Spec my next car please:

[Lord_Lucan]

Hi All,

I'm going to need a bigger car before too long so I'd like to gain your valuable insight into making a suitable choice if I may?

I'm currently in a W203 sports coupe which is a great little car for me but I will need a bigger car with the following requirements:

5 doors,
diesel (due to mileage covered as daily driver),
auto (maybe CVT if reliable),
decent bootspace (i.e. I can get a petrol mower into my sports coupe if I remove the parcel shelf),
needs to be reliable,
budget of up to £7.5k

So I guess I'm asking in many ways for the perfect car(!) but in all seriousness I've been quite fortunate with the W203 C220 CDI's to date and perhaps I'm a bit worried about swapping for a "less reliable" car?
For example I do like the W211 E class but I've seen lots of posts about air suspension, SBC and other gremlins so I guess I'm wondering if I'm better off with a more mechanical car instead?
Another example: I quite like the quirky look of the B class but have read some scare stories re: suspension and CVT issues.

Any help/guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Avoid CVT. Not because they’re unreliable but because you will hate it like the plague!

 

[Craiglxviii]

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610178853118
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610178853118

 

[Craiglxviii]

E class, go 07 on and you avoid SBC. Airmatic doesn’t give that many issues although it is a potential failure point...

 

[Lord_Lucan]

Thanks for the advice this far. I do like the look of the W211s, especially with the multi spoke 18in alloy wheels but I'm really quite anxious about the airmatic issues even if they are less common with the post 07 plate ones.

What's the general consensus with the W204 diesels as I've seen a couple within budget. From the brief reading I've done it looks as though some have the OM646 Evo engine which is a slightly refined version of the engine I currently have so that seems like a plus point.

 

[Mr Filipov]

If in budget, go for a E280 or 320. You will not look back. Those engines are monsters. Fast, frugal in relative terms and very refined. The 350 version in my W212 is top notch. Just had a 66 plate C300h for a week and you just notice the difference everywhere.

 

[Mr Filipov]

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610178853118
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610178853118

I'm sorry Craig, but not while there are examples like this one
https://www4.autotrader.co.uk/class...onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=2

 

[EmilysDad]

I'm sorry Craig, but not while there are examples like this one
https://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201710140289825?postcode=pe296gq&year-from=2008&aggregatedTrim=Sport&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-mileage=100000&radius=1500&model=E CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=2

You'd be hard pushed to get a lawn mower in the boot though

 

[EmilysDad]

......
but I'm really quite anxious about the airmatic issues even if they are less common with the post 07 plate ones.

.......

My car is 10 yr old. Ive replaced a front strut (due to a leaky bag) & a rear bag. I'm sure if it'd had steel springs on it, I'd have replaced them too by now. If it'd not had Airmatic, it'd have still had the very same bags at the back for its self levelling suspension ..... I think an E Class estate would be the same

 

[Lord_Lucan]

I'm sorry Craig, but not while there are examples like this one
https://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201710140289825?postcode=pe296gq&year-from=2008&aggregatedTrim=Sport&minimum-badge-engine-size=3.0&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-mileage=100000&radius=1500&model=E CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&page=2

That's a beautiful car. Those are the alloy wheels I really like too (drools)

 

[Lord_Lucan]

My car is 10 yr old. Ive replaced a front strut (due to a leaky bag) & a rear bag. I'm sure if it'd had steel springs on it, I'd have replaced them too by now. If it'd not had Airmatic, it'd have still had the very same bags at the back for its self levelling suspension ..... I think an E Class estate would be the same

I guess my concerns are borne from not knowing enough about the suspension and likely costs associated to them. Re: your comment about steel springs: Its probably fair to say the repairs have cost more than a set of springs would have done though right?

 

[EmilysDad]

I guess my concerns are borne from not knowing enough about the suspension and likely costs associated to them. Re: your comment about steel springs: Its probably fair to say the repairs have cost more than a set of springs would have done though right?

The rear bag was a pattern part (Arnott) & was £300something fitted ie less than the cost of just the OE bag. There's a very very long tale about the front strut & Mercedes but Arnott also do a replacement bag only for the front .... Merc only supply the bag as a complete unit at £550 exchange

 

[Lord_Lucan]

Even at £300 fitted (for one corner I assume) that's a pretty costly replacement no? Am I being tight about it and expecting to run a premium high end car for supermarket mini sums?

 

[Craiglxviii]

I should say here. I have an E320 CDI estate, Avantgarde, memory/heated seats, COMAND NTG2.5... no Airmatic. It’s a great car. Practical and statuesque.

 

[EmilysDad]

Even at £300 fitted (for one corner I assume) that's a pretty costly replacement no? Am I being tight about it and expecting to run a premium high end car for supermarket mini sums?

I think it was an hour's labour to fit ..... maybe not 'cheap', but not bad.

 

[Lord_Lucan]

I should say here. I have an E320 CDI estate, Avantgarde, memory/heated seats, COMAND NTG2.5... no Airmatic. It’s a great car. Practical and statuesque.

I'm probably misunderstanding but is that to say that the W211 estates do not have airmatic suspension?

 

[JBell]

I would be looking at this

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...e=pe296gq&body-type=Estate&radius=1500&page=1

or this

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...y New&onesearchad=New&postcode=pe296gq&page=2

 

[Craiglxviii]

I'm probably misunderstanding but is that to say that the W211 estates do not have airmatic suspension?

Not necessarily. They DO have self levelling rear suspension which uses air bags, but that’s not the same as Airmatic. Standard coil springs and struts on all corners.

 

[Mr Filipov]

I'm probably misunderstanding but is that to say that the W211 estates do not have airmatic suspension?

I don’t know if it is partial airmatic or another system of sort, but they do have it and its purpose is to level the rear of the car, so even if it is fully loaded it does not look like it is.

 

[Lord_Lucan]

Thanks for explaining this to me in terms I can follow

Ok there might be some value into looking for the estates as a compromise in that case.

What does everyone think of the W204s though? Other than some having bland interiors; are they known to be reliable and have good strong engines?