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Drafting trucks I’ve seen 90mpg (over 50 miles) in my zafira with its last gen engine – something like an insignia (more aero) should be able to do even more.
I had an Insignia SRi diesel as a loan car while my old Octavia was being assessed for damage, when I handed it back it had done just shy of 900 miles, just commuting backwards and forwards to work, 155 miles a week, and it had just gone onto reserve. It did cost £72 to fill it up, but if it had been doing mostly motorway miles I reckon 1000 miles out of a tank would be perfectly feasible. I drove my EcoSport up to London for the first time a couple of weeks ago, filled it up before I left and it was showing a range of 304 miles. When I got to Hammersmith where I was parking, it showed a range of 340 miles.
It was still showing a range of 290 miles when I got home, having done 200 miles. That’s a 1.0 EcoBoost petrol, which isn’t particularly economical driving in relatively slow traffic. More and more, though, I appreciate having a semi-auto gearbox with cruise control!
It's odd, the thread about an enthusiastic driver buying an Atom to buzz about the Highlands in (For Fun) was generally fine.
Treads about any type of van conversion, Transporter conversions as daily drivers, that's fine too!
Bloke asks for advice on engine size for taking his lad to train for Football all over the country. Gets everyone into a froth.
We had better tell all of the Pro MTB teams to sell all of the kit they use all over Europe, That Mercedes Actros and 13m race transporter aren't going to save the planet are they!
Funky, Great Dad. Supporting his kids sport, spending time with his kid, making sacrifices helping his kid to make the most of a cracking opportunity.. good luck for the season.
Funky - I was a long term merc estate owner in form of 3.2 v6.
Very comfortable, point'n'squirt, oodles of room; great on long journeys, not practical for short/stop-start drives; hopeless on icy roads - rear wheel drive auto is not your friend on ice.
A good independent specialist is preferable to merc dealership for servicing.
Service costs as you would expect for that size of car.
For the driving you describe a big merc would fit your requirements.
Anything bigger than 3ltr is, probably, overkill; that's my experience of moving from 3.2 v6 to
4.2 v8.
And a not entirely serious suggestion...VW Phaeton.
Edit - it wasn't an AMG and didn't have a pretend body kit; just a standard merc.
DTs well said; +1
Maybe surf-mat=awesome should be replaced with TAFKASTR=awesome ?
Nah, I'm a shit driver
530D Tourer Auto if I had the money.
Skoda Superb Estate 2.0 TDi if I couldn’t get the Bimmer.
DTs well said; +1
+2
If you’re committed to the mileage long term and have off street parking it’s screaming EV for me.
120 miles in my model 3 would cost about £1.80 in electricity at 5ppkwh overnight. Even if you got 50mpg out of a nice wafty 6 pot diesel that’s gonna cost what £15? That’s 8 times more fuel cost from the ICE.
EVs are obviously expensive to buy/lease/finance but if you’re slamming the miles the running costs will sharp net that out.
I’m just staggered that a 330e will only do 20mpg once the battery is toast and isn’t a good companion on a long journey. My old M135i would do 35+mpg on a run easy as long as I didn’t drive like a total dick. However, my wife’s 320i at the time was a much better companion on a long journey.. I’d take the smaller engine in the better car over the better engine in the smaller car every day of the week. (But maybe that’s because the 1 series was so badly nailed together).
I’ve always considered myself a petrol head but after getting the Tesla 18 months ago I honestly don’t think I’ll ever have another ICE car unless I’m in the position where I have the money and space for a second sports car that is a proper garage queen and does a few hundred miles a year.
I'd actually agree with the above! We're currently in the midst of selling 2 x mortgaged properties and using the profit to fund a mortgage free barn conversion.....once done a Tesla on lease will be arriving asap. If you're not fussed about colour/spec etc you can get some incredible deals.
I didn't criticise the OP for wanting to drive that far, by the way.
