Thoughts on C270cdi Estate

[v8disco]

Hello All.

I'm new to this forum as I am just thinking of getting a Merc, and hopefully there will be a few kindly souls who can offer some advice.

I have a 2001 Peugeot 406 110 Hdi estate that has served me well but its now time to change, and I have the offer of a 53reg C270cdi Classic SE Estate manual at a good price.

Now I had been looking out of an E220 or 320CDi as I need a large diesel estate, and to be honest I had dismissed the C class as being too small, but looking at pictures it seems to actually be a reasonable size.

I do about 25-30K miles a year and use the car as a company car. I need to sometimes do very long trips, 700+ miles in a day and I would like to be able to do this on one tank, which I can do in the Peugeot.

Anyone got any thoughts on the C270 estate, range, MPG, boot size, comfort etc?

Thanks


Martin

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome,

The C270CDI you have been offered will be at a good price because it is a manual. Before you buy it take it for a test drive and see if you can get on with the parking brake and manual gearbox. I would try and find an auto as the Mercedes ones are so good.
The engine is good, whilst it is not as smooth as the E320cdi it is better than the C220cdi. Fuel economy should be better than 36mpg and even up into the low 40's, pls ignore the trip computer as it is rather optomistic.
If the car has the optional 80ltr tank you should get 700 miles from a tank with the standard 65ltr tank I could get 600 miles however have never gone much over 540.
A Mercedes is a very different beast to a Pugeot 406, it probably weighs nearly twice as much to start with. However once you get used to them they are a great place to be for long drives. I did 1,005 miles in one day in mine and arrived feeling great.
I would recommend you try a few and see what you think.

 

[Jensen]

I echo above, with a merc its got to be automatic - forget manual. Autos are sought after.

 

[Rory]

Funnily enough I came from a Peugeot 406 estate into a C270 estate just over a year ago.

The fuel tanks in the C is only 63L (about 55 of which seem to be usable). If I drive at low 70’s but *very* gently I can get 50MPG on the trip computer. Local use high 30’s is more like it. So you’re probably not going to want to risk 700 miles on a tank.
The 270CDi (which was only ever EU3 compliant) is one of the most economical. EU4 regulations really hit the economy of the 220CDi.

There are some manual’s around, but to me it’s unthinkable. And Merc’s don’t seem to suffer economy wise as other makes do when they’re auto.

The car is a very different drive to the Peugeot. Mine was a company car, with a 2L petrol HPI (high performance injection) engine. It was pretty quick and I used to get hold of it and ‘drive’ it. I’m not sure what it is about the Merc, whether it’s the fact that it’s RWD, or that I own it so I’m more nervous about the way I drive it, but I don’t feel totally happy in it. It’s more like I’m piloting it, rather than driving it. That said, I often do 400 mile round trips in a day, and it’s a nice environment to be in.

Interesting you’re looking at the E class. I wanted nearly new and an E was too expensive, but I sometimes wish I’d gone for it. The C Estate can be a bit crashy/rattly like any estate car and I sometimes think it’s not really what I expected a Merc to be like.

You mentioned E220 or E320. Why not E270? I was originally all set to get a C220 and the C270 came up – I’m really glad I’ve got the extra cc – it makes the car almost effortless to drive, which is just as Merc should be, and there’s no fuel consumption, servicing or insurance downside.

 

[Blobcat]

The car is a very different drive to the Peugeot. Mine was a company car, with a 2L petrol HPI (high performance injection) engine. It was pretty quick and I used to get hold of it and ‘drive’ it. I’m not sure what it is about the Merc, whether it’s the fact that it’s RWD, or that I own it so I’m more nervous about the way I drive it, but I don’t feel totally happy in it. It’s more like I’m piloting it, rather than driving it. That said, I often do 400 mile round trips in a day, and it’s a nice environment to be in.

