Went for a play in a new S Class last night.
What a car ! How much do I want one !?! Every extra you can think of, loads of a power (even though previously HJ thought the engine was only adequate in his reports, I guess they must have improved the engine as well) and a seriously big car - probably got more space inside than the landcruiser. And really pleasant to drive - the suspension is a lot softer than the E Class and therefore, I think, better.
I was happy with the E Class until I tried the S, now I\'m in a major sulk.
Now, if I can just get it for the weekend rather than one evening.......
|
Mark,
Boss has just got one - like everything except the engine noise.
I'm interested in your comment on the E class though. Everyone seems to think it's great. I didn't like the last one which I felt was cheaply finished what's your impression of the new one - is the ride too hard?
|
If you mean that the engine noise was a little louder/rougher than you would expect from a Merc, then I would agree.
I think the E Class is great. Especially in black (I know, I know). It really has the look of an Exec car and is much more impressive to look at than the 5 Series. Best looking E-Class ever IMO.
The suspension is hard, especially noticeable on the country roads I live on, but not so hard that its bothersome.
Its very well equipped, the instruments and switches are all easy to use and too hand.
I don't like the engine in the 200 my colleague has, it seems a bit rough, but the 240 petrol is nice, even if it doesn't look that powerful on paper.
Driving position is great and pretty well infinitely variable, lovely motorway car and bigger than it seems, although like the 5 series space is a little limited in the back, which in the S Class it is not.
Sat Nav is good, perhaps not as good as the after-market one I put in the Landcruiser, but still well worth having although #$%^ expensive.
I think the ride would bother you if you were just on country roads and/or a little frail, but for me (30% country 70% Mway) its fine.
Cheaper if you buy the base and have just the things you want added rather than buying the Avantgarde or Elegance where you pay a lot of money for a whole bunch of things that maybe you don't want. Although that obviously depends on what extras you really want and if you mind what the badge says.
|
One the subject of Merc engine noise, I thought the same about a colleague's new C320 Estate.
For a powerful V6, it sounds, well, boring, and a missed opportunity. No quiet cultured cruising, that becomes a fantastic, muted, growl when some beans are required, that then becomes a wonderful howl towards the rev limiter, like my old Vectra GSi.
It just makes a flat mechanical noise at any speed and any load. The engine could be anything.
If Mercedes can do it with their '55' V8s, surely they can do it with their V6s too!
|
Merc are now doing a sports upgrade kit on the C-Class which includes a sportier sounding exhaust. The simple way to make it sound a bit fierce is to simply remove the top half of the air intake box and you get a wicked induction growl. I found this out by accident on a hire E-240 which sounded fantastic until I opened the bonnet and noticed the air intake cover hanging off. I replaced it and it sounded boring.
By the way I happen to love my W211 E-Class E320 CDI and it is extremely quick too.
|
|
|
|
I missed one of your points;
No, I don't even find it slightly cheaply put together. Very good quality as far as I can tell.
|
Sorry if it wasn't clear. It was the E class model before this latest one that I thought was cheaply made on the inside (for a Merc).
Beware of black - it is fast becoming the new silver. We've recently added to the co fleet an S class, M3 conv, BMW 318, Merc coupe, X-type, Golf 4 Motion - all black!
Is this a trend elsewhere?
|
|
|
|
|
What a car ! How much do I want one !?! ... now I'm in a major sulk ...>>
Mark - if you want to find out how major a sulk can really get, try the S600. (See HJ's road-test report to see how good it is). If you do get a ride in it, you will want one so badly that it could inspire you to beg, borrow, or steal the money!
--
eM.Be. # Note: i have added {P} after my name to indicate that my profile can be viewed.
|
|
|
Do we assume that HJ is now paying rather more than a ploughman's lunch for your sterling work Mark ?? :-)
BTW - will the car have to have a picture of HJ on the bonnet ?
|
If he was then I\'d have the S Class and could stop sulking. Sadly, as I am buying another house, I can\'t even afford to change the E.
|
|
Ahhh... Well best of luck with the house purchase - not much in life more stressful than that !
|
tell me about it.
Looking at 500,000,000 millions houses which are unsuitable, then finding the right one, then persuading people that my idea of quick involves 2003; surveryors, solicitors, estate agents, mortgage people, it never ends.
And as for stamp duty, what kind of rip-off way is that for losing 15k !
I've had right enough of the whole process.
|
|
Are you leaving RLBS, M?
|
>Are you leaving RLBS,
Yup. (I hope !) Which is going to give me a username crisis.
"Mark (Bicester)" just doesn't hack it really.
Still, to put a motoring note in and avoid having to delete myself, at least it means my life will be mostly on the M40 now rather than the #$% M1.
If you've seen that contra-flow from J15 - J13 get used to it. They're forecasting 3.5 months !!!
Mind you, those insane new road markings at M40 J9 are a nightmare.
|
|
|
|
|
Crumbs !!!! Just checked the stamp duty rate - nice little scam that one eh !! Having been here since 1986 I hadn't realised the % rate was quite so high :-(
|
|
|
|
|
