Merc E350/C350 Advice

[AllotmentChap]

Hi all, looking for some advice/opinions on a potential Merc purchase. Never owned a Merc before.

Looking for an estate, and primary purchase reasons are comfort, ride quality (my wife has a back problem) with a frisson of driver interest if possible for when I'm alone in the car. Currently looking at an E350, maybe 2010/2011MY. Main questions:

1. What are peoples' opinions of AirMatic? Finding a car with it might be a long search but it might give me the comfort I need but with the ability to switch to sport mode to make it more interesting to drive. Is it unreliable? (difficult to know if the reports of problems are just because people with no issues probably don't post on forums...).

2. Should I consider the C350? I don't *need* the huge space the E350 offers (although not sure how much difference there is - and I'm sure it would be useful occasionally), but everything I've read indicates that the C is a bit more lumpy and crashy than the legendary smooth ride quality of the E. How much difference is there? I've yet to test-drive both, but interested to know others' experience.

Any feedback, advice and opinions gladly accepted. FYI, I've looked at the Allroad, XF Estate and some others, but it seems MB ride quality is so legendary that it's the only real choice where that's concerned. That said, if anyone knows both and can give me a comparison with the A6 Allroad, I'd love to hear it.

Edited by AllotmentChap on Saturday 26th July 17:51

Edited by AllotmentChap on Monday 28th July 10:48

[r129sl]

I've driven a C220 and an E350, both diseasels, both on long term test drives. There is no doubt in my mind that the six is much more refined than the four (as you'd expect) and refinement is a significant component of comfort. Likewise the difference between E and C: the former is a step up from the latter in quality terms, or perceived quality. I'd take some convincing that the ride quality is legendary. The specification of most UK cars (big wheels, ultra-low profile tyres, "sports" suspension) is hardly geared up for comfort (or for real-world, real-road handling for that matter). I've always found it crashy and loud and pretty much unbearable. This is where AirMatic may be a real boon; though I suspect 17" wheels and comfort suspension (I did 1,000miles on this set up in an E350 CDI saloon) will be almost as good. AirMatic has a bad reputation, not necessarily deservedly. The struts are the thick end of £1,000 a corner (but don't go that frequently and not till high mileage at that) and the pump is almost a service item (but I think these aren't too pricey).

Given your criteria, I'd take an E350 over a C250 all day long. In my dream world I'd special order an E500 to German-market Elegance specification. I think it would be ultra-refined and pretty satisfying to drive when alone.

[AllotmentChap]

Thanks, appreciate the insight. I think the difficulty will be that I'll want a sport but realistically the AvantGarde is going to give the ride comfort I want.

It sounds like I need to drive all of them, including the Allroad, and see what's best. The Allroad did seem a good option because of the standard air suspension - finding a used A4 or an E/C350 with the air suspension seems almost impossible....

[DJRC]

Memory package. This is the single most important aspect of your post if the wife has back problems. It will also be the hardest thing to find and defines which motor you get, ie. What can you actually find??

Ive literally just done all this. E350 for us. With a bad back seating posture is everything and once set correctly needs to be saved. Esp if you swap between seats and who drives. And Im married to an osteo!

[AllotmentChap]

Thanks. Don't have that issue as I'm the only driver, so once the seats are set up, we're golden.