That is a very important point. I too came to Mercedes from a front wheel drive company estate car. I used drive that very hard (between 6,000 & 8,000 for tyres) The Mercedes is a very different driving experience, IMHO a much more refined and grown up one. You can press on and they will cover ground very well indeed you do need to get used to them though and have confidence in the car. Find an open (off public road) area and switch off the ESP then practice going around bends. The grip is very good and when the rear does step out it is controllable. It is a confidence thing.

 

[dava]

http://www.mercedes-benzofcarlisle....=1&yearto=2100&mileageto=999999&transmission=

In case this link dont work it's MB of carlise, I'm looking for a c class est and this is the only one I've found with the 270 cdi in it. Pretty well equipt as well but not sure if it's in your price range.
Ray

 

[Rory]

Find an open (off public road) area and switch off the ESP then practice going around bends.

What, and wear the tyres out!

The grip is very good and when the rear does step out it is controllable. It is a confidence thing.

I've driven at high speed on tracks etc - the problem is that the real world is very different. Power sliding a Lotus 7 (it wasn't actually one of them, but looked the same) around a circuit on a corporate fun day is very different to driving on the road.
I've had four big incidents in rear wheel drive cars and was lucky that I only hit something in two of them. I hope that ESP would have prevented some of these. There often just isn't the space, or the roads heading in a different direct than you are, to sort it out.

 

[Blobcat]

http://www.mercedes-benzofcarlisle.co.uk/usedsearch.php?make=26&franchise=26&dealer=6712&searchtype=matrix&bodystyle2=5&model2=2997&bodystyle2=5&model2=201&bodystyle2=5&model2=970&bodystyle2=5&model2=202&bodystyle2=5&model2=973&bodystyle2=5&model2=971&bodystyle2=5&model2=972&bodystyle2=5&model2=204&bodystyle2=5&model2=205&bodystyle2=5&model2=206&bodystyle2=5&model2=493&bodystyle2=5&model2=735&bodystyle2=5&model2=208&bodystyle2=5&model2=766&bodystyle2=5&model2=696&bodystyle2=5&model2=2998&bodystyle2=5&model2=2999&bodystyle2=5&model2=583&engine=0&pricefrom=0&priceto=9999999&yearfrom=1&yearto=2100&mileageto=999999&transmission=

In case this link dont work it's MB of carlise, I'm looking for a c class est and this is the only one I've found with the 270 cdi in it. Pretty well equipt as well but not sure if it's in your price range.
Ray

Patons of Carlisle, I know them well. Good dealer though expensive.
Here are a few more;
http://www.mercedes-benzhullandlincolnshire.co.uk/usedsearch.php?make=26&franchise=26&dgroup=216&searchtype=matrix&bodystyle2=5&model2=2997&bodystyle2=5&model2=201&bodystyle2=5&model2=970&bodystyle2=5&model2=202&bodystyle2=5&model2=973&bodystyle2=5&model2=971&bodystyle2=5&model2=972&bodystyle2=5&model2=204&bodystyle2=5&model2=205&bodystyle2=5&model2=206&bodystyle2=5&model2=493&bodystyle2=5&model2=735&bodystyle2=5&model2=208&bodystyle2=5&model2=766&bodystyle2=5&model2=696&bodystyle2=5&model2=2998&bodystyle2=5&model2=2999&bodystyle2=5&model2=583&engine=2&pricefrom=0&priceto=9999999&yearfrom=1&yearto=2100&mileageto=999999&transmission=

If you do a used car search on the attached there 12 at MB dealers at the moment. http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/passenger_cars.html

 

[Blobcat]

What, and wear the tyres out!

Yes, do it as you are about to change them then you won't have lost anything.

I've driven at high speed on tracks etc - the problem is that the real world is very different. Power sliding a Lotus 7 (it wasn't actually one of them, but looked the same) around a circuit on a corporate fun day is very different to driving on the road.
I've had four big incidents in rear wheel drive cars and was lucky that I only hit something in two of them. I hope that ESP would have prevented some of these. There often just isn't the space, or the roads heading in a different direct than you are, to sort it out.

