Conor
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2019
- Messages
- 2,521
- Reaction score
- 1,604
- Location
- London, UK
- Your Mercedes
- 2010 S212 350 CGI // 2004 R230 500
Hey guys
So a friend of mine has decided that he would like to experience S Class ownership (the nice parts at least).
He has expressed interest in early 221 and also a 220 (04 plate), and while I haven't gotten an exact budget from him, I would assume it's about the £5-6,000 mark.
I have told him diesel is fantasy, living in London so petrol it is... but here is the clanger for me. He has told me he could do up to 20k miles a year . I thought it would be a handy 5/6k like me, but he says he likes to go on a drive most weekends.
Obviously, and like us all he doesn't want to be spending mad money on repairs etc and is a little bit hesitant about MB ownership due to stories of open wallet surgery etc...
Now, before we go any further I would say the above points are near mutually exclusive. My thoughts are that doing 20k miles per year in an S Class, especially of the above vintage is going to be a costly exercise. Simple as that, and I don't think it will end well.
My thoughts are that he should probably drop down to a W211 E class and go for a more conservative 4 cylinder engine. That way, fuel costs could be lowered a little and won't have the extra cost associated with a V engine. Also, conventional suspension with springs as opposed to ABC/AIRMatic.
A nice 211 is a great place to be and I personally love that car (albeit in estate form) - I prefer the aesthetics to my 212 if I am honest.
What you guys think?
So a friend of mine has decided that he would like to experience S Class ownership (the nice parts at least).
He has expressed interest in early 221 and also a 220 (04 plate), and while I haven't gotten an exact budget from him, I would assume it's about the £5-6,000 mark.
I have told him diesel is fantasy, living in London so petrol it is... but here is the clanger for me. He has told me he could do up to 20k miles a year . I thought it would be a handy 5/6k like me, but he says he likes to go on a drive most weekends.
Obviously, and like us all he doesn't want to be spending mad money on repairs etc and is a little bit hesitant about MB ownership due to stories of open wallet surgery etc...
Now, before we go any further I would say the above points are near mutually exclusive. My thoughts are that doing 20k miles per year in an S Class, especially of the above vintage is going to be a costly exercise. Simple as that, and I don't think it will end well.
My thoughts are that he should probably drop down to a W211 E class and go for a more conservative 4 cylinder engine. That way, fuel costs could be lowered a little and won't have the extra cost associated with a V engine. Also, conventional suspension with springs as opposed to ABC/AIRMatic.
A nice 211 is a great place to be and I personally love that car (albeit in estate form) - I prefer the aesthetics to my 212 if I am honest.
What you guys think?