big boot-y (estate/SUV)

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Currently have a w213 e class but looks looking to replace it with something cheaper to buy and from a maintenance cost for a 2 liter diesel imho it has disproportionate service costs it's been main dealer serviced but it was actually cheaper than independent when you factor in mobilo etc

Then use the money to buy something more fun but will need something for daily use with space

Fuel isn't a huge issue as mileage isn't huge so would like to go back to petrol but id like reliable and comfortable (air suspension ideally yes goes against reliability)

Any suggestions?

[Watcher of the skies]

Volvo v70 or v90.
Obvs.

[ingenieur]

Sell the newish one and buy an older one which has depreciated. W212 is my favourite car at the moment. Out of the 5-or-so e-class estates I've owned the W212 is the one I want to own again.

[rallycross]

What price range you aiming for ?

[Bobupndown]

Skoda Superb

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I dunno sub 10k I think as it won't be the "nice car" any more

The superb is a superb suggestion!

Always liked the look of them and seem to fit the big and comfortable aspect well

[ZX10R NIN]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dunno sub 10k I think as it won't be the "nice car" any more

The superb is a superb suggestion!

Always liked the look of them and seem to fit the big and comfortable aspect well

No air suspension on a Superb & if that's okay then these should be on your list too.

2.0 Mazda6 Sport Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311043...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308281...

1.5T Mondeo Titanium:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311214...

1.5T Insignia Elite:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310183...

VXR:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310142...

Previous gen 2.0T SE:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308080...

If you want air suspension & a fair bit of the budget left then the Infiniti FX ticks a lot of boxes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312034...

EX 37:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312154...

Brave pill:

X5 4.6is:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308010...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305297...

You can get a very nice E500 estate for very sensible money & it pretty much ticks all the boxes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310253...

[Trustmeimadoctor]

It doesn't need to be air just comfortable as even after drop runflats and a wheel size thd ride in the Merc isnt great it's not bad but I suppose it's not what I feel it should be

[georgeyboy12345]

Forget about air suspension if you only have £10k to spend, it'll likely be problematic

You want something like this old Volvo V70 with the 2.4 non-turbo petrol and auto box - relatively little to go wrong, this one has a long MOT until November next year, supremely comfortable, I've seen decent examples of this car clock up 4x the mileage this one has. Well under budget too.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312014...


Other ideas

Skoda Superb with the 1.4 TSI motor and manual gearbox from a private seller. I'd prefer the manual with this one, as the dry clutch DSGs they pair with the 1.4 are not so great. Also has ACT, so are great on fuel for such a large petrol car.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310303...

Same drivetrain in a VW Passat
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310233...


Mazda 6 Tourer 2.0 Skyactiv-G
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311234...


The boots in these Honda Civic Tourers are cavernous and the 1.8 i-VTEC motors are very reliable too
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307189...

[ingenieur]

ZX10R NIN said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dunno sub 10k I think as it won't be the "nice car" any more

The superb is a superb suggestion!

Always liked the look of them and seem to fit the big and comfortable aspect well

No air suspension on a Superb & if that's okay then these should be on your list too.


You can get a very nice E500 estate for very sensible money & it pretty much ticks all the boxes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310253...

Dented on nearside rear door / quarter. Scuffed on both front corners and the bumper. Wheels are shagged. Interior looks pretty grubby. No heated seats. It seems to have air suspension. I suspect there would be more to see if you went to look at it. Price isn't bad for a 5.0 v8 though.

It would be a nice car as I've had 2 W211s and they're nice comfortable cars... but they can be quite a headache to keep on top of warning lights.

[MadriMan]

Bought a W212 E350d estate a couple of months ago. Massive spec with the massage heated and cooled seats

Been brilliant, very comfy. Only issue is that its still a diesel, coming from a W204 C63 its been hard.

Would of loved the exact same car is a petrol V6 but I don't think they sold one in the UK!

That would make it perfect

But still worth a look!

[georgeyboy12345]

ingenieur said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dunno sub 10k I think as it won't be the "nice car" any more

The superb is a superb suggestion!

Always liked the look of them and seem to fit the big and comfortable aspect well

No air suspension on a Superb & if that's okay then these should be on your list too.


You can get a very nice E500 estate for very sensible money & it pretty much ticks all the boxes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310253...

