E class estate or V70?

[sixfootblonde]

Hi,

I am very confused as to what to get. Do I go for a diesel new shape V70 or a T reg E class estate? Which is safer? I will be having children in the boot. Again, which is safer and why? Does anyone know? Also, I am very concerned about running costs. They are both very expensive cars to run but I get the feeling that the Merc will cost me more in parts and servicing. Any ideas?

THANK YOU

 

[cubicincubi]

I will be having children in the boot.

occasionally or often?

If often I would consider an SUV with a higher ride, or an estate wehicle with side curtain airbags in the rear.

Audi also do 7 seater estates and very good they are too.

Dependant on how you intend to use the car will offer an indication of running costs. drive it hard and pay for parts and fuel. Mercedes parts are xpensive but not unlike volvo/audi/BMW, a good independant specialist will look after the car at a reasonable cost.

Whatever you buy, buy a good one with a comprehensive service history.

Oil stamps in the service record do not necessarily mean that bushes, bearings and other parts that may end up costing you a lot of money have been done as reccomended or as required.

I assume you are looking at the diesel models?

I'll let other owners contribute as I don't know my way around the various specifications.

You will not in any event be unhappy with the E class if you find a good one.

 

[television]

Hi,

I am very confused as to what to get. Do I go for a diesel new shape V70 or a T reg E class estate? Which is safer? I will be having children in the boot. Again, which is safer and why? Does anyone know? Also, I am very concerned about running costs. They are both very expensive cars to run but I get the feeling that the Merc will cost me more in parts and servicing. Any ideas?

THANK YOU

Re safety,they are both the same, I have a V70 and a MB SL.
My Volvo now at 70k, has only had a rear antiroll bar (I broke it ) a new timming belt, and front anti roll bar link.(£66.00 for a little bar with a ball joint each end) If you go for a Volvo Deisel I think it must be post 2002 when the new engine came out. Both very good cars, The MB will give you more comfort, but then new it is £12k more. Spare part prices are dear for both, but on average they both need fewer parts than the average.

Malcolm

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

Safety, running costs and I suspect longevity there is nothing in it.
However, they are very different cars to look at, to sit in and to drive so drive a couple and buy the one you prefer.

 

[JonWill]

I have recently bought a T reg E320 Estate, and my father drives a V70 T5 estate. Both excellent cars - I chose the Mercedes because it is (marginally) larger, and feels slightly better put together. The Volvo has more gadgets on the inside (and more things to go wrong) - but it goes like a train ... running costs in terms of fuel consumption appear to be similar - but msot sensible people would go for the diesel engines!

Drive both, and see what you prefer.

J

 

[maldon]

My Mrs reckons her firnds V70 Est is most comfortable car she has ever sat in - I think there may be a bit more rear legroom with the Volvo.

Is a diff choice, I have not checked prices etc but would tend to agree more toys to go wrong with the Volvo would swing it and I'd buy the Merc.

 

[television]

I have recently bought a T reg E320 Estate, and my father drives a V70 T5 estate. Both excellent cars - I chose the Mercedes because it is (marginally) larger, and feels slightly better put together. The Volvo has more gadgets on the inside (and more things to go wrong) - but it goes like a train ... running costs in terms of fuel consumption appear to be similar - but msot sensible people would go for the diesel engines!

Drive both, and see what you prefer.

J

Sorry John, the Volvo is larger in terms of space. The Volo has a volume of W x H x L = 307 and MB = 288.
In this road test I have here, it says The MB320 is almost double the cost of an Opal Vectra, but if you are going away for a holiday of your dreams,take the MB.

Malcolm

 

[Blobcat]

My Mrs reckons her firnds V70 Est is most comfortable car she has ever sat in - I think there may be a bit more rear legroom with the Volvo.

Is a diff choice, I have not checked prices etc but would tend to agree more toys to go wrong with the Volvo would swing it and I'd buy the Merc.

I have found all the police V & S 70's I have been in to be particularly small in the back compared to an 'E' - barely enough room to fall down the stairs. A force I know bought a load of V70's because the fleet mgr did not know the difference between saloon and estate model designation.

 

[television]

I have found all the police V & S 70's I have been in to be particularly small in the back compared to an 'E' - barely enough room to fall down the stairs. A force I know bought a load of V70's because the fleet mgr did not know the difference between saloon and estate model designation.

The Volvo is still bigger inside at 307 total and MB 288.

If you ordered a V70, you would get a V70 and not an S70, so the fleet manager got it right.

Malcolm

 

[Retired]

You need to define what you mean by ‘space’.

Are we talking legroom? In the front? In the rear?

Luggage volume? Rear seats up? Rear seats folded?

Length of load space? Width of load space? Shoulder room with three in the back?

I’m sure there are lots of other possibilities.

In the light of the above what does ‘The Volvo is still bigger inside at 307 total and MB 288’ actually mean? What are you measuring and what are the units, cubic something or other I assume.

