Sensible car

[saysomestuff 0]

Hey all.

 

I'm thinking about taking the C off the road for some conversion work so was going to get a car more suited to the epic motorway mileage i'm doing ATM. I have pretty much narrowed it down to the following 2:

 

Mercedes C class

Alfa 156

on w/x reg.

 

Problem is, i dont know the best engine/box combinations. Ideally i'd like an auto with cruise but i dunno which will be the best on fuel/most comfortable with so many engine types on the merc.

 

As for trim levels, its all greek to me (although i like the black carbon merc interior)

 

Can anyone grace me with a couple of specific models to look for that are the best combination of refinement and driver involvement? eg C220 sport auto etc.etc.?

[sciroccotune 0]

I had a 95 220ce auto... was not to bad on the run up to about 40mpg but more often than not 30-35 ish. Fantastic car but smashed by an old man in a ford :cry: :cry: . The basic engines are the same in most later models, and for a 2.2 it was quite economical, very smooth and refined. BUt i always fancied one of those 156's

[samm_cvr6 0]

only been in the Kompressor, but ride quality is top notch, probably the best out there even. Dont rule out the 156, I think x reg would give you a 150bhp 2.4 JTD, there nice cars alright.

I have also used a passat 130 tdi auto for motorway munching and its also a very good tool.

[Fairzy 0]

Personally I'd go for the Merc - very nice cars and well put together.

 

The Alfa looks great, but they are well known for poor build quality

[saysomestuff 0]

Dont rule out the 156, I think x reg would give you a 150bhp 2.4 JTD, there nice cars alright..

Yeah, thats the main reason its in the running, just coz it looks so damn fine 8) and the selespeed would be posy, but I read that it can be a bit of hassle in town though

 

I have also used a passat 130 tdi auto for motorway munching and its also a very good tool.

 

hmm didn't think of that - keep it in the family.

 

The Alfa looks great, but they are well known for poor build quality.

 

This is another thing, whatever I choose will get a FSH so ideally I dont want to be throwing money on niggly build issues. TBH I think I'm erring toward the merc but the Passat comment has also made me think Bora.

 

So now which is it?

Merc C cleass

Alfa 156

Passat/Bora Tdi

[samm_cvr6 0]

Haven't driven the Bora but only heard good things, it's funny, when it first came out, I wasn't very keen on it, but I prefer it to a mk4 golf now.

I wouldn't go near the selespeed if you can avoid it. I guess it comes down to cash, there are some cracking deals on the 156 2.4 JTD, it looks the best by far too, and Angel Tuning remap it with very good results indeed if you wan't even more poke out of it.

When I was driving the passat 130 tdi auto, used to get about 43mpg out of it on a trip.

[chrishill 0]

i had a bora tdi while my old valver was in for a service... bloody horrible things! well equipt and all that but it was like driving a wet sponge, only with less feel and less excitement.

[samm_cvr6 0]

That's funny, because some people on the mk4 forum have commented how they prefer the handling to a mk4. Each to there own tho. Still, most cars leave you a bit numb and detached after driving the C. But I think saysomestuff is looking for more of a cruiser so maybe handling and feel is less of a priority?

What tdi bora did you drive?

[chrishill 0]

i dont think it was anything special, 1.9 SE if memory serves... 110bhp version?

[coolrado 0]

i drove a bora a few years ago and i was very impressed with it, very comfortable and quiet inside and was ideal on the motorway, but the suspension and steering did feel a little bit mushy, but thats nothing a full set of poly bushes wouldnt sort out.

 

a mate of mine bought an audi a3 tdi a few weeks ago and the first thing he did was fit poly bushes all round but left the rest of it totally standard and he said it now feels like it should have done from the factory.

[Walesy 0]

i had an A4 TDI (( 140bhp )) and loved it...maybe go for one of those mate?.

[samm_cvr6 0]

This is strange.

The general consensus on this forum (regarding corrado's) is that it is best to fit poly bushes only if you have uprated the springs and dampers, otherwise it just makes the vibrations of the road more obvious.

Can anyone clarify this? and maybe it's just a Corrado thing then? A4 TDI 140 sounds lovely but you'll pay for it.

Sounds like you drove the 110bhp TDI Bora too, it's the 5 speed non pd one and not nearly as good as the 130/150 from what I can gather.

[chrishill 0]

yeah it was deffinatly 5 speed

[coolrado 0]

This is strange.

The general consensus on this forum (regarding corrado's) is that it is best to fit poly bushes only if you have uprated the springs and dampers, otherwise it just makes the vibrations of the road more obvious.

Can anyone clarify this? and maybe it's just a Corrado thing then? A4 TDI 140 sounds lovely but you'll pay for it.

Sounds like you drove the 110bhp TDI Bora too, it's the 5 speed non pd one and not nearly as good as the 130/150 from what I can gather.

 

fitting poly's will increase road vibration anyway thats inevitable with a harder compound bush but the originals are known to be a bit squidgey its personal preference and the originals are a trade off between comfort and handling, but i have heard about a lot of people using stiffer bushes in the the a3 to sort out the dead feeling steering

[samm_cvr6 0]

seems to be a problem on just about every new car (dead steering that is) I think it's the only area where the MK2 Focus has been criticised.

[Son of a Beesting 0]

I would stay away from the selespeed one if you can and mate at work says need to put oil in every two weeks or so as Alfa's drink the stuff!!

[saysomestuff 0]

ahh, never heard that about the alfa, top info, thanks

 

I think I'm erring toward the merc, just trying to find out the difference between the trim levels (esprit, classic etc).

 

Plus i think i read somewhere that the auto box can be used like a manual in that it has 5 drive gears ??? dunno if thats true though??

[Taggart 0]

My Dad had an Alfa and we must have broken the sump guard at least 5 times. Think he had sports suspension on it but that was put in by the Alfa dealer. (Granted the Manx roads can be a bit poo though)

[vr6storm 0]

ahh, never heard that about the alfa, top info, thanks

 

I think I'm erring toward the merc, just trying to find out the difference between the trim levels (esprit, classic etc).

 

Plus i think i read somewhere that the auto box can be used like a manual in that it has 5 drive gears ??? dunno if thats true though??

 

 

classic is normally base-ish level,espirit is just above, then sport, then avantguarde...........from memory espirit trim was only up to mid-90's..........also if you can go for the diesel option with the autobox......as most petrols with autobox are pretty lacklustre.......and seem to rev too much.whereas the diesel and auto combo is a more pleasent merc to drive