Mercedes C250 10k mile update...Is it my new favourite?
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- Опубліковано 20 лис 2022
- It's fair to say I didnt take to my Mercedes S205 C250 AMG Premium Plus 4-Matic like I did my old S204 estate...because automatic. Now 4 months and 12,000 miles in, how am I getting on with the car?
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I remember buying my Mazda 2, 2 years ago and it had been run on a shoe string. It had 4 part worn tyres, all different brands, all complete s**t. I changed them to Uniroyal Rainsport 5s and it completely transformed the car. I feel you with the change you got from your car. It's amazing that something simple can completely change the driving experience.
My car came with Hankook Ventus Prime 2s and they were OK, I put Pirelli Cinturato P7s on it and what a difference.
It's the rubber components that are generally supplying the comfort of a vehicle, four new balanced tyres should feel better you've more rubber insulating you from the road surface, good idea to rotate tyres so you can bargain a better price for four new ones.
Well on the bright side the tyre change identified a potential safety issue. It certainly looks a quality motor and a nice place to be this winter!
Great update but I honestly don't get your dislike of an auto for a daily. To me the entire point of a daily is to have as little grief as possible, The manuals are for your fun classics when you want to exercise your clutch foot. Anyone who wants to sit in traffic and get a sore left ankle and row between first and second in a jam needs their head looked at 😂
If you do a lot of miles theres always an opportunity to enjoy the car somewhere most days so having a manual is worth it, and an auto is no advantage cruising on the motorway. How weak is your leg if a few minutes do you in?
@@furiousdriving lol a few minutes? my commute in Glasgow traffic is 45mins due to the magical m8 at townhead. We'll obviously agree to disagree since I'm not going to convince you of a modern auto's advantages and you won't convince me that a manual is better than a modern auto with manual paddles. Such is the beauty of cars, we can all have our favourite choice 👍
Gotta say, a decent set of uhp tires completely changes the character of a car. And you've got a really good set there. Good choice.
Great little update on the Merc Matt and glad you seem a bit happier with the Merc now. That's the one thing that transformed the car when I had R56 Mini was to remove the run flat tyres and replace them with 18 inch rubber band non runflat tyres, it was like night and day. My Cactus is back on its steelies or standard wheels for the winter and for a car that came from a main dealer I can assure you that it never got checked before I bought it as it has 4 different brands of tyres on it! All fairly new tyres, so either the last owner skimped on tyres of not the same brand! I am not a racing driver by any means and the tyres will prob cover about 3000 miles before they come off again in March/April 2023.
Bought my Hyundai 5 years ago with a set of Semperit Comfortlife. Those were only half a decade old, had decent meat, but handled like crap. Swapped them to winter tires from Hankook.. was not astonished by the gain. But, during Spring, I got Semperit's new Comfortlife 2 tires (suppose those are still on), and was blown away how direct an old hydraulic power steering can be. It made massive difference. During Autumn, I came home on a curvy set of roads and the back end just flung out, towards the railing, and I wasn't even hammering the thing. The new summer tires just took it like an absolute boss, as if the car was stuck onto the road.
Having proper rubber materials contacting the road surface is the biggest tuning everyone can afford (sort of, unless you fiddle with the ECU, on your own accord, that is).
You should have gone for all-season tyres. I just put 4x non-runflat Bridgestone WeatherControl A005e on my BMW, and they're brilliant! Far better ride than the OEM runflats that came with the car, almost as good grip in the dry, and far better in the wet, cold, and the light snow we get here in southern England. I had to shop around a bit to find a brand that did all-seasons in the sizes I needed (225/40R19 on the front, 255/35R19 on the back), but now I've done it, I couldn't be happier. Oh, and a slime repair kit in the boot!
Getting rid of the runflats in my F30 transformed the handling as well, I'm running Michelin Pilot All Season 4's and they've been fantastic so far
People running run flats is down to manufactures not providing a spare, those seal and inflate kits are rubbish and will ruin an often repairable tyre that just has a nail or flint in it.
I have 19" wheels on my E220d and had a very similar crack to yours repaired - the repairer said that BMW and Merc wheels above 18" are his bread and butter jobs. For tyres mine came from new with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics, although they are runflat they give great grip all year round. I've stuck with them (now Asymmetric 3s) and I have been getting 20-25,000 miles out of a set, so can't really complain
Matt, I recently bought a W204 Saloon (2009 C200 Sport CDI). It is a capable car, has the 2.1 diesel, runs and drives perfectly. VED is £220 a year which makes it cheaper to run than the 1995 BMW E36 318i that it replaced. It has virtually no rust (just some stonechips on the bonnet) and looks like a car with half the mileage (216K on the clock). I wouldn't get rid of my Volvo XC90 but I'm loving the Merc. I've forgotten what a good saloon car is like to drive. It looks like decent tyres have tipped the balance in favour of you keeping the S205.
I miss my 204, really well built and so good to drive, if only they were ULEZ - the 205 has the same engine just with ad blue
Yeah, I get that ULEZ compliance was something you needed from your daily driver.
