Possible move to the dark side !!!!!

[The Pan Man]

Yesterday I went to view an 05 E 320 CDi Estate advertised as mint needless to say it was not and I was very dissapointed.
So today I went to look at a mint BMW 335 M Sport Mint and it was, so like a mug I took it for a test drive and what adrive it was very impressed.
Over the next few days or weeks I need to drive another V6 320 CDI but the beamer was impressive in every department.
Anyone else found this?

 

[moonloops]

Yup those 335's are pretty damn good (and fast - regardless of it being a diesel or petrol version)

 

[d w124]

Yup those 335's are pretty damn good (and fast - regardless of it being a diesel or petrol version)

I`d say a C350 diesel is fast enough

 

[st13phil]

Nothing wrong with a good 335 if that's what floats your boat, BUT... be very careful about the M-Sport variants on which the supension is bone-crunchingly firm. It can feel very engaging on a short test drive, but make sure you can tolerate the firmness on a longer drive - especially after your E-Class. A friend of mine had an M-Sport 320d as a company car and once the novelty wore off it turned into a 3-year sentance

 

[The Pan Man]

Sorry that was a typo it is a 535 I can't fit in C Class or 3 Series with comfort.

 

[davidjpowell]

Nothing wrong with a good 335 if that's what floats your boat, BUT... be very careful about the M-Sport variants on which the supension is bone-crunchingly firm. It can feel very engaging on a short test drive, but make sure you can tolerate the firmness on a longer drive - especially after your E-Class. A friend of mine had an M-Sport 320d as a company car and once the novelty wore off it turned into a 3-year sentance

I remember taking my brothers car on a Rescue mission to Stanstead late on a Sunday night, after my car had gone to Bristol without me (long story including someone crashing into it). He had a 330d with the sports suspension.

Felt nice and firm at first, but very quickly grew tired of feeling every bump on the A1. I can't imagine the 5 series is much different.

BMW standard suspension = MB Sports I think.

 

[crockers]

I test drove a BMW 525d back in 2005 before choosing my Merc. Had it for a weekend and went off to the Gower Peninsula. Nice car - but those runflats are so unforgiving.......Had a Volvo S60 D5 at the time and was relieved to get back into its cosseting seats and ride afterwards.

But then I am perhaps the only person on here that prefers the ride of the W204 Elegance over the Sport - so take no notice of me. Wife doesn't either..

 

[The Pan Man]

Crockers I have a wife like that too!!!!!!

 

[st13phil]

But then I am perhaps the only person on here that prefers the ride of the W204 Elegance over the Sport - so take no notice of me.

Au contraire... I decided on the Elegance rather than the Sport for the same reason - and I was coming from a Golf GTI

 

[MarkJunedd]

535d's are a cracking motor , go like stink, good economy but are sadly let down by the harsh ride. Partly if the car has M tech suspension but mostly due to the run-flat tyres fitted as standard which have no give at all in them.

 

[kusanku]

When I bought my 54 plate e-class 320cdi estate, the other car I considered was a 5 series. Personally, I could not see the appeal of the BMW over the Merc at all. Merc had more comfortable seats, nicer ride, and considerably smoother autobox. BMW only scored on having more leg-room for rear passengers. I drove the BMW around Swindon, so not the best test-drive ever and maybe the "sportier" charateristics of the BMW did not have the opportunity to shine through. But I was after a diesel estate car, so being sporty was not high on the list of priortities.

Two years later, it has been an astonishingly practical vehicle. I often have the seats down to transport large items which would never fit in a smaller car, and with the seats up it takes passengers around in comfort. In fact Mrs. K has pretty-well fallen in love with it, so I am finding it hard to make a case for moving on to something else.

On the down side. Economy is quite disappointing, never really getting more than around 41mpg on a run: I think the V6 engines are thirstier again. Also had quite few reliability problems. All of them are the common problems that pre-facelift 211s are known for (e.g. electrics, collapsed coil springs), but I went through a period where it went to the garage six times in six months.

 

[124fan]

I've been tortured since a friend took me for a spin in his Nissan skyline ... I now want something fast and furious for under 3k when my C250td finally lies down. I've been watching some lovely cars being sold on here this past few months and kicking myself as each one was sold, but I'm really bitten by this bug.
I've been looking at the BMW Z3 / M3 costing a bit more than I want to spend ... would like to hear some views from the good folks on here, perhaps make me see sense again ;-(
tia

 

[stumpy1]

We have a 535d on an 07 plate. The only snags are the run flats(can be changed) and idrive. Other than that, superb vehicle.

 

[The Pan Man]

When I drove the 535d I would have to say the gear change was as good as my e class if not better, very smooth and almost seemless.

kusanku What sort of driving do you do? I ask because on the MWay at sensible speeds I get high 40's and when pressed harder still low 40's out of my E 270 CDi. Living close to town I don't do many Start car sit in traffic type trips. My average MPG from the comuter is 40.1 over 8000 miles and the last brim to brim I did gave me 39.5 so pretty good for a big car.

 

[The Pan Man]

Well had the E Class serviced yesterday, no issues at all. Drove home perfect. Now I have to make up my mind one way or the other. Owned it nearly 4 years is it time to change, should I look for a late face lift should I persue the 535d, should I advertise it properly as a private sale, decisions decisions, decisions. One thing for certain is no body is having it for £5000. I had a text yesterday from my local MB event this weekend managers special prices, any views.

 

[Peter DLM]

I'd be desperate to change after 4 years. Two years is about the limit before I get totally bored with a car and my eye starts letching at younger models. The 535d would look very appealing to me if I were in your position right now.

The mere fact that you are fingering other cars whilst yours is away suggests that you're ready to change, and just need your feeling validated by others. So, change away, I think you deserve it

 

[BAD300]

Sorry but I thought you were bent on buying something else in the first place? So now are you considering keeping your car? I am presently doing a high-performance 300E up. Aesthetics aside, it hardly resembles a Merc under the bonnet anymore but still has M103 engine & trans. So. This is how I'm dealing with the slow horse that rolled off the production line like most high-production Mercs. Besides. Screw the Beemers, as you've mentioned they are on the dark side

 

[JH-Merc]

Always Mercs over BMWs, they just have that air of class that BMWs dont!