[Wills2]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

That's all relative / opinion isnt it, I didnt think the inside of my F90 was anything to write home about but i loved the son in laws E450 coupe.

Mind I drive an Audi so have poor taste.....

Audi's are nice inside but lack the full leather options of BMWs for me Mercs are chintzy and cheap inside once you look past the shiny stuff. (my opinion obviously)

The 5 touring LCI is a great looking car, the e class estate looks dumpy.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Audi's are nice inside but lack the full leather options of BMWs for me Mercs are chintzy and cheap inside once you look past the shiny stuff. (my opinion obviously)

The 5 touring LCI is a great looking car, the e class estate looks dumpy.

Would agree on all of that and comment:

dont see any extra leather options on TP's list of options
I like the dash on the latest mercs with the 2 screens, might be fur coat and no nickers but well there is something to be said for that
looks or functionality - two GSD or nice looking? I reckon for TP that on this occasion, function is key (my brother has a GSD and 3 spaniels and he drives a Ssangyong for the space!)

I guess I would summarise as "who is making the decision, the car driver or the dog lover?" as they will likely choose different!

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Anyone got experience of either the 520d Touring or E220d Estate. I know a few guys on here have had 5s before.

So recently I was on here seeking advice about Minis and whether you can do 20k miles a year in one. Well, things have changed just slightly!

We've realised the X3 boot is just too small for the dogs. They are on top of each other and can't move when in there. It's just about manageable for short journeys but next year we hope to be getting away with them again. So we need something with a bigger boot.

We've ruled out 4x4s on cost and also boot height. One of our dogs is 7 now and in the lifetime of the next car he will be 11 which will impact his ability to jump in and out. So we are looking at large estates. I've narrowed the choice down to 520d M Sport with Pro pack, Harman Kardon and sunroof and the E220d AMG Line Night Edition which actually comes fully loaded, 20" alloys, sunroof, upgraded stereo, fancy adjusting headlights, everything.

I'm still waiting for a price for the 5 from Park Lane but the Merc is coming in at £4800 down, 48x£490 for 20k miles per year. This is actually cheaper than Passat, Skoda Superbs and other mid-market estates. The Merc does appear to be an absolutely cracking deal for what's on it.

Has anyone got any experience of either model? I've read a lot of reviews and watched stuff on YouTube and they seem evenly matched. I appreciate after the 440i both will seem slow but I've been driving a 320d today and if they are of similar pace I can life with that. Plus the plan is I will drive the X3 M40i more. I also appreciate they will handle differently especially on the country roads.

I'm leaning towards the Merc are the moment partly because it's so well equipped for the cost plus after 7 years BMWs and we've still got the X3, we are looking for something different. But this could all change when Park Lane come back to me.

I know we all know what a 5 and E Class look like but photos added for the colour and spec combo I'd go for. The Merc pictures aren't great but I love this shade of metallic red.

I think the BMW looks better, although there’s an E Class near me in black with the multispoke 20 inch wheels, and blacked out windows that looks much better to my eye than that red one.

At £590 a month all considered it’s a decent deal, but can’t see the Park Lane one being worse. Base price for 520d tourer with them is £459 down and £459 payment. Add your miles for say £60 and Pro Pack for maybe £45 and it should still come out cheaper slightly. Yes, if you start adding loads of options it might add up to more, but I’m sure the standard spec with Pro Pack is perfectly acceptable to live with.

Just watch them for sneaking the price up with your options, even if just the pro pack, they tried to con me and a few others had the same experience as I did. I added £1500 of options and the price for the full term went up by £2500. They’d sneakily added back on delivery and a couple of other things that are included in the base deal. After challenging them they got it right, and with discount the £1500 of options only cost £1000 over the 4 years. Thought it was an honest mistake by them at first, but then others said the same happened to them.

[robbiep]

I had a 520d tourer loaner a couple of times last year - very nice place to be, it just did everything really well. Nothing special, or to make you go 'Wow', but just felt utterly perfectly bolted together.

Did 500 or so miles in one up to Edinburgh and back in a day. Got out at the end feeling great

[Nibbles]

I can't comment on the engine but the g31 is a lovely place to be. I've had over 3 years with mine now and nothing has so far tempted me to change it. It's so versatile and handles pretty much anything you can throw at it and will take you where you want to be in comfort. I've driven 650 miles in a day back from France a few times in it and I've not felt broken at the end of the journey like in some of my previous cars.The last few months it's many had to contend with a very muddy dog and bike thrown in the back or the whole family and dog in it and 4 muddy bikes on the tow bar.

