New car (Disco replacement)

[V8Granite]

I've found a 2006 R500 with 52k on the clock in Hatfield for £6k. Heart says go for it, wife says no!

Same problem as me then

That will be the same engine as mine, a lot of car for 6k. The R should be a bit better on mileage as well so low 20s average.

Dave!

[Nefarious]

Well. It has arrived (or, more to the point, I collected it from Birmingham).

It's quite nice. Too bloody nice for me!
Interior is absolutely lovely - suede and leather in black on grey. Very very comfy (although obviously designed for fatter arses than mine!), and looks really smart. If I were to criticise, it's perhaps a bit "german businessman" (as virtually everything new is these days), but it's all absolutely mint (9 year old car, remember). Shame it'll have to spend most of its life under protective covers.
Toys - yeah, there are lots of them, and it's all going to take a bit of getting used to. Seatbelts that self tension (and do so more under braking) were a bit of a shock. Menu systems that seem endless. Voice control (not played with that yet). Climate control to set a different temperature for every part of your body. All a bit new to me.
If anyone knows how to make the bluetooth on the COMAND stereo play music from my phone, please let me know (Foz?)
On the subject of the stereo, it's also really rather good. Decent power, half a million speakers and dedicated subs. I can see why aftermarket ICE has largely died on its arse - modern OEM stuff really has hauled itself out of the dark ages!

So, the important stuff:
Engine - not the most characterful (sounds decidedly industrial rather than sonorous), but, by god, it gets the job done. It's only supposed to be 230-odd bhp, but it pulls hard. Not quite up with the Jag for outright acceleration, but it punches really well, and is more than adequate for making progress (not that I won't remap it for 280bhp and 650NM). Economy seems pretty good too, at least compared to what I'm used to (33mpg average up from Brum, cruising at c.90 most of the way). Auto box is super smooth, too - so much so, you can barely notice it doing its thing once you're up to speed. Still got to work out the flappy paddles - not sure they're really bringing anything useful to the party.
On that same subject, the controls generally are going to take a bit of familiarisation. Column-mounted gear selector feels a bit weird (last thing I drove with one of those was a 70's Rolls!). Indicators and wipers on the same stalk is odd too IMO, and slightly annoyingly hidden behind the steering wheel. Everything is auto (well, apart from the indicators), so it probably won't be an issue once I'm up and running. Foot brake and hand release is a new one on me too, so looking forward to my first hill start somewhere steep!
Ride/handling - again, pretty impressed. It's two and a half tonnes of car, so it really should be awful, but it isn't. Ride is very smooth and wafty, which I guess you'd expect, but it hustles OK as well. IMO, its better at both than the X5 (which is harsher, and manages its weight less well).
It does feel BIG. Really BIG. Not sure if it's actually much bigger than the disco, but it really feels it. Perhaps because it feels much more solid, or that there's less glass and more metal, or maybe it's just because it's all new and shiny and I'm a bit nervous of twatting it (whereas I simply didn't give two fucks about the disco)
Looking at the tyre wear, I think it could do with a little tweak on the geo (my guess is a wee too much toe at the front), but we'll see when I get it down to the workshop.
Towing with it for the first time tomorrow, but I'm anticipating only good things.

The bit I'm still a tad unsure of is the image (not that I usually care too much about such things). I never thought I'd find myself bang smack in the heart of chelsea tractor land, and mid-range stuff isn't usually my style, but here I am in an upper-mid-range Merc 4x4 in slightly anonymous resale silver. I know I've got a good excuse, as I'm actually using it for hauling heavy stuff, but I'm still feeling a bit embarrassed pulling into the supermarket car park. I guess I'm a grown-up now...(not sure how I feel about that )

[Foz]

Don’t remap it, has enough torque as you will discover tomorrow! A joy to tow with!

You can’t bluetooth stream, see if there’s cables in the glovebox but it’s a hassle so just listen to the radio.

Am sure there’s aftermkt options but I never bothered.

They have hill start so no issues there, drive, pull the brake and it will stay where it is, even with a trailer.

I use the paddles more than I expected tbh, nice to just ride peak torque as I feel it hangs onto gears longer than it should.

[Nefarious]

Don’t remap it, has enough torque as you will discover tomorrow! A joy to tow with!

You can’t bluetooth stream, see if there’s cables in the glovebox but it’s a hassle so just listen to the radio.

Am sure there’s aftermkt options but I never bothered.

They have hill start so no issues there, drive, pull the brake and it will stay where it is, even with a trailer.

I use the paddles more than I expected tbh, nice to just ride peak torque as I feel it hangs onto gears longer than it should.

Yeah, there's a Jack in the glove box, so I could just throw a BT dongle on it (but then I couldn't bt pair with the COMAND for phone calls at the same time). Hmm...might have to make up some wma cds for the changer.

Why do you say no to the remap? Just because it's already got enough, or is there a downside? (I'm generally of the opinion that more is better!)