I put the same tyres on my E Class a few months ago. They replaced the Nexens which I thought were a bit noisy. The Continentals don't seem much quieter and the MPG seems to have come down a touch. Otherwise, no issues with handling or anything else.
Great video as always! Changing gearbox mode does help (me) a lot. I know it's very fiddly to start with but then it becomes second nature and it does improve the experience.
I changed my tyres on my 2015 Mercedes W166 ML from Avon to Bridgestone & its changed the car for the better , Love the Auto gearbox on Mercedes so effortless, the Mercedes 4-Matic is great in all weather conditions nothing phrases them, more content please great video !
Hi Matt,
Not sure if anyone else picked up on this but early on in the video I thought there was a fair bit of road noise but after the tyre change it was much less noticeable. Another reason I don't like run flats.
I've not driven a modern Mercedes car with an auto box but I have driven plenty of Mercedes truckd and they are the worse, most frustrating gearbox I've ever encountered as they are so dim witted.
I think with modern cars being so refined a slush box can suite the nature of the car and having other cars to drive I think the less engaging driving experience could be tolerated but the other issues you mentioned could be a little harder to live with.
Have to say I fully agree with you and automatic gearboxes, I've had a couple of autos - both DSG and an old fashioned torque converter type and they both at times select the wrong gear or respond in ways you are not expecting/desiring. I think I'd just put up with it in the case of the S205 and use the other cars for your manual kicks, it's such a nice spec otherwise! Alternatively: P2 Volvo V70 with the 2.5T 5 cylinder petrol engine is ULEZ friendly and can be had with a manual gearbox for £2-3k and a bit more in fuel...
Maybe by spring Ill be bored enough to swap it, there are a few estates Id like to try
Hi Matt, ref the auto box, might be worth seeing if Merc has a software update for it? Our CLA has the 7 speed auto/manual and I asked if they could see if the jerkiness when setting off up hill could be looked at. Initially I was told “that’s how they are” but I said my DSG doesn’t do that and was told “it’s totally different…”. An hour or so later the technician found it needed an update and lo and behold.. fixed!
Tyres can transform a car, I learned this when I had my first car, a 1976 Mini Clubman Estate, when I needed new tyres to sell it, I put cheapies on and nearly put it in the hedge!
That was in the dry, in the wet it was undrivable.
After that I always have the best tyres I can afford.
I now have an Auto and I know what you mean, but. 80% of the time its great, I changed to an Auto because with hybrids and Leccy coming it was inevitable and only povvy spec seem to have manuals
Totally agree about the road tax
i agree on tyres matt, my jazz had 2 old dunlops and 2 cheap chinese tyres and the ride was awful. so i bought 4 new goodyears, and the ride and handling is much better. also i had the gearbox oil changed, as its always been notchy from new, and what a difference! lovely slick changes now 😊
Great video. Came to this after watching 4 of the Mondeo videos. I highly suggest that cracked and repaired wheel remain on the rear of the car and then there is never a chance it’s going to present any out of balance situation to steering and also on the rear less likely to be affected by the extra weight on it and other pot holes in the front. Liked and subscribed!
When I got my Z4 it came on the oe Bridgestone A05 runflats and tramlined horrendously and rode like a skateboard, swapped after couple of days as I'd test driven ones on normal tyres. Guy selling it included a 3 series jack kit and a full set of matching 103 design spares with half worn Conti 830 winters. (swapped last week for the summers). Like yours the ride is stodgy but wouldn't drive without them over winter because of the much better wet grip and braking.
My last boss had a 2017 and 2018 Tesla Mod. X and had to pay full whack VED for 5 yrs (the £300 expensive car supplement) as were over 40k new, all EVs over 40k did after 2017 ved rule changes.
Matt you can get an XF estate as a manual, they are rare but available and ULEZ compliant. I used to have a 3.0 XF auto and you can use the paddles at any time and it will hold the gear that you put it in so you can use it like a clutchess manual which worked well.
I only found base model 2 litre diesel or the V8 R, but nothing in between! Looked quite often too...
@@furiousdriving You can find both high spec portfolio and R-Sport manuals with the high output 2.0 diesel granted the V6 was never available with manual
Great review as a S204 owner I'm always interested in the differences compared to the S205. I swapped out my Contis for Michelins and have been delighted with what I feel is a slight improvement
I think, to me, it depends on what journey I'm doing. A short journey with a lot of gear changes, manual every day - I love driving involvement for short journeys. However, for longer, mostly motorway journeys, I prioritise relaxation and ease over driving involvement, so my automatic '01 Lexus GS300 doesn't bother me at all for that, especially since it's an old 5-speed slush box that's a lot more predictable and cooperative than these new fangled 20-speed things seem to be. Plus it has manumatic buttons on the wheel which actually hold the car in a particular gear when you want it to - imagine that!
