Mercedes E Class reviews

My E270 Cdi has covered just under 170,000 miles and averages 30,000 per annum since I bought it two and half years ago. Running costs except fuel are under 7 pence per mile and it averages 41 mpg even fully laden. It copes well with what I need to carry and it does the greater percentage of miles seats down and loaded up. I cannot think of another car that will deliver what this car does for me.

The E-Series is a big car and is not really designed for urban environments or narrow country lanes. However, it is very comfortable, easy to drive, powerful, and, if driven carefully, nearly 50mpg can be attained. The car does need regular (not frequent - once a year for me) servicing by a Mercedes specialist. This is more costly than a smaller car, but the advantages are clear. Performance can be excellent, but it is not a car to 'thrash': more to enjoy the comfort of cruising at 70mph, rather than as a getaway car at 90mph, but it will travel smoothly at higher speeds. Reliability seems to be built-in, but it still needs a specialist. I use a Mercedes-trained garage, not a main dealer: it means the car is not valeted, but it is still well looked after.

This is the second e class estate I have owned,I use the car as a private hire taxi,and do at least 30000 miles a year. The good points,( in my experience )nothing goes wrong for the first 100000 miles,from a mechanical point of view,they are very good,the last one I did over 200000 miles,never had to top up the coolant,or the oil between oil changes.Electrically there were some issues with intermittent faults that are hard to diagnose,and you can spend a lot of time and money trying. The second one is a 211 model,its done 107000 so far,and had no real problems.I do most of the servicing myself,(I repaired cars for a living for 30 years)except were special equipment is required. It has xenon headlights which are very good when they are working,expensive when they not.I do most of my driving at night,and the first pair of bulbs did just over 100000 miles.The bulbs are about £80 each,and fairly easy to change,but the left hand one stopped working recently,it turned out to be the control unit which fits to the bottom of the light unit,you have to remove,bumper,light cluster,to get at it,and this little electronic box was £444,and there is one each side.I expect most owners will not do this much night driving so this might not be a big issue. Overall I like the car,I am often in for 10 to 12 hours at a time,the most I have done in one shift is about 550 miles,and I find it very comfortable,I am 6 foot 5 tall and about 16 stone,so some cars feel very cramped. To some up,if it got trashed tomorrow I would buy another one,I guess that is why Mercedes seem to be the vehicle of choice for taxis throughout most of Europe.

Best car I have ever had, owned it for 5 years now very comfortable, very reliable, done over 100000 miles not a single problem, will definitely be replacing it with same model only a newer one

This car, while not excelling in any particular area, is very accomplished in all respects. It is therefore a very satisfactory all round vehicle

I love my old beast and am likely to get another when he dies. For his age, he's quite reliable, I have had a few little things go wrong as expected but all have been easy and quick to deal with.

I love my car ! It is a pleasure to drive and so comfortable. My only suggestion would be to move the solid sections of steering wheel to a different angle as the indicator and cruise control arms are not visible unless you're turning a corner (which would be the worst time to take your eyes off the road). My car does everything for me from telling me that my tyre pressures are incorrect to when my next service is due.

Of course it's expensive to run but at this stage of my life I do not give a damn. It's my bit of luxury and enjoy every minute of it.

Excellent performance, reliability and comfort. Holds the road like a crab, a timeless model.

A very comfortable car to drive with a massive amount of space. The car is very reliable and the only real downfall is the mechanics charges?

Very stylish. Gets lots of looks/comments. I feel the engine could be a little more larger than 2 litre. Its a big heavy car, although it does perform quite well, it just needs a little more. The next engine size up in this model range - if I remember correctly is - 4 litre: 0 - 62mph in 'good morning, judge'. Not what I need these days! The other thing I find amazing is that for a near £40K car it doesn't have front fog/driving lamps!!

Extremely useful and comfortable for long journeys. Extremely reliable.

I love my Mercedes E350CDi Sport Auto. I drive all over the UK and Europe and love it!!

Very reliable over the last 3 years, service costs reasonable with a dealt service plan. Excellent economy for size of car.

Just brilliant. servicing is not cheap, neither are parts. But the car is luxurious (it is an Avantgarde) and fuel economy is better than most smaller cars and hybrids.

Excellent in all respects and suits my lifestyle but definitely not a family runabout

The 3 Litre Diesel engine in the E Class has a lot of torque which makes for effortless driving. The electronic aids are designed to "look after" the driver and do a good job of inspiring confidence and making driving easier. Long distances can be covered without tiredness infringing. Comfort is good but the lowered suspension and low profile tyres on the Avantgarde model make for some harshness over certain road surfaces - would not choose this option again. Fuel economy is excellent for such a large car - 50mpg on long journeys. I plan to retein this car for five/six years so am comforted by the models proven durability.

Quick, comfortable, reliable and economic in both fixed and variable cost.

The E Class certainly provides the satisfaction that one expected. The drive ,ride, space all superb, three years old and not one problem to mention, good car !!.

I drive 30 miles each way to work on motorways and want a car that is safe to drive and economical. I sometimes carry a number of people and cargo and the space in the large Mercedes is invaluable. However, due to the cost of a new or newer Mercedes I usually buy a well-looked-after, low mileage vehicle.