I am a firm believer in that if you know how you and your car reacts on the limit them you know how to stay on the right side of it (the limit). With the electronic systems you can get away with some really stupid things like lifting off or braking halfway around a bend which in a lot of cars would have you straight off the road. No amount of electronics will change the laws of physics though .

 

[Simon Barry]

ESP on my 250 TD estate saved me from an accident. I was on throttle
negotiating a roundabout in the wet when I hit a spilt patch of diesel.
Resultant correction had me out of trouble as i blinked.

I too like to know the limits of my car.

Simon Barry

 

[K3LVC]

C270 Manual vs Auto

As someone who's had both if you can live with the manual it makes a whole load of financial sense - esp as a long term proposition. I live on a 1 in 5 hill and other than a bit of pedal dancing had no real probs with the footbrake - it's just a knack.

I originally bought an ex-demo Avantgarde manual for c.£4k less than the cheapest equivalent auto and averaged 43mpg over 20k miles occasionally getting over 500 miles on a tank. The loss comes when you try and sell the thing if it's still only a few years old. I eventually got good trade in for mine but it then went in auction for £11.4k (2.5yrs old + 50k miles).

Moved to an auto and it's an altogether different beast. So much easier on the M25 car park and good fun playing the 'box but a clear 7mpg average loss. Far easier when I came to sell it - got 10% over book as a straight resale to an MB dealer rather than 'Sorry sir, don't think we can move that'.

In general it's horses for courses - if it's long term ownership you're looking for and you've come from a manual then a C270 manual takes some beating, just make sure you don't overpay to start with.

 

[v8disco]

Thanks for comments all.

I actually had a look around a C180 estate at the weekend and found it to be just too small for my needs. So its back to plan A, which is to find an E220 or E320 cdi estate around 10-12K. I'll wait a few weeks until the new reg trade ins start to appear and then look around for something decent.

Martin

 

[OlafMaxwell]

Well, what can I say to this one. The E class estate is cavernous, the 320cdi straight six has as much power as you need. However, don't expect the same reliability as the Peugeot or the same dealer service. Either the 270 or 320 will do a long range trip without stopping, 500 - 600 miles no problem and plenty of power. Even the 320 is good [automatic only, not available in manual], motorway driving will give you 35-38 comfortably, keeping to 70 will get you very near 40 without being mean.

However, an interesting comment. When I got the 320 I kept a trusty Peugeot 405 GTX TD [it was actually a 405 Executive but came with GTX badges] and have been driving it for the past few weeks while the Merc gets new doors due an artic wanting its lane. Comments from passengers were all to the effect how much more comfortable it is than the Merc. When I got the Merc initially I had just driven a 600 mile straight run in the 405. A week later I did a similar run in the Merc. The comments back then were the Peugeot was more comfortable. I still feel that and its something to keep in mind if you do a lot of driving. It is not a case of eithe car being worn, they are both maintained up to date, bushes, links etc all in perfect order. The Merc has the standard suspension [ordered that way new], the Avantgarde normally comes with sport suspension which is hard on bad roads. Also, avoid larger size alloys, the standard is 16", bigger will be uncomfortable on anything other than motorways. The Merc is tank, unburstable, but don't underestimate the comfort of the Peugeot, especially that silky smooth 2.7 litre V6 diesel. Overall I would say the Peugeot has softer springing but they do handle well and in my case the 405 goes where the Merc wont go.

 

[Rory]

When I got the 320 I kept a trusty Peugeot 405 GTX TD [it was actually a 405 Executive but came with GTX badges]

I had a 405GTX TD (I don't remember a 405 Exec?) and was so impressed (never having even considered Peugeot before) that I bought my wife a 106.
I then had several 406 Exec's and I well remember reading a road test where it was suggested that it was comparably comfortable to an XJ6.