W213Sal

Hi Guys,

First post.... I live in Ireland and drive a W211 (2005) think it's time to change so I've put a deposit down for a W213 (Jan Delivery) I haven't picked out the colour etc

Going for
E200d Exclusive (Luxury for americans)
Going for Technology Pack (Comand + Widescreen + HUD) and Driving Assistance Plus (Drivepilot)

Bit I need help with:
I know it's completely one's own preference but I need help on interior and exterior colour,

my fav colour in mercedes is Teal (think it was only available in W211) and that is the colour of my W211, but it's not available in W213

Originally for the W213 I decided on Citrine (Brown) and beige interior, but a lot of people are saying it looks like poo brown when not polished etc

I didn't have a second choice so I'm thinking going Obisidian Black with beige interior (I like nut brown but might be too dark...) I originally didn't want my car to be a 50 shade of grey but looks like mercedes don't want us picking decent colours (I don't want Kallite Green or Cavansite Blue cause my XTrail is a similar colour)

Also...

window tinting...

We are allowed 35% in the front (must let 65% light in) and we can go as dark as we like on the back.... what do you guys think is sensible? is 60% (40% light in) too dark/light? is 70% good? I'm thinking 30/60 or 30/70.

Thanks guys!

EDIT:

also looking for opinion on wheels.... I will be on steel springs and want max comfort so I think it'd be smart to stick to either stock (ugly) 17s or go 18s?

I wish there was a smaller version of the 20" multi-spoke. I think there is a 19" version for the C class.

vic viper

I had citrine brown on my former S205 and I loved it, it is a fresh modern color, I got a lot of compliments for it, then again I also got some customers saying that it was a horrible choice when they didn't know it was my car

Regarding tint I would go for the factory tint and then add a lighter aftermarket tint on the front windows, I have done this on my three previous Mercs and it looks really good.

W213Sal

Thanks Vic, your W213 Wagon looks sweet, I like the gray as well but I think if I'm not going with the brown i'll probably go with black

I've been in love with the colour as well, but Ireland doesn't get any sun and I don't think I'll see the bronze shine in the Citrine Brown in it until next summer so hence I've decided to look at other options I think obsidian black stands out in all mercs so going to go with that (probably). Reason I'm not going for the privacy glass/night pack is like they're pretty expensive for what you get, I'll just get it done locally it's film and not glass but it's high quality work.

I know you have airbody control and 21" rims, how do you think 20s would be on steel? I was talking to one guy who drove a coupe with 21s he said it was excellent but it was on air as well....

vic viper

Had a black car once, never going that route again, I think it hides all the black accents and every llttle fingerprint or scratch is extremely visible.
The Citrine in the sun is great.


Also you must be able to opt for tinted windows only?, that is a standalone option over here and is not very expensive.

The 213 model is very forgiving even on steel suspension, I have driven several steel sprung 213 with stock 20.s and sport suspension and there is no issue with comfort, then again it highly depends on the roads driven.

W213Sal

That does look gorgeous, I'll probably have some degree of regret will give it another hard thought. I don't think there was an option for tinted windows only, plus even if there was I'm over budget already, even with max down payment, its working out at 700€ per month :O so I would rather pay cash after the car comes to have it tinted

The roads here are pretty bad I haven't been to sweden, but if we were to compare to german or swiss roads, yes they are bad, most places I go are generally fine, I only tend to hit big bumps if I'm on an unfamiliar road. If i go with 20s, do I HAVE TO go with run flats? I've never had a flat on my W211 in 3 years I've owned it so I don't see a point in run flats unless absolutely necessary.

