Which One

[whiskeyfrank]

Im defecting from BMW, i want to get an E class but which one, it would be a 1999-2003 model as i prefer these. With a max of 15K what else could i get? Also are the diesels any good?

Or does some one have any suggestions?

Sorry but totally new to MB.

 

[Shude]

What you are talking about is the facelift W210.

Depreciation has been pretty hard on the W210 and I reckon you could get a great car for £15k! The diesels are great, you should be looking at an E320 CDI rather than the 220 CDI, unless a present owner would like to jump in and defend I suspect they are a little sluggish.

Please read this thread for recent opinion on the model in general:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=28059

I should add that I would happily own a W210 and did in fact look at a few, three years ago but at that time the market was flooded with poor spec models for the money I was thinking of spending and I ended up with another W202 c-class.

One thing that you may read a lot about is rust. Do not let this issue concern you that much, it has been a little sensationalised. A simple rule as with any used-car purchase is that you check for rust and if you find any make a decision as to whether you leave and find another car or consider building the cost of repairs into the purchase.

 

[Brian WH]

Having had a E200 and W210 E 280 petrol, now a E 320CDI I would agree with Shude. The E320 CDI on the W210 was not quite as powerful or as fast as the newer W211 but it is still a great engine.

My W210 I had for four years with no rust, but perhaps I was lucky. Ask about rust warranty when you buy from a dealer, it may still be covered. Also make sure it has FULL service history in the book, not just stamped up in the same stamp?

 

[Vlad]

If you are doing less than 15,000 miles per annum, consider going for a Petrol as you get far more for your money and the economic arguement does not tend to favour paying the extra premium for the diesel.

 

[kensalriser]

Agreed there Vlad, I do no more than 4000 miles a year and after weighing it up on a £4-5000 car the premium for a diesel represented several years' worth of fuel. I think the market is overvaluing diesels, probably knee-jerk reaction to the price of fuel.

 

[Vlad]

Absolutely

 

[Brian WH]

Agreed there Vlad, I do no more than 4000 miles a year and after weighing it up on a £4-5000 car the premium for a diesel represented several years' worth of fuel. I think the market is overvaluing diesels, probably knee-jerk reaction to the price of fuel.

How can it???

The saving on 4000 miles per year is about £72 per year for a diesel.

4000/35mpg = 114.28 gall x £4.40962 @ 0.97p per litre = £503.96

4000/30mpg = 133.34 gall x £4.3187 @ 0.95p per litre = £575.82

And the 35mpg is very conservative.

 

[Benzowner]

If you are doing less than 15,000 miles per annum, consider going for a Petrol as you get far more for your money and the economic arguement does not tend to favour paying the extra premium for the diesel.

But technically you will also get a higher price when you sell it, so the difference in fuel prices should not be taken alone.

I drive an E300 diesel estate and it is certainly one of the best cars I have had the experience to own and drive. I have driven an E320CDi W210 and did not notice too much difference in performance, but I only had that car for a day while mine was being repaired

 

[Shude]

How can it???

The saving on 4000 miles per year is about £72 per year for a diesel.

4000/35mpg = 114.28 gall x £4.40962 @ 0.97p per litre = £503.96

4000/30mpg = 133.34 gall x £4.3187 @ 0.95p per litre = £575.82

And the 35mpg is very conservative.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen! Apparently it costs only £72 per year to silence the farmyard soundtrack

 

[DieselE]

There you have it ladies and gentlemen! Apparently it costs only £72 per year to silence the farmyard soundtrack

But if you want the E320CDI's overtaking ability without the soundtrack you'll need an E500 and the extra cost will be a lot more than £72 per year in fuel.

 

[Shude]

But if you want the E320CDI's overtaking ability without the soundtrack you'll need an E500 and the extra cost will be a lot more than £72 per year in fuel.

I was thinking more E430 (there is no W210 E500), the engine in which you have to admit sounds a LOT better than practically any diesel

I don't know how anyone can be comparing cars and then when all the calculations are done point to one that happens to save approx £72 per year. BIG DEAL. I'm sure if I changed tea bag brand from Yorkshire Gold to typhoo I'd save £72 per year

 

[Dieselman]

I think the market is overvaluing diesels, probably knee-jerk reaction to the price of fuel.

True, but the price of fuel is going which way?

