# New Car Ordered!!



## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

As a result of a change in circumstances (new job), it's quickly going to become unsuitable running just the Q5, so after a few weeks head scratching, i've ordered myself a Mercedes (first one i've ever owned).

Mercedes C250CDi BeF Sport Saloon (July 09) (6sp Manual)

Obsidian Black
Intelligent Lighting System
Heated Front Seats
Rear Side Abags
Cruise Control With Speedturn
Dynamic Handling Pack
Memory Package 
Split/Fold Rear Seats
Parktronic System
Leather Upholstery
Metallic Paint 
Omit Model-Boot Lid
COMAND Multimedia System
Cup Holder
18in 5Twin Spoke AMG Wheels
Harman Kardon LOGIC 7 Surround

Should be arriving in a couple of weeks (on vacation next week) & i have to be honest that i'm quite excited at the thought of my first ever Mercedes. Looking forward to it's 204BHP & 500nm of torques along with a full compliment of toys, but with 55+MPG on a combined cycle & only £125pa RFL, it will make a nice change from my recent motors to have some fun but not be paying through the nose for it.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

C Class or E Class, Auto or Manual?


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

Nice car Paul I am sure you will be surprised

My daughter as just took del C Coupe 2.2CDI Sport in white with full black panorama roof 18" alloys got to say its looks great the new C Class Sport really does it for me


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Sorry, 18" 5 spoke wheels = C Class. Auto or Manual?


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

ag said:


> Sorry, 18" 5 spoke wheels = C Class. Auto or Manual?


Oops, my bad as lost my initial post so rushed the second :lol:

It's a C Class & is the 6 Speed Manual.


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Sounds good, liking the look of the C class, especially in black.

Memory package, is this a sign of the average owner age?


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Paul, have you actually driven one in the exact spec you are going for? I didn't and lived to regret it. Mine is a C250CDi Manual Sport Estate and if you are expecting BMW levels of driver involvment you will be disappointed. The Manual box and twin turbo engine don't "gel" as well as the BMW (Alpina) twin turbo and doesn't go as well. The car is very stable and refined (engine apart) in comparison with a 3 Series or A4, but isn't even close to a 5 Series or E Class. The engine in particular sounds as feels like something from a previous generation, Mercedes lag behind Audi and BMW for Diesel refinement bizarrely enough. We have a black interior with Sports Seats. I would call myself ample rather than fat and yet I find the seats uncomfortable, better over distance though. It feels big and heavy and needs effort to drive on shorter trips, like I do most of the time. I dislike mine so much that a make by better half drive it. Initially she loved it, but just yesterday she admitted to me that it was no better than the Volvo V50 she had before. I use the Volvo or Kawasaki now and will probably swap the Volvo for something interesting after the summer. I don't want to put you off, but make sure you try it properly before buying.

p.s. Comand is superb. 
p.p.s. We picked ours up from the factory in Bremen, this was really worth doing, the whole family enjoyed it.
p.p.s.s. Don't get me started on the parking brake and indicator stalk. Being different for the sake of being different is all very well if it works. The parking brake is f&£$ed piece of over-engineering and the column stalk is an perfect example of minimalisation over function.


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Go down to your local dealer and get an Brabus chip and all will be fine.

Why you did not know for the 350CDI model? I am thinking of one of the for a E class coupe or cabrio.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

ag said:


> Paul, have you actually driven one in the exact spec you are going for? I didn't and lived to regret it. Mine is a C250CDi Manual Sport Estate and if you are expecting BMW levels of driver involvment you will be disappointed. The Manual box and twin turbo engine don't "gel" as well as the BMW (Alpina) twin turbo and doesn't go as well. The car is very stable and refined (engine apart) in comparison with a 3 Series or A4, but isn't even close to a 5 Series or E Class. The engine in particular sounds as feels like something from a previous generation, Mercedes lag behind Audi and BMW for Diesel refinement bizarrely enough. We have a black interior with Sports Seats. I would call myself ample rather than fat and yet I find the seats uncomfortable, better over distance though. It feels big and heavy and needs effort to drive on shorter trips, like I do most of the time. I dislike mine so much that a make by better half drive it. Initially she loved it, but just yesterday she admitted to me that it was no better than the Volvo V50 she had before. I use the Volvo or Kawasaki now and will probably swap the Volvo for something interesting after the summer. I don't want to put you off, but make sure you try it properly before buying.
> 
> p.s. Comand is superb.
> p.p.s. We picked ours up from the factory in Bremen, this was really worth doing, the whole family enjoyed it.
> p.p.s.s. Don't get me started on the parking brake and indicator stalk. Being different for the sake of being different is all very well if it works. The parking brake is f&£$ed piece of over-engineering and the column stalk is an perfect example of minimalisation over function.


Nope, i've not driven one as not had time but my expectations are not too high & it will very much be the 2nd car & used in the main for work so an A-B tool. The financial offer is what drove my choice so to answer V's point, the 350 was not even close to as good a deal.

Not expecting 5 Series levels but spec for spec the Merc is offering alot of car for my money against BMW or Audi & for some strange reason i'm looking forward to a change.


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## jbell (May 15, 2006)

W7 PMC said:


> 6 Speed Manual.


Why, the 7 GTronic Gearbox is awesome, apart from that the car is superb, I drove one last week, very refined, the Brabus chip will make it really go


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

jbell said:


> Why, the 7 GTronic Gearbox is awesome, apart from that the car is superb, I drove one last week, very refined, the Brabus chip will make it really go


250CDi has a 5 speed auto which is far from "awesome".

