Which Merc to buy?

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grantmackay80

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May 20, 2010
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Hi, I’m looking to buy a Mercedes with a budget of up to £15000. It can be up to 6 years old and needs to fit my golf clubs and golf trolley easily In the boot. Any advice on what’s good and what to maybe stay clear from would be much appreciated. Grant.
 
I'm biased, but most W212 E class models would fit the bill.
If economy isn't top of your list and you do a lot of miles, Id look at an E350 Cdi wagon. If low miles, a petrol version.
 
There are some here who will say run away now while you still can , and others (like me) saying for 15K you have a wide choice , just for pleasure or lots of mileage to be driven ? short trips only ? look for a petrol engine , estate ? good with tools and technically minded or not a clue ? 'Big boned'? (me :)) or happy to squeeze into a C class coupe ?

One thing MB is not short of is models to choose from . E class estate , pretty much any model has plenty cargo space . happy hunting. My 2p worth is C class Estates (even newer ones than mine ) are not particularly spacious in the load area.
 
Yes an E class is what I was gravitating towards. Something that looks fairly cool, goes fairly well and will have some resale value in few years. Not doing huge amounts of miles and was worried about possible resale of a diesel as they are trying to phase them out. So something common maybe?
 
W212 E350 petrol estate it is then.
It is however not easy to find many petrol versions.
 
W212 E350 petrol estate it is then.
It is however not easy to find many petrol versions.
On the plus side, petrol E class estates were a niche choice and tend to have been purchased by well-heeled older owners who looked after them well. If you set up an autotrader search for petrol E class estates, nice ones will pop up sooner or later (sometimes later, it can take a while for good ones to appear). People seem particularly keen on the newer E350CGI engine available from 2010 on.
 
I can only offer that Chris Harris had an E250 from 2012 to 2015 - his 6th E class estate, so must be a bit of a fan.

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Your golf clubs will fit both the C Class and the E. No issue there.

Weekend four ball ? Plenty of space for four golfers, their four golf bags and a small pile of trophies.

The E costs more but has more gravitas, without looking flash, and will take you to 200k miles
When you're done with an E class, someone will always want it for its lugging abilities.

The C may seem a bit flimsy by comparison, but it's cheaper to buy, easier to park and offers more small petrol engined models.

Diesels are easy to find, especially the 220 or 250.

Petrol E class estates can be found next to "hen's teeth."
 
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I would avoid diesel if you can, although as mentioned petrol estates can be hard to find. We've managed it twice with C Classes (an S203 and now an S205) - the S205 is a huge leap forward in terms of interior quality, ride, comfort etc. and is definitely worth looking at IMHO. As well as being bigger E Classes are more expensive and you'd be very lucky to find a 6 year old petrol one for £15k - the cheapest ones on Autotrader at the moment (nationally) are nearer to £18k, and there are only two to choose from!
 
I think a CLS 350 shooting brake would be possible and a bit different whilst covering your needs. A bit Marmite for some.
 
With £15k a CLS Shooting Brake would be my choice too. Cool as **** but not easy to find with the right package which must have a sunroof or Newgates Knocker comes to mind. Definitely a 350, be it petrol or diesel, both excellent, your choice. All IMHO of course.
 
Thanks for all the input. I hadn’t thought about the CLS but it looks pretty cool. Lots to look into. Cheers.
 
Thanks for all the input. I hadn’t thought about the CLS but it looks pretty cool. Lots to look into. Cheers.
An option, bit older than you're after though
 
Congrats, let us know details!

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