The price of "cool"

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 19 Nov 2004 18:14
The price of "cool" - No Do$h
Oh dear :o(

Took an ML270CDi Auto out for a brief spin this afternoon. Admittedly, not long enough to get a full impression, but enough to have me wondering why they are so popular with the wives who lunch and the schoolrun set. Compared to the L200 recently acquired for Mrs ND this thing was cumbersome and pedestrian. Whilst loaded with every toy on the planet, the dash and controls seemed to be some kind of afterthought. Not at all what I expected.

On the plus side the chap in the dealership was helpful, courteous and was happy to allow the testdrive at a couple of minute's notice. Quite the opposite of the reactions many have commented on when visiting Merc dealers.

So 10/10 to the salesman, and a dubious 6/10 for the ML270.

Off to pester the local VAG dealer at the weekend for a play in the Touareg......
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Fri 19 Nov 2004 18:20
The price of "cool" - frostbite
If some of the forecasters are correct, you can also assess its snow and ice handling characteristics.

Really cool...
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Fri 19 Nov 2004 18:48
The price of "cool" - SjB {P}
We have a friend who is a First Officer with one of the UK long haul airlines, and who chooses for pecunary reasons to live in the south of France. Last year, he and the missus purchased a ML270CDi (indeed for the school run!) in France, and a new Zafira 1.8 for the pad in the Home Counties that gets used for whatever the maximum number of days each year keeps Gordon's hands off his cash.

Staying away from the morals of tax avoidance, over dinner a few months ago he explained to me why he wishes the Zafira was LHD and in France, and why they wished they'd never purchased the Merc. Nothing but trouble, expensive to run, a complete rattly buzz box, appalling attention to detail, and too many rough and unfinished edges. He really disliked The Thing with quite some passion!
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Fri 19 Nov 2004 19:33
The price of "cool" - THe Growler
It's OK SjB: tax "avoidance" is perfectly legal and despite what many think, the UK has an extremely lenient approach in the circumstances you mention compared with shall we say the US or Australia. It's tax "evasion" that gets the beanies in suits slightly irritated. Taxation is only legalised theft by governments anyway....

Zafira is here where I live as a Chevrolet I do believe.
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