My 2020 golf estate came with continental eco contacts with about 3.5mm tread left on the fronts. I hated the lack of traction, poor wet grip and replaced them with good year all seasons which I had on the previous seat Leon and really liked. Immediately I have much better traction wet or dry, the handling is fun on country roads with much less understeer and grip in the wet is confidence inspiring. I got very good life out of my Leon's all seasons so I found no downside although dry weather performance is ultimately behind a summer tyre and snow grip behind a winter one. Though I don't notice any obvious difference myself. Haven't tried in harsh winter yet thoygh. The tyre is also considerably quieter. Long distance fuel economy seems pretty similar at about 55mpg (not bad for a petrol) but low speed economy does seem worse at about 37mpg on urban commute down from 40. Worth it for the extra confidence and grip. Yes.
It could be worth a gearbox tune. A friend had their E61 535d touring gearbox tuned and it was night and day how responsive and willing to hold a gear and use the torque instead of revving the goolies off it. It may also give you more specifically better low gear holding in sport mode.
My wife bought a alfa romeo mito that had a new set of Arrowspeed tyres fitted. After about 3k she mentioned a noise like when a wheel bearing was singing on her impreza. We changed to continentals. Perfect
Ditching the run flats was probably the main reason for the improvement, all season tyres may have given the best of both worlds. Looks a lovely car. Presumably this was shot before the chancellors autumn statement, which extends the luxury car tax to EVs from 2025.
I find the turning circle on my CL. Amazing 😂😂. Glad the tyres have done the job and improved the enjoyment of the car 👍
Re the Box going back into Auto mode. Go to your mode settings and go to INDIVIDUAL. Set the Gearbox as manual and any other settings you want. Then use Individual rather than sport or comfort. The box will stay in what ever gear you put it in and will not change.
I did try that for a bit, but with 9 speeds its constant shifting, and I know that sounds like what I want but with so many gears its better to let it get going on its own and take over as needed. Of course a manual would be better still
@@furiousdriving You should be able to "double tap" to skip gears, giving less shifting? When I ride my motorcycle I often flick my foot 2 or even 3 gears at the time if I am just cruising about....
@@GoldenCroc Ive not heard of that with this before, will try it next time I take it out
@@furiousdriving Works fine on my old-ish BMW with paddles, no Idea about Merc to be honest, but I dont see why not.
It's not the Mercedes which has the problem it's people as soon as the warranty end's they don't care anymore about servicing the air suspension anything that's costs a lot of money, because most brand new Mercedes driver's buy a new car after the warranty ends.✌🏻☕♥️👍🏻 Love the channel .♥️♥️
Luckily this has coil springs, one less thing to break!
Good bushes and engine mountings help with comfort not to mention decent wiper blades and wipers.
Good to have an update, looked at Mercedes’ and bmw as wanted a treat but just couldn’t quite stretch or spec was wrong or dealer was a pita, anyway I tried Mercedes’ like yours and it was nice but couldn’t understand the gearbox shifts, then tried a dsg Skoda Octavia estate newer cheaper and less miles 30k, and was stunned at difference, tho obvs much less classy and quality. Now 18 months later and coming up 90k, I still love it, but the 90k timing belt and service cost 1300 quid not helped by crank oil seal failed, and 2 weeks later the dmf is chattering so another 1000+ to fix. Sure all will be fine after that but jeeesh all this tech and emission crap costs a bloody fortune and every service seems to end in a parts list longer than my arm. However, the experience with the c class makes sense, I didn’t know it learned - dsg doesn’t, but the Mercedes’ dealer who I said nice car but gear changes odd just walked off and never explained 🤷🏼♂️
Love the video! I have the same model. Do you know if you configure individual mode to be manual, when in individual mode it never puts it back into auto? That way you have to use the paddles, or it gets quite loud 😎
Yes, I did try that but with 9 speeds I almost cant shift fast enough!
@@furiousdriving yes, that is true! The other use I have found for for paddles is to “prime” the gear box prior to an overtake. If you hold the right paddle for 3 secs, it drops down to the lowest gear the car can handle at the speed you are going. This is much like the kick down. However unlike the kick down you aren’t accelerating, meaning when you put your foot down for the overtake you don’t need to wait for the gear change. Holding the left paddle for 3 secs then put it back into auto. The other thing I learned just recently is that there is a hidden use for the otherwise sort of useless “menu” button on the center console. Hold it for something like 30 secs and it resets the air con to 22, linked and full auto… I find this useful after my mrs has driven the car 😎
You should be able to change your transmission settings, to suit you. You can change all sorts on modern cars, via an OBD-accessed app on your phone. Things like headlight sustain after locking, pedals pressed to start, when the windows shut, etc. So things like flappy paddles might be doable...
Agree with you on the headlights. I drive an E Class 2019 plate and the fun you have just watching those headlights do their thing at night time never fails to amuse me. (Dread to think what it would cost to replace a broken headlamp unit though)!
Thats actually quite a sobering thought!
