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TL;DR: Too long didn’t read
The W211 is my first ever Mercedes. It’s a romantic time capsule on wheels that has reminded me that luxury is less about features but more about how the features perform and make you feel. It’s a snapshot of what Mercedes once stood for and what society considered important such as cigar(The term cigarette is not mentioned) lighters and ashtrays.
Inside and out, the car is over engineered. Everything solid, durable, plush and insulating. The air con stunned me with it’s unobtrusive, quiet but highly efficient performance. In fact, it performs better than in many modern cars. Compared with a W213 it feels like a Maybach.
Specced with cruise control, speed limiter, rain sensor, parking sensors, automatic headlights and folding mirrors it does not feel dated. Having retrofitted a new head unit with AppleCar Play, the car feels 16 years younger.
Mindless waffle and monologue
After 4 years, the time was ripe to part ways with my BMW M140i. It has now been sold. I wish that it was easy to replace with a “better” valuable proposition but it hasn’t because alternatives are:
-Sideways moves
-200-300kg heavier
-Have downsized engines
-Are 2-3 times more expensive
Furthermore, I don’t think that today is the best time to sign a financial agreement for a new car because of:
-High inflation
-High interest rates
-Uncertain future revalue of ICE, hybrid and BEV in 2-4 years time
Bye bye 0.5% interest rates and never ending growth.
As a result I divided to buy a reasonably priced car. I will sit in whilst observing the car market from the sidelines. The added bonus is that I can shift my mindset from finding an all rounder to owning a family donkey that I can supplement with a single minded sports car.
Because I only have access to one car and am a dad, reliability was is a top priority. My checkbox was:
-Manual gearbox
-2 wheel drive
-Passive suspension
-Naturally aspirated
When bland motoring beacons, the obvious choice is 1990-1995 Toyota is the obvious choice. Despite the age it’s surprisingly expensive….for obvious reasons. Its reliability is bullet proof and it’s mechanical so simple that even a novice mechanic can repair any issue. It’s also available with an automatic gearbox. Not just any but a torque converter not dual clutch or CVT boxes that become problematic.
Another BMW was not of interest as the M140i was my 5th new BMW in a row. I grew numb to the brand and need a break. From a Corolla I digressed to a Citroen C4 Picasso until threads about gearbox issues gave diharea. That led me to the W211. It has a torque converter and the 2.1L diesel engine has a stellar reputation for a reliability. If you keep up servicing, it can easily do 400,000-600,000 miles. At 50-100k miles an W211 is barely broken in.
As a bonus, the W211 is a bucket list Mercedes for me. It ties with the W124 as one of my favourite Mercs. Consider it a perfect middle ground between old and new. Build quality is vintage Mercedes but it still have modern tech. Newer cars are more complex, non-sense tech that triggers limp mode if the car thinks something is wrong. A failed ad-blue sensor can cost £2,000 to repair - no thanks.
I considered an E55 but going forward I want two cars for separate duties, e.g spirited driving and family. The lesser petrol variants are terrible on fuel and the V6 diesel is not as trouble free as the 2.1 diesel which achieves 37-42mpg on almost all my journeys.
Specification
Luck came my way. As soon as I saw its spec, condition and mileage, I knew it was a gem. With used cars, its first come first serve. Dealer refused online purchase and delivery. As a result, I booked a 08:00am flight to Manchester to collect it. Woke up at 04:00am on the day. 5min before, I received a message stating that the flight had been cancelled. Without hesitation I decided to travel by train as I didn’t want to lose the car.
Seeing it in person didn’t disappoint either. It’s looks fab and has been well looked after. Middle and third rows barely looked used.
Exterior
A black touring variant was out of the question as they can look a bit hearse-y. Instead I went for a pensioner spec car in Cubanite silver and 17 inch 5 spoke alloys. The colour is peculiar. It’s a blend of grey, silver and champagne. It lacks pop and blends into the world seamlessly. In the first week I discovered that my kids and my GF’s struggle to find it in parking spaces. Overall, the colour suits overcast UK weather and it almost looks the same whether clean or a tiny bit dirty. Without a blacked out windows, there’s a touch of class from the blue tint. Being able to see through the car also visually reduces the bulk of the rear.
Interior
As an Avantgarde car it has a part leather, part cloth interior. This is perfect as the cloth is wear resistant and its texture together with the wood inlays add character. As an added bonus, cloth also better keep you in place through twisty roads.
