This always happens to me !!!!

[The Pan Man]

As some of you might remenber I have been half hartedly looking for another E 211 since about January and until now nothing was right for me, wrong spec wrong price wrong cost to change you know what I mean. So about 3 weeks ago I had settled on a 535d BMW when I phoned the dealer it was sold, but I did get a short test drive and was impressed. So I have been looking still not in any rush and they seem to be in short supply (That might change next week or so with the new reg company cars being traded in). So over the weekend I was looking around on the usual sites because it was RAINING again and found 2 E 211's that tick all my boxes, one saloon and one Estate. Now they are both well specced and well in the budget. So what do I do? Phone the two dealers to arrange a viewing and test drive this week or sit on my hands till I get back from holiday and then look again to see what cars are available as this find indicates that there are some coming on to the market now. Decisions again.

 

[davethemus]

thats's what is know as a good problem.

 

[PXW]

Hmm, let's think. You have a budget and a spec worked out, so you know exactly what you want to buy. Two cars have come on the market that meet spec and budget. You have a week available to do the deal. Now, why on earth would you delay?

Only one reason I can think of, and I hesitate to say it on this forum, but you liked the BMW better, and in your heart of hearts that's what you would really prefer to buy

HTH

PXW the amateur psychologist

 

[trapperjohn]

So are you waiting for something cheaper? Seems like it. If you wait a couple years more they will be even cheaper. More miles and more ragged, but cheaper.
No pockets in a shroud.
Get one bought

 

[Gareth]

from what I hear the 535d would be a much faster car, so it depends what you really want.

 

[PXW]

from what I hear the 535d would be a much faster car, so it depends what you really want.

At the risk of spiking up all the E320 Cdi drivers on here, yes, it is. I drove one for a couple of years and the performance was absolutely amazing.

 

[The Pan Man]

PXW You are spot on. It is very quick. License loosing quick.
Trapperjohn, Using one of my favorite sayings. Funny.
PXW. Will ring the closest dealer in the morning as I could combine a trip and do the test drive.
If I stick with the MB it will be my fourth and 12 years of the same marque. I have never done that before and might not do it again.

 

[killwilly]

No pockets in a shroud.

If not, I'm not going.

 

[Colin_b]

No pockets in a shroud.

Some used to! Had a little pocket for a sixpenny bit or similar, so the wearer could tip the gatekeeper....

 

[trapperjohn]

Wow. You learn something everyday and I totally beleive it.

So Pan Man get yourself a sixpenny bit and then spen the rest.

As I always used to say to my duaghter prior to a teenage night out. "Keep your hand on you ha'penny" She always gave me a bit smile and swept out in to the night.

 

[Vlad]

For me it would come down to comfort...boring I know....but having driven various 5 Series BMW's the thing that I think's really poor is the ride comfort, especially if the car is riding on anything larger than a 17" wheel. And as most of them are on run flat tyres the problem is made even worse......not good is all I can say....make sure you take the car down a country road or badly surfaced road (not hard to find in the UK!) and see if you like the ride comfort.

The other thing that always surprises me is the quality of the 5 Series interior, especially if it comes with a light covered leather interior....looks really down rent, especially if its that awful light grey leather. Not a patch on a Merc interior and the quality of BMW leather is way behind an equivalent Merc

The i-drive system also grates....not as intuitive as Comand and you have to go through various menu's just to reset a low pressure tyre warning light thrown up by one of the tyre sensors....daft!

On the plus side its got a cracker of an engine that 535d

 

[st4]

The 5 series and E class are quite different.

My mate has one, 545i. It has everything and I mean everything on it. I'd say its a larger car and can accomodate in great comfort. The seats are larger. IIRC the panman said something like 6ft5 and 18 stones. I am only 6ft and 11 half stone, the 211 is nice for me but bigger fella would be better in the 5.

Interior wise the five is more spacious with a greater range of seat adjustment. The merc feels more intimate and cosy. The merc feels and is the smaller car, for me thats a plus over the tank like 5.

Dynamics wise we've driven both cars fairly spiritedly and mine has the edge I would say, his has sports suspension on 17 inch wheels.

Interior wise, the 5 is nicely made, few more low rent plastics than the E, but nice enough.

A E320cdi is a rapid thing, but a 535d is a bracket up with near V8 levels of peak power and V12 levels of torque.