Wow, 12k already? The tyre change certainly transforms a car. My focus is so much better now that I’ve changed the budget one at the rear
Sweet car! Don't sell it cause of the 9G Tronic. Try and search for a local bloke with a Xentry / DAS/Vediamo with C4 or C5 to code in Agility and True Manual mode plus AMG menu. The True Manual mode will indeed allow you to plough through the gears from the gear levers on the steering wheel whereas the Agility mode will increase responsiveness to the gearbox changes. I fully understand where you come from when you are saying that a manual vehicle is more engaging. Sad that they left the W205 without the 3.0 V6 diesel engine. The AMG menu will allow you to see all kinds of parameters specific to the AMG vehicles. Fit some Eibach or Vogtland lowering springs and the car will transform completely. Cheers!
I am completely with you on the 'lack of control' in an automatic car. It's the creep forward that always scares me at traffic lights.
Do you find the HOLD function you have to push unnecessarily hard on the brake pedal? My dad's S213 E-Class you have to really mash the pedal to get it to come on. Completely different to my Passat where is comes on at the slightest hint of the pedal when stationary.
You are bang on the money with the interiors though. The E-Class feels like such a special place to be. My dad is planning to retire in 2 years and wants a smaller car so I am likely to buy the E-Class to replace my Passat I've had for 15 years.
Yes I agree with the HOLD function… My last two cars have been VAG products - 18 plate Leon and a 19 Audi A3 - and the auto hold in those cars requires no effort. However my partner’s 13 C Class and 18 A Class literally need the pedal pushed to the floor to function.
You have to really shove it to engage, but release with the lightest touch
Why not just put the car in park or neutral if you want the avoid the "creep forward"? There is no extra thing do to compared to a manual, because if you have the manual in gear, you have to push the clutch down, which is just subsituted for the brake with an automatic...
If you press the brake pedal like normal people the car won’t creep forward
@@bmwman1981 what a paronising statement- cheers buddy!
Yes i understand that but that causes the brake lights to stay on for the person behind, blinding them. That's a pet hate of mine so want to avoid doing it if possible
I loved the way mine looked, a 2019 amg premium plus in diamond white with 19" wheels. I thought the seats were rock hard and the Pirelli tyres were aweful below 10 degrees. I sold it. I now have a Volvo V90 D4 Inscription with an amazing spec. I would never repair an alloy. Just buy a new one. My Volvo is lovely.
Yours must have had different seats to mine as these are very soft, much softer than in the W204 in fact.
If an alloy repair is done well it should last and not be an issue, and a fraction of the cost of a new wheel too
I have an E class with the same gearbox. Not sure if you are aware but you can put the gearbox into full manual by programming it in individual mode.
I have a 2012 E250cdi with the 7 speed auto, having a fair few autos over the last 25years its by far the best up there with the 5 speed on my old BMW 740, for the driving I do i barely notice any changes, when it did get a bit sluggish not really that much though I had the box flushed and serviced at a MB specialist made it even better
"You hardly ever get a crack on the outside"
Haha. Been there seen that.
Ten years ago the 18" Straights on my MG ZT 1.8T I bought had Runflats on the rear wheels. Why?
Wheels a bit tatty .. cannot have that. Off to the refurbishers with them. That revealed why. The extra wide tyre bead to rim interface area of the Run Flats ( Heavy ) covered the unseen crack ON THE INSIDE of one of those wheels. Thus, no loss of pressure. Fitted UNIROYAL RAINSPORTS as I prefer their "does what it says on the tin" in the wet stuff. Sold the two slightly worn runflats for a tidy sum on Gumtree. Bonus.
That crack on the inside of the wheel's inner rim back then cost a huge tenner to alloy weld repair prior to refurbishing by the Digbeth Refurbishing Company I've used for years. Instead of the MG-Rover silver, had them refurbished in Brilliant White Gloss which lifted the XPG ( X-Power Grey ) cosmetically contrasting and enhancing the appearance of the otherwise dull ( to my eyes but looks good when clean ) as ditchwater grey favoured by so many cars on UK roads today. Talk about fifty shades of grey. Still have that ZT saloon but prefer to drive my daily driver MG ZT-T 1.8T workhorse for its better load carrying capacity. Both cars nice to drive and keepers though.
Keep this interesting furious driving stuff coming. Much appreciated.
You may have solved this issue already, and I've missed it, however I thought I'd mention...your electric boot that opens if and when it feels like it when you wave your foot... Have you tried waving your foot and then stepping back? I recently noticed that a family member's brand new Ford Kuga had the same issue where it just didn't seem to work - until we worked out as a safety precaution you must step back first. Who knows maybe yours requires the same action!
Glad the tyre change has transformed the car. In the gearbox I have the I dynamic set on Sport Gearshift and Sport Steering not E or Comfort it makes a much better shift the Gearshift is much better and makes no difference to Fuel Economy. It's probably better as its changing quickly at the right time.
I had 2 sets of Pirelli P7s on my Kia Cee'd, really good tyres and lasted me 80,000km. I'm now using Michelin PS4s on my new Civic 2.0 hybrid and I might change them for Pirellis when I go to replace them.
