From the Times of London driving section:
Used Cars
Times Online August 28, 2005
Mercedes-Benz E270 CDI
By Jason Dawe of The Sunday Times
In July 2002, having waited six months for the new Mercedes- Benz
E-class to hit the showrooms, I borrowed one. After driving several
hundred miles I was left with one overwhelming emotion: disappointment.
I loved the sleek lines and the clever technology; the huge boot
swallowed the largest load. But none of this could hide the car’s
Achilles heel: its engine. The 177bhp V6 petrol engine fitted to the
E240 sounded harsh when pushed, performance felt moderate and after 800
miles it had averaged only 21mpg.
But my reaction was out of step; almost universally the car was heaped
with praise. And it was 18 months before my opinion was to change.
*
This time I drove an E270 diesel. It was blessed with virtually
identical power to the petrol car on paper but in reality the leap in
torque produced a smooth wall of power that made the car genuinely fun
to drive, and it also averaged close to 40mpg. At last I understood what
everyone had been saying: this was quite possibly the best executive car
money could buy.
I also tried the more modestly priced E220 diesel with 150bhp. It still
felt good, and the 3.2 litre E320 diesel with 204bhp was a real hoot.
With these cars Mercedes proved that not only had diesel engine
technology caught up with the petrol equivalents but actually eclipsed them.
In fact only one petrol version is comparable with the diesel. The E500
boasts a 5 litre V8 that kicks out 306bhp and while economy is not its
forte you get huge performance — 0-62mph in 5.8sec and a top speed
limited at 155mph. A used example will cost about £25,000 and makes an
excellent buy. Both the E200 and E320 petrol engines, boasting 163bhp
and 224bhp respectively and introduced in 2003, are best avoided.
Once you’ve chosen your engine you have to decide on the trim level. The
entry-level Classic is far from basic with climate control, alloys,
leather steering wheel, electric windows and auto dimming rear mirror as
standard. It has front, side and head airbags, antilock brakes and
traction control. The car scored five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests.
Commanding a premium of about £1,500 on a used example is the Elegance
model which adds walnut wood veneer, automatic rain-sensing wipers,
power headlamp washers and electrically folding door mirrors. For about
£750 more the used Avantgarde adds flashier alloy wheels, sports
suspension, bi-xenon lights, blue tinted glass and a dark wood interior.
Whichever you plump for it’s best to choose an automatic box. They fetch
a premium of about £1,250 over the six-speed manuals but you’ll enjoy
near-identical performance, equivalent economy and easier resale.
On the move the car feels smooth, quiet and well planted on the road,
the clever electronics intervening when the car reaches its limit.
Leather upholstery and sat nav are desirable options and add about £500
apiece to used values, but multicontour seats that massage your back and
Airmatic suspension do little to enhance value.
Whichever E-class you choose it’s a pretty safe bet that you will be
buying a great car. Just make sure it’s diesel.
Jeff Zedic
Toronto
