Sensible family daily wagon - Mercedes Benz S211 E500
Discussion
RoVoFob said:
bolidemichael said:
I do like fast estates, but the attraction to the E500 wasn't purely rational. It's a Mercedes, which I grew to appreciate since the 380SEC I once owned, a V8 and has a fantastic feel good factor as a big barge that carries a lot over distance, with pace the belies it's modest power output figures.
As for the bork, I'm not in a position to have considered a new, powerful and large vehicle, so have had to ride the wave of this car's stormy seas.
I get that. No one neeeeeds a 5.0-litre estate, but a big, cushy, powerful estate is a wonderful thing. Sadly, though, modern Mercedes don’t live up to the brand’s reputation for reliability and quality and your experience makes me wonder whether the regular cost and hassle are worth it. As for the bork, I'm not in a position to have considered a new, powerful and large vehicle, so have had to ride the wave of this car's stormy seas.
This isn’t about the car’s age, I get the impression that the S211 (at least earlier ones) is particularly unreliable and rusty - even in the world of complex German V8 estates. Would it open up any more options to replace both the E500 and RR with one more sturdy V8 estate?
With respect to the maintenance, a couple of things. Firstly, it's maintained to 'as new' condition. For a vehicle purchased for £3k with 115k on the odometer, the rate of due maintenance that arises as the rate of miles accrue is to be expected as components come to the end of their durability. Prop shaft couplings, engine and gearbox mounts, subframe mounts etc. The maintenance has been in line with usage.
Add to that a desire to titivate and have a 'too good' condition, then the maintenance becomes a passion project, too. It has covered miles and miles in Europe and the UK, but did miss out on the France roadtrip last summer. In that respect, the L322 stepped in admirably, so one could argue that the fleet is doing its job!
bolidemichael said:
With respect to the maintenance, a couple of things. Firstly, it's maintained to 'as new' condition. For a vehicle purchased for £3k with 115k on the odometer, the rate of due maintenance that arises as the rate of miles accrue is to be expected as components come to the end of their durability. Prop shaft couplings, engine and gearbox mounts, subframe mounts etc. The maintenance has been in line with usage.
Add to that a desire to titivate and have a 'too good' condition, then the maintenance becomes a passion project, too. It has covered miles and miles in Europe and the UK, but did miss out on the France roadtrip last summer. In that respect, the L322 stepped in admirably, so one could argue that the fleet is doing its job!
I suppose maintaining any used car to as new condition is going to involve big bills - especially if you cover lots of miles. Add to that a desire to titivate and have a 'too good' condition, then the maintenance becomes a passion project, too. It has covered miles and miles in Europe and the UK, but did miss out on the France roadtrip last summer. In that respect, the L322 stepped in admirably, so one could argue that the fleet is doing its job!
I’ve not covered many miles with my big, fast cars and have only had them for up to six months, so it’s been relatively pain free. Get the wrong car at the wrong time, though, and that format can backfire, too!
It's back
Repaired SBC, brake discs and pads all around, nsf strut, compressor, valve block and some titivation.
Not billed is the rear door panel for which the clips were completely replaced in order to eliminate a rattle that was really driving a sense of despair with the car -- their responsibility, so they sorted it (though if it were me, I'd've made up the labour elsewhere, which I'm sure they did).
However, I'm not certain that the ride height levels are correct. The fronts seem to be within paramater, from when we measured them previously after having replaced the rear struts in Jan 2022, but the rear is sitting too low.
Front struts:
Centre alloy to top of wheel arch: 385mm
Bottom of the alloy rim to top of wheel arch: 615mm
OSR:
C to A: 365 (-20mm)
R to A: 590mm (-25mm)
NSR:
C to A: 378mm (-7mm)
R to A: 608mm (-7mm)
So I'll have to address that with them.
Repaired SBC, brake discs and pads all around, nsf strut, compressor, valve block and some titivation.
Not billed is the rear door panel for which the clips were completely replaced in order to eliminate a rattle that was really driving a sense of despair with the car -- their responsibility, so they sorted it (though if it were me, I'd've made up the labour elsewhere, which I'm sure they did).
However, I'm not certain that the ride height levels are correct. The fronts seem to be within paramater, from when we measured them previously after having replaced the rear struts in Jan 2022, but the rear is sitting too low.