Also, I used to be a massive manual gearbox fan, but since driving the Civic hybrid with its eCVT I'm converted. I do still enjoy driving a good manual, but I doubt I'll buy another manual car now.
There’s lots of used 18” alloys wheel sets knocking about for sale for your car. I’d buy a set and fit a winter set to them. Hopefully you’ll get an even better ride on a higher sidewall.
Yes, maybe even 17" ones, if possible.
It would look incredible with 18 inch AMG Monoblocks
It's easy to forget how much difference decent tyres can make to a car. I always feel that an auto is part of the luxury experience in a car. And, for town driving , you can't beat an auto. Each to their own, I 'spose.
How did you remedy the spare wheel dilemma?
Great content for someone considering this car 👌
Run flats sounded like a great idea to avoid blow outs but the compromise to ride is too much. When I ride as a passenger in cars with these it feels like I've got solid wheels with no tyres attached!
It’s interesting that the 9 speed Mercedes’ auto box is problematic. I had a Mini Clubman with the BMW 8 speed. It was great, economical on eco mode, fast and even sporty sounding (for a diesel) in Sport mode. It was very hard to catch out.
I now have 1litre Suzuki Baleno. This has the 6 speed auto box. In auto box I can override it, but like the Mercedes it switches back, usually inconveniently. But move the stick and I have full manual control. I can hold gears to the redline, I can do engine braking by changing down.
I can’t believe that a £40k+ Mercedes cannot do this.
The Suzuki also has adaptive cruise control as standard :)
I am looking to change it, but I am debating whether another auto or back to manual.
I bought my W204 on the back of your review, and I’m so glad I did. I do t think I’ll upgrade to a ULEZ C Class until I have to!
I also don’t think I could bare the drop to MPG as I currently see 65+ in my 2012 C220 CDI! Highest Ive seen is 75+ but very very rarely and on a LONG run
Glad you're enjoying it, I still miss mine..
Try using the Dynamic Select which changes the character of the gearbox. Mercedes know what they are doing. I drive both a 9 speed E and a 7 speed SLK. You will find fun to be had.
I share your views re auto. I have a DSG in my Golf estate. The spec is great and it’s a great tool to cover distance and deal with family duties. An auto box is nowhere near as engaging as a manual would be. One positive though is the 7 speed keeps the revs low when on the motorway.
The low revs are the one good thing!
Nice to see half a smile while driving your Mercedes-Benz Matt, your lucky enough to jump into another car though and have some fun. I wouldn't of thought you needed winter tyres on though with it being 4 wd, let's hope for a mild winter.
Why wouldnt you need that? There's almost no grip at all with summer tires on snow....
non run flat winter tyres coming in a month!
Have you tried resetting the gearbox? Made a big difference on my E class, it had learned to stay in high gears all the time.
I had an A class on loan for a month with those flappy gear change levers and yes I totally agree it was annoying as anything that the gearbox switched out of manual mode after a few moments of not changing gear. I concluded it was no more than a gimmick
You can overthink things. Had 4 new c250 mercs, c , e and glc. Just drive them, dont think about it. Personally think they are superb, safe, solid, relaxing. Agree super low profile tyres are the bain of modern daftest trend ever. If I was super picky, the seats are like concrete after a couple of hours. You do get a slight pause if you roll and then power off at a roundabout but soon get used to it. Would never put runflats on. Would never drive a manual now, hate them with a passion, horses for courses.
Odd that you found the seats hard, mine feel like the old Mk3 Granada puffy leather chairs.
I dont think Ill ever get over the lack of control in an auto, or the annoyance at the lag of the line...dreadful things!
Yep, tyres can make or break a car. Nice update Matt.
I've done similar mileage in my D5 V90 (which was at The Motorist for your meet next to Richie's V70) to your C250 and I still don't like it that much. Many of the same complaints to be honest, fuel economy of mine is similar to yours, for the last 4k I think it's averaged 37mpg. I'm still thinking about getting rid of it for something else. I enjoy driving my 960 which is automatic but the V90 not at all. Road tax on mine is the same as yours and falls into the higher bracket because of the initial purchase cost.
I drove a V90 Cross Country up to Scotland and loved the interior and look of the car, but perhaps too much automation and insulation from the road on modern luxury cars separating us from enjoying the drive.
I almost went for a V70, and only didnt go for it as I wanted RWD or AWD, and the V70 reviews didnt say to was a hoot to drive
@@furiousdriving Interior of it is very nice and comfortable but I don't like all the technology. Definitely too much insulation from the road, it's a very easy car to go fast in too like you mentioned in the video, 50 can feel like 30, 90 feel like 60 etc. I drive my 960 (which is my summer car and only done about 2k in it this year) and feel like I'm doing the speed that I actually am when I look down.
I too like the V70 but what engine to go for? Diesel sensible (forgetting the D2, D3 as they're rather small) but the world doesn't like diesel and petrol is £££ - although would be interesting to compare diesel and petrol running costs (inc, inefficiency with E10 compared to E5 and E0?) with the price difference at the pumps now.
