W212 / w204 dilemma

[Derek Mc]

Been looking around at cars and have spotted a few W212 in E220/E250 CDI Sport trim.

Is there any of you can offer your real world economy with the 4 cyl diesel in manual and auto spec please?

The more I look at the W212 the more I feel I would like the gravitas and elegance of the larger model, but still feel the W204 would be the "sensible" purchase,,

Little help needed I am thinking

 

[steve333]

Been looking around at cars and have spotted a few W212 in E220/E250 CDI Sport trim.

Is there any of you can offer your real world economy with the 4 cyl diesel in manual and auto spec please?

The more I look at the W212 the more I feel I would like the gravitas and elegance of the larger model, but still feel the W204 would be the "sensible" purchase,,

Little help needed I am thinking

Can't help with the mpg but if you test drive both the E & C i'm sure you will be drawn towards the E (the price difference isn't that great but you get a lot more car imho) the manuals arn't very good & are awkward with the foot operated parking brake & will be harder to sell when the time comes-hope that helps!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

The interior of the W212 is a world away from the (pre facelift) W204 - cant comment on the facelift as I havent driven one.

 

[st4]

Lets balance things up in the C classes favour. It handles a fair bit better, less roll, more grip and more poise. Its a more fun car with firmer steering and better feedback. The seating and driving position are IMHO better and the trim difference between 212 and pre facelift 212 isn't all that bad.

Economy wise, I reckon there's not much in it, a little in the C classes favour but not enough to condemn the E as a guzzler. In short if you can afford to fuel the C, you'll not struggle to fuel the E.

Rear passanger space is where the C class falls down compared the E. The E is more spacious, better riding and a less agile car as a consequence.

Get an automatic. They are better. Sport wise, A C220cdi will average around 40mpg, an E220cdi around 38 I would think, 250 maybe knock an MPG off each number

 

[Derek Mc]

I have been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time in E350 CDi cars being driven around by a friend in one and a client in another and find them amazing, I am seeing them at about £1,000 to £2000 more for the E than the C but am still drawn to a C for the reasons Steve *** cites.

The Vectra offers an official 47.8mpg average in combined I am getting 51.4 based over thousands of miles of drivingI would expect the C class on my driving to outstrip that based on government figures also.

As to Auto / manual debate, I just prefer manuals and they are cheaper to buy, but when I come to sell the car will be well up in miles and not suffer in value especially. I am aware of the bootleg parking brake issue though and it is a slight concewrn but know they should also have hill assist?

 

[steve333]

I have been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time in E350 CDi cars being driven around by a friend in one and a client in another and find them amazing, I am seeing them at about £1,000 to £2000 more for the E than the C but am still drawn to a C for the reasons Steve *** cites.

The Vectra offers an official 47.8mpg average in combined I am getting 51.4 based over thousands of miles of drivingI would expect the C class on my driving to outstrip that based on government figures also.

As to Auto / manual debate, I just prefer manuals and they are cheaper to buy, but when I come to sell the car will be well up in miles and not suffer in value especially. I am aware of the bootleg parking brake issue though and it is a slight concewrn but know they should also have hill assist?

So you will get an auto e350cdi then!

 

[Derek Mc]

So you will get an auto e350cdi then!

Sadly the car will be a workhorse commuting from Ayrshire to just West of Edinburgh daily (104 miles a day) then visiting clients and sites all over the Central Belt so I really should convince myself to buy a pathetic 1.4 HDi eco toilet roll holder but have really fallen in a mahoosive way for the Mercedes this time.
I get a decent allowance and mileage so can justify a certain level of extravagance!

 

[st13phil]

I am aware of the bootleg parking brake issue though and it is a slight concewrn but know they should also have hill assist?

The W204 has hill assist, the W212 has brake hold.

