New E-Class Estate - Thoughts?

[J-Skid]

Right then. What with the growing family we are looking to swap our ageing Volvo v70. I'd really like to avoid the 4x4 brigade and, as this will be our main car, we quite like the new E-Class estate.

As we don't do many miles (circa 8k per annum) we can stick with petrol, so looking at the 350 CGI or the 500 :-)

So, any experience of them? Have MB got their quality issues more under control?

Thanks!

[huytonman]

Havent driven one but own the last model and was looking over the new one yesterday at the dealer. Size wise they are more or less the same, which means massive and great for hauling stuff. I wouldnt touch Petrol though, even at your miles the Diesel is excellent and suits the auto box perfectly. Quality wise everything Ive read says they are much better but you would have a warranty so shouldnt be concerned.

[angusc43]

I've just bought the S211 E500 - a 2005 one

Great for kids - 7 seats and pop up boosters in the rear

Great for lugging tons of gear - loads of space, self levelling suspension)

Great for me - 5.0 V8, 7 speed box , air suspension, dynamic seats, Harmmon Kardon etc etc etc

Oddly enough the salesmen got to my wife first and showed how the leccie tailgate opened up to show the kiddy seats in the boot. Which (a) sold her on it straight away and (b) meant she didn't see the E500 badge...... She...err....though I was buying a diesel. PistonHead Result.

[angusc43]

The new diesels are very good and I was thinking of getting a 280 or 320 but these were 30% more expansive. I do 6k a year so don't care. And a mate of mine just bought a E350 coupe and does NOT like the star up rattle (he came out of an S Type R....)

Swings and roundabouts - you'll get more depreciation - in my case £1k a year or so. Still makes financial and emotional sense to me in terms of what I bought.

[gizlaroc]

The E350cdi sounds like a bag o'nuts!!
I think it is the mapping on them though and will be sorted with new software, it sounds like when you over map a car when tuning it.



I have just been through all this looking at replacing my A6 avant, and in the end I couldn't get away from the fact I actually preferred the outgoing facelift E Class estate. It just felt more elegant inside, where as the new one felt a bit cold in comparison. If I could have specced the avantgarde or sport with full light interior like in all the promo videos I would have probably liked it a lot more, but you have to have black dash, and carpets and only the seats are light.

So in the end I bought a facelift E320cdi avantgarde, which I love.

My last family wagons were, A6 3.2 quattro, 335i sport touring, 535d sport touring and S4 avant and it does a different job to all of them, it is extremely comfy (if a little wallowy) and I am very happy with it. I wish I could have found an E350 or E500 though, diesel is st!! Don't get me wrong, in this sort of car it is fine, but I am only getting around 5mpg more from this than the 3.2 petrol A6 and that was also 4WD.
The E350 I had for a day was returning around 26mpg, where as this is around 32mpg, and the E500 is only a couple of MPG less and worth every penny for it imho.

[va1o]

Even with a low mileage, I'd still be tempted to suggest diesel. The 350 CDI is very almost as quick, cheaper and more economical than the 350 CGI, and will hold onto its value better. No brainer IMO. Usually I'd agree petrol is better, but not in this case.

Edited by va1o on Monday 24th May 00:17

[GTIR]

I've got a 2007 E220 saloon and do around 60k a year. I've driven the new E class in E250 and E350 guises and in my opinion they are not as good as the previous model. Cheap looking interior, noisy engine, and there has been injector issues on some models.

I think Mercedes have changed the feel to be more BMWish, that's not going to work.

In fact I'm looking getting an additional vehicle and we've decided on another E220, I'll put off getting a new E for as ling as I can.

In summary then. Get a 211 estate (facelift 55 onwards) Avantegarde in any colour apart from black or silver!

[Chauch]

I think that the S212 and S211 are incomparable in terms of build quality etc etc

If budget is not an issue, the 500 is superb although I too would go for the 350CDI every time.