The wheels I want are the exact wheels on your old wagon. The C class ones are 19 right? will these fit 213? Can 19's be on non run flats? (Trying to find a balance between looks and comfort!!)

vic viper

Yes, the multispoke for the 213 is 20", altough there is no need for runflats, they are pure rubbish, expensive, heavy and uncomfortable, go for regular tires and make sure you have a tirefit system in the trunk

W213Sal

Thanks for all the help Vic I think tirefit comes as standard here, also I won't get rid of the stock wheels they will probably come in handy some day even though it never snows here so no need for snow tyres but I will definitely be going for the multispokes 20". I think the car just looks so much better with them as all the publicity shots had cars with those on release.

nashvilletn

ill chime in about tint.

the law is the same here in tennessee. but i have 20% all around and i even tinted my windshield 45% since thats where most of the heat comes in. i love it!

illegal yes, but the car helps keep the cops away

ua549

I bought the PAF package. Even in Florida almost no heat enters through the glass. Without the extra tint I can easily see through the glass at night.

sold5

Hi W213Sal,

Just wondering who you are buying the E200 from? I'm in Ireland too and just starting to shop for an E200 for delivery early next year. Will probably be paying cash along with scrapping a 2005 Honda Accord (Mercedes have a 2000 euro scrappage bonus) so am wondering who would be good to deal with.

Thanks!

Steve

W213Sal

Hi Steve,

First off, where in Ireland are you based? I have a 2005 E class MB, I was offered 1200 by the dealer but I'm not sure if I'll give it away for that, the 2000€ scrapage is for diesel cars only I think and unfortunately my old 2005 E class is petrol, however my way of doing this would be to not even mention the trade-in/scrappage until you've a solid price first. I assume you've already been on a test drive. Go to that same dealer and workout the spec that you want, borrow their ordering book and flip through the colour schemes etc. I went with the full Exlusive line (classic look, and full nappa interior is standard on this trim), Driving assistance plus pack and Technology Pack, this gives you pretty much everything you need (drive pilot and dual screens). Colours are all up to you metalic paint is extra (I went with obsidian black in the end, even though I really wanted the brown). There was some restriction in materials availability so I had to upgrade the wood trim to burl walnut and also had to get different wheels than exclusive standard (in the end I made the dealer throw these in for free). After you have the spec that you want and before starting negotiation I would get them to throw in the mud flaps and Gard X paint and leather protection for free (i missed out on this, long story, will share at the end).

So now you know the perfect spec that you want and a starting price from your dealer (mine was 62400 including those wheels and wood trim that I didn't really want but are good to have).

Take 7% off this price.

Find a list of mercedes dealers on mercedes-benz.ie. Ring all of them in the country (some are owned by the same crowd like the one in cavan and somewhere else, so you might end up speaking to the same person twice). Tell them your spec, and tell them the 7% off price. They will start bidding, some will refuse, don't get disheartened. Target price is 8% off, anything better is a bonus. Most dealers are on a 7-8% margin, so right now they're only trying to tick a box that they've sold a car (and also these cars are all on order already, so your order will only be modified on a car that is ordered already, probably something bog standard with non metallic paint). Once you have the best price, go back to all of them and mention the new best price, see if they can beat it again, and now mention the trade in/scrappage car.

I got the car for 57600€, it'll be here in Jan, but I don't think you'll be able to get a car in Jan at this stage, next production slot is Feb for march delivery.

If you're paying cash there is good deals to be had in the UK as well, 6 month old very very high spec cars from main dealers for 28-32,000 pounds, maybe cheaper, VRT is around the 7k euro mark on these. If you're close to the border they have a 3 year warranty unlike in Ireland where we have a 2 year warranty and no option to extend.

My story was that I went with MSL cork initially, they took my deposit and then couldn't get the spec I wanted in the Nov production slot and would have had to wait until March. Kenneth is a good guy to deal with if you're in Cork. I ended up going with MSL Park motors (Guy called Ronan), they promised a Jan delivery and was the price I wrote above, it worked out a better deal as well if you include the tyres and wood, otherwise best offer I had before that was Cork at 57,200 and Conolly (Meath?) at 57,000€, however I was skeptical that Conolly would be able to deliver in Jan. Also I didn't really mind paying a premium for MSL as if anything goes wrong MSL cork are 10 minutes from where I work.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Sal

E43uk

I used www.carwow.co.uk here in mainland UK…not sure if they operate in Ireland?, if not there must be something similar.

Basically all I had do is register and log on, input what car & spec I was looking for and they send the details to all of their affiliated MB dealerships….after a day or so i started to get best offers from around the country. I got 5 or 6 offers the best of which was about 13% off list from a MB dealership 600 miles away….i printed the offer off, took it to my local MB dealership and told them that they needed to match it.

