New family wagon required.... C class estate?

[dasherdiablo1]

I'm looking to replace my X3 and having had 8 BMWs in the last 10 years I fancy a change. I don't want an Audi because I've had two recently and hated them. So now I am considering a Merc. To be precise a C Class estate, considering a 180 220 or 250 (diesel probably). I fancy an auto and something I can get the whole family including the hounds in.

I'm looking at a car up to 3 years old and want to spend less that £20k - it will be from a main dealer as I want the warranty! Can fellow PHers please advise what models are worth looking at and the spec I should be considering. Thanks in advance as I don't want to waste time trying underpowered engines or bad drives!

Cheers,
David

[Beerwagon]

With a family & hounds wouldn't an E class be better suited? I have a 2013 pre face lift E220 cdi avantegarde estate and couldn't rate it highly enough. The interior space is huge and far far far larger than a C class.

The under floor storage in the boot means a family of 4 can go away for a weekend with luggage stored under the floor leaving room for 2 large (40kg each) Labradors to have the boot to them selves!

[WelshBoyo]

I looked at lots of cars before I got my C350 Estate. I had a 330xi before and wanted another estate and the Merc fitted the bill perfectly. I found both the 5 series estate and the Audi estate had too small a boot because of the rear sloping profile. The C class Merc had the largest boot (well apart from a Passat estate), but the rear seats are a little tight (fine for my 2 year old twins mind). The auto is superb and way way better than the DSG I had in my Golf R32.

So choices of engine depends on how much MPG you want and how far you go. I went for the 350 as I wanted petrol with good amount of power, plus being classed as a new driver thanks to living abroad for so long I could not get insured on a C63.

Test drive a C class see which version suits you.

[dasherdiablo1]

Beerwagon said:

With a family & hounds wouldn't an E class be better suited? I have a 2013 pre face lift E220 cdi avantegarde estate and couldn't rate it highly enough. The interior space is huge and far far far larger than a C class.

The under floor storage in the boot means a family of 4 can go away for a weekend with luggage stored under the floor leaving room for 2 large (40kg each) Labradors to have the boot to them selves!

An E class is just too big for everyday use - same as a new 5 series they are 4.9m which means you can't park in a parking bay when shopping - the ticket wardens are really hot on it where we are and seem to revel in sticking a ticket on the 'bug flash cars' - one of the reasons I'm not getting an X6 is because they are too big for round town.

[rassi]

Go for the facelifted C class (2011 onwards), and depending on your annual mileage, petrol or diesel. The C350 petrol is actually very fuel efficient, as is the C350 CDI (265 bhp version), if you want some power to go with it. The C class is a very good handling car, with a comfortable ride (no non flat nonsense), and much easier to find a parking space for compared to the E class.

[dasherdiablo1]

Just test drove a new C180 and I think for town driving its brilliant. A liitle underpowered for high speed overtaking but then that isn't too much of an issue as I drive like miss daisy when I have my daughter in the car lol.

Gearbox is very smooth and nice to have the paddle shift. Pretty well specced in Sport guise too! I think I might buy it :0)

[Beerwagon]

The E class comes with park assist as standard so parking is a sinch. Probably easier than a C without park assist.

dasherdiablo1 said:

An E class is just too big for everyday use - same as a new 5 series they are 4.9m which means you can't park in a parking bay when shopping - the ticket wardens are really hot on it where we are and seem to revel in sticking a ticket on the 'bug flash cars' - one of the reasons I'm not getting an X6 is because they are too big for round town.

[dasherdiablo1]

Beerwagon said:

The E class comes with park assist as standard so parking is a sinch. Probably easier than a C without park assist.

dasherdiablo1 said:

An E class is just too big for everyday use - same as a new 5 series they are 4.9m which means you can't park in a parking bay when shopping - the ticket wardens are really hot on it where we are and seem to revel in sticking a ticket on the 'bug flash cars' - one of the reasons I'm not getting an X6 is because they are too big for round town.

Parallel parking is fine. It's the fact it won't fit in marked bays. It is just too big and I'd rather not be picking up fines left right and centre. So I've bought a C class estate in diamond silver - very well specced too so looking forward to collecting it :0)

[Aidayboy]

Hi, got the wife a silver 60 plate C180CGI Sport Estate, 18" Wheels & Panoramic Roof, was really worried it would feel underpowered but it's great and she loves it, totally recommended.

Only criticism is that it's still about £250 a year road tax, what's the point of Blue Technology and small engines if your still producing high emissions, apart from that it's a great car. Oh and that when you first put your foot down nothing seems to happen......then whoosh, you get used to it though.

Edited by Aidayboy on Thursday 30th January 22:54

[dasherdiablo1]

I've got her a new one so its only £140 a year on tax; seems very nippy for a small engine; there is lag in the turbo and gearbox but it seems ideal for carting around the dogs and baby paraphernalia on a daily basis. Got a damn cracking price for the X3 and a nice big chunk off the new one so all is good :0)

[11jhw]

I'm very excited about picking up my new to me but used C350 Sport Plus estate in two days from my local Merc dealer. I didn't have any plans to change my car only a friend of mine was selling his 2010 pre face lift C250 low miles good spec and totally unmarked. I went for a drive and to be honest it felt like a Greek taxi I was very unimpressed but still keen as it was a safe buy as a family car. But passing my local Merc dealer I popped in and started chatting to the salesman about my friends car, he pointed to the C350 parked outside and said lets go for a spin and you won't want to buy your friends car any more. As you've guessed I liked it so we did the deal. What I will say it that maybe the C350 is not the engine for everyone but the facelift is another league to the pre so I would aim for one of those.

[graham22]

11jhw said:

What I will say it that maybe the C350 is not the engine for everyone but the facelift is another league to the pre so I would aim for one of those.

Have you driven a facelift & pre-facelift 350 back to back, are they really that different? Have driven the 231hp model which was very nice but felt that a little more go of the 265hp would be nice.

[jonny70]

dasherdiablo1 said:

I've got her a new one so its only £140 a year on tax; seems very nippy for a small engine; there is lag in the turbo and gearbox but it seems ideal for carting around the dogs and baby paraphernalia on a daily basis. Got a damn cracking price for the X3 and a nice big chunk off the new one so all is good :0)

did you gr for the auto version or manual version of the c180 estate ?

[dasherdiablo1]

jonny70 said:

dasherdiablo1 said:

I've got her a new one so its only £140 a year on tax; seems very nippy for a small engine; there is lag in the turbo and gearbox but it seems ideal for carting around the dogs and baby paraphernalia on a daily basis. Got a damn cracking price for the X3 and a nice big chunk off the new one so all is good :0)

did you gr for the auto version or manual version of the c180 estate ?

7G auto and it is an absolute peach. It works so well with the little engine :0)