Thats why there are so many Mercedes taxis they must be one of the most comfortable reliable cars in the world.

OP's Budget was £10-12K - Going MB he would need to go back a lot of years - E-class autos ate auto gearboxes (Valeo radiators leaked into gbox) in that "budget timeframe"

After spending a great part of my life at various airports awaiting the arrival of ‘big hitters’ from both commerce and government I can assure you that the vehicle of choice, and expected by this class of passenger ,would without doubt be Mercedes/Maybach. As for diesel !! The last thing he would expect or want, is to sit listening to the throbbing in the back ground of a diesel engine, or any engine for that matter. No, he expects to be wafted to his office/hotel in the cathedral quietness of the vehicle collecting him after a gruelling trans-atlantic flight. Whilst I have no doubt that the Skoda is an admirable vehicle in many ways I suspect that its natural environment is more likely to be Manchester airport awaiting the arrival of the Easy Jet flight from Benidorm.

Remember - Original Poster's budget £10k - 12k max.

It's all very well having fanciful notions about the products of M-B but in reality, an M-B you would buy for this price would be a money pit.

Bad period ('95 - '05) M-Bs are truly dreadful and will bankrupt a small business. The points made above concerning punctuality and driver presentation are far more important at this stage in a business venture.

Later on, if the business flourishes and market requirements identify a niche for a big M-B, then by all means buy one. By then, you will have learned the hard truths of working vehicle economics.

I run a small business - totally unrelated to motoring. My Skoda sits in the yard and has attracted several favourable comments from my more savvy customers. Decoded, they say "at least you're not ripping us off and spending our money on fancy vehicles".

Times are hard and customers who are worth keeping will appreciate value for money.

659.

Edited by 659FBE on 19/02/2011 at 11:42