[Mito Man]

I don’t think the run of the mill German 4x4s have an image problem nowadays, it seems like every person and their mum owns one, they’re no longer posh as the expensive 4x4s cost way over £100k plus they look pretty conventional and blend in. Your average Chelsea tractor these days is a gaudy Range Rover, Cullinan, G wagon, Bentayga, Levante or Urus.

[Foz]

Don’t remap it, has enough torque as you will discover tomorrow! A joy to tow with!

You can’t bluetooth stream, see if there’s cables in the glovebox but it’s a hassle so just listen to the radio.

Am sure there’s aftermkt options but I never bothered.

They have hill start so no issues there, drive, pull the brake and it will stay where it is, even with a trailer.

I use the paddles more than I expected tbh, nice to just ride peak torque as I feel it hangs onto gears longer than it should.

Yeah, there's a Jack in the glove box, so I could just throw a BT dongle on it (but then I couldn't bt pair with the COMAND for phone calls at the same time). Hmm...might have to make up some wma cds for the changer.

Why do you say no to the remap? Just because it's already got enough, or is there a downside? (I'm generally of the opinion that more is better!)

I often considered remapping but it doesn’t need it, more would be nice but when towing at 60 ish it sits happily in 7th all
Day and it’s not the kind of car you want to ring out, I just never bothered.
Be

[Nefarious]

Be

Typo, or being all zen?

[V8Granite]

Be

Typo, or being all zen?

I was all ready to get the 420cdi until I test drove one. The gearbox doesn’t suit the engine as it was always changing gear instead of using the huge amount of torque. It had 500lbs/ft of torque but was always sat over 2500rpm when you asked for more than a bit of throttle. The petrol engines suit these gearboxes far better. If it was the older 5 speed then definitely re-map.

I know the 4.0 V8 diesels were bombproof and I think the 6 was aswell though so maybe a switchable amp of some kind when not towing for a bit of fun?

Dave!

[JonMad]

Which model is the 4 litre V8 diesel? Is that the 420?

[JonMad]

Which model is the 4 litre V8 diesel? Is that the 420?

I think I just found a PH post from you, Dave, from 2015

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/top ... &t=1559374

[JonMad]

Got me looking at this now.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 4257301904

Wife is talking about caravans so perfect. The fact that it could therefore also tow a rally car is completely coincidental.

[Shlergen]

Got me looking at this now.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 4257301904

Wife is talking about caravans so perfect. The fact that it could therefore also tow a rally car is completely coincidental.

I looked at that too . The Jeep variant looks more VFM, same chassis & engine I believe.

[Nefarious]

Got me looking at this now.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 4257301904

Wife is talking about caravans so perfect. The fact that it could therefore also tow a rally car is completely coincidental.

Cheers Jon. Nice to see a virtually identical car (slightly higher miles) advertised at a much higher price, especially after you've just splashed a tonne more cash than you really wanted to!

[V8Granite]

Got me looking at this now.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 4257301904

Wife is talking about caravans so perfect. The fact that it could therefore also tow a rally car is completely coincidental.

I looked at that too . The Jeep variant looks more VFM, same chassis & engine I believe.

TheJeep variant was owned by my SILs boyfriend at the time. To call it in any way equivilant is an insult to all motor vehicles anywhere.

It handles badly, is noisy and feels cheap and nasty. It’s a live axle so I don’t think anything is carried over apart from the older engine and gearbox ? Oddly the 5 speed would have suited the Merc better than in the Cherokee for the bigger diesels.

Dave!

[Foz]

Be

Typo, or being all zen?

Bae

[Nefarious]

Be

Typo, or being all zen?

Bae

Well, I'm glad we cleared that up...

[Shlergen]

Got me looking at this now.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 4257301904

Wife is talking about caravans so perfect. The fact that it could therefore also tow a rally car is completely coincidental.

I looked at that too . The Jeep variant looks more VFM, same chassis & engine I believe.

TheJeep variant was owned by my SILs boyfriend at the time. To call it in any way equivilant is an insult to all motor vehicles anywhere.

It handles badly, is noisy and feels cheap and nasty. It’s a live axle so I don’t think anything is carried over apart from the older engine and gearbox ? Oddly the 5 speed would have suited the Merc better than in the Cherokee for the bigger diesels.

Dave!

The later WK2 shares more and uses independent suspension. See here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Gr ... okee_(WK2)

[Foz]

Just spotted this:

Mercedes Bluetooth AUX Adapter Cable for Car Radio Navigation System Audio 20 30 50 Command APS

[Nathan]

Lovely cars and much more handsome than the replacement. I think they're undervalued.

Seeing how you are handy with a spanner, it may be ideal to replace the oil cooler seals

[Nefarious]

Foz - problem solved - I found a bag in the spare wheel well with all the media pack adapaters, so my daugter's old iPod has been pressed back in to service.

Nathan - I think mine's alright - Merc started using the purple seals from 2010 onwards.