Front struts:
Centre alloy to top of wheel arch: 385mm
Bottom of the alloy rim to top of wheel arch: 615mm
OSR:
C to A: 365 (-20mm)
R to A: 590mm (-25mm)
NSR:
C to A: 378mm (-7mm)
R to A: 608mm (-7mm)
So I'll have to address that with them.
Okay, so after a little bit of a palaver with the job being done twice due to a bit of a miscommunication over a sunroof recall by MB, the car has been returned and we're in France!
For regular readers, we're following a similar format to last year-- an after school run to the Chunnel and the short run to Arras, to break the back of the next day's journey to Provence.
The post-arrival run on a quiet Thursday night is very rapid.
When we arrived at the gite, disappointingly, the pizza place was closed but we had sneaked pur own eggs and butter across the border and made a simple supper. The host also has a beer in the fridge for me.
Magnus behaved impeccably. The car is smooth and rapid. Tomorrow is a six hundred and fifty mile drive -- I'm going to try and hit the road early.
For regular readers, we're following a similar format to last year-- an after school run to the Chunnel and the short run to Arras, to break the back of the next day's journey to Provence.
The post-arrival run on a quiet Thursday night is very rapid.
When we arrived at the gite, disappointingly, the pizza place was closed but we had sneaked pur own eggs and butter across the border and made a simple supper. The host also has a beer in the fridge for me.
Magnus behaved impeccably. The car is smooth and rapid. Tomorrow is a six hundred and fifty mile drive -- I'm going to try and hit the road early.
bolidemichael said:
Okay, so after a little bit of a palaver with the job being done twice due to a bit of a miscommunication over a sunroof recall by MB, the car has been returned and we're in France!
For regular readers, we're following a similar format to last year-- an after school run to the Chunnel and the short run to Arras, to break the back of the next day's journey to Provence.
The post-arrival run on a quiet Thursday night is very rapid.
When we arrived at the gite, disappointingly, the pizza place was closed but we had sneaked pur own eggs and butter across the border and made a simple supper. The host also has a beer in the fridge for me.
Magnus behaved impeccably. The car is smooth and rapid. Tomorrow is a six hundred and fifty mile drive -- I'm going to try and hit the road early.
Hi - great thread. I too have had the sunroof recall letter but its been sitting on my desk for probably 12months! Was it a full replacement? For regular readers, we're following a similar format to last year-- an after school run to the Chunnel and the short run to Arras, to break the back of the next day's journey to Provence.
The post-arrival run on a quiet Thursday night is very rapid.
When we arrived at the gite, disappointingly, the pizza place was closed but we had sneaked pur own eggs and butter across the border and made a simple supper. The host also has a beer in the fridge for me.
Magnus behaved impeccably. The car is smooth and rapid. Tomorrow is a six hundred and fifty mile drive -- I'm going to try and hit the road early.
I see you've also recently had the struts replaced, may I ask which variant you went for? Refurb-MB (which surprised me), new Bilstein or aftermarket?
Thanks.
Thanks all.
Sub8. this is the second recall letter issued so I dare say you'll have one and they'll just be applying replacement adhesive. MB Epsom told me it'd take one hour to check and MB Croydon said that it'd take the entire day and that they'd be applying new adhesive!
Anyway, we woke this morning to cockerels competing with one another and lots of mist.
We've stopped for a cheeky MacDonald's in Chalon-sur-Saône and the run has been busy but relatively plain sailing. Lots of Brits in SUVs.
98RON is twenty cents cheaper than the service stations, but we do lost time previously gained.
Sub8. this is the second recall letter issued so I dare say you'll have one and they'll just be applying replacement adhesive. MB Epsom told me it'd take one hour to check and MB Croydon said that it'd take the entire day and that they'd be applying new adhesive!
Anyway, we woke this morning to cockerels competing with one another and lots of mist.
We've stopped for a cheeky MacDonald's in Chalon-sur-Saône and the run has been busy but relatively plain sailing. Lots of Brits in SUVs.
98RON is twenty cents cheaper than the service stations, but we do lost time previously gained.
Well, we were making good time, until I was zapped by a radar who radioed the response car to flag me down. It was mightily impressive seeing the lights on an Alpine, of all cars.
Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
Up to that point we had been making good pace. In hindsight, I should've tapered off the speed given the Friday run to the slopes.
