[Boring] Daddy taxi - 2010 W212 E350 CDI

[Boring] Daddy taxi - 2010 W212 E350 CDI

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qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
So.

It's my turn now.... Get ready to be bored to tears, as am I.

Purchased on 28/04/2015 to fulfil my boring 110 mile (per day) commute. Luckily only 3 days a week.

I think I paid a bit too much, (£16,000), but the dealer was nice and local and it was in really good condition, one owner (so 5 years old).

41,000 miles on the clock, full Merc service history - can't be argued with smile

Replacing a Mondeo 2008 Auto TDCI 2.0

Mondeo did average of 41 mpg on my commute, the E class - 37 mpg. Not bad for a 3.0 litre V6!





These pictures are from the sales ad I placed a few months after buying it, it was properly hard to gel with it.... It's amazingly competent, but leaves me cold, it's NOT a driver's car to any extent.

But - the job of transporting me to the office and back - it does admirably.....

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
Boring update 1. (end of 2015)

For me - the car has a "hesitation from start" problem - you can press the loud pedal, and for 1.5 second - NOTHING happens.

I paid Merc dealership to diagnose that - they reset the adaptations in the gearbox, but other than that it was a case of "they all do that, Sir".

I can only assume that is one of the reasons for a reasonably good economy - 37 mpg from a 3 litre V6 after all.

But it's just bloody annoying.

Filter left, brake.... get off the brake, press the accelerator... car slows down... car slows down... oh - now car goes faster....

I got used to it now, but it takes away any "driver involvement", that the previous Mondeo had.

Steering lock is also funny - it really needs the steering wheel yanked to the side, to notify the car that you REALLY want to turn.

On twisties, it's a matter of shuffling master, Mondeo I could steer pretty much holding the wheel at 9 and 3, the Merc needs a lot more input to do anything.

Purchased a service plan from Merc, £55 a month. Kept that going for a year, and used one service.

Car bought at 41,000 miles, nobody bothered to change the gearbox/torque converter oils... To be rectified next year...

Maty

1,232 posts

212 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
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Isn't the hesitation just the nature of auto boxes? Any I've ever driven have been exactly like that, floor it, wait an awfully long time, kick down, and then your off!


Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
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Maty said:
Isn't the hesitation just the nature of auto boxes? Any I've ever driven have been exactly like that, floor it, wait an awfully long time, kick down, and then your off!
Not with a decent one.

spookly

4,011 posts

94 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
I had a manual W212 E220d and it didn't do that.... so I suspect it might be the gearbox which causes it.

Never had a problem with the steering either. It was certainly no sports car, but was precise and responsive enough for a barge.

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
Maty said:
Isn't the hesitation just the nature of auto boxes? Any I've ever driven have been exactly like that, floor it, wait an awfully long time, kick down, and then your off!
Ford one was much more responsive throttle wise, and wasn't using such high gears to start with.

So I'd say the lazy gearbox and a turbo lag combined smile

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
spookly said:
I had a manual W212 E220d and it didn't do that.... so I suspect it might be the gearbox which causes it.

Never had a problem with the steering either. It was certainly no sports car, but was precise and responsive enough for a barge.
I didn't say "problem" with steering - it's lovely and light, doesn't make me tired after a 3.5 hour commute smile

But just it takes much more lock for the car to notice that you really want to change direction :-)

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
But... That's not the end of the story... 12 months ago I thought I'd like to go back to Mondeo, to:
- have more fun driving
- save some money (Sell Merc - buy Mondeo, save £5k)
- have more practicality (Estate vs non-folding seats of the saloon).

I bought this....







After one trip to work, I knew it wasn't the right choice.
- Large 18" alloys, harder ride. It didn't help that the previous owner overinflated the tyres :-)
- sports seats (hard)
- very boomy (estate) shape was much louder at 70+ mph
- squeaks and rattles.... main console (where the gear lever lives) lost the mouting bolt again...
- halogen lights can't shine a light to a Xenon of the E class. Even the "smart" ones (projectors that tilt and swivel)

So I ended up selling it a week later, for a £50 loss.