Having owned both (pre-facelift W204 220CDI and now a 265hp W212 350CDI) I'd say that each have their advantages but if you're driving lots of main road miles then the E is a more serene place to be and the standard fit goodie count is higher than on a W204. However it is a big car and it takes a while to get used to the end of it hanging out of parking bays As Steve says, the C is more nimble but you pay for that in ride comfort terms if you elect for the Sport model.

If you need the rear seat space or the added ride comfort and refinement then the W212 is the best bet; if you prize better agility, don't need the space and don't mind sacrificing some ride comfort then the W204 is a good choice.

 

[st4]

Sadly the car will be a workhorse commuting from Ayrshire to just West of Edinburgh daily (104 miles a day) then visiting clients and sites all over the Central Belt so I really should convince myself to buy a pathetic 1.4 HDi eco toilet roll holder but have really fallen in a mahoosive way for the Mercedes this time.
I get a decent allowance and mileage so can justify a certain level of extravagance!

For that sort of driving you may find the E220cdi better. Its a softer ride. IMHO the seating isn't the best and thats where the car lets itself down over the C class. I'd test both but given that usage pattern, even I, an avid C fan, would concede an E may be better. Life on the M8 and M77 ain't grand.

If you drove the cross country way via Clyde Valley roads and the long way, the C would win...

 

[Derek Mc]

Life on the M8 and M77 ain't grand.

If you drove the cross country way via Clyde Valley roads and the long way, the C would win...

I leave around 6.30am have the Stewarton road to myself, hit the M77 around Crookfur and clear the Kingston by 7am latest, the worst part is Airdrie to Jct 3a. I just dumb down and go with the flow be that 25mph or 60mph

I am no BTCC driver but do enjoy an empty road apexing and corner "smoothing" etc I used to have (back in the good old pre-recession days) a Chrysler 300C 5.7 hemi V8 it was a cruiser as well and loved the sheer luxury (albeit not very well built quality!) of that car.

I am now looking for suitable cars in the locality to get some finance and test drive thoughts pulled together

 

[st4]

A 212 will flow along the back roads reasonably well, better than the 300c you had by a country mile. The 212s steering is too light and over assisted. The C's is a nice helm and the dampning is firmer, it does relish the back roads. Its built for them, tight A and tight B roads are its forte. The 212's more sweeping A roads and motorways if that make sense but both have a nice feel on the road.

Manuals are fine, but the autos come flappy paddle and thats ok too. Don't consider anything other than sport models, but be aware, the C sport is quite a firm car. Gave me a shock, after my big soft E sport. Make sure you are comfortable with it.

 

[st13phil]

Don't consider anything other than sport models

Horsesh*t. Try before you buy. Too many people in the UK follow the "Sport" herd and then complain that the ride quality isn't as good as they'd expected.

In the C-Class, the Elegance and SE models have much superior ride comfort to the Sport at the expense of a slightly less sharp turn-in and ultimate cornering speed. For the E-Class there's nowhere near as much difference twixt Sport and Avantgarde wrt ride comfort, although the Sport is a bit firmer (most noticeable at town speeds) due to the lower profile, wider tyres. There are significant trim differences though and not everyone wants to sit in the black teutonic coal-hole that is the standard Sport trim.

 

[st4]

The black trim makes it. Its wonderful at night all black is what you want inside...

The seats in the sport models are more supportive and they look a fair bit smarter too

 

[Markjames]

Had an se as courtesy car a couple of weeks ago and was surprised at how close the ride was to my sport +. Expected it to feel a lot softer. As for the interior, it had a light coloured leather and light headlining and it was not my cup of tea at all. I love the black headlining and black seats in mine and red stitching really sets it off ( I didn't go for the red seatbelts).
Sport or sport+ for me every time.

 

[st4]

An old boss of mine had a C class SE business edition. Had the correct sports grill but the incorrect beige headlining and incorrect non bolstered seats as well as the incorrect sofa castor wheels

Anyway, she gave me a lift in it and the ride was a bit better but harsh bumps would upset it and the non sports seats weren't as supportive.

I'd only buy a Mercedes in sport trim. No other trims would be considered.