[BGM]

not read the OP yet, but i hope you went down there in the SLS to get it, and bazzed around the car park a bit

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by SCN_Saul

interestin comments on the comsumption, ive toyed with an e-class estate (350cdi) but a lot of owners seem to complain about not getting more than 30mpg

i wonder if the coupes' slippery shape gives it a lot better drag co-ef than the fridge like estate

It probably goes this low in town driving but I honestly don't know how you'd get it so low generally unless you drove it like a loon.

Yesterday, I drove to London and back and averaged 43mpg doing between 70-90mph.

This evening I did a 130 mile round trip, mainly dual carriageway. I drove with the gearbox in sport mode and I drove very fast and not particularly smoothly as I tried to see what the MPG would go down to....

37.8mpg

Awesome combination of performance and economy if you ask me.

Originally Posted by Alpina_B3_Lux

Nice write-up as usual Andrew. Always a pleasure reading your stuff.

Not that it would ever make me buy a Merc with Opamatik and red seats (my other half would kill me anyway), but it's a nice enough car. Driven in lots as a taxi passenger over here and they're nice and comfy.

Great fuel consumption too. I've only got my 330d to 40mpg when I drive like grandad, but then (see above Opamatik) maybe you do...

Are you going to remap it ?

Alpina_B3_Lux

I would suggest that my taxi delivers a considerably better performance/economy compromise than your ultimate driving machine

I can only assume you've not driven a Merc recently....come on, see the light like most of this forum seems to

Originally Posted by BGM

not read the OP yet, but i hope you went down there in the SLS to get it, and bazzed around the car park a bit

Unfortunately no....it was snowing and the SLS was undriveable. The single worst car I've driven in the snow, even worse than a BMW

[jonw]

I have same car and similar spec but with 19s but have to disagree with you over command and the harman kardon upgrade.
Imo command is woeful compared to the bmw prof nav, its too clunky to use and has too many menus and sub menus.
Harman Kardon again no match for the bm equivalent as there are not enough control over trebles and mids.
Agree on the build quality and engine though.
My e class is far better built than the wifes 5GT and and is a lot more refined.
Mine has done 24k now and averages 41mpg with motorway cruising can get 47 easily.

[jonw]

I have same car and similar spec but with 19s but have to disagree with you over command and the harman kardon upgrade.
Imo command is woeful compared to the bmw prof nav, its too clunky to use and has too many menus and sub menus.
Harman Kardon again no match for the bm equivalent as there are not enough control over trebles and mids.
Agree on the build quality and engine though.
My e class is far better built than the wifes 5GT and and is a lot more refined.
Mine has done 24k now and averages 41mpg with motorway cruising can get 47 easily.

[flyfs6]

Very nice car for commute and it sounds like its saving you a considerable amount of fuel too. Mercedes cars are mostly very relaxing cruisers. It probably isn't a fair comparison but I find the S class too comfortable for 'comfort' if I'm driving when I'm tired...its going to end of up in the hedge one day.

One of our relatives have a petrol E class coupe in the same colour as yours with brown/beige leather, panoramic roof and they love their's very much.

Has the new Command online connectivity for sending addresses the car from google?

[Masterplan]

If you don't mind me asking mate, what hire deal did you use as a bargaining tool? My brother has been looking at the C-class and the E-class but the lease deals seem far cheaper than dealer deals for both at the mo

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by jonw

I have same car and similar spec but with 19s but have to disagree with you over command and the harman kardon upgrade.
Imo command is woeful compared to the bmw prof nav, its too clunky to use and has too many menus and sub menus.
Harman Kardon again no match for the bm equivalent as there are not enough control over trebles and mids.
Agree on the build quality and engine though.
My e class is far better built than the wifes 5GT and and is a lot more refined.
Mine has done 24k now and averages 41mpg with motorway cruising can get 47 easily.

Ah....I never said Comand was better than iDrive. Don't forget, I was used to Jaguars touchscreen which was pretty dire so this is like the future However, I don't think it's far off iDrive and I don't find it less intuitive but, where it does fall behind BMW's system is in screen size.

As for HK quality, I'm afraid we'll have to disagree - BMW's may have more adjustment in their graphic equaliser functions but the sound is definitely no better. If anything, the BMW's HK is a less clear and more muffled in quality.

Originally Posted by flyfs6

Has the new Command online connectivity for sending addresses the car from google?

It does but very frustratingly, and again where the BMW's system appears to be better, it connects through your phone. But, unless you have a Blackberry or a limited range of Android devices, it's not compaitble and you get no internet connection No good for people like me who have Apple products

Originally Posted by Masterplan

If you don't mind me asking mate, what hire deal did you use as a bargaining tool? My brother has been looking at the C-class and the E-class but the lease deals seem far cheaper than dealer deals for both at the mo

It's not a contract hire deal, it's a PCP. This means I got my lowest price from Broadspeed/Drive the Deal (both very similar) and walked into Mercedes and asked them to match it, whilst offering the same 4.8% APR PCP. They beat the price in order to my desired monthly budget

[CHG]

Interesting comments Andrew,

I had an E350 Cab last summer for a week in the South of France, and it rattled like crazy. I guess the coupe must be much stiffer, but I just felt it too relaxed compared to the BMW.

It was probably the single best cruising convertible I've even driven though, and like you said, very impressive fuel consumption. I did roughly 700 miles in a week, and once my ipod drowned out the rattle, it was a pleasure.

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by CHG

Interesting comments Andrew,

I had an E350 Cab last summer for a week in the South of France, and it rattled like crazy. I guess the coupe must be much stiffer, but I just felt it too relaxed compared to the BMW.

It was probably the single best cruising convertible I've even driven though, and like you said, very impressive fuel consumption. I did roughly 700 miles in a week, and once my ipod drowned out the rattle, it was a pleasure.