I test drove a Skoda Superb, didn't like the auto, manual much nicer but compared to the V90 the Superb just felt like a lesser car (I don't mean that in a snobby way, much more plastic, more flimsy, more mass produced) and used they aren't much cheaper than the V90, around £3-4k at the time.
I have driven a V60 which I prefer to drive, the V90 almost feels too large and with too much weight at the back when you start chucking it about. I'd really like to try a manual V60 but they aren't that common, according to Volvo most are in Business spec too.
I don't know what to do car wise. Whether to get something old that I like but then something sensible, cheap tax, ULEZ friendly for running around but then that's getting rid of one car and getting two which doesn't make sense either. I don't know whether to get an older petrol V70 but then that's going to cost a fortune at the pumps which I'll probably complain about. I'd love a V8 S80 but then that's not sensible either 🤷♂😂
@@SuperFIFTHGEAR I know what you mean about the sort of snobby feel, I considered a Skoda, Ford and Mazda but felt like going down a level!
@@furiousdriving I do like the Mazda 6 but the diesels in those are known for serious problems and I know people who have looked after their cars and still had problems. I really wished Toyota made the Camry (that's now been discontinued) in estate form, the latest Corolla is a very nice car but auto and they seem quite popular, high price on them as well as they're still relatively new. Possibly a car to keep an eye on in the future.
Do keep in mind that the Sport Contact 7s are one of the stiffest summer non-runflat tyres you can get. This does mean that you get more road feedback, and the SC7 is the best road tyre on the market currently for both dry and wet grip (so they're quite sticky). Do be careful though, I saw that these were reviewed as having poor aquaplaning resistance, and I've found they will aquaplane relatively easily in my own experience.
Agreed. My company car showed me that on the M5. Made my hole twitch 😂
@@angrymuffinsb I was trying to accelerate out of a corner on a country road, when the tyres aquaplaned and I almost hit the redline while not accelerating at all. They did recover pretty quickly but I'm usually pretty careful with them now when there's water on the tarmac.
@@HirooKoslov that very same thing happened to me yesterday! And as I lay here at 3:50am hearing the rain hammering against the window. I can’t wait to go to work shortly 🙃
Have had new tyres transform a car before. I have my sons Volvo XC40 recharge Twin for 10 days while he is away. VERY impressed with it.
I like an auto as a rule but hate learning ones as they just seem to try to take over. I'm glad you are starting to like the rest of the car though. There's nothing worse than getting into something that you just end up hating!
I'm with you on not liking autos, but one vote for the Jaguar is that it uses the ZF 8HP, and Jaguar have programmed their gearboxes such that if you put them into sport-manual mode, they won't go back to drive unless you hold the left paddle for about 5 seconds. They even go so far that the car will bang against the limiter rather than change up, though it will still change down if you slow down.
I have contact sport 7 tyres 20” and ride perfect and grip amazingly on my Jag xf AWD petrol and my auto zf gearbox is great and paddles work well and won’t go back to drive mode but you have to be in sport mode or it will go back to drive if not used and maybe do you have a gearbox issue as in sport mode it’s brilliant gear change and ride and feel and deffo try the hag auto
That’s Maidstone for you haha fluffy slippers and pjs ! Classic
Have you looked into all weather tyres? I don't know if you will get 🌨.
I noticed that Michelin and Continental are more expensive than Nokian. Check out Nokian winter tyres.
Yes, have them on Mrs F's Mini. They're very good these days but for ultimate ride and handling the Sport Contact 7s have quite a big edge and I really wanted to see what the car is like
Nice car matt
I’m very surprised at how noisy the engine seems! Would the increased fuel consumption be at least partly due to the 4-Matic? Of was the car you’re comparing it to also 4WD?
thats just the mic, they seem to pick up engine noise. The old one was RWD, AWD does make a difference but should make too much
not good Matt but all sorted now. you went to a tyre n wheel place very near me in maidstone .
😂 you’re like me, can’t wait for some snow to bomb around in. But alas I don’t think we’ll get any before Jan.
You brought up some interesting points in the past 50 years of driving l have owned 10 manual cars and 4 automatics at present our two vehicles one is an automatic the other a manual l do like driving both of them and l was able to afford to fit a brand new set of tyres to my 1997 Toyota hilux and they are by law high profile light truck tyres although l will not be carrying any heavy loads and you mentioned road tax in Australia you just have a regestration fee but if you are on a pension its free but only for one vehicle because my ute is registered in my name its free still got to pay third party insurance but the car is registered in my wifes name and she also gets her registration for free also we both get free drving licenses and l think the registration fee if you pay for it are similar for both EVs and petrol cars also no winter tyres same all year round
Any chance you can get the box remapped?
Don't understand why new auto's have so many gears, driven those with less and had better feel. Mate in a chair so needs an auto, done a couple of swaps to auto on sportier cars which only come in manual.
