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Post by johnc on Sept 12, 2017 12:38:19 GMT
Can anyone tell me why Mercedes think it wise to fit these cars with red seat belts?
My daughter is making noises about having a 5 seat car and I can see the sense in many ways. The E43 interests me too in that it has over 400hp and 4wd and a very recent used one can also be had for low £40K's BUT red seat belts! I can see the attraction in a warmish hatch having red seat belts or a bright colour scheme but surely there can't be many people in the market for what is a £50K+ 4 door saloon with red seat belts? My wife doesn't like them either so that gets crossed off the list. |
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Post by alf on Sept 12, 2017 13:14:25 GMT
Don't know - it is very 1980's MG Metro!!
Interesting card though - about the "right" level of performance IMHO, like the 340i/d...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2017 13:29:06 GMT
They're not just an option - you have to have them? Unwise, though as I've often observed Mercedes has slowly and steadily slipped from paragon of understated good taste to vulgarity personified, so who knows?
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Post by cbeaks1 on Sept 12, 2017 13:45:12 GMT
Sporty innit?
Should be mandatory so everyone can see you are wearing your belt:
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Post by Martin on Sept 12, 2017 13:56:14 GMT
I think they can be deleted, but doubt you'll find a used one without them.
I like the red seat belts in the Boxster, wouldn't be been in a saloon/estate but don't think it would be a complete deal breaker.
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Post by johnc on Sept 12, 2017 14:19:46 GMT
I'd feel a bit Justin Urquart Stewart sitting there in my suit or shirt with a red seat belt.
I tried to find a delete option when I specced a new one but couldn't see it and I haven't found a used one without! |
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Post by PetrolEd on Sept 12, 2017 15:00:01 GMT
I rather like red belts!
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Post by racingteatray on Sept 12, 2017 16:11:16 GMT
Don't know - it is very 1980's MG Metro!! Yes, reminds me of the ones in the MG Metro my mother had back in the early 80s! |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Sept 12, 2017 17:01:54 GMT
Seat belt colour is not something I've ever really thought about but red ones could be quite fun.
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Post by LandieMark on Sept 12, 2017 17:32:53 GMT
I don't mind coloured seat belts. A friend has orange ones in his McLaren and it really lifts an otherwise very grey interior!
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Post by Ben on Sept 12, 2017 18:36:11 GMT
I don't mind coloured seat belts too. Adds a bit of life to an interior.
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Post by clunes on Sept 12, 2017 22:57:17 GMT
My boss recently got a 'fully loaded' ex demo E43 and definitely no red seat belts so they are out there.
That said, the simple solution is a very lightly used E63 of the previous model - the interior of the new one is leagues ahead but a low mileage older car would still be tempting!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 18:30:42 GMT
.
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Post by Alex on Sept 13, 2017 20:23:16 GMT
It'll never be as OTT as the laser green coloured belts that came with my special edition 106 Key Largo!
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Post by clunes on Sept 14, 2017 8:01:35 GMT
Not if you want AWD, it isn't... Ah! Good point - scrap the cheaper older option - to hell with it get a new M5  |
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Post by johnc on Sept 14, 2017 11:31:25 GMT
The rapid development of electric cars and the promised demise of petrol and diesel makes me nervous about wanting to blow too much on a car. I did see a previous model M5 which was less than a year old and hardly used for £47K which appeared great value. Maybe it's the accountant in me but my car dealer clients tell me that anything that has an M or AMG in front of it, doubles the servicing costs for no reason other than "he can afford it" - that, I find a bit hard to take.
I see the C and E43 as being perhaps a half way house.
I did find a used E43 at Hull Mercedes with black seat belts and a £63K price tag - don't think so! |
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Post by Big Blue on Sept 14, 2017 11:44:39 GMT
I'd feel a bit Justin Urquart Stewart sitting there in my suit or shirt with a red seat belt.
We have a column in our local magazine (KT4) from him. He knows how to print money for himself so maybe the braces work... |
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Post by ChrisM on Sept 14, 2017 12:20:38 GMT
So how much to buy a car with red seat belts then swap them for black ones? SUrely it must be possible for less money than the £63k alternative used car?
Before pre-tensioners were fitted, it would have been a simple DIY job, but I guess that's no longer the case.
