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S CLASS (new shape 1999 onwards)

SilverSaloon

MB Enthusiast
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Mar 16, 2004
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7,758
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1994 W124 E300D Estate, 1985 R107 280SL
hi

Due to the recent birth of our Son, i am considering getting rid of the CLK Cabrio next year (probably before summertime).

I love the CLK but its pretty impractical, so need a nice big car - i would like the new-shape S Class, desiel.

Any ideas what MPG i would get from the 3.2 desiel and any recommendations when looking at one of these?

Seems i should be able to get a circa 2000 model for around £20k, so what would be a realistic price i would get for mine in Autotrader? Its fully loaded with comand etc.

thanks for any advice etc you can give.

derek
 
SilverSaloon said:
Any ideas what MPG i would get from the 3.2 desiel and any recommendations when looking at one of these?

I have just read an article in Mercedes Enthusiast by an owner of a S320CDI. He drove from East Sussex to the Dordogne. He describes the car had four occupants, two weeks luggage, air con working overtime and travelling mostly at 90mph, he states they were extremely pleased with a return of 31mpg.

To me that sounds a very reasonable account and I expect that to be a fair average for general use including driving round town. You will no doubt hear reports of figures around 38mpg which will be obtainable on steady motorway journeys.

An excellent car, with an excellent engine.

Good luck,
John
 
Hi Glojo,
A note of caution on the S-Class, it's due for replacement, I believe during 2005, maybe early 2006. Old model used values will make their usual plummet, so I would hold on to get a better deal and squeeze the kiddie seat in to your CLK. Check the press for exact launch dates. I also like the idea of buying one, once they've plummeted though...! I run an E-Class, but also a 7 seat people carrier for the herd and their stuff. The 320CDI holds it's
value better than the petrol motors, but the difference in price is massive, can be £5-6k, just to get a diesel. You'd need to put on about 100kmiles to justify the diesel over a 320 petrol, do your sums carefully!

Cheers!
John
 
...the people at Mercedes Enthusiast also got from Lands End to John O'Groats NON STOP on ONE tank of fuel in an S320CDI (they did fill the tank to the very very top using a fuel cannister before they started).
Rgds
Les
 
jamesg said:
Hi Glojo,
A note of caution on the S-Class, it's due for replacement, I believe during 2005, maybe early 2006. Old model used values will make their usual plummet, so I would hold on to get a better deal and squeeze the kiddie seat in to your CLK. Check the press for exact launch dates. I also like the idea of buying one, once they've plummeted though...! I run an E-Class, but also a 7 seat people carrier for the herd and their stuff. The 320CDI holds it's
value better than the petrol motors, but the difference in price is massive, can be £5-6k, just to get a diesel. You'd need to put on about 100kmiles to justify the diesel over a 320 petrol, do your sums carefully!

Cheers!
John

That is a good point, you could probably get a E500 for the same price as the S320CDi as they are demanding such a premium. Plus if you went for the petrol you'd save a lot of money you could spend on fuel.
 
True about the 2nd price differential, but you get that back when you sell the car again, so the differential is probably under £1000 or maybe actually better given that the petrol will continue to lose more money in the future.
 
Hmm! I've got too much time on me' hands over Xmas, and did some
sums on petrol vs diesel S320. Here's the figures insurance and road tax are the same, no differentiation.

S320 Petrol, 01/51, Parker's Retail price with 30k, £29,375.
What Car Mag expected next 3 years depreciation: 46% loss=£13,512
Fuel cost at 10k per year, 26mpg: £4,308 (83p/ltr).

S320CDi, 01/51, Parker's retail price with 30k, £33,265.
What car mag expected next 3 year's depreciation: 41% loss=£13,638
Fuel Cost as above, but 86p/ltr Diesel: £3,225
Extra interest to finance the additional £4k on loan (3 years): Cash loss of £432.

S320 Petrol total cash cost: £17,820
S320CDi total cash cost: £17,295

So, you'd be better off by £524 if you took the diesel over 3 years.

But, if you buy brand new the diesel is bargain of the year of it sells for £2,000 LESS than the petrol to start with as of today's list prices. Financially you'd be mad to take the petrol brand new. Over a further 3 years
(buy the car at 3 years old and keep to 9 years old) you'd be better off by about £600/year in fuel and depreciation, but the depreciation gap will close as the vehicles drop in value. At 9 years old you'll be lucky to get more than £6-8k for either at trade in time.

Check out these alternatives to a near to four year old Merc as above:
- Jaguar XJ6 30.SE, 03/53 plate with 8k on the clock: £30,995
- VW Phateon 3.2Quattro, 04/04 plate with 5k on the clock: £25,000

Both will beat the Merc for reliability, and make depreciation work in your favour!
 
Bought an 02/02 S320CDI for £30k in August, and spent £40 at local independent on geometry check/wheel alignment. It is great. A & B roads 30 miles to work each day, town driving weekend and occasional motorway trips give 35ish mpg.
No regrets, but a few other road users might not appreciate the smoke screen I put up when using kickdown to overtake!
Thought about the jags for value but I think if you have access to a good independent the S is still the business!
 

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