It is such a shame that the gearbox is not to your liking, the return to 'default' is a crazy characteristic.
It’s a lovely lovely door card. That mileage accrual very impressive. The local Shell must like to see Keith. My sons primary teacher has a red, kinda orange , claret paint palette shade. Very nice. It isn’t my kinda car but for smooth motorway mile munching can see why went this route !!!!!
Very nice to hear about your son's primary teacher's complexion. What colour is his/her car??🤣
@@newkidd9129 ha, that's brilliant, can see the grammar woe !!!! Pale teacher white answer
You need to try a facelift model with the OM654 2.0 diesel. Very refined, fun and extremely economical (I average around 72mpg minimum on my 25 mile commute, 15 miles of which is motorway). Makes the OM651 seem like an absolute dog in comparison.
The ZF automatic gearbox in the 2019 BMW 3 Series touring is a much better gearbox than the equivalent C Class estate.
There's nothing really wrong with runflat Tyres. I run the bridgestone T005 on my E220d, very comfortable ride most of the time. It's usually the shitty road surfaces and potholes that give problems, which you can't do anything about.
Two points here in my opinion 5 speeds on an auto box is enough BMW and Mercedes up to 9 is not a good idea they say it is for fuel economy the engine and transmission will be better matched under driving conditions but what happens is the gears are changing up down all the time trying to find the best spot and becomes un resonsive as Matt has found .Next the large composite wheels and very low profile tyres now the trend are causing great expense as even a small pot holes or kerbes damage tyres and wheels run flat tyres another bad idea take them off
Do the adaptive headlights actually adapt in a timely fashion? I've not seen much issue with Mercedes, but I swear every new Mini Cooper is blinding.
Dip fast, slower to come back up, impressive really
Very much car dependent, as well as how the road looks. My BMWs are flawless in most cases, if it wasnt for some of those dumb roads we have here with perforated barrier in the middle, which confuses it... My Toyota Auris was much worse on the other hand. Renault Talisman pretty good as well, about the same as BMW.
One of my colleagues had a Mercedes as a company car of this generation with the same wheels and had all 4 replaced at different times due to the same issue, when the 5th one cracked mercedes refused and put it down to driving style, He is an OCD car guy though who try's at every opportunity to avoid pot holes!
if you havent already. have you reset the gearbox at all?
did that first week I had it
I just noticed the license plate, and why the car is called Keith. Brilliant! 😊
I hope you let us know how the economy is doing after the tire change. Sounds plausible that things may look up, when you leave the heavy tires behind. ..and i'd hope so. Your 205 certainly hasn't been brilliant on that account so far.
Other than that: I'd have such a car with the automatic, because i think that suits the car. But i'm happy we went from a lot of moaning to appreciation for the car in general. Makes me think i better put the S205 on my list of cars worth looking into when they get within reach money wise where i live.
Just a note: The tire weight wont affect consumpion in any measurable way, but the rolling resistance difference might. Generally, run flats arent that good for rolling resistance.
@@GoldenCrocHow much the weight of the tires affect fuel economy depends on how the car is used I believe. Going up and down in speed the weight certainly will have an effect. ..but you're right in saying that rolling resistance is a big killer of fuel economy, and that runflats often are less impressive in that aspect. It was around 02 o'clock last night when I wrote my comment. I only had the mental capacity to react to what was explicitly said, not to think for myself 😄
@@jo05dk It indeed varies for car used and speed and many other factors. But on this car, it wont have any measurable
He will get better fuel consumption figures with the new tyres because they are lighter… having a lot of weight around a large rim takes significantly wore energy to spin up to speed and then you’ve got to scrub that energy off with the brakes. The most efficient is steel rims, decent sidewall profile on the tyres and smooth plastic wheeltrims.
@@johnmoruzzi7236 A bit of hair splitting but: Better consumption, yes. Better consumption figures he can tell us? No, not really.
Now we’re a good few months down the line, did you notice the mpg improve with the new tyres ?
I've said it before about this Merc - it's got 4WD (and all the extra mass) and an auto gearbox, so no wonder it's much thirstier than its predecessor.
The VED rip-off is a shame, but them's the breaks. I specifically bought a zero-VED car (2014 Fiesta Econetic) after years of having to shell out upto £125/yr on a car rated at 123g/km CO2, which always frustrated me (if it had been 3g/km lower, I could have saved £95/yr). My father drives a 2017 Focus and was most annoyed to get stung for £145 VED on it after only paying £30 for its direct predecessor (a 2013 Focus - same engine).
Every vehicle tax loophole gets plugged eventually - I've heard that electric cars will become liable for VED in coming years, so at least we can say a big "halleluiah!" for that.
How does the Merc’s autobox compare to the one in the Crown Vic?
Very different, thats an old fashioned torque converter, very smooth and its quicker to react off the line but its pretty rubbish as well with a woeful kick down!