W213Sal

Hi mate, carwow is excellent indeed, and unfortunately we don't have carwow in ireland and we only have 1 importer for mercedes, MDL (Motor distributors ltd) and their main sales arm is MSL (Motor services LTD) who are the biggest dealer.... all smaller dealerships have to go through MDL to get new mercs for customers..... we have no direct MB dealerships in ireland... and also, we can't buy new cars from the UK (we would have to pay 23.5% VAT), best we can do is buy a 6 month old from the UK, which is definitely the best way to go, however then it's tough to get a loan etc, and it's really only for cash buyers, but it's a killer deal, you save a truck load of money (25%-30% minimum from new irish price after paying VRT as well)

E43uk

Blimey!!…that’s a bit rough, not much leverage there then!

W213Sal

unfortunately no .... tempted to rent a small room in a house up north in a remote area (150-200£ a month?) open a bank account, phone bill up north (10£?), and get my car insurance switched to the UK (plenty of people here driving with UK insurance + plates), then just buy the car from carwow and not bother registering here (saves an extra 8 grand). PCP payments will still probably work out cheaper (700€ a month here) topkek.

BF3PDZ

Interesting experience W213Sal, I am also upgrading from the W211 to the W213 as well. IMO the W211 feels very solidly build compare to the W213. Would like to hear your opinion between the W211 vs the W213.

W213Sal

Hey , yes, I've a 2005 E200 Kompressor (I'm not sure where in the world you are but this model wasn't available in America), it'd be comparable to the current E300 but supercharged instead of turbo. It is definitely a tank. Extremely comfortable. The W213 is also comfortable, it's the most comfortable in it's class, hands down (the volvo S90 comes a close second) but I don't know I still think W211 is more "wafty" and more S-Class like.

I used to think there was a power steering problem in my W211 when I got it but I've driven others, and they really give you an upper body work out compared to current day's electricish steerings. The interior on mine is still like it left the factory bar one or two tears in the leather (artico, wood etc is like new, the steering wheel leather is worn to crap though. Build quality on these things is immense. In the last 3 years of ownership I've spent less than 1,000€ on repairs etc (its done 100K miles/), I had 2 problems, one was gear lever getting stuck/broken, and one ball joint (pot holes in ireland are like craters on the moon). My car is Teal Blue, and the colour is still like new after a wash (never had paint-removing detail).

I'd love to keep the car longer but (A) it's petrol, so I get like 20MPG, compared to the E200D W211 which gets about 60MPG (10L/100km vs 4L/100Km), (B) the maintenance costs will start climbing, I've a feeling new shocks/bushes and maybe springs in a year or two, and the timing chain in the next year, probably all 4 tires as well.

W213 on the other hand is probably the most technologically advanced car on the road. That includes Tesla. The Tesla doesn't even have blind spot monitoring, and the auto pilot uses ultrasonic sensors for lane changing (dangerous, W213 uses radar at the back). The Tesla is nowhere as refined either, I drove the model X and lets compare it to the GLC (apples for apples) and GLC on springs is far far far more comfortable than the model X on air suspension. W213 is a lot more luxurious internally than the W211, ambient lighting, cockpit layout, general material selection (W211 even though still solid with no cheap plastics in touching distance, W213 is slightly better).

W211 and W213 are definitely some of the finest E classes. Right now E class is the king in this class of luxury sedans. Volvo S90 comes a very very close 2nd. BMW 5 series a distant 3rd. I won't even mention the Audi A6, I think at this point a well optioned Toyota Corolla is more luxurious and has better tech. However, compared to the last generation, W212 would be swapping places with the Audi, and Audi A6 was definitely the king 5 years ago.

BF3PDZ

We do get the E200k in Australia. Mine was a 2005 E 350 with the standard 16 inch wheels. The ride comfort is superb, and yes it is definitely more "wafty" than the W213 with air suspension.

The steering on the W211 is on the heavier side by current standards but I find it to be deceptively accurate because of the butter smooth steering action. Likes yours the interior of mine is factory new, even the leather seats are in great condition. As for reliability, no mechanical issues, and the only electrical issues I have is the navigation function of the COMMAND system, which has stopped working. Mine is in silver and the quality of the ceramic clear coat has held up extremely well. The paint is thick, and the clear coat is still extremely glossy with minimal swirl marks. I don't think the paint quality is the same now with the current Mercedes.

