st4
Banned
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2008
- Messages
- 8,624
- Reaction score
- 13
- Location
- Sunny Scotland
- Your Mercedes
- Disqualified driver
- Banned
- #1
So, yesterday was the day I dropped off the shed and collected the skip.
Jay was a pleasure to do business with, easy transaction and as agreed fitted park assist and the window tints. He's got some cracking stock in there, if members are keen on a new motor, he's got stacks of nice stuff.
The car was presented and prepared properly (i.e no cheap overspray), clean as if it were new inside and no nasty chemicals used to valet the car.
From Nuneaton, I drove over to Nottinham to see corned for the day, as Tim Kemp and Dieselman joined us for dinner at the Lyme Tandoori.
Here is my car
DSC_0343 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
DSC_0348 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Lovely non leather seats
DSC_0350 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Keith kindly directed a small tour into Derbyshire, and seemed to like the car. There was a lose clip in the fuse box, but he managed to unearth that, put together, and charged up my iPhone as my car charger for its duff....
This is a car that will be used for touring
DSC_0351 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
DSC_0351 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Best start it off on that.
I forgot the name of this place, but it was a tower on a hill
DSC_0353 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
All I will say is its just of these cars you look back at, grin, take a picture of it when you leave it. Its ace.
DSC_0355 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Again, lack of name memory but we happened accross time warp borough.
DSC_0356 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
People in period dress, period music, and a period engine, a supercharged V12. I drive a peashooter in comparison, but I need not defend the realm in it.
Its good to see people commemorating their heritage and the yesteryear of the country, its made Britain what it is today IMHO.
DSC_0358 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Old transport vs new
DSC_0360 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
I'll take the merc.
Right, so I have driven it a fair bit, so whats it like
Ride and handling
I always thought even in sport set up before I lowered my 211 it was still a tad soft. This ain't soft, this is a genuine sporting set up. I like it, but its really not for everyone. I've got 17s and its still supple, but on 18s it would be too much for me.
Steering, top drawer, nice feedback and thin rim.
Body control, its as good as that E90 3er I drove in January. Its grippy, fun and agile. Its a fun perky and lively car.
Straightline stability is particularly noteworthy, it needs less correction etc on a motorway, tracks true and straight.
Interior
The 204 pre facelift gets a lot of critism for dour plastics. Its not quite as nice as my old 211 cabin material wise, or as nice as my old mans S class, but some prespective is needed here, its still nice.
The buttons, stalks are well laid out, well damped, the dials are paricularly classy and easy to read.
Driving position: a biggie for me with a back problem. Its not offset like the 211 and the seat goes low, supports all my legs to near the knee, wheel reaches out and legs can be nice and stretched out. Its good.
Seats: big enough for me, and nicer material, no sliding about in the seats even when chucking the car about. Top drawer.
Stereo: nice and bassy and easy to use, Mercedes do really have this cabin aergonomics thing licked.
Rattles: none.
Door mirrors with a mention, nice and big, make driving on the motorway a doddle.
Drive train
5g IMHO is better than 7g. No flaring shifts and it responds quicker to kickdown and paddleshift use. Only area 7g is better is high speeds where the taller gear and longer final drives make the car quieter and more economical....
But there is a flip side. For a 2.2 diesel auto this thing really shifts. The gearing is not that tall, and put it this way, even in 5th gear on the motorway, this car makes its own gaps if you know what I mean and can accelerate into other ones.
Engine is free reving for a diesel and a willing performer, it isn't as fast as my E320cdi, but its still a nippy thing and it took me by surprise how punchy it was.
Jay changed the ATF etc but I suspect with only 33k on her, she needs more time to bed in.
Economy is ok but not spectacular. That said, its quite a high average speed, wait until its on a tour, it will do better.
DSC_0361 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
So you can tell I like the car. Its wonderful. A big thanks to Keith for having us over and organising the meal, and to John and his wife Liz for having me round for the drive down.
Jay was a pleasure to do business with, easy transaction and as agreed fitted park assist and the window tints. He's got some cracking stock in there, if members are keen on a new motor, he's got stacks of nice stuff.
The car was presented and prepared properly (i.e no cheap overspray), clean as if it were new inside and no nasty chemicals used to valet the car.
From Nuneaton, I drove over to Nottinham to see corned for the day, as Tim Kemp and Dieselman joined us for dinner at the Lyme Tandoori.
Here is my car
DSC_0343 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
DSC_0348 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Lovely non leather seats
DSC_0350 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Keith kindly directed a small tour into Derbyshire, and seemed to like the car. There was a lose clip in the fuse box, but he managed to unearth that, put together, and charged up my iPhone as my car charger for its duff....
This is a car that will be used for touring
DSC_0351 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
DSC_0351 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Best start it off on that.
I forgot the name of this place, but it was a tower on a hill
DSC_0353 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
All I will say is its just of these cars you look back at, grin, take a picture of it when you leave it. Its ace.
DSC_0355 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Again, lack of name memory but we happened accross time warp borough.
DSC_0356 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
People in period dress, period music, and a period engine, a supercharged V12. I drive a peashooter in comparison, but I need not defend the realm in it.
Its good to see people commemorating their heritage and the yesteryear of the country, its made Britain what it is today IMHO.
DSC_0358 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
Old transport vs new
DSC_0360 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
I'll take the merc.
Right, so I have driven it a fair bit, so whats it like
Ride and handling
I always thought even in sport set up before I lowered my 211 it was still a tad soft. This ain't soft, this is a genuine sporting set up. I like it, but its really not for everyone. I've got 17s and its still supple, but on 18s it would be too much for me.
Steering, top drawer, nice feedback and thin rim.
Body control, its as good as that E90 3er I drove in January. Its grippy, fun and agile. Its a fun perky and lively car.
Straightline stability is particularly noteworthy, it needs less correction etc on a motorway, tracks true and straight.
Interior
The 204 pre facelift gets a lot of critism for dour plastics. Its not quite as nice as my old 211 cabin material wise, or as nice as my old mans S class, but some prespective is needed here, its still nice.
The buttons, stalks are well laid out, well damped, the dials are paricularly classy and easy to read.
Driving position: a biggie for me with a back problem. Its not offset like the 211 and the seat goes low, supports all my legs to near the knee, wheel reaches out and legs can be nice and stretched out. Its good.
Seats: big enough for me, and nicer material, no sliding about in the seats even when chucking the car about. Top drawer.
Stereo: nice and bassy and easy to use, Mercedes do really have this cabin aergonomics thing licked.
Rattles: none.
Door mirrors with a mention, nice and big, make driving on the motorway a doddle.
Drive train
5g IMHO is better than 7g. No flaring shifts and it responds quicker to kickdown and paddleshift use. Only area 7g is better is high speeds where the taller gear and longer final drives make the car quieter and more economical....
But there is a flip side. For a 2.2 diesel auto this thing really shifts. The gearing is not that tall, and put it this way, even in 5th gear on the motorway, this car makes its own gaps if you know what I mean and can accelerate into other ones.
Engine is free reving for a diesel and a willing performer, it isn't as fast as my E320cdi, but its still a nippy thing and it took me by surprise how punchy it was.
Jay changed the ATF etc but I suspect with only 33k on her, she needs more time to bed in.
Economy is ok but not spectacular. That said, its quite a high average speed, wait until its on a tour, it will do better.
DSC_0361 by stephentaylor4@hotmail.com, on Flickr
So you can tell I like the car. Its wonderful. A big thanks to Keith for having us over and organising the meal, and to John and his wife Liz for having me round for the drive down.