[DougMcL]

I have a mate with an E class coupe. The 220d is a far better engine than that of the BMW. The interior in the E class is also streets ahead of the BMW. Prefer the exterior looks of the BMW though. E class is better value though and a nicer place to be in. I had a E400 coupe for what it's worth. Nice car!

[Grant_7]

I had a 2014 Merc E300d estate.

The build quality was definitely better than any BM I've had. Windows down and shut the door to a solid thunk etc. It's also a great load-lugger and very comfortable. Mine was 'AMG' trim spec, so bigger wheels and lowered suspension, but was still very soft (the SE spec was an absolute barge).

However, I did have a few electrical glitches with mine, including it going into limp-home mode on the Isle of Skye (not ideal). MB Assistance did look after me (got a nice new S-class for a week), but the whole episode did piss me off.

Oh and the engine was crap. Hope they've improved them, however if it were my choice, I'd be going for a 6 cylinder if having a diesel. I did test drive an E350d, which at the time was a V6 diesel, and it was amazingly smooth. Smoother in fact than a BMW 6 cyl diesel, although not quite as punchy.

[Bryans69]

I have the 5 touring, my next door neighbour has the e class in that colour. He got his before mine (i actually bought my previous E61 from him), and much prefer the looks and interior of the 5. Clearly subjective, but the inside of the Merc, with the two screens, is just too blingy for me.

And I also don't like how the Merc rear windows curves away from the roofline. I think it looks wrong, although of course that is very personal opinion.

[Ronstein]

I looked at the Merc (as well as the Volvo V90 and Audi A6) before i bought the 530 and again before I bought the 640. I hated the interior and the handling of the Merc, especially the big, shiny flat screens and the centre console controls.

[225]

With the current big support for the 30d 5er could that be an option? All the broker sites and stratstone still have a 530d msport for 479 and 1k in. They will honour the discount size for tourings as well, when you factor in the extra deposit you have may workout similar to a 4pot....

[mcoops]

TP, I'm 6 months in with my G31. Overall I'm very happy with it indeed, and big upgrade on my 430d in almost all respects. My only two minor gripes are the HK sounding worse than in my old car, and strangely finding the seats a bit less comfy than the 4er. Not terrible, just not the step up I expected, and I can't work out whether it's the seats or I don't have them set up quite right. But in general it's a lovely place to be. What I can say is it has the GSD seal of approval from Skye :-)

[E60525d]

Is this Mercedes a good deal, really?

So you are paying over £28,000 for a pre-facelift E Class estate on a PCP/lease.

Looking on Autotrader you can buy a 2019 car outright for that price.

Am I missing something?

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by E60525d

Is this Mercedes a good deal, really?

So you are paying over £28,000 for a pre-facelift E Class estate on a PCP/lease.

Looking on Autotrader you can buy a 2019 car outright for that price.

Am I missing something?

Yes. People don’t have £28,000 always to buy a car. I also think the OP posted a pic of pre facelift as he could find the right pic for a facelift, which I think he is looking to get.

Although you’re right, if you didn’t want new, you could get a loan for not much more per month and own it at the end.

[E60525d]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

Yes. People don’t have £28,000 always to buy a car. I also think the OP posted a pic of pre facelift as he could find the right pic for a facelift, which I think he is looking to get.

Although you’re right, if you didn’t want new, you could get a loan for not much more per month and own it at the end.

Yep agree 100%. Payments on a bank loan won't be much more a month. Even in 4 years time with 100k mileage you would probably still get £10k back if you trade it in.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by E60525d

Yep agree 100%. Payments on a bank loan won't be much more a month. Even in 4 years time with 100k mileage you would probably still get £10k back if you trade it in.

But then this is probably the same as a hundred other conversations on here. It’s a good deal for a new car, the spec is higher than those almost 2 year old ones on autotrader as well.

If people don’t buy new cars, the secondhand buyers on here won’t have anything to buy in a year or two.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by E60525d

Is this Mercedes a good deal, really?

So you are paying over £28,000 for a pre-facelift E Class estate on a PCP/lease.

Looking on Autotrader you can buy a 2019 car outright for that price.

Am I missing something?

It's for a new model, post facelift. I just used that photo as it was the only car I could find in that colour and spec. It's a new car for March delivery.

The Merc is £490 a month 9 months down for 20k a year. For comparison the Skoda Superb, VW Passat and Mondeo, none of which are as well equipped as the Merc (how things have changed!) are all between £510-550 a month with 9 down. The same company quoted me £560 for a 520d M Sport with Pro pack, Harman Kardon and sunroof.