Had many an Alloy Rim on customer's cars fixed with this method. Worse one we've seen is a VW Golf R Rim (probably some 20in thing with rubber band tyres fitted that cracked and a new was.... £1200 (!!!!) from VW. Customer was happy for one to be ordered and fitted.
A rich customer!!
Sorry to tell you, but being 4 wheel drive doesn’t make the car safer in winter. The tyres are the key element here. I have an Audi A7 Quattro with decent tyres always fitted but can still get caught out on icy roads if not careful. Winter tyres on a 2wd car will always out perform a 4 wd car on summer tyres 🧐
Where I live in the U.S. we have a pretty serious winter season. And while I'm in no position to dispute your observation about 2WD/4WD w/ and w/o winter tires, I'd be interested to know your thoughts on that same choice but with the added variable of automatic or manual transmissions. We have both...and when there's snow (esp packed snow) and ice on the ground, I really like the gentler and steadier application of power with the auto. I'm pretty good with the proper slip of the clutch to minimize the snatch...but the auto is so much easier. I wonder if Matt will come to appreciate it, too, when he's deep in the winter driving conditions.
Statistics about accidents say 4wd is less safe than 2wd, even with the same tires fitted. Thats because people cant tell its slippery, thus keeping too high speed.
ua-cam.com/video/Zm98DrOgSmc/v-deo.html
@@-DC- Right. The tires were the key factor, 4WD was a help (when both had winter tires), less power was better...and both cars had automatic transmissions (Matt take note)..."Be gentle."
@mowser12345 Ive made a video about this comparing 2wd winter to AWD summer so know tyres are the deciding factor bit AWD with winters is the best combo
Nice to see an update on the Mercedes. I'm dead set against learning automatic gearboxes, I want cars that behave consistently. It feels like, as the hardware in our cars has got better, the means of exercising control have actually deteriorated.
Agree, the self learning boxes have no way of knowing that you are about to overtake. Also they change depending on how fast you attack the throttle, not a good idea in many situations.
No problems whatsoever with what you describe in any of my BMWs. Try a car where they are serious about driving, not just transporting yourself, and it might not have those issues, I guess?
@@andrewthompsonuk1 If you are about to overtake, what would you do in your manual car? Exactly the same function is availible in an automatic, I guarantee it
@@GoldenCroc
Overtaking requires very precise control of the power throuout the manuver. For example when you start to pull out you usually do not want kickdown power, you want to feed in the power slowly, these auto boxes will often just labor in a higher gear because the box thinks you are a slow driver. This means that you do not have enough relative speed to get past. Furthermore the worst modern boxes may take another few seconds to kick down.
With a manual you just change to a lower gear before pulling out giving you very precise acceleration.
@@andrewthompsonuk1 Indeed. And as said above the same exact function you seek is availible in an automatic car. Simply shift to a lower gear before the overtake, just as you would do with a manual. Easy as pie, I do it all the time. So no need to worry, it is availible, as stated in my previous post. Cheers.
i own 1999 E38 its my daily its Auto and manual and sport . i love it but i like this car ,Run flats are horrible noisey crap and loads off people are driving around on broken alloys . im taking off my style 32s 18inch putting my 16s back on soon for winter .
Definitely remap!
Sorry matt it's still a TAXI !!!!!!!Great content ,I bought a used mk4 mondeo titanium x sport auto petrol 2 Ltr 50000 mls ,great box great car fully loaded ......STAY SAFE 👍👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 rich people pay more tax !!!!
Kieth looks amazing car.
I wonder if there was a physical shifter then it wouldn't lock out the flappy paddles for you
"Fluffy slippers?" No, not me....
Still, it takes all kinds.....🙂
You should have sport plus mode which switches the box into manual only.
It has sport+ but I think its still auto
@@furiousdriving on mine c220d it has sport plus and then a configurable setting where you can specify manual, I have the 7g box though as its a 2016
This is what I meant, saw this on a forum. It's called individual. It will go straight to manual mode of the engine temps are hot enough.
zorz , 11-13-2017 03:01 PM
Junior Member
You can set it to manual mode in Individual. Edit your individual mode settings and set transmission to manual. That way whenever you move to that mode you'll stay in manual at all times.
Lovely car and another good video 🚘🚙🚗👍👍👍👍👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Probably the best looking modern Mercedes-Benz in the current line up. Maybe a C70 manual coupe like Mr. Lloyd's is on the cards 🤔
W/S205's are amazing cars. BUUUT, as usual, for obvious and controversial reasons, we should try never to mention Matt's Mercedes on Mr. Lloyd's channel!🤣🤣🤣
@@owensteele1645
We can't talk about diesels on this channel
My Saab’s semi auto gearbox will change gear to the gear it thinks you should be in in semi auto mode making it not much use really.
Wait until it needs a nox sensor (which are backorder) then the adblue countdown that follows!
That’s when you get a remap and delete the nox sensors and adblue
Go to something much smaller than 19" rims for comfort :)
You cant go below 18 as the brakes wont fit anything smaller, not even sure 18s actually fit this car!
@@furiousdriving aha, I see, AMG stuff :)