Unlike modern cars, the inlay and contrast cloth stretch from the dashboard to the rear doors and wraps you in luxury. A pleasant surprise is that the leather is vegan! I wasn’t unaware that Mercedes used non-animal leather in 2006.
Cubbies, glove boxes etc are all satisfying to open and close. In the first week I spent lots of time constantly opening and shutting things and using motorised part. Door bins are lined and there’s almost not a single piece of scratchy plastic surfaces. It’s a fantastic cabin that feels a segment above a W213 e-class that I rode in last month.
Driving experience
I didn’t know anything about the Avantgarde trim before purchasing the car. To my surprise, it has sporty suspension. In sport mode, the car has more feel/emotion and is more eager than I expected. Make no mistake, driving an E220 CDI is not the greatest way to have fun without taking your clothes on.
Nevertheless, it’s not a complete bore to drive and is in fact pleasant thanks to hydraulic steering. Do I think the sporty suspension is a bit unnecessary? Yes. A bit like raisins in savoury food. It’s not the most graceful over potholes and sunken manhole covers. Thankfully I have 17 inch alloys. I would not want to own an Avantgarde with 19 inch ones.
Like with any 2L diesel engine - modern or old, it sounds a bit gruff and agricultural under load. Good insulation helps as the diesel engine isn’t annoying when cruising or up to speed. Gearbox is not programmed for low emissions and as a result pulling into junctions and roundabouts is lag free and without start and stop.
Tech
Everything still works: Headlight washers, cruise control, speed limiter, soft close boot, automatically retractable parcel shelf and automatic headlights. The programming of the rain sensor is superior to those in the recent BMWs that I have owned.
Space
Exploring the car rear wards from the front seats, you realise why touring sometimes cost more. This car is packed with features such as:
-Electronically retractable rear headrests
-Completely flat loading area when rear seats are folded
-Cargo net with two different anchor points. E.g behind front seats or behind rear seats
-Cargo cover that retracts automatically and electronically
-Soft close boot
-Spare wheel tyre
-Two rear wards facing seats
Almost all of the above are not available in the two most recent generations of E-Class.
The W211 is my first ever Mercedes. It’s a romantic time capsule on wheels that has reminded me that luxury is less about features but more about how the features perform and make you feel. It’s a snapshot of what Mercedes once stood for and what society considered important such as cigar(The term cigarette is not mentioned) lighters and ashtrays.
Inside and out, the car is over engineered. Everything solid, durable, plush and insulating. The air con stunned me with it’s unobtrusive, quiet but highly efficient performance. In fact, it performs better than in many modern cars. Compared with a W213 it feels like a Maybach.
Specced with cruise control, speed limiter, rain sensor, parking sensors, automatic headlights and folding mirrors it does not feel dated. Having retrofitted a new head unit with AppleCar Play, the car feels 16 years younger.
Mindless waffle and monologue
After 4 years, the time was ripe to part ways with my BMW M140i. It has now been sold. I wish that it was easy to replace with a “better” valuable proposition but it hasn’t because alternatives are:
-Sideways moves
-200-300kg heavier
-Have downsized engines
-Are 2-3 times more expensive
Furthermore, I don’t think that today is the best time to sign a financial agreement for a new car because of:
-High inflation
-High interest rates
-Uncertain future revalue of ICE, hybrid and BEV in 2-4 years time
Bye bye 0.5% interest rates and never ending growth.
As a result I divided to buy a reasonably priced car. I will sit in whilst observing the car market from the sidelines. The added bonus is that I can shift my mindset from finding an all rounder to owning a family donkey that I can supplement with a single minded sports car.
Because I only have access to one car and am a dad, reliability was is a top priority. My checkbox was:
-Manual gearbox
-2 wheel drive
-Passive suspension
-Naturally aspirated
When bland motoring beacons, the obvious choice is 1990-1995 Toyota is the obvious choice. Despite the age it’s surprisingly expensive….for obvious reasons. Its reliability is bullet proof and it’s mechanical so simple that even a novice mechanic can repair any issue. It’s also available with an automatic gearbox. Not just any but a torque converter not dual clutch or CVT boxes that become problematic.