He may not get running costs that low from an EV though. On Octopus Go, the 5p/kWh tariff, you only get 4 hours at that rate which may not be long enough to fill the car after a trip that long. Also, lease deals will be more expensive at that sort of mileage.
I’m just staggered that a 330e will only do 20mpg once the battery is toast
I think he's got it in the wrong setting.
It's true that a lot if not most of what we spend can be classed as discretionary. If it's high end bikes/pens/watches/coffee makers all good (on here). Cars that don't fit someone else's preconceptions/spec often baaad. Yes we could all shop at Aldi, buy an On One, drive a 1L Micra and live in a box somewhere cheap (and possibly dire) but that's what freedom to choose gives us - the freedom to choose not too.
Moly has got himself into a bit of a froth because someone else doesn't want to 'settle' for a 4 pot 2L when he does. This whilst choosing to drag his caravan around 'depleting precious resources' when perfectly good options are available at his destination that wouldn't drag his fuel economy down...
This is mostly tongue in cheek and I'm only pointing out Moly's double standard as he's been the most vocal up there^. I'm sure he prefers his van over sleeping on the floor or paying for local accom but on the 'is it the most efficient use of fuel' measure - no, it isn't.
I prefer 3L V6 diesel engines in big wafty cruisers. I like the way they go about their business. Sadly, my most recent one is only available in 4 pot 2L and though it's plenty powerful and quite refined, it aint the same and I'm very dissapointed. It's not even more economical than my last big un. It's also probably the last big estate I'll buy though I'm not sure what's next. That decision is at least 5 years away so no hurry.
People buy stuff for all sorts of reasons and brutal efficiency is not always the main contender. Just because it's yours/mine doesn't mean it's someone else's or they're plain 'wrong'...
think he’s got it in the wrong setting
No I’ve had the car from new and know how it works. ‘Normal’ driving mode it uses battery anything up to 55mph so that would be the first 10 miles of the journey.
It then uses battery even when using ICE and on a motorway journey this is drained by approx 100 miles. At the point the ICE starts to charge the battery back to 20%, but then the process repeats.
At any point you drop below 55mph it will also only try and use battery again draining the battery
The only way to stop it using the battery is to knock the gear box in to manual, or change it in to sport mode, or keep your speed above 55mph. At some point on a motorway you spend time just below 55mph which eats the battery. So you end up doing lots of faffing to stop it using the battery to maintain your mpg
I am not using the modes wrong. As I say it’s a great car, incredibly fast, and a great place to be, but it’s not stress free, or a limo.
As to EV being the solution. It could well be but that would cost me £100’s, £1,000’s to swap. A Tesla is very expensive to lease on big mileage, or way more than I can afford to buy out right, and they depreciate faster than an ICE if you put big miles on them.
Anyhow genuinely thanks to molgrips I have started looking at the Merc 2.0d e-class estate. I could swap in to latest generation one and it only cost me about £4k
The only way to stop it using the battery is to knock the gear box in to manual
Isn't that what the eDrive Battery Save mode does?
Also, do you use the sat-nav for the journey? Sounds like the powertrain uses hints from that to determine the best power source to use when in Auto mode..
(disclaimer: not had one, but was looking into them a while back)
So that's 25000 a year plus any normal mileage? Reliable, and cheap to maintain would be number one for me, and given it will be worth a lot less in 3 years , not too pricey.
Move house?
Don't know why an EV would depreciate faster. Honestly I'd get a Tesla
Plus the engine is under less stress and is silky smooth.
Define "less stress".
Mechanically a big engine, fairly obviously, put far more stress on the car than a small one,
And even a (relatively) tiny 1.5/1.6 diesel will cruise almost silently at well under 2k rpm at 70mph.
The engine itself, all the ancillary bits will be under the same load in either engine (an injector doesn't know how big the engine is, it just opens and closes, the pump is sized to the injector, the turbo is sized to the airflow, etc). And the engine block and bearings will probably last 300k or 400k+ miles with modern oil.