I would be surprised if the Cab was rattle free - I've yet to go in one that isn't, the best being the Jaguar XK convertible which only rattled all the time over severe bumps, rather than just all the time!

So far, 1700 miles in (I can't believe it's on that mileage already!), it's rattle free.....except for one thing - door glass rubbing on the rubber seals.

It eventually happens in every frameless window car I've had. I bought some 'special' (read: expensive, at £40 for a tiny bottle) stuff which I applied to the glass and rubber last weekend - it's fine now, but waiting to see if this product is special or expensive enough to be long lasting! (Yes, I know the dealer can fix for free but it's always only temporary when they do it!)

The presence of this noise means the Cab would definitely rattle from the vaster expanses of non-rigid rubber/glass/metal contact points

[stevie996]

Mine doesn't rattle or shake after 2700 miles?

My wife's mini vert sounds like its going to implode it rattles and shakes that much.

[smoked]

[/QUOTE]

I would be surprised if the Cab was rattle free - I've yet to go in one that isn't, the best being the Jaguar XK convertible which only rattled all the time over severe bumps, rather than just all the time!

So far, 1700 miles in (I can't believe it's on that mileage already!), it's rattle free.....except for one thing - door glass rubbing on the rubber seals.

It eventually happens in every frameless window car I've had. I bought some 'special' (read: expensive, at 40 for a tiny bottle) stuff which I applied to the glass and rubber last weekend - it's fine now, but waiting to see if this product is special or expensive enough to be long lasting! (Yes, I know the dealer can fix for free but it's always only temporary when they do it!)

The presence of this noise means the Cab would definitely rattle from the vaster expanses of non-rigid rubber/glass/metal contact point[/QUOTE]

what u want is a 1982 pillarless frameless merc coupe. built like a tank, no rattles after 30 years haha

[CardinalZeus77]

Nice write up. Great looking car

[Vaheed1]

Palmnuts, what's your annual mileage limit on the deal?

I've been looking at the saloons - and the 220's and 250's can be had for as little as £300 a month. Is the 350 worth the extra jump in price/performance?

[Raja Ventureshield]

man this seriously does not look as a beater. the front looks amazing IMHO.

[Sir_Pigley]

Originally Posted by Raja Ventureshield

"man this seriously does not look as a beater"

Que?

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by stevie996

Mine doesn't rattle or shake after 2700 miles?

My wife's mini vert sounds like its going to implode it rattles and shakes that much.

After owning Mini's, the quality of this car is unreal! I don't think three is a modern car that rattles more than a Mini is there? Every single one I have ever driven, on top of the three I have indirectly owned, have been crap.

Glad your E is as tight as mine appears to be

Originally Posted by smoked

what u want is a 1982 pillarless frameless merc coupe. built like a tank, no rattles after 30 years haha

They definitely are not made like that now! Funny though...the structural (torsional?) rigidity of the old cars wouldn't come close to a modern car yet they rattle less.

The stiffer bodyshells these days must put more stress on internal components and the combination of harder suspension and rubber band tyres will only aggravate the problem.

Originally Posted by Hitman999

Nice write up. Great looking car

Cheers

Originally Posted by Vaheed1

Palmnuts, what's your annual mileage limit on the deal?

I've been looking at the saloons - and the 220's and 250's can be had for as little as £300 a month. Is the 350 worth the extra jump in price/performance?

10k pa

Yes, the 350 is well worth the additional.

I've had a C200 diesel as a loaner when my SLS has been in the garage (yep, very appropriate loan car huh?!?!?!) and whilst it was refined enough, getting straight out of that and into the V6 350 is like getting in a different car. OK, it is a different car (minor point) but they're essentially the same chassis. The V6 is so smooth, so quiet and 'distant' sounding compared to the more vocal 4 cylinder versions.

I nearly relented early on and bought the E250 to get inside my budget but glad I held out for a deal on the E350. Economy is about 15% worse than the 4 cylinder versions (my father not-in-law has just got a new C220CDI and is getting 44mpg, we're getting about 38mpg out of the 350 and both are a varied mix of driving). I did get 55mpg out of it doing a constant 70mph for 60 miles....I nearly fell asleep, but it shows what it can do. Imagine if I had done just 60mph

[Raja Ventureshield]

Originally Posted by Sir_Pigley

Que?

his main car is the sls
and this is his beater (commuter car).

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by Palmnuts

I nearly relented early on and bought the E250 to get inside my budget but glad I held out for a deal on the E350. Economy is about 15% worse than the 4 cylinder versions (my father not-in-law has just got a new C220CDI and is getting 44mpg, we're getting about 38mpg out of the 350 and both are a varied mix of driving). I did get 55mpg out of it doing a constant 70mph for 60 miles....I nearly fell asleep, but it shows what it can do. Imagine if I had done just 60mph

Admit it Andrew, you like driving like that. I bet you tested what the SLS did at 60mph!

Alpina_B3_Lux

[Elvis2000]

I have a E350cdi coupe which has done 91,000 miles and I can vouch for the build quality, not a single rattle or fault.... I did 2,000 miles in one week last summer and it just kept feeling stronger... averaged 42mpg on a mix of motorways, country roads and 2 runs straight through London in peak traffic.
Great car, surprised just how good it's been and how much I've grown to love it.

[russdx]

LOVE those cars, I really want to lease the new shape E Coupe AMG. Mercedes where offering some really good deals before xmas but now they have sky rocketed Waiting for them to slash them again so I can get this beautiful car!

[rogerxp]

Palmbollocks has had about 15 cars since this Merc

[scottc]

I have had my new shape e350 coupe for nearly 3 months now :-)

Totally agree though, such a great car.