Dented on nearside rear door / quarter. Scuffed on both front corners and the bumper. Wheels are shagged. Interior looks pretty grubby. No heated seats. It seems to have air suspension. I suspect there would be more to see if you went to look at it. Price isn't bad for a 5.0 v8 though.

It would be a nice car as I've had 2 W211s and they're nice comfortable cars... but they can be quite a headache to keep on top of warning lights.

I spotted that E500 too - do these older Mercs not have issues with rust too?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

yes they do! that and the abc brake suspension setup

dont get me wrong the w213 is a nice place to be but id rather have the money in something with less seats and and space

and the maint costs are not an issue as such (they are affordable) i just feel i small service at like £400 is sill then the major service and the gearbox service etc

seems more than other marques

maybe i should try lexus again although my LS was a bad choice for such a long slow daily journey

[ingenieur]

MadriMan said:

Bought a W212 E350d estate a couple of months ago. Massive spec with the massage heated and cooled seats

Been brilliant, very comfy. Only issue is that its still a diesel, coming from a W204 C63 its been hard.

Would of loved the exact same car is a petrol V6 but I don't think they sold one in the UK!

That would make it perfect

But still worth a look!

They are available in the UK but this was peak-derv era so sensible buyers of new petrol powered W212s were few and far between and as such, rare to find second hand.

[ingenieur]

georgeyboy12345 said:

ingenieur said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dunno sub 10k I think as it won't be the "nice car" any more

The superb is a superb suggestion!

Always liked the look of them and seem to fit the big and comfortable aspect well

No air suspension on a Superb & if that's okay then these should be on your list too.


You can get a very nice E500 estate for very sensible money & it pretty much ticks all the boxes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310253...

Dented on nearside rear door / quarter. Scuffed on both front corners and the bumper. Wheels are shagged. Interior looks pretty grubby. No heated seats. It seems to have air suspension. I suspect there would be more to see if you went to look at it. Price isn't bad for a 5.0 v8 though.

It would be a nice car as I've had 2 W211s and they're nice comfortable cars... but they can be quite a headache to keep on top of warning lights.

I spotted that E500 too - do these older Mercs not have issues with rust too?

Actually rust isn't that bad. A lot of the body panels (can't remember which) are made from alternative materials like plastic or aluminium to prevent rust. That e500 linked to above does not have any immediately obvious rust and for a 20 year old car it is doing well. Demanding that cars remain rust free for that sort of time is quite an ask. I'm of the view this is the era when Mercedes began to get on top of their rust issues which were significant in some of the previous models... although not all previous products as quality seems to go up and down over the decades.

[ingenieur]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

yes they do! that and the abc brake suspension setup

dont get me wrong the w213 is a nice place to be but id rather have the money in something with less seats and and space

and the maint costs are not an issue as such (they are affordable) i just feel i small service at like £400 is sill then the major service and the gearbox service etc

seems more than other marques

maybe i should try lexus again although my LS was a bad choice for such a long slow daily journey

Think it is SBC brakes. One of mine had a warning on the dash for it but was corrected by replacing £8 brake light switch (a common fix for the problem).

I wouldn't recommend the W211 though. My ideal would be 2010-2012 W212, 6-cyc petrol engine.

[Shabaza]

Lexus GS LS or RX would be on my watchlist of reliable old barges with low maintenance costs.

Edited by Shabaza on Monday 18th December 12:55

[MadriMan]

ingenieur said:

They are available in the UK but this was peak-derv era so sensible buyers of new petrol powered W212s were few and far between and as such, rare to find second hand.

I never knew this, I found one when I was looking that was a Japanese Import and therefore assumed they weren't sold here

Did they do a facelift E500 estate do you know? When I was looking could only find pre-facelift...

[ingenieur]

MadriMan said:

ingenieur said:

They are available in the UK but this was peak-derv era so sensible buyers of new petrol powered W212s were few and far between and as such, rare to find second hand.

I never knew this, I found one when I was looking that was a Japanese Import and therefore assumed they weren't sold here

Did they do a facelift E500 estate do you know? When I was looking could only find pre-facelift...

yes, I nearly bought one. Placed my bid in the final few seconds of an eBay auction but my bid was blocked because of some fault with eBay and I missed out on it. Really wanted that car.

They also do the E500 in the W212 shape.