Seriously, Paul. Try one before you buy. I tried a C220CDi and thought that the 250 would be the same, just with more punch low down and a little more urge up top. How wrong I was. It feels rather gutless really and the top end rush is so fast that you can't change gear quickly enough making its power mostly unusable except for high speed cruiing, 100 mph plus. The 220 was a better and more refined engine. The reason you are getting a good deal is because a manual Merc is as easy to sell as a 3 seater coffin. If I had the choice again I would go for an auto E class if I wanted a Merc.

There is a lot of stuff on your car, some of it excellent, so if you've got a good deal £31k ish then fair enough, but list would surely be around £38k which is madness.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

ag said:


> jbell said:
> 
> 
> > Why, the 7 GTronic Gearbox is awesome, apart from that the car is superb, I drove one last week, very refined, the Brabus chip will make it really go
> ...


A key piece of info, it's a reallocated Company Car so other than a small tax burden, it's not really going to cost me & the reason i chose it as it's value over a BMW or Audi was excellent & not requiring any supplement from me. Is alot cheaper than a basic A4 or 320D, yet it's value is a good £12K higher.

Was as said too good a deal so form & cost over function


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Enjoy your new car Paul. Certainly it will be as fast as what you owned before but it is so high spec so you will have a lot of toys to keep you busy and you wont realise how slow you are moving.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

In that case enjoy it. Like I said it is very stable, it also has masses of grip but little feedback. It is a proper point and squirt kind of car until you can trust the front end. Finish is okay and it is more refined overall than the equivalent usual suspects. The one exception is the engine which is closer to a Transit van than a BMW. The comand system is extremely good, make sure you get all the leads to Ipods and usb sticks. The Sat NAv, in particualr is a model of simplicity and far easier to follow than the BMW offering.

We've only had ours since March (5 months) and as its only used as a run about has only done 8000 miles so I can't really comment on solidity or reliability, but make sure yours has had the injector recall. Economy averages about 42 mpg, to beat 50 is beyond my abilities.

I see you have memory seats and adaptive suspension. Both good options. I should have gone for them and it would perhaps have cured my lack of comfort. But the list price would have been approaching £40k for mine with those options fitted.

I'm interested to hear what you think when you get it.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Mid life crisis over then? :lol:


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> Mid life crisis over then? :lol:


LOL...nasty man... :lol:


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> Mid life crisis over then? :lol:


Probably have another one soon :lol:


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

W7 PMC said:


> jampott said:
> 
> 
> > Mid life crisis over then? :lol:
> ...


Good man.


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

A diesel C class?

I'm afraid it's game over mate :?

Actually it sounds like a great deal :wink:

Jampott - shouldn't you have changed your sig by now?


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

scoTTy said:


> A diesel C class?
> 
> I'm afraid it's game over mate :?
> 
> ...


To what? The bloody RRS? No chance. 8)


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

What is an RRS?


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Drug dealer special


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Ah don't be silly...that would be a DDS...your spelling is horrible. :mrgreen:


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## NormStrm (Sep 6, 2003)

vlastan said:


> What is an RRS?


Range Rover Sport


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

NormStrm said:


> vlastan said:
> 
> 
> > What is an RRS?
> ...


The Devil's own car.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

I've always liked the RRS but can't get my head around the proposition of ownership (defo a middle aged thing).

They look good with the proper wheels etc. (basic ones look a tad nasty), the kit list on newer ones is good & overall the performance is pretty good if fettled.

Need to scratch my Pork Turbo itch next & then possibly a Lambo if the cheques line up correctly


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

W7 PMC said:


> I've always liked the RRS but can't get my head around the proposition of ownership (defo a middle aged thing).
> 
> They look good with the proper wheels etc. (basic ones look a tad nasty), the kit list on newer ones is good & overall the performance is pretty good if fettled.
> 
> Need to scratch my Pork Turbo itch next & then possibly a Lambo if the cheques line up correctly


So why did you get a Merc? :lol:

I have big bling wheels, side skirts, tints, smoked repeaters and it still looks shit.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> W7 PMC said:
> 
> 
> > I've always liked the RRS but can't get my head around the proposition of ownership (defo a middle aged thing).
> ...


Quite simply to save up enough cash to scratch my supercar itches.

With a bit of luck i should have this done within 2 years, so driving a more practical motor for this time that in the main someone else is paying for makes sound financial sense.

Put simply i get a car that cost £37K 12mths ago & it costs me personally £180 a month & a little bit of tax so rounded up in total about £230 per month with no other costs whatsover other than a little bit of private fuel.

See, it is old age :lol:


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Paul, that is one sweet deal. The Co must have bunged a huge chunk of dough in upfront to have only £180 a month for you to pay, but only £50 tax? I have to admit it looks good, but too good to be true?


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

ag said:


> Paul, that is one sweet deal. The Co must have bunged a huge chunk of dough in upfront to have only £180 a month for you to pay, but only £50 tax? I have to admit it looks good, but too good to be true?


I can't explain the exact science but the additional benefit is i'm taking a previously allocated card off my employers hands if that makes sense. If i'd chosen a new car i'd have been paying a hell of a lot more, but i've opted for a re-allocated vehicle, so gain greater benefit.

Upon closer inspection though, i was about £32 out in my calculation so all-in the car will cost me £262 per month with only a bit of private fuel to pay for. So looking forward to 0 depreciation & running costs.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

Car was delivered on Wednesday & so far i'm enjoying it. Not the fastest motor i've had :lol: but pulls well with ample power & torque & is full of fun toys 8)

Average MPG so far is 36 (& i've been playing quite a bit) & when i filled it up on Thursday i saw a range of 675 miles on the dash which is about 250 more than i'm used to & now with 3/4's of a tank it still shows 571 

Expecting to enjoy this low cost motoring for a while & until the new car fund is replenished it's not a bad place to reside.


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