New 7 seater E class recommendations

[richardgill]

I would be grateful for recommendations for a new E class estate with 7 seats - currently have a W210 but would like to upgrade having suffered all the normal problems but still been a great vehicle crunching the motorway miles fully laden with ease.

Interested in a 320CDI but what year? Will 2004 or later be safest or do I need to go for newer? Alternatively a 280CDI has been highly recommended by a friend.

I do not want to go for a people carrier as the 7 seats are only occasional use and I prefer a 'car'.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I would be grateful for recommendations for a new E class estate with 7 seats - I do not want to go for a people carrier as the 7 seats are only occasional use and I prefer a 'car'.

You are very wise to avoid a people carrier with 7 seats. I believe they are inherently unsafe. There have been several cases in the press in the last 12 months where whole families have been written off in these vehicles - and the people who crashed into them are now serving jail sentences! Perhaps it should be the designers and manufacturers who should be taken to task.

A 7 seat E Class is quite a different story, from the point of view of safety, performance, comfort, economy, durability and versatility.

If you value the contents, there is not really a choice.

 

[st4]

You are very wise to avoid a people carrier with 7 seats. I believe they are inherently unsafe. There have been several cases in the press in the last 12 months where whole families have been written off in these vehicles - and the people who crashed into them are now serving jail sentences! Perhaps it should be the designers and manufacturers who should be taken to task.

A 7 seat E Class is quite a different story, from the point of view of safety, performance, comfort, economy, durability and versatility.

If you value the contents, there is not really a choice.

E class estate better for safety, much less likely to roll over than MPV (or 4x4).

Front on a 211 is good, nice large bonnet and crumple zones to absorb impact of a front on collision. An MPV doesn't have this and the occupants in the front are the crumple zone.

Rear collisions, those in the 3rd row will probably not really be safe in either MPV, SUV or E class estate, they are too close to the rear for the car to effectively deform taking energy out of the collision so will suffer just as bad.

Still, an E class is a great car and for load lugging its excellent but be aware those in the far back won't be as safe as those in front 2 rows.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Rear collisions, those in the 3rd row will probably not really be safe in either MPV, SUV or E class estate, they are too close to the rear for the car to effectively deform taking energy out of the collision so will suffer just as bad

This was an anxiety that I had too and we pursued it at some length in a previous thread.

Malcolm produced evidence that Volvo, who have used rear facing seats of this sort for many years, have no knowledge of anyone coming to harm in this way. There is also no evidence from the USA of any litigation for injuries sustained in this situation.

 

[st4]

Malcolm produced evidence that Volvo, who have used rear facing seats of this sort for many years, have no knowledge of anyone coming to harm in this way. There is also no evidence from the USA of any litigation for injuries sustained in this situation.

I suppose it places the vital part of the occupants (head and upperbody) further into the car if the seats are rear facing. Its just the legs that get the brunt of it in a highspeed rear impact.

As a small lad I've been in both rear facing seats in the 3rd row of 124's and Volvo's. It was cool seeing out the back

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

Could try a late W163 ML 7 seater. get a great buy just now away from MB dealerships with plenty of kit with the nice sounding five cylinder 270 cdi engine. lovely motorway cruiser with 35-38mpg at 70mph, other road users clear a path for you, plenty of room and wont come off second best no matter where you are hit unless its a forty tonner!!!!

 

[st4]

Could try a late W163 ML 7 seater. get a great buy just now away from MB dealerships with plenty of kit with the nice sounding five cylinder 270 cdi engine. lovely motorway cruiser with 35-38mpg at 70mph, other road users clear a path for you, plenty of room and wont come off second best no matter where you are hit unless its a forty tonner!!!!

A nice suggestion but the way GL prices are falling I'd be inclined to hold out a bit longer and go down the GL320cdi 7 seat route.

There is also the MB R Class, are they not 6 seat also.

4x4s are safe in collisions as they're bumper height is higher, but then they are more likely to roll over (44% of SUVs in crash roll over, 10% of cars do) and going on the roof invites lots of trouble.

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

Could try a late W163 ML 7 seater. get a great buy just now away from MB dealerships with plenty of kit with the nice sounding five cylinder 270 cdi engine. lovely motorway cruiser with 35-38mpg at 70mph, other road users clear a path for you, plenty of room and wont come off second best no matter where you are hit unless its a forty tonner!!!!

