What do you think of this car?

[st4]

http://www.mercedes-benz.motortrak....,13563694&vid=13087330&vidindex=0&country2=GB

Its the cheapest 2005 E I have seen, its low spec, but really on the right tracks for me money wise.

I have seen a car in Glasgow that was better specced but with 10k more miles and cost over £1.5k more. As far as I know this car is missing park tronic, the rest is fine for me.

Is it so cheap its likely to be a lemon?

I am testing an E on saturday, but don't know which car is best. (I posted a thread called newbie where I mentioned a car I liked)

http://www.mercedes-benz.motortrak.com/detail?template=%2Fmb_national_06%2Fhitlistdetail&vid=13606433&engine=2&transmission=2&transmission=3&transmission=5&transmission=6&transmission=7&priceto=25000&yearfrom=2004&yearto=2007&mileageto=30000&dgroup=217&c_dealer=6032&lang=en&country2=GB&searchtype=matrix&mbid=422&model6=3043&model6=2970&model6=1845&model6=494&model6=744&model6=226&model6=3000&model6=228&model6=1846&model6=2967&model6=495&model6=858&model6=514&model6=5219&model6=4189&bodystyle6=1&franchise6=26&vids=13649235%2C13569873%2C13687499%2C13606433%2C13478938%2C13504783%2C13693526%2C13504786%2C13698129%2C13184388%2C13412787%2C13343994%2C13343993%2C13344011%2C13694106&vidindex=3

is the car in Glasgow....

which one is better considering price.

The car in Glasgow lists a lot more equipment, but how much of that is standard. I assume ESP etc is

 

[gbjeppm]

It looks a nice car, but as it does not have full leather then I would expect it to be cheap. You will also get hammered at trade in/resale time, as people expect leather on this type of car in general.

If otherwise it ticks your boxes and you are not worried by this, go for it.

 

[verytalldave]

PERSONALLY speaking........I would rather a slightly older, yet better speced one for the same money.
16" wheels on an E class is quite small for todays eyes.
However, if it ticks all YOUR boxes, then thats all that matters. And as its sourced from MB, everything should be peachy.

 

[st4]

Thanks, I intend to keep the car 5 years, so by then it will be worth compatively little, and doubt that leather seats will be such a big issue,

does the silver car look like a better deal. The equipment list seems v.short compared to the car in Glasgow, but how much of that kit mentioned in the black, more expensive car, in Glasgow is standard I don't know.

Does anyone know what the standard equipment for an E class avantgarde actually is

 

[Dryce]

It looks a nice car, but as it does not have full leather then I would expect it to be cheap. You will also get hammered at trade in/resale time, as people expect leather on this type of car in general.

I don't think it makes that much of a difference on an E with the standard AG trim as long as it's clean and well looked after.

 

[verytalldave]

I suspect the only extra above standard trim are the Bi-Xenon Headlights.
I think they are about £1000 extra.

 

[Mr E]

The Edinburgh one has no extras - all the listed equipment is standard. But I prefer the wheels on that one.

The Glasgow one has Parktronic and a CD Changer (which I think I'm right in saying means MP3 compatibility from CDs as well). Wheels would have been an option (changed to this style as standard on the facelift).

I'd have the cheaper one, then use the balance on getting Alfie to upgrade to COMAND...

 

[Mr E]

I suspect the only extra above standard trim are the Bi-Xenon Headlights.
I think they are about £1000 extra.

Bi-Xenon is standard in Avantgarde trim.

 

[st4]

I can get park tronic fitted for say £500 or as a condition of sale.

Not fussed about an Autochanger, had one in the last car and used it once.....

What does COMAND give you? Is it roughly equivilent to the comms pack (that I don't have) in my X5.

 

[Dryce]

The car in Glasgow lists a lot more equipment, but how much of that is standard. I assume ESP etc is

The usual genuine extras in the list are Parktronic, Distronic, Comand, heated seats, and telephone wiring.

The rest is usually standard for the trim level.

I think MB dealers do themselves a disservice by listing everything this way as it makes it quite difficult to spot the genuine additions over standard spec.

If you are bothered by suspension then try and test an Elegance vs. an Avantgarde before buying. AG is harder and a few mm lower unless specifies the comfort option.

The prices quoted on the websites can have quite a range and there are often anomalies in terms of age, mileage, and spec.

Also check whether the car has been serviced. If it's <3000 miles to a service then the car should be serviced before you get it on the approved scheme if the dealer hasn't done it already. If it's not much over 3000 then it's a negotiating point.

 

[Mr E]

The usual genuine extras in the list are Parktronic, Distronic, Comand, heated seats, and telephone wiring.

The rest is usually standard for the trim level.

I think MB dealers do themselves a disservice by listing everything this way as it makes it quite difficult to spot the genuine additions over standard spec.

I missed the telephone pre-wiring - which can be handy (but I've never missed it) - and heated seats which are nice but I would worry about on a non-leather seat (Avantgarde has leather bolsters, or may be Artico). It has neither Distronic or COMAND that I can see from the option list or the pictures

 

[st4]

I don't even use cruise control, never mind a more fancy system. My right foot has to rest somewhere, and the accelerator pedal is as good as any.

I did use cruise once, and found it made one concentrate less on the road, and made things more diffucult than easy for me.

The telephone pre-wiring would be handy. Does that mean I plug my phone into the car, or use bluetooth connectivity and drive and talk legally

 

[verytalldave]

I have never used CC either. Never seen the point on UK roads.
Probably much more use in the USA and places like that.

 

[Mr E]

I use CC all the time - but then I like SBC-Stop too and seem to be the only one who uses that - but each to their own. The non-radar comes as standard with the auto box anyway.

The phone pre-wiring will need the thing to plug the phone into or to that gives bluetooth connectivity. Others on here have more details about what phones fit and which BT options are best.

COMAND is the sat-nav and info system for the car. It's an uprated headunit and, in the E, plays DVDs too (obviously the screen switches off when you're driving). Most seem to like it but, again, each to there own. The demo estate I've been driving had the standard Audio 20 which sounded OK to me.

 

[st4]

COMAND sounds good, but not essential.

A nice car to drive, thats comfortable, economical, practical, safe and reliable is a must. I think the E class will fufil all of these roles, whilst my X5 fufils, just practical and safe.

 

[Dryce]

I use CC all the time - but then I like SBC-Stop too

I use CC all the time as well. Sadly I don't have SBC-Stop but I use SBC-Hold a lot.