a trip from Newcastle to London to visit my sis and then a trip to Germany to visit my wife’s sis and then trips to Belgium, Holland and France, clocking up over 2.5k miles which is more than I achieved in my final 12 months ownership of my CLS55. What a car the E63 is, it eats up the miles and is an ideal family car. I had kids’ scooters in the boot, 2 large suitcases, one smaller suitcase, ruck sacks, kids’ helmets, cooler boxes and other junk and there was still room for more.

It took me, my wife and two boys 4 and 6 on an epic road trip that I wanted to do in my car and not the wife’s Nissan X-Trail which I did when we first bought it new two years back.

My one gripe is my seat is nowhere near as comfortable as the CLS’ and again it’s a noisy cabin, but it was an effortless, fun and an extremely comfortable journey in general.

I got stopped by police twice and was also flashed by a speed camera, but hey ho. I did manage to get 160mph on the needle also once or twice so I don’t know if mine has been delimited or if the 155mph limit isn’t accurate.

I spent less than 500 quid on fuel by my calculations and at one point got 31. something mpg, that was going to London from Newcastle. With 4 people and a boot full of stuff. I’ve noticed it returns better fuel economy when it’s not just me in it and with an empty boot, maybe that’s because when it is just me I drive it hard...

One worry is that halfway through our journey into Germany a car icon with an arrow pointing up (yellow) came on so I pulled over and turned the car off and checked it over, it disappeared and hasn’t come on since.

Before we set off for Germany I had to regass my AC at Halfords at 50 quid which I thought was a rip off, but needs must because going down to London was awful with AC that wasn’t blowing out cold air really.

I also took with me a litre of oil, got the tyres correctly inflated, bought a tyre pump and learned that I can adapt the car to European roads regarding LEDs, miles to KL and also had a good fiddle with blue tooth for music from my phone and although I still don’t like the Sat Nav, I’ve learned how to use it, read it and get used to it.

I was in car heaven in Germany, so many old cars in really great condition that the locals probably don’t know are worth serious money or would be here in the UK, but maybe not there.

My own car drew attention wherever we went, despite it being home of MB, most Mercs were taxis or old but well looked after Mercs. I did see a McLaren SLR in Mannheim, dusty and parked like a joyrider had just dumped it after stealing it.

Everyone thought I was mad to take it on the road except for fellow petrol head friends, but even my wife was glad we did in the end and my niece who turned 18 while we were in Germany certainly did as I gave her a go in it.

The highlight of my trip was visiting the Tyne Cot war memorial in Belgium, close to my heart due to the historical significance to my own region and because I’m a WW1/WW2 history geek/nerd or whatever. Now that was an emotional and very sombre experience, but ultimatey uplifting and positive.

Anyone debating whether to get an AMG, do it, you only live once...

European roads btw piss all over our own, even the roadworks in Germany were efficient and on time.

 

[SukySangha]

I’ve not long come back from a 10 day road trip in my E63 starting with a trip from Newcastle to London to visit my sis and then a trip to Germany to visit my wife’s sis and then trips to Belgium, Holland and France, clocking up over 2.5k miles which is more than I achieved in my final 12 months ownership of my CLS55. What a car the E63 is, it eats up the miles and is an ideal family car. I had kids’ scooters in the boot, 2 large suitcases, one smaller suitcase, ruck sacks, kids’ helmets, cooler boxes and other junk and there was still room for more.

It took me, my wife and two boys 4 and 6 on an epic road trip that I wanted to do in my car and not the wife’s Nissan X-Trail which I did when we first bought it new two years back.

My one gripe is my seat is nowhere near as comfortable as the CLS’ and again it’s a noisy cabin, but it was an effortless, fun and an extremely comfortable journey in general.

I got stopped by police twice and was also flashed by a speed camera, but hey ho. I did manage to get 160mph on the needle also once or twice so I don’t know if mine has been delimited or if the 155mph limit isn’t accurate.