 

[kensalriser]

Brian, didn't you just prove my point? I was of course referring to the differential between petrol and diesel. On a 202 estate the premium for the 250TD is generally at least £500, maybe more like £600 or more. Granted it will probably retain a differential, but there's still depreciation left in a £5k car.

Dieselman (I expect you to be biased with a name like that!), of course the price of fuel is going up, but not so long ago diesel was cheaper than petrol and now it's the other way around. The reason of course is increased taxation because of diesel fuel's particular pollution,

 

[Dieselman]

Dieselman (I expect you to be biased with a name like that!), of course the price of fuel is going up, but not so long ago diesel was cheaper than petrol and now it's the other way around. The reason of course is increased taxation because of diesel fuel's particular pollution,

With the fuel duty at 47.1p per litre for BOTH petrol and diesel I don't follow your statement.

see: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2005/pn02.htm

Diesel is actually cheaper to produce and transport than petrol but now costs more as you say. This is because fuel companies make more on diesel. years ago I heard suppliers were making 1p per litre of petrol and 4p per litre of diesel dispensed.

This still doesn't get away from the fact (or is this my biased opinion) that fuel keeps increasing in price.
The cost of cars is set by the consumer and petrols are bottoming out because less people want them.

Edited to add linky.

 

[glojo]

I take it folks are talking about the face-lift E-class 210 series.

In the year 2000 a new E-class Elegance or Avantgarde petrol estate cost £34,390
Diesel estate £32,840

Unlike the 211, the older 210 Avantgarde\Elegance cost the same.

What price differential are we talking about??

If it is now more expensive to buy the diesel powered vehicle, then hooray power to the diesel.

John

 

[Dieselman]

There you have it ladies and gentlemen! Apparently it costs only £72 per year to silence the farmyard soundtrack

And your car is ..a 4 pot MB petrol, hardly the nicest sounding engine in the pack and definately gruffer than any of teh indirect MB diesel range.

I am not having a go merely stating that 4 pot MB engines are somewhat gruff.

 

[kensalriser]

My mistake on the fuel duty, a misapprehension. But as you say diesel is more expensive.

John, my point referred to values of used vehicles.

Clearly diesels are becoming far more popular as a new vehicle thanks to massive improvements in diesel engines over the last 10 years and the obvious economy advantages. If I were buying a new vehicle I'd certainly consider one. However, when buying used it's clearly the case that for some models the market is pricing diesels over petrol to such an extent that the cost saving is wiped out for all but those doing high mileage. That may well change as the increasing proportion of diesel to petrol engine vehicles filters deeper in to the used market.

 

[Shude]

And your car is ..a 4 pot MB petrol, hardly the nicest sounding engine in the pack and definately gruffer than any of teh indirect MB diesel range.

I am not having a go merely stating that 4 pot MB engines are somewhat gruff.

It's silent when idling, compared to the diesels and at about 1800 rpm the supercharger makes it's presence known with a pleasant whistle

I would not consider a W210 4cyl anyway, 280/320/430/55 etc is the way to go

 

[glojo]

John, my point referred to values of used vehicles.

Clearly diesels are becoming far more popular as a new vehicle thanks to massive improvements in diesel engines over the last 10 years and the obvious economy advantages.

Thanks for the clarification, and it highlights the fact that the diesel is the better option when buying. The diesel sells for approximately £1500 less than the petrol, yet very quickly becomes a more expensive car. I am sure that in years to come the gap will widen in favour of the diesel?

When buying our car I must confess to not thinking about the costs of fuel, I have no idea what our average fuel consumption is. In my opinion the driving characteristics of a modern powerful diesel engine simply make it the engine of choice. Try a 3.2ltr petrol, then try the 3.2CDI, don't just floor the throttle on a straight piece of road, drive them both on single carriageway roads where you overtake cars between numerous hazards.

I was always very anti diesel, but once bitten, I was convinced.

John

 

[whiskeyfrank]

have i opened a can of worms here? Just to clarify i was looking at the 320cdi as it has good overtaking ability and i spend most of my time on a roads and motorways. If not the diesel i was thinking 430 or 280. all in automatic

What should i be looking at apart from rust, any mechanical issues?

I have to say the few i have looked at have been bodily very clean. I have just looked at a 2001 e430 av garde auto with 30k but seemed expensive at 14K, is it?