Good point about mileage actually!
@daffy Select Car Leasing have always had some mega deals when we've been looking.
The only way to stop it using the battery is to knock the gear box in to manual, or change it in to sport mode, or keep your speed above 55mph.
According to the internet, there's a 'battery save' mode that stops it chewing through the battery. I struggle to believe that BMW designed the car to behave as you suggest, since it's so obviously ridiculous.
Isn’t that what the eDrive Battery Save mode does?
Also, do you use the sat-nav for the journey? Sounds like the powertrain uses hints from that to determine the best power source to use when in Auto mode..
Yes the save button keeps the battery at 92% but it’s a real pain swapping in and out of save for towns etc. Also if you have been using g the battery in a town that’s 50% charge to recoup
And no the sat Nav isn’t clever. I took this up with BMW when I first got the car. There marketing says it looks at the journey and uses it appropriately. It doesn’t. I had a complaint lodged with them and they finally admitted it doesn’t.
I imagine the newer generation does but not the original version
There’s lots stuff on the internet about people having to play with settings on the original 330e to make them efficient on long distances
As to Tesla show me a lease deal that will be cheaper than swapping cars? And you can get a big dog in the boot (I don’t think they do and estate or cheaper SUV) ?
This thread started with me saying I can swap cars at NO COST
And no the sat Nav isn’t clever. I took this up with BMW when I first got the car. There marketing says it looks at the journey and uses it appropriately. It doesn’t. I had a complaint lodged with them and they finally admitted it doesn’t.
Even though I've worked in IT my entire working life (40 years now) and consequentially been thru the entire history of the Internet, I still avoid consumer tech as a First/Second Adopter.
Probably why I'll also give it a few more years before looking at eBikes too.
Luckily there are plenty of other brave/daft souls to crash-test the tech before I consider it 🙂
I had a 330d that I loved for the cruising mpg, cruise control, oomph when you needed it and hated for the run flats.
I now have (sigh) a CRV 1.6 diesel which, for its sins, is Euro 6 emissions and ULEZ friendly. On a run it is easily showing 50s mpg.
Used to have a supercharged 4.6l petrol V8. 12-14 mpg - maybe 18-22 on a cruise. Drove it to Italy and back. Been poor ever since.
As to Tesla show me a lease deal that will be cheaper than swapping cars? And you can get a big dog in the boot (I don’t think they do and estate or cheaper SUV) ?
A model s is available as a 7 seater so I recon you'd get a big dog in the boot no issues (as long as it's not bigger than 2 kids)
The cost to change to a older Tesla s would be about 10k. It would save you around £3k a year in fuel and servicing and probably still be worth £10k more after 3 years. It would be faster and quieter on the motorway than any V6 options and more responsive (no waiting for an autobox to change down). It would at least be worth a test drive
How about a volvo v90.
Safe of course
Huge luxo barge with the comfiest heated seats
Powerful cabin heater so you csn defrost aftet spending an hour freezing your nads off at footyball training
Stylish, dunno about reliability and priced but they have been out for a few years so should be ballpark
Long wheelbase which had an effect on comfort on long distance drives
Buy the kid a moped, or if he's that good, the club can send a car.
Buy the kid a moped, or if he’s that good, the club can send a car.
Cool attitude - send your kid out on a moped to save the planet. Kid might die, but at least you've done your bit and can wallow in your self righteousness
I'm aware your comment may/may not have been tongue in cheek....
😉
Kids love mopeds, so he’d have died doing something he loved!
Better that surely than early onset dementia from all the heading practice.
Tongue firmly in cheek, though I’ve been looking at my mental map of the UK and can’t picture a spot where the local football club would be so far.
Bear in mind that you won't get a 5p/kWh tariff for an EV at the moment (well, you will, but you'll pay 25p/kWh for your other use).
The 535d is 313hp, 465 ft/lb of torque.