Whilst the chap was driving the car, I noticed an odd knocking and then a misfire. I looked over and the EML was lit. After a while, the symptoms seemed to alleviate. I wonder whether it may've been to do with the fact that the guy was turning the key as a conventional ignition start and holding it open, as opposed to snapping it open as per Mercedes requirements. Alternatively, it could be the spark plays which are overdue or the HT leads. I'll have to hope that it clears of behaves itself until we return to the UK.
Mrs BoMi is flying into Nice on Tuesday and will have to take over driving duties. She won't be too impressed if she not only has to drive but cradle the car home!
Seats from the journey. It's been a long day, good night!
Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
Up to that point we had been making good pace. In hindsight, I should've tapered off the speed given the Friday run to the slopes.
Whilst the chap was driving the car, I noticed an odd knocking and then a misfire. I looked over and the EML was lit. After a while, the symptoms seemed to alleviate. I wonder whether it may've been to do with the fact that the guy was turning the key as a conventional ignition start and holding it open, as opposed to snapping it open as per Mercedes requirements. Alternatively, it could be the spark plays which are overdue or the HT leads. I'll have to hope that it clears of behaves itself until we return to the UK.
Mrs BoMi is flying into Nice on Tuesday and will have to take over driving duties. She won't be too impressed if she not only has to drive but cradle the car home!
Seats from the journey. It's been a long day, good night!
bolidemichael said:
Well, we were making good time, until I was zapped by a radar who radioed the response car to flag me down. It was mightily impressive seeing the lights on an Alpine, of all cars.
Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
Could have been many times going several years back in this thread Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
B'stard Child said:
bolidemichael said:
Well, we were making good time, until I was zapped by a radar who radioed the response car to flag me down. It was mightily impressive seeing the lights on an Alpine, of all cars.
Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
Could have been many times going several years back in this thread Anyway, they took my licence for 181kmh and fined me €135. I'm not allowed to drive in France for three months with immediate effect and I had to organise for a chauffeur to drive my daughter and I for the remainder of the journey.
1. Caught speeding
2. Hefty fee for chauffeur to Provence
3. EML light
Is that my 3x bad luck all in one go?
mercedeslimos said:
What's the official limit, 130? I got nabbed in Austria in 2016 same, 185 in a 130 but he let me off with a fine as the car was a rental from Nuremberg airport.
130kph and he said the threshold for tolerance is 138kph. The chauffeurs said that under 170kph and they won't bother acting on the radar.
That was a fortunate experience for you!
tobinen said:
Rotten luck BM. I guess you had a good run over the years but the 3 month immediate ban is harsh IMO
After many years of pretty much ignoring speeding they really started cracking down about a decade ago. I got nicked two years in a row and decided to slow down a bit.You can still cover a lot of ground at 95mph and that sort of speed is more relaxing, anyway.
Anyway, sorry to hear of your plight, BM, Enjoy being chauffeured :-)
Indeed bad luck BM. You definitely had a good run though.
Was 181 kph the speed they zapped you at, or the speed written on the ticket? IIRC they take 5% off the speed they zap you at as a “technical allowance” (hence the 138 kph practical enforcement limit)
From recollection after accounting for the technical allowances it works out at
130-137 kph: Not enforced
138-157 kph: €45 fine
158-168 kph: €135 fine
169-189 kph: €135 fine + license suspension
190+ kph: €1,500 fine + license suspension + potentially other trouble too
Was 181 kph the speed they zapped you at, or the speed written on the ticket? IIRC they take 5% off the speed they zap you at as a “technical allowance” (hence the 138 kph practical enforcement limit)
From recollection after accounting for the technical allowances it works out at
130-137 kph: Not enforced
138-157 kph: €45 fine
158-168 kph: €135 fine
169-189 kph: €135 fine + license suspension
190+ kph: €1,500 fine + license suspension + potentially other trouble too
bolidemichael said:
I wonder whether it may've been to do with the fact that the guy was turning the key as a conventional ignition start and holding it open, as opposed to snapping it open as per Mercedes requirements.
Could you expand on this, as I haven't heard about it before? Thanks.I’ve been lasered in France and not stopped (but a lot less than 181kph as it was a Disco4). Also flashed by a camera post Brexit. Anyway, the real point of my post. How on earth did you rustle up a chauffeur at short notice in the middle of France? Are such people on a dial a chauffeur site? Anyway sounds like he’s saved your trip for sure.
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