I am actually keeping mine, it is too good to let go and it drives like a proper luxury car still, the level of comfort and refinement is still very impressive. As far as maintenance cost goes, I haven't had to do anything costly besides replacing both batteries and changing the brake pads/rotors. I am considering replacing the gearbox oil, since it hasn't been done before. Not sure if the rear diff needs to be looked at.

As for the interior quality, despite a few cheap buttons on the W211, I actually think it is better than the W213, the window buttons has a firmer more precise action, the lower part of the door panels and the door bins are covered in fabric, the padding on the door arms rests are thicker, and the wood trim also seems to be thicker too. Even after all these years the W211 is rattle free still. This time around I went for a more sporty spec, E 400 with AMG line, same silver exterior but interior is black with black wood trim. Going to pick it up early next year.

W213Sal

Yes I've the 16" wheels as well, it just feels very tank-like and like it's running on tracks, tracks of soft cloud. It's a very mercedes feeling. You don't get this in BMW or Audi.

Yes I love the steering, however it's only a chore when doing low speed turns i.e. in the parking lots. Mine doesn't have COMAND so you can't break what you don't have! It doesn't even have parking sensors..... Yes I agree the paint is unreal, very thick, mine did get swirl marks but mainly around the bonnet and trunk, it was probably the ex owner's washing technique, using dirty cloth and circular motion...

I live in the suburb and have no garage, would love to do some work on mine, so have to part with it unfortunately, and I'll only be getting 2-3 grand for it, I bought it for 6 3 years ago which was definitely a bargain. I actually haven't replaced the gearbox oil either, my mechanic told me I'd have to take it to merc to get it changed (no idea why....). Actually mine is due an NCT (national car test) on the 17th, and it passed the pre test at the mechanic, so good for another year!


Do you have Nappa leather in your 350? I think that might be why, I've artico so that's why I was impressed with 213's. My W211 is still rattle free as well.

I went for the E200D cause petrol here is too expensive (1.30c/L) how much is it there? Diesel is 10C cheaper and you get better economy as well!

petee1997

I assume Ireland is a high fuel price country, since everyone is buying diesel 2.0L powered cars. We had those engines in mid size SUV's for a while but after the VW fiasco, MB stop selling all diesels. Do they sell the E400 and E43 in Ireland?

W213Sal

Hi Petee,

There is no E300 or E400 petrol, the only petrol ones on offer are E350e (70k), E43 AMG (92k) and E63 S AMG (144k). Most people here go for the E220D (I don't think E200D is available in australia, this is the one I'm getting) E200D is just a de-tuned E220D. I was told all mercedes cars will be offered with new diesel engine (i.e. next C class), they will still keep the renault 1.5/1.6 for some base model A, C, GLA, and their own 3L V6 for some models (i.e. A class, C class, GLA and GLC will have the new 2L diesel soon rather than the one from W212 as is the present case and then E and S will still be offered with the diesel 3L V6)

Edit: just saw you're in Canada, I assume they only offer the V6 diesels there?

BF3PDZ

I only have the standard leather trim in my 350, but it feels very thick and has been very durable. Petrol is around $1.40 to $1.60/L in Australia and diesel isn't that much cheaper.

petee1997

Diesels were never very popular in Canada or the US, but since the VW fiasco, all diesels have been withdrawn. I believe the only diesels still being sold are commercial vehicles. The price of gas(petrol) here is $1.41 per L for 91 octane.

ua549

In the US diesel fuel is priced about the same as super premium gasoline. That is about 20% higher than regular grade gasoline most cars use. Fuel taxes are higher for diesel than gasoline.

E43uk

I thought i’d convert fuel economy into pounds & pence:-

based on average fuel costs over 15,000 miles using an average diesel cost of £1.18/litre and an average petrol cost of £1.16/litre.

My E43 is averaging 25 mpg (lots of short trips) = circa £3,156 per year.

Not sure what the diesel E classes are averaging but assuming 50 mpg = circa £1,605 per year.

Personally i’m comfortable with the extra £1,500 per year...depreciation is a far bigger factor to concider.