Not driven the E220 CDI (or the E280 for that matter, so disregard this if you like!!), but had an E270CDI Estate as a company car a few years ago. IIRC it had 177bhp, so fairly similar to the current E220 CDI. Performance was perfectly adequate IMO; the car doesn't really encourage 'press-on' driving, so I'd save the £3k.! Check if the E290 CDI comes with an auto as standard though; if so so the difference in price between an E220 CDI auto and E280CDI auto might only be £1500.
I'd think carefully about Classic spec vs the others though; I'm fairly sure that both Elegance (+£2k?) and Avantgarde (+£2.5k?) come with metallic paint as standard, narrowing the price difference considerably. I'd have thought that leather would be expected, as would an auto box. The Avantgarde used to come with part leather as standard, which I personally would think is fine, though other might disagree. Not sure if part leather is available as an option on the classic/elegance though.
Also, when I was looking for mine (in '04), all the dealer spec'ed estates also had the rear facing child child seats fitted, but wouldn't bother myself unless you need them.
I personally would try and get an E280CDi Avantgarde with no other options if it still comes with standard auto, metallic and part leather
Hope this helps
Peter
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Peter, thanks for the useful info. I'm waiting for the information pack fro MB to drop through the letterbox so that will hopefully point me in the right direction re what is/isn't included in the various specs.
I'm not quite convinced that sinking nearly £35k into depreciating metal is the right way to go, but it may be the only chance we have to indulge to this level! However, we don't tend to change cars regularly, so we'd be looking at 5+ years of ownership which does tend to blunt the sting a little....
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I'm not quite convinced that sinking nearly £35k into depreciating metal is the right way to go,
Have a look at MB's PCP's - they often have subsidised deposits and interest rates.
Whether or not this is suitable for you depends on your circumstances, but the quote will give you a pretty good idea of what MB expect the car to be worth after 3 years. It might make you think twice!
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I'm looking to pay cash outright, but I know where you are coming from - which is why I'm not convinced that it's a good use of money (carefully avoiding the word "investment"!). Now, if I was smoker I could get a pile of fivers and use them to light my cigarettes.....
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I'm not convinced that it's a good use of money
You can't be convinced of that, because it isn't!
But buying a car is nearly always a heart over head decision. I bought mine cash too (the dealer was astonished and eventually offered me an HP rate such that I'd have been slightly better off taking the loan. But I was a little unsure of my circumstances at that point and didn't want the loan hanging over me, so still paid cash.
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Well, at the end of the day it's a decision for SWMBO, because technically the legacy is hers......
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Well, at the end of the day it's a decision for SWMBO, because technically the legacy is hers......
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Certainly worth looking at the 'offers' section of the MB website. They are giving a £5,000 'retailer contribution'. The interest rate is pretty good too, you can get a better return by sticking the money that you don't put down for a cash purchase on deposit with one of the high interest paying building societies, 5.7 or 5.8%.
That is what I am considering as a replacement for my E320CDI. I have driven a friend's 220CDI and frankly, couldn't tell much difference.
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No problem. I've had a quick look at the MB website, which lets you download a pdf of the pricelist. A 220CDI Classic Estate is £30,800, while a 280CDI Classic Estate is £34,450 (which includes an auto box - manual not available). The auto for the 220CDI is priced at £1,480, so of the £3,650 premium for the 280CDI it looks like you're paying £2,170 for the 6 cylinder engine...
Elegance seems to be a £2,100 premium now, which does include metallic paint (a £620 option on the classic). So the increase above a Classic with metallic seems to be £1,480, which seems to get you different alloy wheels, heated, folding, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, chrome trim, headlamp washers, a larger fuel tank, 'ambient' interior lighting, illumiated vanity mirrors, easy-pack kit for the boot (basically an additional storage box and undef-floot cubbys IIRC), burr walnut trim instead of eucalyptus, along with additional bits in wood. Lots of extra bits, but nothing of huge value, all lots of things to make the car feel more 'premium' I guess...
Avantgare is another £500 above elegance, which gets you xenons, different wheels, lower suspension, blue tinted glass and maple wood instead of burr walnut. You also get part cloth part 'artico' upholstery.
Artico is described as a man made leather substitute (wich sounds like a posh way of describing vinyl!!) Artico is a £330 option on classic/elegance, whith leather being a £1,280 option (or a £980 upgrade on an avantgarde)
If I wanted to get the maximium car for the least cash, and get the best residual in the medium term I'd probably go for an E220CDI Avantgarde auto, with an upgrade to leather. Total cost £35,360 if my addition is correct!! Drive the Deal are doing it for £32,925 in that spec...
Just my thoughts...
Peter
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Meant to say as well, if I was keeping it for a while I might not even bother with the auto box, as I'm quite happy with a manual...don't even think of doing this if you want to sell in the first few years though!!
Peter
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How do the latest MB manual boxes stack up - I know that in the past the reason for Mercs being alsmost exclusively autos was that the manual box was as bad as the auto was good!
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Don't pay list price!
Apart from MB dealer contributions, some of the dealers will have good pre-reg. deals if you get the timing right (i.e. just after June or December). I bought a 320 CDI A/garde estate at 1 month/300 miles old in Jan 06 and saved £10k on list. But then todays discount is tomorrows weak residuals, and you just know you will be losing money here.
As to 'preferred' options, most Merc buyers will expect auto, leather and met. paint. Comand and rear -facing boot seats are icing on the cake, but if you are keeping it for 5 years, it is probably better to spec it for yourself rather than any future buyers.
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I know that in the past the reason for Mercs being alsmost exclusively autos was that the manual box was as bad as the auto was good!
I always thought the main reason was the foot operated parking brake - the extra pedal making life a bit too complicated for some drivers in a manual.
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>> I always thought the main reason was the foot operated parking brake - the extra pedal making life a bit too complicated for some drivers in a manual.
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I had a C-class and I would not buy another Manual Merc as the foot operated handbrake is poor design - OK day to day but stuck on a steep hill in crawling tarffic it is horrendous
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>.I had a C-class and I would not buy another Manual Merc as the foot operated handbrake is poor design -OK day to day but stuck on a steep hill in crawling tarffic it is horrendous
Concur - you need to be 'Jake the Peg' with a manual to make smooth progress on inclines...diddle-iddle-iddle-um With the extra leg.
Also, might be worth considering that the 280 with (I think) much heavier 6-cyl engine would make the car less eager
turning-in - I noticed this quite signigant difference recently when driving a much lighter engined C-classes (200cdi & 180 petrol) when compared
to my usual c270 (the old 'shortened' 5-cyl version of the older 6-cyl diesel)
The steering & general handling benefited greatly with less weight over the front wheels, despite less power overall.
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I had a C-class and I would not buy another Manual Merc as the foot operated handbrake is poor design - OK day to day but stuck on a steep hill in crawling tarffic it is horrendous
Would agree with you wrt to the C; however the E has (or at least had...) the SBC Hold function, which would hold the car on the brakes after a sharp push on the foorbrake, only releasing when the car moved forward. This should negate the 4 peddle problem on manual Mercs :-)
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I'm pretty sure the E still has the "Hold" function even though the SBC system has gone. The "SBC Stop" traffic jam system has completely gone.
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I'm pretty sure the E still has the "Hold" function even though the SBC system has gone. The "SBC Stop" traffic jam system has completely gone.
Shame...hours (well, perhaps minutes...) of fun to be had with SBC Stop in the traffic queue gamble...Will it / won't it stop in time ;-)
Peter
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