I spent less than 500 quid on fuel by my calculations and at one point got 31. something mpg, that was going to London from Newcastle. With 4 people and a boot full of stuff. I’ve noticed it returns better fuel economy when it’s not just me in it and with an empty boot, maybe that’s because when it is just me I drive it hard...

One worry is that halfway through our journey into Germany a car icon with an arrow pointing up (yellow) came on so I pulled over and turned the car off and checked it over, it disappeared and hasn’t come on since.

Before we set off for Germany I had to regass my AC at Halfords at 50 quid which I thought was a rip off, but needs must because going down to London was awful with AC that wasn’t blowing out cold air really.

I also took with me a litre of oil, got the tyres correctly inflated, bought a tyre pump and learned that I can adapt the car to European roads regarding LEDs, miles to KL and also had a good fiddle with blue tooth for music from my phone and although I still don’t like the Sat Nav, I’ve learned how to use it, read it and get used to it.

I was in car heaven in Germany, so many old cars in really great condition that the locals probably don’t know are worth serious money or would be here in the UK, but maybe not there.

My own car drew attention wherever we went, despite it being home of MB, most Mercs were taxis or old but well looked after Mercs. I did see a McLaren SLR in Mannheim, dusty and parked like a joyrider had just dumped it after stealing it.

Everyone thought I was mad to take it on the road except for fellow petrol head friends, but even my wife was glad we did in the end and my niece who turned 18 while we were in Germany certainly did as I gave her a go in it.

The highlight of my trip was visiting the Tyne Cot war memorial in Belgium, close to my heart due to the historical significance to my own region and because I’m a WW1/WW2 history geek/nerd or whatever. Now that was an emotional and very sombre experience, but ultimatey uplifting and positive.

Anyone debating whether to get an AMG, do it, you only live once...

European roads btw piss all over our own, even the roadworks in Germany were efficient and on time.

So glad you enjoyed the trip Chris. Im starting to bond with my E63s too now i have done the brake pads and installed new tyres.

 

[clk320x]

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Great driving

Re the A/C regas, I wouldn’t be too harsh, the prices for the gas have recently shot up, more than doubled iirc

 

[ChrisCLS55]

So glad you enjoyed the trip Chris. Im starting to bond with my E63s too now i have done the brake pads and installed new tyres.

Doing so many miles in such a short time has given me a real feel for the car and what it’s good at, what it’s not good at and where it could be better, but overall, it’s a brilliant brilliant car.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Great driving

Re the A/C regas, I wouldn’t be too harsh, the prices for the gas have recently shot up, more than doubled iirc

Yeah that’s what my mate said and given the heat it was worth it otherwise we couldn’t have done what we did.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

I didn’t actually take many, I have one of my car parked next to an old SL in Belgium, which I’ll try and upload when I have the time, it was mainly photos of my kids and the places we visited.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

I wanted to take photos of my mpg, miles, all kinds, but I thought who is this journey for and what’s it about? The car was a huge part of it, but it was about being a family on the road together. That and I accidentally reset the trip computer a few times faffing on. I’d love to do Route 66, but only in a classic American V8.

 

[mounty3279]

I felt the same way about my C63 when i recently drove it to portofino Italy really felt like we’d bonded. I loved it before but driving it for two weeks non stop was an experience and the car made it i think. A couple of years ago i did a route in california. I did a loop from the grand canyon to los Angeles up to San Francisco and back which goes along the PCH, which is a beautiful road. I did part of the route 66 along the way but its miles of nothing. In my opinion the actual driving in Germany was better.

 

[JDL60]

The yellow arrow will be airmatic related but if it’s gone then maybe just a glitch Now cleared

 

[PenelopePitstop]

In what circumstances were you stopped by police?

 

[ChrisCLS55]

In what circumstances were you stopped by police?

Coming into Germany the road was being closed to one lane near a service station and when we reached it about 1 mile in it was obvious police were stopping cars and we were instructed to pull in which we did. They stopped us because I as a white man was driving a fancy white GB plate Mercedes with a black women and two mixed race kids, my wife and boys.

