E200 CGI petrol? Any good, any pitfalls?

[st4]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you can get past the badge these are a good steer I use the company one every now & then it's a good car nigh on 240bhp & everything you want, the only thing that I don't like is the stereo which isn't as intuitive as the Mercedes ones but that's it

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Wednesday 11th March 08:14

I could drive that gladly. Are they reliable though. I was in one as a Taxi and thought ride/refinement was on a par with my old E220cdi from yonks back. ie good. Taxi was a diesel and he said it was strong and reliable

[SFO]

modern Fords are well built, ride and handle well, with decent interior quality.

my friends have a Galaxy diesel in Denmark, it's a great cruiser with enormous space, and handles well too.

no idea what Ford petrol engines are like.

[ZX10R NIN]

st4 said:

ZX10R NIN said:

If you can get past the badge these are a good steer I use the company one every now & then it's a good car nigh on 240bhp & everything you want, the only thing that I don't like is the stereo which isn't as intuitive as the Mercedes ones but that's it

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Wednesday 11th March 08:14

I could drive that gladly. Are they reliable though. I was in one as a Taxi and thought ride/refinement was on a par with my old E220cdi from yonks back. ie good. Taxi was a diesel and he said it was strong and reliable

The petrol egine i reliable it's the same one that's in the Focus ST but mated to an Auto there's not a lot to look out for.

[yellowbentines]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you can get past the badge these are a good steer I use the company one every now & then it's a good car nigh on 240bhp & everything you want, the only thing that I don't like is the stereo which isn't as intuitive as the Mercedes ones but that's it

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Wednesday 11th March 08:14

Good cars, but dont drop £14k on a 4yr old range-topping Ford with a petrol engine unless you plan to run it into the ground, as it'll drop value spectacularly.

I've been there with its 2.0 Ghia X stablemate at the time.

[st4]

yellowbentines said:

Good cars, but dont drop £14k on a 4yr old range-topping Ford with a petrol engine unless you plan to run it into the ground, as it'll drop value spectacularly.

I've been there with its 2.0 Ghia X stablemate at the time.

I'm going to make enquiries on this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Merc E class solid these. I love them having tried a V70. I know its a bit early but can lend it to my folks or a friend to use until my ban is up. I can stick L plates on it once got my provisional through until I get my extended test done.

[Dryce]

Have you thought perhaps about a 4WD?

The reason I raise this is that you make trips to wild places with your camera gear.

One of the limiting aspects I find with a large saloon/coupe style car is the ground clearance that means in more out of the way places up the west and north west highlands it can sometimes be difficult to find decent spots to lay up the car withot risking grounding it.

[st4]

Dryce said:

Have you thought perhaps about a 4WD?

The reason I raise this is that you make trips to wild places with your camera gear.

One of the limiting aspects I find with a large saloon/coupe style car is the ground clearance that means in more out of the way places up the west and north west highlands it can sometimes be difficult to find decent spots to lay up the car withot risking grounding it.

I did, at length. But for the budget and age/miles I want I'd end up with a really basic uncouth car, or an older shed.

An XC60 would have been perfect, or even an X3/X5 but pushes the costs too far.

As it is I am about to own an S80 Volvo.

Cars can be left in laybies and I can walk a little. Its fine.

[V12 AMG]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Or a little bit more fun :

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Both more refined than a c-class. The 1.4 TSI is a good petrol motor with reasonable torque at the right place in the rev range. The basic cars with small 16" wheels and balloon tyres ride very well.

[st4]

The superb did tempt me but having been a passanger in one I felt it kicked up a lot of road noise and road harshly. VAG isn't the last word in reliability either, despite what they say.

Volvo S80 ordered. Decision made.

[V12 AMG]

Did you ride in one with 16" wheels or larger? Must make a big difference. I found on 16s it was quiet and smooth inside. Easily surpassing a W204 for sure.

The S80 is great though. Not to my taste but it is a great place to be. Which motor did you opt for?

[st4]

V12 AMG said:

Did you ride in one with 16" wheels or larger? Must make a big difference. I found on 16s it was quiet and smooth inside. Easily surpassing a W204 for sure.

The S80 is great though. Not to my taste but it is a great place to be. Which motor did you opt for?

It was on 16s the superb, there was nothing superb about it. Nasty ride, lots of road noise, my head felt too close to the B posts. It just felt cheap.

The S80, doesn't. It surpresses noise much better (I drove a D5 V70 and tbh I had the 211 E class at the time and it felt better made, more spacious, more comfortable, just with duller handling). The handling is't a big deal given I have a DD40 so the Volvo wins.

Its 3yo, 36k miles, £13100 delivered with 2yr warranty and is a 2 litre D3 5clyinder diesel engine automatic with black leather heated seats, performance stereo, and 17inch alloys over gunmetal grey paint. Its a cracking big car comparible to a new shape E class for not much more than Mondeo money.

[V12 AMG]

Your experience is very strange. Maybe the car had some tyre issues or something.
I am in the motor trade and drive an S class day to day so i'm no stranger to refinement.

OT now anyway as you have a car sorted which is definitely known for comfort.

Just in case someone finds this post for the future, don't discount the Superb, it is a very spacious and comfortable car and easily beats out rivals like the Passat, Mondeo, C class, 3 series, A4 and even steps on the toes of the A6, E class, 5 series etc.

[st4]

V12 AMG said:

Your experience is very strange. Maybe the car had some tyre issues or something.
I am in the motor trade and drive an S class day to day so i'm no stranger to refinement.

I was in a Mondeo as a taxi and thought it great, the superb was poor. I spoke to a mate in the chauffeur trade and he reckoned as you, the superb was better. He put it down to tyre choices.

I still felt the Mondeo rode better than the superb and felt nicer inside. The again the Ford had 300k miles on it, the superb 150k but the Ford could have just been given new springs, shocks as it felt like split new, the Superb didn't but probably was on the same shocks it left the factory with.

Although the superbs are massive, I felt the seats were awfully close to the edges of the car and my head near the posts. In the Ford, Merc and Volvo you sit more inboard and it feels safer being further from the posts. Too many rate them so I know my view isn't the common one.

The latest just to be released superb looks great, and Im not a badge snob, image concious sort so will look at them again once this Volvo has had its time with me, but for now I am delighted with the model of car I've chosen. I've driven similar before and know I will find it perfect for my needs. 5pot character too.