So I have finally managed to get my grubby mitts on it...

st4

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Dads S350 Blutech.

I've been cutting around in it this weekend

Its blooming huge. I can manouver it, but ****** H its a brute to park..LOL

So what do I think of it.

The engine is quieter in this than my old E class, considerably. Its almost as urgent and really is a powerful fast car. Doesn't need many RPM (below 2000) to move along at a sedate but not unprogressive pace).

Gearbox. I don't know if its a 7g or 7g plus but its the best 7 speed merc one I sampled other than the MCT box in the C63. That sadly merely makes it servicable. It's fine up the way, if a tad ponderous, but down the way from and really from 2 into 1 there is a rather unbefitting clunk as it finds 1st. I've driven it sufficiently to realise these aren't one offs, but regular. Most of the time its ok if you don't need to stop. Spacing is a tad irritating, but its really not a press on driving car, so it matters less. Bar that C63, every 7g has this issue.

Ride. In a word fabulous. Its not a sporting car. It handles safely and isn't bus like, but its a cruiser. The ride really is fabulous, the road just feels smooth beneath it. Its like no other car I have sampled. I love it, it would be great on the motorway and smooth quiet A roads. Ride height is an interesting one, it has a sport mode which lowers it. Despite feeling almost SUV height (remember, I had a lowered 211 sport and a 204 sport is my present car) I felt no desire to lower it down. You feel like a class above, slightly above everyone else bar SUVs and can look down on people like they are scum when you drive it...LOL. It's comanding and luxurious and entirely appropriate for the sort of car it is.

Handling. Its not bad actually. Too much power at the back so pulling out of juctions an inside rear wheel can spin. Should have an LSD. Its a 400ft/lb torque car. (Well 398ft/lb actually). It's a big car but feels ok on the road, like an AG 211 really but more comfortable. The steering is light enough to be effortless and relaxing, but not too light that the car feels cheap. You can get in, turn it and it goes where you point it in a dignified, composed, yet unhurried manner. Its not an engaging car, but christ its relaxing.

Economy, I never checked. Its not mine and I've not used it that much to really say. Its an S class, if you have to ask, buy something else. Its diesel engine merely makes it reasonably efficient and over 500 miles range. It probably does 40mpg average if you drive it progressively but still sedately. If you want better, buy a C200CDi.

Seats. They are leather and therefore hateful. Brilliant range of adjustment and very comfortably shaped and designed, but I do wish they were the cloth like mine.

Equipment. Dad can't use the stuff on it, I cannot use the stuff on it. I never bothered trying. I am not an IT contractor but feel you need to be to use half the stuff on it. He asked I remove a tyre pressure warning from a puncture in which he got repaired. Took me ten mins. Its too complex and the basic comfort and engineering of the car is excellent, but all that gadgetry would put me off it.

So I have a C220cdi, am I now hankering after something bigger.

No. Mine is plucky and fun, this is a more sombre car to drive, more relaxing, less playful. It serves me well as my only car. Money no object, I would have the S class in a heart beat, but I'd need another smaller car to drive in. So dream garage, an S350 with a course in IT, and a KTM X bow, oh and a C class estate, as there is no finer car money can buy
 

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Nice write up Steve.

As a matter of interest, how old is your Dad? I only ask to see whether he's my era or older (or even younger:shock: ).
 
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Nice write up Steve.

As a matter of interest, how old is your Dad? I only ask to see whether he's my era or older (or even younger:shock: ).

59. He'll be roughly your age as your children are not that much younger than me.

For the privildge of lending me the car, its been washed, and waxed.

Something worth bring up here. The dirt came off really easily. I know its a much newer car than my own...BUT still, it came off too easily. I've washed plenty of cars over the years and none other than my mates golf have been as easy to clean.

The golf was supergaurded, this will have been the same.

I'm not into detailing, but like a nice clean car and like to have the paint protected. A decent sealant system would be in order.

My new to do method is to wash, clay, re wash (hose down) seal and wax. Will make subsequent cleaning so easy and the car really looks lovely.
 

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He's older...but not much. So make sure you always refer to him as Dad...not "the old man"...:lol::lol:
 

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Ok, just for you, its a really comfortable big car. I am sure, as you have the 911, the S class would be something thats ideal for you.

It will be...but still can't manage to convince myself I don't need an estate. Though my wife pointed at one and asked why couldn't we have something smaller...like that one...bless.

Incidentally I sat in an S class for the first time when I was 17...a revelation in those days. I drove my first one at 18...wow...I have loved them ever since.

Like you, I have an occasional bad back...can't drive the VW when it's like that.
 
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I love estate cars, they are so useful. Depending on how often you need that useability, renting a van is an option and just using the S as a car helps. But its a compromise that you don't have with a 210 wagon.

First S class I drove was LTD's W220, I was 25 IIRC. It too had that slightly higher up feeling. Being a 500 it was a fair bit quicker than my Dads and more refined from the engine, but the W221 is trimmed better and is quieter from the road. Both shared that effortless luxurious feeling. Actually thats a Mercedes thing, but the S class really brings that out. Drove a 730d 2 yrs back (one was going cheap) and it had none of the S class qualities other than size and good trim. The S is so much better.
 

