C350E Plugin Estate

[the_g_ster]

Hello all,

I have just ordered one of these, and unlike the usual ways of getting a new car, have neither driven one or seen one. Mad I know, but it's a company car and cheap.

Anyone tried one? Is the boot that much smaller?

I am told it will come next year as Merc underestimated how popular it would be. I am coming from BMW so hoping it's not too boring to drive.

Thoughts..........

[Shmern]

i also just ordered one, undriven, but did drive a C200 as the nearest petrol only equivalent, very pleased with the drive, especially as the hybrid should be both faster and more economical, well for me anyway with a 12 mile commute and charging at work!

[linton944]

The boot loses its under floor staorage (where a traditional spare wheel would go) and the boot floor itself is raised so there is a small lip where it is slightly higher than the boot opening. The overall height of the boot is 71cm (79.5cm in the non hybrid). This came from MB's 'expert' and I've got a photo emailed from MB & hopefully shown below

I'm gutted as I've had to decide against a C350e estate for my next company car - first the boot just isn't tall enough for our boxer to sit in without his head on the roof, secondly you can't fit a towbar without the 18" wheels which ups the CO2 above 50 & so destroys the P11D benefit. I'm now looking at either a Passat GTE estate or Outlander PHEV for the autumn as a hybrid definitely fits my mileage (less than 10k a year & an MX5 as a weekend toy). I've driven an Outlander PHESV & was pleasantly surprised how well it went compared to what I expected

[GXMAMG]

I have driven one of those outlanders too, was pleasantly surprised by the drive train and tech but the rest of the car was like going back in time to the early 2000s in terms of in-car plastics, ambiance etc. Talking to the person who drove it all the time you have to ensure you plug it in at every opportunity (understandable that is the point of it!) otherwise the real world fuel economy is in the 30s.

What about the C300H? Not low enough on the tax?

[linton944]

Thanks for that - to get the best P11D tax savings you need to be under 50 CO2 & the C300H gets to 99 on 17" wheels - I've an expensive time coming up with 6 years of University fees plus 2 cars including teenage insurance for my son & daughter ( my daughter is 17 and I've started her off with a Micra on her own insurance to start geting her own no claims while she's learning - she is about to take her test now) The Outlander & Passat GTE estate both get below 50 CO2 - everything else that low has far too small a boot (Golf GTE & A3 Etron) or only 4 seats or too expensive

[Zingari]

linton944 said:

I've an expensive time coming up with 6 years of University fees plus 2 cars including teenage insurance for my son & daughter ( my daughter is 17 and I've started her off with a Micra on her own insurance to start geting her own no claims while she's learning - she is about to take her test now)

Read the Martin Lewis guide on university fees. Even if you can afford to pay them he advises the student loan route.

First year insurance is crippling (last year I paid £1,500) for my 17yr old daughter and despite the 'renewal' being £2,100 I've just got Admiral via the confused.com with breakdown cover included for £870. Yep there's a blackbox but she's fine with that, we got £250 back last year for good driving

[supermono]

Actually I've just ordered a C350e saloon, again undriven, although I did have a look around the pre-production they have in Brooklands. I did drive the C220 automatic and engine in there seemed ok, I'm assuming the electric gives it similar or better low down grunt with the petrol helping and taking over to give some nice top end rush after the electric has spun up.

Amazing technology and again as a company car silly cheap. My delivery slot is December 11th.

[linton944]

Zingari said:

Read the Martin Lewis guide on university fees. Even if you can afford to pay them he advises the student loan route.

First year insurance is crippling (last year I paid £1,500) for my 17yr old daughter and despite the 'renewal' being £2,100 I've just got Admiral via the confused.com with breakdown cover included for £870. Yep there's a blackbox but she's fine with that, we got £250 back last year for good driving

Thanks for that - yes I was expecting to go the student loan route but there's still a lot of cost !! The black box was a good thing for my daughter too as she's already very concious of speed limits - theory test now booked for early July & practical soon after ( we waited for A/S level exams to finish first !). I'll try Admiral on renewal thanks. I just have to be careful orf speed limits when I drive her car !

On the company car front I'm about to order an Outlander PHEV as the lead time on the Passat GTE estate is now next year & I'm due to change end of Sept. I was impressed how the Outlander drove & it has loads of space ( I also have an MX5 as a weekend toy!) I can also spec up a GX4h with some extras for my lease allowance & the 4h has the electric preheater /coooling facility + app control of this & charging which the 3h hasn't

[s111dpc]

Not quite ready to change yet as my car has quite hit it's 'time to change' mileage, but my lease provider (Lex) have just upped the monthly cost by £130! Could this be down to the 2015 allocation being used up or are they just thieving guts?

[supermono]

Possibly a bit of both, but my dealer went to some trouble securing the free money while it was still available saying it wasn't going to last. Anyone ordering today should really insist on the same if (like me) your deal turned on the £5k

In my case they have it secured for a period of 9 months which should be comfortable given my build slot is November.

[Fast Bug]

s111dpc said:

Not quite ready to change yet as my car has quite hit it's 'time to change' mileage, but my lease provider (Lex) have just upped the monthly cost by £130! Could this be down to the 2015 allocation being used up or are they just thieving guts?

It's because the lead times on them are long, nobody can guarantee the £5k grant money will be available come delivery time

[supermono]

Fast Bug said:

It's because the lead times on them are long, nobody can guarantee the £5k grant money will be available come delivery time

(not true; See my post above)

[s111dpc]

Fast Bug said:

s111dpc said:

Not quite ready to change yet as my car has quite hit it's 'time to change' mileage, but my lease provider (Lex) have just upped the monthly cost by £130! Could this be down to the 2015 allocation being used up or are they just thieving guts?

It's because the lead times on them are long, nobody can guarantee the £5k grant money will be available come delivery time

Does anyone know when the decision is going to be made on whether the grants will continue into 2016?

[Fast Bug]

supermono said:

Fast Bug said:

It's because the lead times on them are long, nobody can guarantee the £5k grant money will be available come delivery time

(not true; See my post above)

Orders processed BEFORE 24th of June will have the grant money guaranteed. Any quotes/orders after that there is no guarantee that the grant money will be available.

More than likely the grant money will continue, but it is a government thing so no manufacturer has any control of it. Sadly!

[Sheepshanks]

supermono said:

In my case they have it secured for a period of 9 months which should be comfortable given my build slot is November.

Have you checked recently?

IIRC the grant is available until 2017 - or until £50M has been spent.

[supermono]

Sheepshanks said:

Have you checked recently?

IIRC the grant is available until 2017 - or until £50M has been spent.

Well I have an order form and an email conveying the guarantee from the department of ULEV so I don't need to check Or are you talking of my November build slot? I don't know how reliable Merc are with their build dates.

As regards withdrawing it, I'm a total hypocrite because IMV the sooner our government (and those of the world) move past this burden of green subsidies the better.