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Post by Big Blue on Sept 14, 2017 12:27:01 GMT
Before pre-tensioners were fitted, it would have been a simple DIY job, but I guess that's no longer the case. Don't even think about it! The pretensions are connected to the the airbag triggers. When the boys were born I had to pay an arm and a leg to have the 530's front airbag disabled (before it was a button / key turn) |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 13:28:24 GMT
my car dealer clients tell me that anything that has an M or AMG in front of it, doubles the servicing costs for no reason other than "he can afford it" - that, I find a bit hard to take. Interesting. With the exception of the brakes and the obvious increase in quantity of oil and spark plugs, I've always found my dealer almost suspiciously reasonable. |
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Post by alf on Sept 14, 2017 14:52:42 GMT
my car dealer clients tell me that anything that has an M or AMG in front of it, doubles the servicing costs for no reason other than "he can afford it" - that, I find a bit hard to take. Interesting. With the exception of the brakes and the obvious increase in quantity of oil and spark plugs, I've always found my dealer almost suspiciously reasonable. Mine too. I get the impression that pricing for main dealer servicing of "normal" cars has gone up and eaten into the difference. Plus I doubt many people able to afford to buy and run a full "M" or "AMG" or "RS" type car are going to quibble at a £500 service once a year. Depreciation is always the killer, followed by fuel - get those two about right and who cares about servicing, tax and so on? Collateral damage for having somethign that gives me the horn every time I start it, in my book... I look at the list prices of cars I like these days and wonder if I'll ever be in the market for one less than about 4-5 years old, I don't really like to spend more than about the £25k the XFR cost... On the plus side there tends to be plenty around that age with low miles, dealer approved, for about the right money, if you can stomach that sort of age - and they tend to look and drive near as damn it like new, so why not? I was no fan of the looks of the last E63 but the current E63 and E43 look very nice... The current M5 or M6 GC I would have too - let's hope depreciation on all of them gets worse! As to the Alfa Guila quadrifoglio, at even 3 years that ought to be affordable... |
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Post by johnc on Sept 15, 2017 9:52:41 GMT
The figure which one of them quoted was £1,000+ for the service on an M car.
I am going over to the dealer to pick my car up today (after its end of warranty check over) so I will ask! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 10:52:07 GMT
Consumables aside, I've never had a bill of that size.
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Post by Tim on Sept 15, 2017 13:10:36 GMT
£500 for a routine service plus filters for the 320, that was a shocker to me!
From what I've been told recently red seatbelts might not be the barrier to buying a Merc, basic seat comfort may be a much greater issue.
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Post by johnc on Sept 15, 2017 13:35:36 GMT
Just back with my car which has been fitted with a new EGR cooler (whatever that is) because there was a slight leak of fumes into the car.
I asked about servicing costs for an M4 in comparison to mine. I was told to get a service package but he did get me some prices (rounded because I can't remember exactly all the figures).
Mine First service at c 16,000 to 19,000 miles £365 Major service (every 2 years or by c 36,000 miles) £545
M4 Oil change at 1,000 miles £385 First service £395 Major service £1,270
All of the above are + VAT
If you only kept the car 3 years the figures above would not be too disastrous but a major service with parts, such as new discs (over £1K), could easily spiral up to £3,000 incl VAT and there aren't many people I know who wouldn't baulk at that kind of figure. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 13:41:49 GMT
I would have thought that the bigger barrier to M4 ownership would seem to be that you seem to have to have a bounceresque thick neck to drive one.
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Post by Martin on Sept 15, 2017 14:00:42 GMT
It cost £650 for a major service on mine, including brake fluid, so nice to know the cost is engine rather than model based.
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Post by PG on Sept 15, 2017 18:10:51 GMT
Just back with my car which has been fitted with a new EGR cooler (whatever that is) because there was a slight leak of fumes into the car.
I asked about servicing costs for an M4 in comparison to mine. I was told to get a service package but he did get me some prices (rounded because I can't remember exactly all the figures).
Mine First service at c 16,000 to 19,000 miles £365 Major service (every 2 years or by c 36,000 miles) £545
M4 Oil change at 1,000 miles £385 First service £395 Major service £1,270
All of the above are + VAT
If you only kept the car 3 years the figures above would not be too disastrous but a major service with parts, such as new discs (over £1K), could easily spiral up to £3,000 incl VAT and there aren't many people I know who wouldn't baulk at that kind of figure. £1270. Holy moly! That's bonkers. Makes XFR servicing look cheap in comparison. |
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Post by Andy C on Sept 15, 2017 18:56:58 GMT
Is the 35d engine's service intervals really 16-19k ?
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Post by Martin on Sept 15, 2017 19:55:52 GMT
Mine has been around the 19k mark each time, at least that's every 8 months rather than 2 years.
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