Back to the utility motoring (Merc).

The Merc is just less tiring to drive, although boring as hell.

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
quotequote all
In the next instalment - a brief fling with a sister to the Merc... a 2003 CLK convertible... :-)

Ben Jk

1,591 posts

165 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
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Is this a wind up?

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
Ben Jk said:
Is this a wind up?
Huh?



Here she is with her sister :-)

There was also a thread... smile

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=159...

CLK is now long gone, it lasted 3 months, mostly due to parking disputes with the neighbours. And STIFF suspension.

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
To add to the travails, I'm now looking at getting a Volvo V40 Cross Country D2... smile

It might be better suited to the NEEDS (transporting me and my laptop to work).

A nice SLK is also considered, but I occasionally need to do a school run for 2 young un's, so it could complicate things.

I guess, at this point, the depreciation has pretty much levelled off, and it doesn't make any financial sense to sell it whatsoever - I'd buy a Merc like that for £10k after all... It'd be a great deal! smile

Details re running costs, repairs and servicing to follow...

And hang in there, I even modded it... with a piece of wood! smile Stay tuned!

ajb85

1,120 posts

141 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
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If the E class isn't particularly inspiring to drive... a Volvo isn't going to be any more thrilling!

Have you thought about a BMW 5 tourer?
Earlyish E60 have come right down in price.

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
ajb85 said:
If the E class isn't particularly inspiring to drive... a Volvo isn't going to be any more thrilling!

Have you thought about a BMW 5 tourer?
Earlyish E60 have come right down in price.
True. But lots cheaper mpg and VED wise.

I heard lots of horrors about 5 series reliability over the years.

This E is very reliable so far.

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
... And this happened...

The day before, coming back home at night, I drove into SOMETHING.

It looked like a bottle laying on the street - I couldn't swerve, as there was oncoming traffic - and figured it's only a plastic bottle - drove straight over it.

The damn thing bounced off the kerb, and damaged my passenger door, leaving a golf-ball sized dent in it.

I reviewed my dashcam footage, but couldn't really see what the damn thing was.

Somehow - this happened the next day.

Apparently the power steering pump failed, and pissed all the power steering fluid on my driveway.

Recovering a rear wheel drive automatic is always fun, so a flatbed lorry was called out...

New pump plus fitting £600.






And this is the said dent - paintless dent removal guys gave up... :-( As it's on the side impact protection bar.

So it just stayed like that.



Edited by qska on Sunday 19th March 10:52

MattHall91

1,268 posts

123 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
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Not really sure what else to say, other than that there are many, many other car options than Mercs and Mondeos. 😴

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
MattHall91 said:
Not really sure what else to say, other than that there are many, many other car options than Mercs and Mondeos. ??
Hahaha good point.
I had a total of 2x Focus and 6 Mondeos so far, plus a C Max and a S Max.

VAG would get a look as well, if they didn't purposefully poison people.

I think I'll keep the Merc until there's a reason to sell. The current job it does great (not tiring me out during commute), still low mileage and a known history.

More updates to follow smile

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
quotequote all
The main reason why changing it is hard - bendy Xenons.

50% of my commute are twisties and pitch black.

Edited by qska on Sunday 19th March 19:31

RC1807

12,482 posts

167 months

Monday 20th March 2017
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Re the PDR, surely the guys could have glued on a puller and popped the dent from the outside?

qska

Original Poster:

449 posts

128 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
RC1807 said:
Re the PDR, surely the guys could have glued on a puller and popped the dent from the outside?
Interesting. I think it's also quite stretched, I was advised to treat as normal damage, ie fill in and paint over.

There's no exposed metal, so I'll leave it for now as it shouldn't rust.