Thought you said fast 😊
I’ve been looking at my mental map of the UK and can’t picture a spot where the local football club would be so far.
Welsh boarders. And it is just about the nearest Category 1 academy
Funky, Great Dad. Supporting his kids sport, spending time with his kid, making sacrifices helping his kid to make the most of a cracking opportunity.. good luck for the season.
Very much this. FD, seriously well done for making the sacrifice, I hope your boy does well. Even if he doesn’t make it, he tried, and he’ll love you for making that happen (eventually 😊).
If driving a 3L V6 up and down the motorway makes that a little more enjoyable, and you can afford it, then do it. I’d still recommend an A6 All Road. Or maybe an A8!
tonyd - I recommended a merc estate in earlier post as I ran a 3.2 v6 for years; built for motorway cruising.
Interesting you refer to an A8 as that's what I now have in 4.2 v8 lwb flavour.
Even more of a mile munching autobahn cruiser but, for funky's requirements, it's overkill - supremely comfortable overkill.
I stick by my semi-serious suggestion of a vw Phaeton.
Having had 3 litre v6 diesel A4’s and A6, I’d recommend the larger class for that kind of motoring - just makes longer drives less fatiguing.
It’s a shame you need a dog-friendly boot, as having driven an older VW Phaeton fairly recently, it was an incredibly relaxing drive with decent economy and you can find some real bargains with good mileage and specification.
The other suggestion of A6 Allroad is also one I would have made. The air suspension gave an incredibly smooth drive compared to the standard A6 suspension - which wasn’t bad anyway.
I haven’t driven enough 5 series or E classes in the last few years to make an informed comment.
Also, another vote for what a great supportive and involved dad!
And no the sat Nav isn’t clever. I took this up with BMW when I first got the car. There marketing says it looks at the journey and uses it appropriately. It doesn’t. I had a complaint lodged with them and they finally admitted it doesn’t.
FD, I’m sure I remember you posting about the satnav at the time you got the car…?
Bear in mind that you won’t get a 5p/kWh tariff for an EV at the moment (well, you will, but you’ll pay 25p/kWh for your other use).
We're paying 5/15p but I am not sure for how much longer.
the Bentley flying spur hybrid is pretty good on fuel, will do ~950kms on a full tank - plenty wafty enough - little pricy though.
In seriousness though, the Phaeton's are a good shout!
Also, 40ppkwh at the services - b'strd rip off merchants..
Also, 40ppkwh at the services – b’strd rip off merchants..
That's a good price. I paid 79p at an Ionity charger!
That’s a good price. I paid 79p at an Ionity charger!
Bloodyhell. You should buy a 3l 6 cylinder diesel. I get 44mpg from mine 😜
Can the OP confirm what he’s now buying, based on the question and subsequent answers, I assume a 1l 3 door hatch or a v10 Audi A8.
So this weekend going to test drive a 520d and 530d from the same dealer.
All the motoring reviews have the BMW top of the pile for post 2017 comfort/quietness/motorway driving, surprised me that it sits above the Merc. I will hopefully get to the Merc dealership at the same time
I have been trying to find said cars with adaptive cruise too. For some reason people just didn’t spec it! I can only find one G30 for sale in the UK that has it 🤷♂️ but it does look like a brilliant system to have
I have been trying to find said cars with adaptive cruise too.
Good adaptive cruise is excellent tool for long drives, especially in traffic. I find that I'm much more less tired at destination with it. Lane keeping systems I don't like, generally they work ok but occasional jerks at steering wheel are scary.
A chap who did some consulting at work had a 530e. Great BIK but would manage 3 miles on battery. Yes 3 miles!
Developed a fault and BMW had to have a live link with HQ to fix it. Took many weeks and the 520d loan car had a higher BIK which was picked up by HMRC.
The whole thing was a disaster as far as he was concerned. No benefit to lugging around a heavy battery and motor setup....when it worked.
