Looks like the RAV 4 will expire this year so a new wagon will be required. Big flat load space is important, everything else is up for grabs. I have got used to the increased visibility an SUV gives but thought I would go for a bit of comfort this time round. I did consider a landrover, but will leave that for four yeas yet (retirement car).
Been having a look at Merc estates, the big E Class from 2007 to 2009 seems to tick all the boxes and Elegance level trim versions can be had for not a lot,eg
Do not go intergalic mileage ones, bits like clutches and gearboxes are bloody expensive. Great cars, would be cheaper to get the 4 pot oil burner, slower but much cheaper to run. 2.2 is bullet proof, did 186k miles in my last one and nowt went wrong.
Cheers Bob, I should be able to find one at under 80k miles, there are a fair few around. Just a matter of waiting for a private sale to come up as opposed to the āe bay tradeā seller types. Iāll watch the prices over summer and look to get one in the Autumn.
As for slower, I currently run a RAV 4 with only 4 gears left
Is it worth looking at a petrol E-class? Less to go wrong with the engine, and unless mileage is high, might not be too expensive to run in comparison?
Iām currently driving a 2003 E200 Kompressor estate and generally itās pretty good. The engine only has 1.8 litres, but has a supercharger on it so that it can actually make it up hills. Quiet, smooth, handles nicely, great stereo and itās generally a nice place to be.
But downsides? Frankly, itās electrically fragile. It likes to tell me a bulb has gone when it hasnāt, the parking sensors work when they feel like it, the rear washers conked out recently and it likes to flag up the holy trinity of āABS Failure!!ā, āEPS Failure!!ā and āService Brake System!!ā Every few weeks (Mercedesā bloody exclamation marks, not mine).
Itās either a Ā£30 ABS sensor or it could be that the āfly by wireā brake pump which flags up that it needs replacing after a fixed number of pedal presses. Cost? Ā£1700 apparently.
Frankly, I was used to electrical oddities on the Range Rover - hell. I even expected them. But this feels more fragile than my old L322 ever did.
All in all, I like I but Iām wary of it - it feels like thereās a massive bill lurking just round the corner!
Update - one other thing I feel I should add. It is, IMHO, a bloody good looking car and itās surprising the number of people I encounter who look at it and say āOooh - lovely; Iāve always liked themā!
Change the run flats to something that actually bounces and itād be an equally capable cruiser / lugger ā¦ with arguably better reliability, and definitely a nicer cabin
(Thereās a but associated with the car somewhere or other, but I canāt quite put my finger on it )
I had a facelifted 2006 C220, from just after the Chrysler thing I believe. Mechanically and electrically it was fine. Ran it for 6 years or so. Cost me a rear spring and a few tyres on top of the annual service. Was pleasantly surprised at the running costs. and very low depreciation when I changed it. In a E-class the 220 may be a bit underpowered, but equally may be not, but the 250 is basically the same engine with a bigger turbo. Enjoyed the car, although it was nice to get back into Volvo seats when I changed.