At least they were honest about it. They were stopping a lot of black people and Eastern Europeans and any ‘exotic’ cars driven by anyone not white or carrying passengers that were not.

They were friendly, but looking for something, they asked if my car was stolen and then they told me it wasn’t insured, it obviously wasn’t stolen and although I didn’t have my insurance docs, they did some checks for 20 minutes or so, returned and gave me my keys and passports etc. and said we could go.

He said if it was just me I wouldn't have been stopped and when my wife said she wasn’t happy we were stopped basically because she and our kids are not white like the driver of the car, me her husband, they just shrugged and said something along the line of we are just trying to stop human trafficking and dealing with terrorism.

I get that and kind of see their point, but find it sad in this day and age that we were deemed suspicious enough to be pulled over based on skin colour. What a sad world we sometimes live in.

Oh well.

On the way out of Germany to Brussels we were in road works with the speed 30mph I think and I was trying to basically keep to that limit without the truck next to me hitting me or me hitting the barrier so I was kind of a bit all over the place trying to keep a steady position.

All of a sudden the black BMW behind me gets very close up so when the roadworks which was 2 narrow lanes went from zig zags to a straight line I sped past the lorry, pulled in and let the BMW go ahead. He pulled in front of me and the lights and stuff went on and then I followed him to some part of the roadworks off the carriageway towards where workers’ cabins and machinery were.

I asked if they stopped me for speeding and they said not really even though I was, or because of my erratic driving which wasn’t that erratic, just me trying to keep my car straight in between the lines in zig zags with barriers and a lorry either side of me and what I thought was someone wanting me to speed up, move over so they could get past me. They said again not really even though they said I was driving a bit erratically.

It was the model of car and it being GB plates they said that raised suspician. They were very pleasant and commented on the car saying very nice, you don’t see many if any etc.

I told them I was reticent to follow even though they had flashing lights and a police, please follow sign becaus for all I knew they could have been after robbing us or stealing our car. They understood, making a joke that maybe in England that happens, not in whatever part of Germany I was still in at the time they pulled me which I must say was beautiful and picturesque.

All part of the European road trip experience that certainly wouldn’t stop me doing it again I guess.

2 years ago we were stopped at Calais coming back into England, about a few miles from the Tunnel, me my wife and kids, in her Nissan X-Trail. Again because I was white and they weren’t. Mind I did enter Europe in her car without them as they had flown a week or so before. They had tickets to fly back as I am scared of flying and they went early before me to visit my sister in law because I couldn’t due to business. I went in the Nissan as I had just got it for her and to surprise the wife, that and I wanted to drive to Germany anyway.

I did at the time wonder if they stopped me because I had entered France from the tunnel as just me and was returning back to the UK with a black lass and two mixed race kids, it’s maybe understandable to them to think human trafficking given how rampant it is.

 

[clk320x]

They stopped us because I as a white man was driving a fancy white GB plate Mercedes with a black women and two mixed race kids, my wife and boys.

That is ridiculous. I’m sorry you have to go through that.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

The yellow arrow will be airmatic related but if it’s gone then maybe just a glitch Now cleared

I hope so, I know the CLS used to go down when I parked up and switched the engine off, I’ve not checked if the E63 does. We had a lot of luggage and weight in the boot and after stopping to do a walk around of the car after the message came up, I did press the suspension button twice a mile in after restarting so maybe that helped? I’m going to get it into MB just as. Precaution, it hasn’t come on since and seem to be driving spot on. I had it in at my nephew’s place Audi at the weekend for a full valet inside and out as it was covered in blood splatters bugs, dirts and grime and crisps, chips, juice and god knows what else inside the cabin off the kids. It’s looking showroom condition right now

 

[ChrisCLS55]

That is ridiculous. I’m sorry you have to go through that.

Thanks!

