320 CLS mpg

[Steve Taxi]

Hi, I am planning to replace a W211 220cdi with a second hand CLS 320cdi soon and need to check the mpg with someone who really knows, I have seen the claimed mpg but want to make sure in real life facts, it will spend most of its time at motorway speeds long distance and 80k miles per year, I can live with 35mpg upwards, thanks.

 

[Michael G 2]

Hi, I am planning to replace a W211 220cdi with a second hand CLS 320cdi soon and need to check the mpg with someone who really knows, I have seen the claimed mpg but want to make sure in real life facts, it will spend most of its time at motorway speeds long distance and 80k miles per year, I can live with 35mpg upwards, thanks.

Hi Steve, the CLS is a nice car and on a motorway you can push up to and beyond 40mpg so they can be fuel efficent considering the power.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Hi, I am planning to replace a W211 220cdi with a second hand CLS 320cdi soon and need to check the mpg with someone who really knows, I have seen the claimed mpg but want to make sure in real life facts, it will spend most of its time at motorway speeds long distance and 80k miles per year, I can live with 35mpg upwards, thanks.

Hi Steve. A good choice and you will notice a real boost in acceleration with the 320. Once you have learned to control that, I can easily see you exceed 40 mpg on motorways @ circa 80 mph. My S 320 will do up to 44 mpg on Motorways and my late lamented W211 E Class would give 44-46 under these circumstances.

 

[EGBM]

Yup. 40 mpg not a problem.

 

[glasselton]

I have an e320 cdi which has the same engine as your and I get 36mpg on short journeys so I reckon you should get about 43 or 44mpg on long journeys.

 

[jberks]

if you're happy with 35+ then relax, it will crack that easily. Cracking 40 should be achievable but it does depend on conditions and also bear in mind that cls's tend to have really fat tyres which saps a few mpg.

 

[Steve Taxi]

Thanks for that guys, looks like the deal will be happening, it is the first time for a long time I have bought a car for me as well as for my customers I am bored with underpowered estate cars, the CLS can now be bought for under £18k and although it only has 3 passenger seats I'm sure I can make it work, most of my jobs these days are just one business client, it could be the first licensed private hire CLS....mind your head sir, oops too late!!!

 

[st4]

Thanks for that guys, looks like the deal will be happening, it is the first time for a long time I have bought a car for me as well as for my customers I am bored with underpowered estate cars, the CLS can now be bought for under £18k and although it only has 3 passenger seats I'm sure I can make it work, most of my jobs these days are just one business client, it could be the first licensed private hire CLS....mind your head sir, oops too late!!!

Steve,

IMHO the CLS is not the car for you, its a fair bit more cramped at the back headroom wise at the boot space is compromised. For motorway work an E320cdi would be a more suitable bet for you and your passangers and will offer the same power.

If you could hold out longer, or find more money, the S class is really a more suitable car for you.

Sorry if this isnt what you wanted, but I'd private hire an S or E more easily than a CLS.

Steve

 

[christopherwk]

Have you checked how much room is in the boot? I haven't looked in the boot in a CLS, but I'd imagine it'd be smaller than an E. Might be worth considering if you do a lot of airport work.

In London, looking at TfL's website, there are 8 PCO registered CLS! 2 of them are CLS55AMGs!

 

[dieselman]

Steve,

IMHO the CLS is not the car for you, its a fair bit more cramped at the back headroom wise at the boot space is compromised. For motorway work an E320cdi would be a more suitable bet for you and your passangers and will offer the same power.

If you could hold out longer, or find more money, the S class is really a more suitable car for you.

Sorry if this isnt what you wanted, but I'd private hire an S or E more easily than a CLS.

Steve

Agreed. S all the way.

The CLS is aerodynamically worse than the E so will use more fuel.

 

[st4]

.

In London, looking at TfL's website, there are 8 PCO registered CLS! 2 of them are CLS55AMGs!

is that private owners perhaps trying to dodge the Congestion charge?

The CLS is aerodynamically worse than the E so will use more fuel.

Genuinely suprised, but the 221 if the OP could get that is a cut above and a more appropriate car for his purposes.

 

[MB partsman]

Steve,

IMHO the CLS is not the car for you, its a fair bit more cramped at the back headroom wise at the boot space is compromised. For motorway work an E320cdi would be a more suitable bet for you and your passangers and will offer the same power.

If you could hold out longer, or find more money, the S class is really a more suitable car for you.

Sorry if this isnt what you wanted, but I'd private hire an S or E more easily than a CLS.

Steve

I agree totally... IMO the CLS is winner of the 'form over function' award.
looks fantastic, but the lack of internal space means its only a 2+2
its just not at all suitable for private hire.