I do 20k miles a year in a mix of 3.0 and 2.0t petrol cars. Probably average a respectable 30mpg between the 2 of them.
Diesels are far better than petrols for CO2, though. Just no good in towns.
Us out of town folk should be driving Diesels fuelled by biodiesel and townies should be in EVs. That would be my way of getting our emissions down. Hybrids a total waste of time.
Adaptive cruise control to maintain speed... Lane keeper jerks are scary... arrives at destination less tired... 🤔
You're not having a good sleep during your commute are you mmannerr?
mikertroid
Free Member
The whole thing was a disaster as far as he was concerned. No benefit to lugging around a heavy battery and motor setup….when it worked.
There was an investigation that found huge amounts of plug-in hybrids were being handed back (after x years) with the charging cable still in its original packaging. They were/are just a big tax swindle
We have a new Ford Puma with the 1.0 litre 155hp ecoboost engine. It'll cruise all day at 70mph doing around 2200 revs and giving us just over 57mpg at the same time!
There was an investigation that found huge amounts of plug-in hybrids were being handed back (after x years) with the charging cable still in its original packaging. They were/are just a big tax swindle
In this chap's case he'd fully charged his car.
Certainly for the OP's needs a hybrid doesn't make sense.
There was an investigation that found huge amounts of plug-in hybrids were being handed back (after x years) with the charging cable still in its original packaging. They were/are just a big tax swindle
I’m sure there’s some truth in that, but also confident many will have plugged in to a tethered wall point. My wife’s ID3 still has the cable unused in the boot, but it’s charged once a week…
I don’t have a PHEV, but they make a lot of sense for me. 90% of my days are under 20 miles when I don’t commute, but big miles on the other 10%.
520D v 530D was the decision I had to make back in 2017. As I said before ended up with a pre-registered 520D. The run-flats were the worse thing about it. If you get the option to ditch those, I'd take it. Also defo SE over M.
Us out of town folk should be driving Diesels
No, EVs are fine there too really. The only justification for ICEs now is if you can't afford a decent EV or if you can't charge at home. And that last one is debatable.
mikertroid
Free Member
In this chap’s case he’d fully charged his car.
Not doubting it, was judging the car (companies) rather than the driver
iamtheresurrection
Full MemberI’m sure there’s some truth in that, but also confident many will have plugged in to a tethered wall point. My wife’s ID3 still has the cable unused in the boot, but it’s charged once a week…
I don’t have a PHEV, but they make a lot of sense for me. 90% of my days are under 20 miles when I don’t commute, but big miles on the other 10%.
That makes sense for an EV, but not one of the PHEVs with a joke range. With PHEVs (like everything really) you need to look at the whole driving picture. Yes really short journeys are covered, but when your economy then plummets below 30MPG on longer runs is it really worth it?
Still a massive BIK swindle mind 😉
The only justification for ICEs now is if you can’t afford a decent EV or if you can’t charge at home. And that last one is debatable.
Or that they don't make a desirable EV? The choice is between an SUV which is next to useless, or a rehashed Vauxhaull Vectra-lookalike Tesla. Both of which wouldn't suit my needs range-wise anyhoo.
Affordability IS an issue for most of the country. Zero cost to continue with my setup. My next few cars will be ICE. maybe when H2 comes in, it'll be worth a look.
I'll wait out and enjoy my practical. ICE estates in the meantime.
You’re not having a good sleep during your commute are you mmannerr?
No, this WFH thing is robbing my daily naps at the wheel.
I'm actually talking about my holiday drives, 850km per direction. Usually there are some queues because of the caravans and lorries - passing them is not always an option.
No, EVs are fine there too really. The only justification for ICEs now is if you can’t afford a decent EV or if you can’t charge at home. And that last one is debatable.
Or if you tow a caravan?
The choice is between an SUV which is next to useless,
Why is an EV SUV next to useless?
Or if you tow a caravan?
They do exist as well. If we can afford it when the current EV goes back, we'll get an EV for towing.