Could be a long wait for the GL to come down to the prices of e-classes he is looking at.

 

[st4]

Could be a very long wait for the GL to come down to the prices of e-classes he is looking at.

He mentioned an E280cdi. They still not that cheap. R350 petrols can be had for under 20k. R280cdi's with a bit of miles (50k) can be had cheap too

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

He mentioned an E280cdi. They still not that cheap. R350 petrols can be had for under 20k. R280cdi's with a bit of miles (50k) can be had cheap too

He also mentioned 2004.
We are working on a hidden budget here !!!!!

 

[st4]

He also mentioned 2004.
We are working on a hidden budget here !!!!!

2004 cars are good, 2005 onwards, perfect.

You're right though, we have no idea of budget....so I am confused to what metal we can talk the OP into:-?

 

[Carolamaria]

After reading loads of posts and reviews, it sounds like 2006 onwards is safest bet with E class estate. I can't afford that so I am looking for 2004 onwards on Television's advice (off hand now I can't remember which month he said). I would also check whether the Valeo radiator is in the car, whether it has been switched for a different one, or whether the other technical things that one can do to avoid the problem have been done (you can get dates and numbers of offending radiators if you search this forum). I think this may be something you only have to watch out with automatics and perhaps also just with petrol, but check old posts as I am really a newbe. Any further advice for me would be great as I am in the same boat. If I work out the radiator issue, am I ok to get the 2003, or should I stick with 2004 onward still? Are there things other than that radiator I should look out for? Thanks

 

[richardgill]

He also mentioned 2004.
We are working on a hidden budget here !!!!!

Not interested in the R350 or ML. Prefer a traditional estate and had hoped to get something as close to £15k as possible but would go to £18K if necessary.

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

By the way when your talking about what year is the safest to buy you will need to check when it was made. mine was registered October 2006 but built March 2006.
When it was built didnt really bother me as long as it was the facelifted model, low miles, right engine size and spec and i couldnt get anything newer as 18k was stretching my budget to the limit anyway.

 

[HERBIEMERCMAN]

hi richardgill, i have owned a 7 seat. e300 td est. for 11 yrs. took 7 adults to tour france with mercs double roof rack to carry all the lugage. ride cumfort and safety, great, six air bags, people in extreme rear cumfy, averaging 30 mpg. like geramy clarkson once said, it's the best 7 seater on the road, mpv's are upholstered vans, not safe for the people in the back, he also nearly lost a finger trying to remove the 6th and 7 th seats so he could take a lawn mower home. my advice is to look for a vehicle like mine which is immaculate, the care of the owner and history he or she has is more important than the age of the vehicle.good luck. herbiemercman.

 

[Carolamaria]

Hi - How do I check when the car I intend to buy was made (rather than registered?) I seem to have found when it was delivered, registered etc, but not when it was actually made. I'd like to know whether it was built 04 03 onwards. (It was elivered at the end of 05 03, so it would be close. Thanks

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

Hi - How do I check when the car I intend to buy was made (rather than registered?) I seem to have found when it was delivered, registered etc, but not when it was actually made. I'd like to know whether it was built 04 03 onwards. (It was elivered at the end of 05 03, so it would be close. Thanks

Look through all the paperwork and hopefully their will be a folded sheet of paper in a yellow paper folder with the european circle of stars emblem on the front. this comes with your e-class but should be kept away from your car and gives every possible detail about your car (in german) including when it was signed of as completed.

 

[Myros]

Call me a party pooper

but I don't think the 6th and 7th in a 124 or 210 or 211 are homolgated for adults in anything other than an emeregency situation. Not sure I'd want to wedge myself back in there, and I'm average height.
We must be talking munchkins and up into early teens only for average build humans.

 

[hawk20]

Hi - How do I check when the car I intend to buy was made (rather than registered?) I seem to have found when it was delivered, registered etc, but not when it was actually made. I'd like to know whether it was built 04 03 onwards. (It was elivered at the end of 05 03, so it would be close. Thanks

Delivery date is when it came out of the factory.
All cars produced in 2003 were fully galvanised.
The later you can afford the more reliable they get according to most surveys.
The radiator issue is only on cars produced from 2000 to 2003 and only those with the Valeo radiator.