 

[christopherwk]

is that private owners perhaps trying to dodge the Congestion charge?

Quite possibly, particularly the CLS55 ones! Imagine the running costs! I did see one of them in Bracknell though, collecting someone, (a more sensible CLS320CDi)and the driver was wearing a badge, so that one was being used as a genuine Private Hire Vehicle.

Steve, also if you're considering an E or an S, think about the extra running costs of an S over an E (I don't know, I assume tyres, suspension components, general running costs, insurance), and whether you'll earn more/get more work.

Also bear in mind, some airport car parks are very tight, especially the older ones (Heathrow Terminal 1, Gatwick North), so an S-Class you may be to-ing and fro-ing to get up and down the ramps!

Nevertheless, you're in the car all day and the extra pleasure driving a nicer car is worth the extra cost. I sometimes wonder how much less fuel I'd use if I was running a E220CDi rather than the E320CDi I have now, but whenever I have a full car of 4 passengers with their luggage, I'm glad of the power!

 

[Steve Taxi]

Thanks for all your comments, yes I realise this is not the most sensible car to buy but after 20yrs in the business I fancy something different that I can still work with, we will still have estate cars when needed, I have sat in one and the front passenger seat seems the same space as the 211 and the loss in the back is just headroom, no more top hats then. I cannot believe the S class returns this sort of mpg as it is a heavy car but you may know better.

 

[Michael G 2]

Thanks for all your comments, yes I realise this is not the most sensible car to buy but after 20yrs in the business I fancy something different that I can still work with, we will still have estate cars when needed, I have sat in one and the front passenger seat seems the same space as the 211 and the loss in the back is just headroom, no more top hats then. I cannot believe the S class returns this sort of mpg as it is a heavy car but you may know better.

A W220 or W221 will easily return 40+mpg on a long motorway run, Merc engines are known to meet or beat government figures a V6 CDi merc can be economical don't buy a pious sorry prius.

 

[christopherwk]

I don't know how your business works, but would your passengers pay more for the same journey to be in an S-Class rather than an E-Class? If so, then maybe the extra running costs are justified, but there must be plenty of these S-Class paying customers tomake running an S-class worthwhile, if not you may be running an S-Class with customers paying E-Class prices. I'm thinking about the recession and people cutting back on such costs.

Also will there still be one-person business people throughout the year? It may dry up during the summer holidays, this is when tourists arrive and families go on holiday with plenty of luggage, and you may glad not to have chosen a CLS.

Anyway you said you've been in the business for 20 years, so you've already been through one recession and know more than I do!

Obviously buy a car you'd be happy be in and nice to drive (even if it's a CLS). You'll enjoy your job much more if you're driving something you enjoy (which I'm sure you konw!). I certainly do!

 

[st4]

Nevertheless, you're in the car all day and the extra pleasure driving a nicer car is worth the extra cost. I sometimes wonder how much less fuel I'd use if I was running a E220CDi rather than the E320CDi I have now, but whenever I have a full car of 4 passengers with their luggage, I'm glad of the power!

Think of all the fuel you'd save, wanna buy mine?

Mine is for sale at the Mo as I have a E270cdi deal potentially lined up.

Thanks for all your comments, yes I realise this is not the most sensible car to buy but after 20yrs in the business I fancy something different that I can still work with, we will still have estate cars when needed, I have sat in one and the front passenger seat seems the same space as the 211 and the loss in the back is just headroom, no more top hats then. I cannot believe the S class returns this sort of mpg as it is a heavy car but you may know better.

Headroom is quite important, but if you have access to an estate still thats ok. For your line of business I'd be looking at another 211 with a V6, an R class (potentially), an S class. An S class will get 35mpg easily on the journeys you describe and is so well appointed and luxurious its what I'd opt for.

 

[Michael G 2]

Mine is for sale at the Mo as I have a E270cdi deal potentially lined up.

Sounds good, but I thought you were saving up for a facelift E320 CDi Sport?

 

[st4]

Sounds good, but I thought you were saving up for a facelift E320 CDi Sport?

Was but the cost of change for this car thats come up (somewhere else) would be about £1k if I sell mine. Keep it for a couple of years with that compelling 5pot warble, then go for a V6 thereafter.

Its a good deal if I snap it up and get mine sold for the price its on for.

 

[Michael G 2]

Was but the cost of change for this car thats come up (somewhere else) would be about £1k if I sell mine. Keep it for a couple of years with that compelling 5pot warble, then go for a V6 thereafter.

Its a good deal if I snap it up and get mine sold for the price its on for.

Sounds like a good plan Steve it saves you money too.
Just seen the ad for the 220 it looks very nice.