C350e estate

[BrettMRC]

RicksAlfas said:

There's been no more news on that since the new year. Maybe it was a rumour only?

Last I heard was on this thread - autocar link within it.

Been awhile now though!

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[BrettMRC]

Thought I would give a post winter update

Have done about 5000 miles now, mostly town/local runs with the odd 350mile round trip. (Usually with the option to charge each end)

• Overall average MPG is 52 from new.
• Winter battery range is about 7 miles. (My commute is 99% sub 40mph with some steep hills, but even so...)
• Traction control seems to take awhile to cut in, several seconds in reality - enough for quite a bit of slip angle.
• Going in for a recall today to fix a false seatbelt/airbag alert thing that appears on the Audio 20 display/central dash display. (Merc Taunton say the 1.5 hours in the recall letter is optimistic - it will be about 3 hours!)
• According to the info display roughly 40% of the cars driving has been on electric.
• Long journeys still seem to achieve 35% electric driving due to regen/coasting etc.
• I have never used the gear paddles other than to test they worked. Pointless on this car.

There still isn't much out there on the market that can challenge this as a fast, economic estate IMO.

[RicksAlfas]

BrettMRC said:

• I have never used the gear paddles other than to test they worked. Pointless on this car.

Glad you are enjoying it.

I think the paddles are useful because with the Merc column gear change there is no other way of controlling the gears as there would be a with a conventional automatic lever.

I use mine to:
- force start the ICE on a cold morning
- drop down a gear (or two) ready for an overtake/join a busy motorway
- choose a lower gear for descending snowy hills

[BrettMRC]

RicksAlfas said:

Glad you are enjoying it.

I think the paddles are useful because with the Merc column gear change there is no other way of controlling the gears as there would be a with a conventional automatic lever.

I use mine to:
- force start the ICE on a cold morning
- drop down a gear (or two) ready for an overtake/join a busy motorway
- choose a lower gear for descending snowy hills

Interesting - mine always starts the ICE if its cold, probably below 10deg...

[RicksAlfas]

Are you always starting with a charged battery? I am and it has to be very cold for it not to use the battery.
e.g. 3 degrees or less.
I think if the battery was part depleted it may favour the ICE earlier.

[BrettMRC]

Yeah, always fully charged...

What year/month is yours? Might be some ECU/firmware changes over the model life? Mine is 06/18.

[RicksAlfas]

Mine's much earlier - November 2015.

[NeilyWheelie]

Interesting.

I'm 35k in now from delivery last july-ish and averaging 36.6mpg. I charge it occasionally, but most of my work is on the motorway, and by the time I've done the 6 miles to the a30 (I live over on the bodmin moors so loads of hills etc) the range has been mostly used up on electric, and over 70, its using the ICE much more.

However, I love it - its supremely comfy and quiet, and a right giggle when you give it all the beans in sports mode. I don't use the flappy paddles much, as I don't find them that responsive, but the slurry nature of the gearbox suits the car.

Neil.

[BrettMRC]

Took it in last week for the update/recall for the Audio 20 system.

Can't say I'd really noticed any problems....but instead of the 90mins quoted it was apparantly taking updwards of 5 hours to get the update loaded!

[BrettMRC]

Finally got around to using it for the Somerset -> Edinburgh -> Somerset trip this week.

Drove normally in comfort on both legs, only charged before leaving home....every charge point I tried en-route failed to work!

Up leg: 40ish MPG
Down leg: 42 MPG

So on a really long trip it was still pretty good on fuel. (Had c80 miles range left each end)

The A701 route, via Peebles & Eddlestone was good fun as always - usually do it in the Golf-R but the C350e was as much fun, if not more as it requires a tad more focus.










by Brett, on Flickr

[BrettMRC]

Quick update:

Sent an email to the charging point company asking why I had been unable to charge the car... response was that I was trying to use the AC charger and not the DC charger...guilty as charged. However; their charging/authentication app instructed me that the C350e was only compatible with the AC...

Oh well, not sure it would really have made any difference to the trip.

[tight fart]

I've got one of these to go and look at tomorrow, the seller told me I would have to have a charging point at home as that's the only way they charge, reading the above that doesn't sound right.
Any points I should know before viewing, it's done around 50k miles.