Has anyone done caravanning with electric cars? Seems like a lot of faff.
If you have a caravan hitched, how will it be possible to use the majority of public EV chargers? They only have space for a car, so you'd be unhitching the caravan to get into the bay, and presumably finding somewhere to leave the 'van. Then hitching it back up again.
I guess if you're used to the logistics of caravanning, then adding stays at caravan sites with a charger within the towing range of your EV becomes part of the 'fun'? Seems like a lot of hassle though.
Why is an EV SUV next to useless?
Well, an SUV is useless, an EV SUV even less so for me.
SUV: large on outside, less room than estate inside. Size means lack of agility on country roads (95% of my 20k miles a year). Harder to park in smaller spaces. Heavy. Basically a strange answer to a problem that didn't exist.
Only popular because manufacturers had to invent a new segment to boost sales and people have a strange notion that being further away from ground is a good thing! 😆
If an SUV floats your boat, good for you!
EV Estate? Not seen one.
Well, an SUV is useless, an EV SUV even less so for me.
Sub-optimal, not actually useless. But EV SUVs exist because it's easier to cram the batteries in. There's a small and large battery version of the Hyundai Kona, but only a small battery version of the Ioniq, for example. However the Ioniq 5 is pretty big in the boot, there's not a lot of difference between that and a smaller estate I don't think. Also whilst EV SUVs are tall they aren't top heavy because of several hundred KG of battery right on the floor in the middle. And they are heavy for the same reason. There are small EVs but apart from Tesla you won't find small long range ones. I suspect Tesla are playing it loose with their battery management though, but time will tell.
The MG one is labelled an estate, by the press, not sure if it is or not.
Thanks Molgrips.
I'll stick to the OPs methodology of a decent sized ICE wagon until something better (for my needs) than EV comes along.
Today bought a late 2019 Mercedes E Class 220d fully loaded with all the kit and toys, including adaptive cruise, self steering and parking. Even can drive it remotely from my mobile phone
Nothing really in it between that and the 5 series, except I’ve been in BM’s for 10 yrs or so, so will be a nice change. The Merc looks and feels posh, the BM was just like our 3 series.
Will be interesting to see what real world mpg it gets
That sounds good!
Colour, mileage, price?
Choosing to drive 500 miles a week is bad, but it’s potentially justifiable in many people’s minds
For two years I was occasionally doing that a day! It was for work, in a very wide variety of vehicles, though.
Now doing roughly 155 miles a week for work commute. Which doesn’t do much for fuel consumption in a 1.0 three-cylinder turbo, compared to the 1.9 diesel I used to have.
On steady motorway runs, however after two hundred miles, the available range is higher than when I started.
I don’t buy this obsession with needing a big engine for long motorway runs - a Smart fourtwo is just as comfortable and more frugal, cos I’ve done it. Definitely a lot less space, though…
This is the kind of thread people will look back on and wonder WTF we were thinking.
Also, I wouldn't be encouraging my son to try and make it in football as a career.
At top UK football clubs, only one in 200 of those under nine make it to the senior team. There are obvious psychological effects on young footballers having to cope with not only the time demands and pressure of being part of a professional club but often the brutal rejection following years of commitment.
It also takes its toll on the body by subjecting young players to more frequent and intensive loads. Between 10% and 40% of football injuries among children and adolescents are from playing too much. Players under 14 incur more training injuries than older players and they develop growth-related disorders linked to overplaying because their skeletons and tissue are still growing.
SUV: large on outside, less room than estate inside. Size means lack of agility on country roads (95% of my 20k miles a year). Harder to park in smaller spaces. Heavy. Basically a strange answer to a problem that didn’t exist.
My OH has a Kia Sportage. It's got no larger footprint than my 3 series, certainly more space inside, weighs less, easier to park has you've more 'visibility' and tows 2.2t vs 1.8t of my 3 series.
