UKC

As above, about £10k, which estate to get? Something quite quick, all the toys, relatively economical... Circa 2009 with 60k miles... which would you choose?

In reply to maybe_si:

330d or 335d rapid and you'll get decent mpg they are dirty diesels though

In reply to maybe_si:
What is reliability like for Mercedes of that model, have Mercs regained ground and become more reliable again?

They went through a quite a prolonged dodgy phase after going high volume IIRC.

In reply to maybe_si:

If you want distance comfort buy the merc. If you enjoy driving fast and chucking the car around, well, neither are great but the BMW is noticeably a better drive.

I had a somewhat very tuned 335i e91 and test drove a few similar era C's.

If going back I would get a 330i and remap it.

In reply to maybe_si:

The 330i is great fun and refined.

In reply to neuromancer:

Sorry this should have read 330d and remap it.

The 330i is literally just a slower 335i - you don't gain in mpg at all and it's so rare to find a manual estate it's almost not worth it. The 335i will do 33-35mpg on a run.

In reply to maybe_si:

I had a Merc of a similar vintage and had loads of issues. BMW will be a much better drive and better power. I have a 2014 530D Estate which is perfectly quick enough and will get to 60 in less than 6 seconds and whilst the 2009 model is less power it is also a smaller car. I dont drive like a loon and get 42mpg on average over 30k mile since new and will get 50-60mpg on a long 70mph drive.

In reply to maybe_si:

I have a 3 series estate and a history of BMW ownership. For driving enjoyment it's a no brainer but the Merc probably rides more comfortably, if wallowy. Are we talking diesel or petrol? The BMW engines of either type are superior, and, in the case of the 6 cylinder 330d/335d/335i far superior. However we are talking Euro 5 emissions for the diesels of either manufacturer and I'd be buying a petrol 335i with that budget as its kinder to the planet, and offers a superb (for its era) blend of economy and power.

In reply to maybe_si:

We had a Merc from 1999-2003; even then (from new) it had big reliability issues. Talked to others I know who have direct experience of ongoing tech concerns. In contrast, one of my lads now has a BMW and it has been great. Anecdotal I know, but it tells me all I need to know were I to be in that particular market again

In reply to maybe_si:
In the 2000's, my brother used to work for a large, limo hire company which had dozens of Mercs, almost exclusively S-class. He said with regular maintenance, they were all bombproof and would have no hesitation in buying a used Merc. (with FSH of course).

I'm thinking about switching to an E-class estate next time round. I've toyed with the idea of a C-class but they feel a bit small and I like to be comfortable during longer drives.

Edit: should have added that he was responsible for arranging all servicing etc and that it was surprisingly affordable when they used their non-dealer specialist to do the work. Most of their cars did 300-400k miles and looked brand new, even the older ones with private plates.

In reply to maybe_si:
Our C250 bluetec diesel (late 2014) is faster (and easier to drive) than our 2.0 Z4. Very quick, especially in Sport + which changes suspension, oomph and gear changes. Benign cruiser until you flip the hooligan switch at which point it becomes a bit of a beast. No idea about spec changes between 2009 and 2014.


PS. It does 54 mpg on the motorway.

In reply to maybe_si:

I'd also factor in the cost of spares, merc are eye wateringly expensive. I had a 330d saloon for a while, good performance and surprisingly good mpg on a run. Not so dirty with the dpf. My exhault tips were as clean as a petrol cars.

In reply to nniff:


Can I politely offer the observation that you need to widen your compass of driving experiences if you think a 2litre Merc diesel is "a bit of a beast".

Competent exec car your 250d is for sure, and offering plenty of other reasons to enjoy and own, but this is a real beast:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/mercedes-benz/mercedes-amg-c63-s-e...

If you could fit a towbar (bike, not caravan!!) I'd be in like Flynn.

In reply to maybe_si:

You could follow the trends and get a 2 year old Octavia estate with 20000 on the clock for not much more than your £10k. Add a few hundred and the VRS is well within reach. 2.0 tdi non-vrs is pushing 70mpg which seems pretty economical to me. Fast enough for this country too.

In reply to maybe_si:

Octavia. 1.9tdi. Estate.

In reply to BnB:

You may offer whatever observation you like, dear heart.

In reply to BnB:

Wow, serious cruisin' no g.