Kind of used to the ‘suspician’ sadly even here in the UK, be it the general public (mostly from black people funny enough) and the police. It’s quite rare I have to say. She was pulled a few years back when she took the CLS to work as her then RAV 4 was in the garage getting an MOT. I wasn’t happy about that. I used to get pulled/followed and checked over though a few times myself, rough area, car like that, it’s got to be a drug dealer or something. Never mind I run a successful business, am a petrol head and the car was a decade old, insured, taxed etc.

I get it though, human trafficking, terrorism and even other stuff given the kind of car but we looked like the stereotypical family on a European road trip, kids in back, iPads, ear pads, 2 sat naval on, the cars and the Tom Tom, cooler box strapped up in the sea belt in between the kids and their car seats, food all over the cabin, coffee mugs, scooters and grocery bags in the boot, and us all in shorts and vests due to the lovely weather. It did irk me seeing cars with families on GB plates just driving past not being pulled over because the occupants were all white.

I think along with the police I was probably the only white person there, even the white Eastern Europeans were darker white. Again it’s a sad world sometimes where a family of 4 in a nice paid for car get stopped because in their words, it’s not normal or common. Thankfully it’s becoming more common and then it will become normal I hope. I mean every Merc has an AMG badge on it these days anyway!

Mind, I’m just glad they didn’t ask to go through our luggage as they would have found the drugs, fake money and all those immigrants hiding away...

Suckers!

 

[Bluegnomes]

Sounds like an epic trip and a great way to experience your car.

It’s weird that you got pulled so many times - profiling I presume.

Last big European road trip I did was in my then week old 911. Despite never having been stopped once in ~30yrs of driving in the UK (except in france when I’ve been to cycling events) I was stopped once in France and pulled over to be searched crossing the Swiss and Italian borders. I guess I just looked suspicious. The Swiss police were a PITA the Italian police just said that there was so much tax fraud going on they stopped all high value cars.

Glad your stops didn’t prevent you enjoying your trip.

 

[JimmyR]

Disgraceful treatment. Pulled over on suspicion, keys and passports seized, wonder you weren’t all body searched at gunpoint.

 

[PenelopePitstop]

Thanks for explanation. First stop looks like organised action, so no way to avoid. I never had any problem in AMG or any other GB car for that matter. I was stopped last year when I was driving rather slow for some time, following lorry. It was raining, traffic was heavy and I wasn't in a rush. Was following the same lorry and BMW for at least 20 minutes, when suddenly BMW started flashing: Police, follow me. They said they are looking for drugs and cigarettes. I didn't have any of that, so after they checked my documents, they went their way and I had to go back to Autobahn. I guess, driving too slow in AMG is just suspicious. But considering how many km/miles I did in Germany, it's not bad statistics, being stopped only once. The same stats as in UK, where I was stopped only once for driving AMG at 5.00am and it being suspicious.

I was stopped in South Korea recently, when they had action to check for alcohol. They breathed analysed everyone very quickly, without causing any traffic jam. That was surprising for me but probably standard on Saturday night.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Like I said I get why they stop people and I think my wife was more pissed off and rightly so than I was. Again it didn’t stop us having a great time nor would it stop me doing it again. We did it on the fly which made it so much more fun, although our trip to Germany to visit family was planned, everything after wasn’t so hitting the road like that was great and getting some serious miles down in the E63 was good as I sometimes wouldn’t even do 3k a year in my own car.

 

[cobra7]

Sounds like a fantastic trip, nice post

Several years back my wife & I plus our two teenage lads did a similar trip, drove to southern Italy for a fortnight stay there - on way down we went through France, Belgium, Luxemborg, Germany (took a wrong turn and ended up on the autobahn ) and then Switzerland. We all absolutely loved every minute of it.

You mention the roads, I can honestly say that during the whole trip we were only held up once due to roadworks and even then we were stationary for no more than 15 mins or so. Just proves what a terrible road network we have here!!

Shame that I had didn't have an AMG at the time - now that would have been the icing on the cake

One day maybe. I have a big birthday next year and i'm very tempted to take a trip to the Nürburgring, anyone done that? Very tempted and quietly confident about my own driving ability but worried that some other numpty might get a little over enthusiastic!!