 

[NewMB]

Without knowing the difference in internal size between a V70 and E-class all I can say is that as a former owner of a 2003 V70, it was a great car.

I had the 2.5T engine (210 bhp) which was great for overtaking. Over the 2.5 years I owned the car it returned a respectable 32 mpg (mostly m-way). Only had one little thing, a rubber band in the boot that came loose. Oh, Volvo did something to the front suspension as a recall.

It was not cheap to service though, but somehow I don't thing the MB would be either. But the "toys" inside are nothing to worry about. The seats are great (the best in the car industry possibly), the surround stereo amazing and the quality is not far of an MB.

I have since got myself a C-class estate, which I am very happy with but it is much smaller inside and out.

As a note, I've tried the old D5 (163 bhp) and the new version (185 bhp) and both goes like rockets!

Good luck!

 

[Blobcat]

The Volvo is still bigger inside at 307 total and MB 288.

If you ordered a V70, you would get a V70 and not an S70, so the fleet manager got it right.

Malcolm

He did order 'V' however he thought that 'V' meant saloon. He wanted 8 Saloons for traffic.

 

[sixfootblonde]

OK decided on a MB. Why? Because I pi***d off with Volvo! I have had 2 cars with ETM failiure in as many weeks. Coupled with a recall on one, which I did not turn up for twice, never once did they tell me that my car might catch fire if I did not do the recall! Now maybe I am just being blonde - a recall is for something serious I must presume, but if they had said that to me I would have been in like a shot!

So, which MB? I am looking around T reg, 7 seater - E class, diesel. So I know the E300 is diesel - are there any others? What should I look for? Any know problems? Thanks in advance.

6'

 

[jberks]

Just read the corrosion threads and go prepared.

 

[Bolide]

T reg diesels

The 300 diesel / 300 turbodiesel was the only diesel engine in the original W210 E Class launched in about 1996. Later on the E320 CDi arrived with a new 6-cylinder CDi diesel engine and that kicked off the current era of high-performance diesel cars. I think the 320 CDi arrived around the time of the facelift in 1999. Post-facelift cars (which would be preferable to earlier ones) can be identified by indicators in the wing mirrors. They all had aircon & 5-speed autos (don't buy a manual) and later cars had tiptronic gearboxes

Given the choice I'd get an E320 CDi Avantgarde without a towbar and with full Mercedes service history and a leather interior

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Blobcat]

The 300 diesel / 300 turbodiesel was the only diesel engine in the original W210 E Class launched in about 1996. Later on the E320 CDi arrived with a new 6-cylinder CDi diesel engine and that kicked off the current era of high-performance diesel cars. I think the 320 CDi arrived around the time of the facelift in 1999. Post-facelift cars (which would be preferable to earlier ones) can be identified by indicators in the wing mirrors. They all had aircon & 5-speed autos (don't buy a manual) and later cars had tiptronic gearboxes

Given the choice I'd get an E320 CDi Avantgarde without a towbar and with full Mercedes service history and a leather interior

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Earliest E320cdi's are on a 'V' plate and are the facelift model. I cannot recommend this engine highly enough. I absolutely love driving it. The E320cdi was only available as an auto and from yr 2000 on, only in Elegance or Avantgarde trim. In '99 you could get them in basic classic trim as well.
The original E300 with the turbo was a good engine but don't test drive an E320cdi if you want to buy an E300td.
E220Cdi also came along in 2000, underpowered compared to the E320 but you can get into the 40's average fuel comsumption from this engine. As opposed to high 30's from E320cdi.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned on here is that the Volvo is front wheel drive and the MB's rear. A different driving experience entirely.

 

[230K]

The 300 diesel / 300 turbodiesel was the only diesel engine in the original W210 E Class launched in about 1996. Later on the E320 CDi arrived with a new 6-cylinder CDi diesel engine and that kicked off the current era of high-performance diesel cars. I think the 320 CDi arrived around the time of the facelift in 1999. Post-facelift cars (which would be preferable to earlier ones) can be identified by indicators in the wing mirrors. They all had aircon & 5-speed autos (don't buy a manual) and later cars had tiptronic gearboxes

Given the choice I'd get an E320 CDi Avantgarde without a towbar and with full Mercedes service history and a leather interior

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

I thought there was a 250 Diesel in the early 210's dont think i have ever seen an estate though, come to think of it dont think i have ever seen a non turbo estate diesel.

230K

 

[television]

Yes the 210 010 was a 250 deisel, only in the form of a saloon.



Malcolm

 

[sixfootblonde]

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies. What is this 210 010 stuff? Also, are the facelift ones just as prone to rust as the older ones? The rust thing is terrible! Do all of them rust?

 

[television]

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies. What is this 210 010 stuff? Also, are the facelift ones just as prone to rust as the older ones? The rust thing is terrible! Do all of them rust?

Sorry, sometimes threads go a little off beat, ignore it all and enjoy your new MB We were talking about an old obsolete car. (no offence to any 210 owners)

Malcolm