Choosing a German estate: A4, 3-series or C-class?

I don't feel like retired pensioner while driving my mom's C-class.
I think it looks fine.
mercedes-c-class-c350-estate-diesel_2103359.jpg


It's so effortless to drive with 4matic and the speed adjusting power steering, the visibility is superb and it goes like a train.
All the options it has works like a dream. For example the adjusting power steering is much better than in competing Audi's and the windscreen wiper rain sensor works a lot better than in BMW's.
I'd say it's overall a better car than the 3-series and the A4 because there's just nothing that annoys you, everything is just right.
 
Your mom's C-class.

It's an old people's car.
I dunno why. It just looks... polite. As a young person I'd choose to have a little rebellion and fun, but that's just me.
All that automaticness... that's left for when you're old, tired, and can't be bothered. I'm young, I like to drive, I like putting on my wipers, doing my manual gearchanges, makes me feel like part of the drive and not just a passenger who has to move the wheel left and right a little from time to time.
 
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It's my first car and it was gifted to me, I'm not trading it till I wreck it or something goes terribly wrong with the engine, it's a 1996 french car and it still runs perfectly including the AC, electric windows, power steering, electric mirrors and central locking. I'd be stupid to waste money I don't have on something new. But that doesn't stop me from giving my opinion to someone who asked for it.
 
Some friends of mine are one half of a four-man hard rock band - they routinely get all four band members and all their equipment into a Mk IV Golf and a Lupo.

One of my mates is the drummer in a kinda thrash metal band called Romeo Must Die, He gets his kit in the back of a Suzuki Wagon R+ and before that, before he rolled it, a Daihatsu Move. Wendy houses on wheels they may be, but they can swallow a lot of kit thanks to their tall, square shapes.
 
One of my mates is the drummer in a kinda thrash metal band called Romeo Must Die, He gets his kit in the back of a Suzuki Wagon R+ and before that, before he rolled it, a Daihatsu Move. Wendy houses on wheels they may be, but they can swallow a lot of kit thanks to their tall, square shapes.

THIS. You don't need a family estate to haul a drumkit - it's a nice justification to get a bigger car than you need, though ;)
 
Merc test-drive done. How the hell is it supposed to be boring? Looks great, drives great, enough power, and comfortable. And it's cheaper, as well - both in purchase and insurance. I definitely like it more than both others, so if everything is right with the papers tomorrow, next week I'm driving a new car.

mpicco said:
Every retired pensioner who decided to enjoy their saved money here has a C class.
I drove an old gray Audi A6 limousine so far... from my observation, average age of its drivers around here is somewhere just above 68. It can only get better from there :)

Pry said:
The Merc is good but I couldn't find a way to save your favorite channels like you can with the BMW.
You have to open the stations list and the long-press the position you wish for the current station. Or just long-press one of the number buttons on the dialing pad.

Dr_Grip said:
THIS. You don't need a family estate to haul a drumkit - it's a nice justification to get a bigger car than you need, though
narf said:
The family estate can haul the drum kit and groupies though.
My point precisely :) It's not that I really need it, but it's nice, and since I can have it, why not.
 
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You have to open the stations list and the long-press the position you wish for the current station. Or just long-press one of the number buttons on the dialing pad.
Yes, I know you can save the channels and select them with the number pad but I couldn't find a way to view the saved channels in the list view that you scroll with the "iDrive controller":
audio-20v2.jpg


It can only show all the channels which have a signal at the moment in no logical order. That means I have to scroll through all the Russian and Swedish channels to find the ones I want to listen. At least you don't have to press to select them which is nice.
 
Not testdriven the 1.4TSI Octavia yet? :shakefist:
Once more thanks for the suggestion, I appreciate it. But I already explained the reasons it's not as interesting for me - mainly depreciation. Yes, it'll be cheaper to start with, but since I have the money at the moment, I'd rather go with the Merc.

Yes, I know you can save the channels and select them with the number pad but I couldn't find a way to view the saved channels in the list view that you scroll with the "iDrive controller":
<picture of the small radio screen>
It can only show all the channels which have a signal at the moment in no logical order. That means I have to scroll through all the Russian and Swedish channels to find the ones I want to listen. At least you don't have to press to select them which is nice.
Hm. The one I drove has a bigger slide-out navigation screen (the full COMAND system), there you can have a proper list view of the stations, not only the frequency band view (which I think is what this is). It's selectable from the "Radio" menu, I can see it on your pic (low left) - tried looking what's in there?
 
Hm. The one I drove has a bigger slide-out navigation screen (the full COMAND system), there you can have a proper list view of the stations, not only the frequency band view (which I think is what this is). It's selectable from the "Radio" menu, I can see it on your pic (low left) - tried looking what's in there?
I guess there's a way to select the saved channels through the menus but I couldn't find a nice way to do it. So I just use that view and scroll through all the trash channels. Maybe it's different in the cars with navigation.
 
There's less money to lose in depreciation if you put less money in :nod:

Oh come on, will ya. If I had the money to buy a nice 3-series or something of that caliber, I wouldn't even consider looking at an Octavia, Ford Focus or whatnot, even though both are very good cars.
 
Having money doesn't mean you need to spend all of it. He was looking for a Jahreswagen BMW (barely used car), a 31.5 year old 320d is at least 6000? more than a new Octavia - C-classes are similar, maybe 2k lower, A4s are a bit more expensive than the 320d.
A used BMW/Merc/Audi for roughly 6000? more? At least worth a test drive in my mind. I'm not saying he must go and buy it, just have a go in it.
 
The family estate can haul the drum kit and groupies though.

I can confirm rolling in a move/Wagon R gets you absolutely no results with the opposite sex.
 
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