[Hub]

Interesting ownership experiences. These seem quite good value on the used market, I just wish more were in the AMG line spec with nicer wheels - they seem extremely rare! I guess because of the fact most were fleet or company vehicles perhaps.

[Phunk]

BrettMRC said:

Quick update:

Sent an email to the charging point company asking why I had been unable to charge the car... response was that I was trying to use the AC charger and not the DC charger...guilty as charged. However; their charging/authentication app instructed me that the C350e was only compatible with the AC...

Oh well, not sure it would really have made any difference to the trip.

Is this the motorway rapid chargers?

Your c350e can only take AC and not DC, so I’m not sure why they think that, unless they still think you have your outlander which can take DC?

Even still, those motorway rapid chargers are meant with full EV’s, you’ll end up with an annoyed Zoe driver I’d you use them.

[BrettMRC]

tight fart said:

I've got one of these to go and look at tomorrow, the seller told me I would have to have a charging point at home as that's the only way they charge, reading the above that doesn't sound right.
Any points I should know before viewing, it's done around 50k miles.

My understanding was it depends on the charging point when out and about - the c350e has fast and slow charging options. Given how small the battery is I only ever tried a public charging point once; purely because I was interested. At home it charges in a few hours from a 13A supply.

Things to look out for?

• Check it’s had the 2019 recall for the radio/dash/software updates - and make sure the instrument binnacle doesn’t have any rattles.
• Make sure it has both charging leads.
• Check the economy/hybrid history on the dash to see what sort of a thrashing/charging regime its had. (Long term mpg should be high 40s to mid 50s if it’s been used as intended.)
• Make sure the charging flap opens and shuts nicely, they are in a daft place and get easily damaged.

Generally they are well put together and shouldn’t be too scary a proposition second hand!

[RicksAlfas]

tight fart said:

I've got one of these to go and look at tomorrow, the seller told me I would have to have a charging point at home as that's the only way they charge, reading the above that doesn't sound right.
Any points I should know before viewing, it's done around 50k miles.

It should come with a "brick" charger you can plug into a 13 amp domestic socket as well as a cable for using public chargers. There is a cubby at the left hand side of the boot and also under the boot floor so they maybe tucked away. You should also find a tyre repair kit and the locking wheel nut.

Check tyre wear right across the tread, not just the bit you can see easily.

See if there is a paper service history. My dealer always gives me a print out as there is no traditional service book. If not, you can access a service countdown through the buttons on the steering wheel (press home, and then up and down arrows until you find service).

There have been a few recalls which the dealer will have done if it has been serviced at a main dealer. If you get the chassis number you can probably ring MB and ask.

Suspension should go down in Sport mode. There is also an up button to the left of the centre console (car with an arrow). Press this and it should go up and display a "vehicle is rising" message.

Satnav is terrible in standard spec (Audio 20), vaguely acceptable in Premium (COMAND).

Can't think of much else. There's a good chance the leather is artificial as real leather was an option. If you can get one with the wood effect trim (brown or black) you get a nice analogue clock and a much smarter appearance than the standard shiny black.

One last thing - if you are doing 20,000 miles a year bombing up and down the motorway the economy will not be great. If you do lots of short journeys and are able to charge at home, it will be very good. They are a perfect urban car - quiet and comfortable - but with the opportunity to go very fast on the open road. But a TDi will still be more economical if you are consistently doing long journeys.

[tight fart]

Thanks, I've lots of questions after a test drive but one quick one.
Road tax?
£135 per year plus £435 till 2023? Is that right.

[RicksAlfas]

tight fart said:

Thanks, I've lots of questions after a test drive but one quick one.
Road tax?
£135 per year plus £435 till 2023? Is that right.

It might depend when it is registered. Mine is zero! (65 plate).

Stick the reg in here and press "Free Car Check".
https://cartaxcheck.co.uk/

[BrettMRC]

Did you buy one Mr Fart?

[tight fart]

Not yet.
I really like the car, currently driving a TDV8 RR and fed up with the £500 a year road tax.
I cant believe the hybrid will cost even more!

Do they charge the battery when coasting or only when braking?