Another BMW was not of interest as the M140i was my 5th new BMW in a row. I grew numb to the brand and need a break. From a Corolla I digressed to a Citroen C4 Picasso until threads about gearbox issues gave diharea. That led me to the W211. It has a torque converter and the 2.1L diesel engine has a stellar reputation for a reliability. If you keep up servicing, it can easily do 400,000-600,000 miles. At 50-100k miles an W211 is barely broken in.
As a bonus, the W211 is a bucket list Mercedes for me. It ties with the W124 as one of my favourite Mercs. Consider it a perfect middle ground between old and new. Build quality is vintage Mercedes but it still have modern tech. Newer cars are more complex, non-sense tech that triggers limp mode if the car thinks something is wrong. A failed ad-blue sensor can cost £2,000 to repair - no thanks.
I considered an E55 but going forward I want two cars for separate duties, e.g spirited driving and family. The lesser petrol variants are terrible on fuel and the V6 diesel is not as trouble free as the 2.1 diesel which achieves 37-42mpg on almost all my journeys.
Specification
Luck came my way. As soon as I saw its spec, condition and mileage, I knew it was a gem. With used cars, its first come first serve. Dealer refused online purchase and delivery. As a result, I booked a 08:00am flight to Manchester to collect it. Woke up at 04:00am on the day. 5min before, I received a message stating that the flight had been cancelled. Without hesitation I decided to travel by train as I didn’t want to lose the car.
Seeing it in person didn’t disappoint either. It’s looks fab and has been well looked after. Middle and third rows barely looked used.
Exterior
A black touring variant was out of the question as they can look a bit hearse-y. Instead I went for a pensioner spec car in Cubanite silver and 17 inch 5 spoke alloys. The colour is peculiar. It’s a blend of grey, silver and champagne. It lacks pop and blends into the world seamlessly. In the first week I discovered that my kids and my GF’s struggle to find it in parking spaces. Overall, the colour suits overcast UK weather and it almost looks the same whether clean or a tiny bit dirty. Without a blacked out windows, there’s a touch of class from the blue tint. Being able to see through the car also visually reduces the bulk of the rear.
Interior
As an Avantgarde car it has a part leather, part cloth interior. This is perfect as the cloth is wear resistant and its texture together with the wood inlays add character. As an added bonus, cloth also better keep you in place through twisty roads.
Unlike modern cars, the inlay and contrast cloth stretch from the dashboard to the rear doors and wraps you in luxury. A pleasant surprise is that the leather is vegan! I wasn’t unaware that Mercedes used non-animal leather in 2006.
Cubbies, glove boxes etc are all satisfying to open and close. In the first week I spent lots of time constantly opening and shutting things and using motorised part. Door bins are lined and there’s almost not a single piece of scratchy plastic surfaces. It’s a fantastic cabin that feels a segment above a W213 e-class that I rode in last month.
Driving experience
I didn’t know anything about the Avantgarde trim before purchasing the car. To my surprise, it has sporty suspension. In sport mode, the car has more feel/emotion and is more eager than I expected. Make no mistake, driving an E220 CDI is not the greatest way to have fun without taking your clothes on.
Nevertheless, it’s not a complete bore to drive and is in fact pleasant thanks to hydraulic steering. Do I think the sporty suspension is a bit unnecessary? Yes. A bit like raisins in savoury food. It’s not the most graceful over potholes and sunken manhole covers. Thankfully I have 17 inch alloys. I would not want to own an Avantgarde with 19 inch ones.
Like with any 2L diesel engine - modern or old, it sounds a bit gruff and agricultural under load. Good insulation helps as the diesel engine isn’t annoying when cruising or up to speed. Gearbox is not programmed for low emissions and as a result pulling into junctions and roundabouts is lag free and without start and stop.
Tech
Everything still works: Headlight washers, cruise control, speed limiter, soft close boot, automatically retractable parcel shelf and automatic headlights. The programming of the rain sensor is superior to those in the recent BMWs that I have owned.
Space
Exploring the car rear wards from the front seats, you realise why touring sometimes cost more. This car is packed with features such as:
-Electronically retractable rear headrests
-Completely flat loading area when rear seats are folded
-Cargo net with two different anchor points. E.g behind front seats or behind rear seats
-Cargo cover that retracts automatically and electronically
-Soft close boot
-Spare wheel tyre
-Two rear wards facing seats
Almost all of the above are not available in the two most recent generations of E-Class.
