Your views for Channel4

[drivenchannel4]

Driven, the Channel 4 car show, is featuring the Mercedes S320 (N reg) as the best luxury second hand car for under £15 000.  We'd love your comments on what makes this car so good for the money, any facts about the car that make it stand out and any trivia which would make our piece even more entertaining.  Please e-mail me at ben.paul@darlowsmithson.com.

 

[R10RGT]

An S320? Has Quentin Willson moved to Ch4?!!

 

[David S]

Did anyone see Driven last-week?

I may be mistaken (I know I am not), but didn't they declare the XJ8 (your Arthur Daily, "Terry" favorite) the best second-hand car?

Did anyone respond to their query?

David S

 

[Anonymous]

For my money, the older S class is rather too boxy, heavy and dated.  For £15K, I'd look for a newer E-class, as they look a lot better and offer comparable amount of space and comfort (with leather).   But that's just my opinion.

I saw last weeks show.  In it they pitched the latest S class against the new 7 series Beemer - declaring the 7 the winner!  Considering part of the test was to throw the cars (ESP/Traction switched off) around an airstrip in a mock getaway scenario, I don't think the program truly grasped what the S class is all about.   If Driven wish their evaluations to be taken seriously, they might consider toning down their boy racer - let's thrash it - approach!   Then again that might become a tad boring.

 

[David S]

I know what you mean. To make matters worse they used a Lexus 3000GS (or something like that) as a pursuit vehicle. I mean S500 Mercedes Vs. 3000GS Lexus, which one would you expect to get away in.

BMW 7 Series Vs. Mercedes S500, I know which I would take any day no matter what cost.

 

[Anonymous]

Last nights Driven program was more of the same.     Come on C4, I'm pretty sure the general public can work out that a 2.5ton(?) Bentley isn't going to out-handle a Lotus Elise.  Outright acceleration and top end yes, but braking and cornering....wake up!

Seriously though, I do enjoy watching the Driven program...for the "odd" feature. However, I must confess, I find myself flicking back to BBC2 to see the range of machines on offer to a lucky punter in search of a new motor.  What makes it interesting (for me) is hearing the punter's assessment of those vehicles.  

Perhaps, R10RGTs suggestion of Mr Wilson joining the Driven program might not be such a bad idea - particularly when it comes to assessing the more expensive (or second hand) motors, such as the above mentioned S class.

**Come to think of it, given Mr Wilson's passion/knowledge of the Mercedes marque, have the MBOA considered asking him to perhaps participate in this forum, or, to write an article or two for the club mag ???   Reality Check....me thinks money may become an issue here, but it's worth a try.... no ?

Apologies to all for another rambling post, but this is what happens when I find I have ten minutes or so of spare time.  Now....where's my pipe and slippers ?

 

[Matt Crooke]

There qas a showing of one of Jeremy Clarksons programs the other week on Cable, One of his boys toys races was to Pitch a V8 vanden plas Rover SD1 against a Nova SRI.....??? madness, but can you believe the rover won...on a wet slippery winding airstrip!!

 

[Shude]

I thought it was a slightly unfair test (745i vs s500), esp the part where they asked a bunch of students which car they would rather have.  If the average S class / 745i owner's age was 20 or something then it would have been fair.  None of them could have afforded a 745i or an s500, and if they had the money to spend on a car they would prolly have bought something entirely different.  Personally I'd have the s500 :biggrin: , the 745i is one impressively ugly car and I don't like the bmw image.

The race was kinda silly too, as the s500 isn't designed for that kind of punishment, that's what the s55 ///AMG is for :biggrin: .