The only disadvantage is it's heavier on fuel, with near enough the same engine size & power. But since it cost £10k less for a higher spec, still cheaper overall.
But what EV can tow 2.2t (horse trailer & horse), as we'd be interested?
Today bought a late 2019 Mercedes E Class 220d fully loaded with all the kit and toys, including adaptive cruise, self steering and parking. Even can drive it remotely from my mobile phone
Does it have a sunglasses holder?
Had plenty of 220CDI Mercs. Never got more than 50mpg average out of them but that included town driving. On a long run mine would usually be good for 60+mpg if i did 70-75mph. My collegue had an Eclass version and was pretty similar figures to me.
Today bought a late 2019 Mercedes E Class 220d fully loaded with all the kit and toys, including adaptive cruise, self steering and parking.
Mine is a 2.1l diesel and is pretty shit on fuel but the later models have a better engine and a 9 speed gearbox which I think will help. I get 48 on A roads doing my best (which is pretty good) and the best I've seen on a motorway is 50 but that was only about 40 miles. It does apparently get better. And on the motorway apart from the engine note which you can't really hear if you have the stereo on it's barely distinguishable from the v6 so there's no real reason to get the bigger engine IMO. I'd call that a decent choice.
I've also got daft big wheels which means I can only get sporty noisy uneconomical tyres for it which probably knocks 3-4mpg off. You'll probably get mid 50s at least.
Also, I bet you never use self parking. Far too much trouble!
But what EV can tow 2.2t (horse trailer & horse), as we’d be interested?
Tesla Model X, BMW iX. Hope you have deep pockets 🙂
I rented a 2018 or 2019 e class (hybrid diesel estate with a stupid lump in the middle of the boot floor) with self steering - found that it required a really firm grip on the wheel to consider that you were still paying attention (otherwise it'd drop out). I foudn this uncomfortable enough that it made use of the feature unpleasant, so I gave up. It might be that the one I had was a bit broken..
There was an investigation that found huge amounts of plug-in hybrids were being handed back (after x years) with the charging cable still in its original packaging. They were/are just a big tax swindle
I don't doubt it for a moment.
A couple of my old neighbours had those PHEV Outlanders, I never saw them plugged in, a lot of my clients have BMW PHEVs, again they don't plus them in. It's £500 - £1000 for a home charging station, but you get the reduced BIK whether you plug them in or not, and in fairness, they still work as self-charging hybrids if you don't charge them.
A PHEV would work well for me, I could go days, weeks even without ever starting the ICE, sadly, especially at the moment, I can't afford one, the PHEV version of my car would cost me about £20k more than the value of mine, or I could lease it for merely £576 a month.
So just a further update.
Avg MPG appears to be high 40's and on motorways mid 50's. No engine noise on the motorway at all but it is a bit noisy putting your foot down etc.
Mercs just dont have ergonomics or common sense nailed like BMW do, especially for the passenger to change radio channels etc.
The revelation for me is the self driving modes. At the weekend I drove from Stockport to Wrexham without touching the accelerator or brake once (after getting on the motorway) it even slows you down for roundabouts and accelerates out of them automatically.
The auto steering thing is ok but it does wander occasionally, but just being able to indicate and it changes lane is a good gimmick!
In terms of the original brief it certainly fits the bill. Motorway driving is so much easier and more relaxed.
that’ll take some getting used to, after years of driving BMWsbut just being able to indicate
Mercs just dont have ergonomics or common sense nailed like BMW do, especially for the passenger to change radio channels etc.
One of the things I like about my Merc is the driving ergonomics, it's one of the main reasons I like it. I am not sure about yours but the passenger can access all the same buttons and use the command knob in the exact same way I can.
Yep I don't think I could do without my driving assists now. Mine isn't quite as intelligent, adaptive cruise control has to come off for roundabouts etc but the lane keep assist and cruise control make a 7hr trip to Scotland a breeze.
but the passenger can use the command knob...
The small boy in me had a little titter at that... 🤪