So to me it's a good deal. I know a lot of people don't like leasing/PCP as you don't own anything at the end but it works for me.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

It's for a new model, post facelift. I just used that photo as it was the only car I could find in that colour and spec. It's a new car for March delivery.

The Merc is £490 a month 9 months down for 20k a year. For comparison the Skoda Superb, VW Passat and Mondeo, none of which are as well equipped as the Merc (how things have changed!) are all between £510-550 a month with 9 down. The same company quoted me £560 for a 520d M Sport with Pro pack, Harman Kardon and sunroof.

So to me it's a good deal. I know a lot of people don't like leasing/PCP as you don't own anything at the end but it works for me.

If it’s a lease it’d be a no on the Merc for me. I’d rather go for the pcp through Park Lane that should come out just as cheap.

A 4 year lease for a sensible estate, that’s probably not a “love the car” purchase is a long commitment. I’d be in the BMW pcp that’s easier to cut short if I felt like in a couple or three years.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

If it’s a lease it’d be a no on the Merc for me. I’d rather go for the pcp through Park Lane that should come out just as cheap.

A 4 year lease for a sensible estate, that’s probably not a “love the car” purchase is a long commitment. I’d be in the BMW pcp that’s easier to cut short if I felt like in a couple or three years.

First the first two years I'll be driving either the Merc/520d or the X3 M40i depending on what Mr TP is doing. At the moment his X3 is over on mileage where is should be, but as he's working from home it's slowly coming back with target. Then who ever is driving the furthest that day will take the Merc/520d.

In any case, when the X3 goes back in about 24 months I'll replace it with what I want and Mr TP will drive the Merc/520d as his car.

Hope this makes some kind of sense!

[Broncho]

I have an E Class, I’ve driven and been in a couple of the new 5, from a non fanboy stance without doubt the interior of the Mercedes is a far nicer and higher quality place, no doubt at all about that.

What would I have out of the 5 Touring and E Class estate, on the same terms probably the 5, I just think it’s a nicer looking car.

BMW don’t have a competitor in the sector that my car is in so there was pretty much zero competition and I’d have preferred it if there was.

I love my E Class but then again mine isn’t an estate but it definitely is one of the best looking Cabriolets on the market.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

First the first two years I'll be driving either the Merc/520d or the X3 M40i depending on what Mr TP is doing. At the moment his X3 is over on mileage where is should be, but as he's working from home it's slowly coming back with target. Then who ever is driving the furthest that day will take the Merc/520d.

In any case, when the X3 goes back in about 24 months I'll replace it with what I want and Mr TP will drive the Merc/520d as his car.

Hope this makes some kind of sense!

You’re set on the Merc lease then? No 5 Series pcp from Park Lane? Did you get some figures?

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

You’re set on the Merc lease then? No 5 Series pcp from Park Lane? Did you get some figures?

Still waiting for them to come back. Normally she replies really quickly so I can only assume she's off.

I'm really torn between the two! I do like the 5 especially like the one in the picture I posted. Not a massive fan of the digital dials though. Just had a new 3 for 2 days whilst mine was being MOT'd and brakes etc. I felt they were a bit fussy and not easy to read. I guess you get used to them. And new Idrive is impressive and it's what I know.

But that's part of the problem. After 7-8 years of BMWs and we still have the X3 for another 2, I'm just interested in a change. If I don't like the Merc I can still drive the X3.

I guess it will come down to the numbers PL come back to me with.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Still waiting for them to come back. Normally she replies really quickly so I can only assume she's off.

I'm really torn between the two! I do like the 5 especially like the one in the picture I posted. Not a massive fan of the digital dials though. Just had a new 3 for 2 days whilst mine was being MOT'd and brakes etc. I felt they were a bit fussy and not easy to read. I guess you get used to them. And new Idrive is impressive and it's what I know.

But that's part of the problem. After 7-8 years of BMWs and we still have the X3 for another 2, I'm just interested in a change. If I don't like the Merc I can still drive the X3.

I guess it will come down to the numbers PL come back to me with.

I know what you mean, I’m no BMW fanboy, but just think the exterior of the BMW you posted is a much better looking than the Merc.

I like the interior of both.

Not sure who you deal with at Park Lane, Priscilla gets back to me quickly most times, but occasionally needs a couple of nudges.

One factor could be stock, Park Lane is usually factory builds and leases are often stock. Brexit might add cost to a factory build now. Who knows, no one and we’re days away.