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When I was buying my first 210, I tried a 735i for a week end, cream leather and all that...but couldn't get on with it.

I had Jaguar XJ out for a few days also...I felt curiously conspicuous in that...and when visiting a client factory, instead of parking in my usual spot, I turned left at the main gate and parked far away from the front door...strange.
 
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Jags are a bit flash. Money no object though, I forgot to add the 4th car, a big woofly GT. I'd have an XK8 current style, they look so good.
 

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Much the same findings as my CL Steve,,,they are húge and I am always waiting to get through gaps that other cars sail through.

For me parking is no problem, it has the park assist, but with Lilians blue badge we have good parking everywhere.

Ponderous, may be a touch in lanes and the hot mini's will pass you as soon as there is a gap, mine has the ABC linked to the S and W modes, the fly by shift is magical and the gearbox perfect in all modes, yes a quite refined ride and you can drive for miles as we did going to Sweden, we did the 5 hour trip From Harwich to home non stop. Most 216 cars come fully loaded or loaded to a fair extent so an abundance of toys on mine that keep me happy.

I would love to do a real hot drive on my own, maybe one day :D
 
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Roads up here are narrow two lane stuff. Even on the Glen Coe A82 section this would feel big. My C class is fun and nippy. But for the drive to see my mate in York this would be utterly magical. Its appeal is how it insulates you from the road, the appeal of the C class is how it involves you with the road yet keeps you comfy.

Dads has partronic, you do need it. The S has a big C post and a large blind spot behind the rear window line. With a stick up badge, placing the car on the road is easy enough....

Agree to disagree on the toys, but it has a great climate system and lovely adjustable seats and the shift by wire on the collumn is good, room for cupholders and its very intuative. I like it and I thought I would hate it.
 

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Something worth bring up here. The dirt came off really easily. I know its a much newer car than my own...BUT still, it came off too easily. I've washed plenty of cars over the years and none other than my mates golf have been as easy to clean.

I strongly suspect that is the Nano paint Steve..
Of all 5 (Yes FIVE) Mercs I have had only the E class was Nano paint and I noticed straight away how much easier it was to wash than ANY other car I have ever owned..
C class isnt Nano'd..
 
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Simon, all my Mercs have had nano paint. From 2004 IIRC onwards it was introduced on the lot. My C class wasn't as easy to clean, this sealant stuff does work.
 

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I strongly suspect that is the Nano paint Steve..
Of all 5 (Yes FIVE) Mercs I have had only the E class was Nano paint and I noticed straight away how much easier it was to wash than ANY other car I have ever owned..
C class isnt Nano'd..

The same goes for my CL and cleaning, its 2007 and cleans up so easily.

There was a time when changing from my SL when I thought about a diesel, but after looking at loads of adds and cars it was dam near impossible to find one with any of the worthwhile extras at all, where as on the CL versions they mostly come fully loaded. One just cannot deny that most Mercedes goodies do work well like distronic plus that takes you down to 0mph and back up to speed without you doing a thing, the fact that I can adjust Lilians seat from my side is fantastic for our situation. Dynamic seat do have all the other comfort options, but at the speeds that we drive we seldom use the dynamic bit, its fine on setting 2 (min).

Being in the top end Hi Fi market for a good part of my life I can only tolerate reasonable sound system and the HK comes into its own in the CL.

Somehow I have got to get in the rear to clean the inside of that huge rear window, this CL like my 140 does not cater for the older person if you need 4 seats in spite of its 5.2m lenght. The remote open and close boot I find handy as I can concentrate on getting Lilian in while it takes care of itself.

A daft little thing the the S has if you look under the rear parcel shelf in the boot is that little spring loaded hook where you can hook your Tesco shopping bag on and getting no spills on the way home, you can get 4 bags on it.

The other wonderful thing about this new platform is that it is the first 2 door car that I have had where I can park 35cm from a wall and still get out easily.

In a couple of years I will change it for a newer version that has the cameras that display the speed limit for any road that you are on and have the lane assist. The 5500 373 engine takes the car to 62mph in 5.4 seconds with very good all round economy.
 

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Dads has the speed limit recongnition thing. Pointless IMHO. If the camera can see the sign, my eyes can too.

Not sure how it works in the S. I have the cheap version (readout on the tom-tom) but driving on unusual roads darn sarf recently I found it really useful. Long stretches without any signs, is it 30 or is it 60? Not always easy to tell, especially in summer when the signs are overgrown so nice to have some form of confirmation that the police aren't using that road for one of their fleece the out of towners stings.
 
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television

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Dads has the speed limit recongnition thing. Pointless IMHO. If the camera can see the sign, my eyes can too.

Its very good to have, as Jberks its dead easy to not know if 30 or 40 on some roads, having it on the screen a very good and fool proof and much better than a Sat Nav system voice telling you to slow down ever 20 seconds.
 

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Dads has the speed limit recongnition thing. Pointless IMHO. If the camera can see the sign, my eyes can too.

Agreed. Now, if it was "Asre-end-of-a-speed-camera Recognition" then that might be more useful.

However, I guess the point still stands. You should still be able to see those too with your own eyes. And you should be paying attention!
 
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