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Hi Tony,

It's the electrical systems that are the E-Class's Achilles' heel. Mercedes had so many problems with the 2002-2009 model that it actually had to replace entire interiors and indeed entire cars for some irate customers. So, check everything very, very carefully and if even one little switch isn't working, walk away. If the car has had remedial work done by Mercedes, ask to see the paperwork to see exactly what was done. Check too that the automatic gearbox selects gears quickly and easily. 

The battery is prone to running flat too, if the car is left standing for a few days, and the computer that controls the brakes can go haywire too. Also check the paintwork for poor finish or flaking.

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Hi Rosemary,

According to the official figure, you should be getting 33mpg. Bear in mind though that this is almost a ten-year old car, so its performance in terms of fuel economy may have tailed off. Nothing a good service and oil change wouldn't fix though, along with some decent new tyres.

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Hi Sue,

Safety record? Not really. The XC90 was first crash tested back in 2003 when Euro NCAP only gave stars for overall performance and pedestrian impact. At the time, the XC got a full five-star rating (rare at the time). Since then its score has only been matched in the class by the Mercedes-Benz M-Class in 2008, the Volkswagen Touareg in 2004, the BMW X5 in 2003 and, in the past couple of years, the new Mercedes M-Class, the new Range Rover and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Out of those, only the X5 and the Santa Fe come with seven seats (optionally in the case of the X5) and neither can match the space or comfort of the Volvo.

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Hi Peter,

A brilliant car, albeit one with a couple of shortcomings relative to its German rivals. It's probably the best-looking car in the class, and the 500-litre boot is a match for the BMW 5 Series Touring and Audi A6 Avant (though much smaller than that of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class). It's utterly delightful to drive too, better even than the much-praised BMW, with brilliant steering and a comfy ride.

On the downside, the interior is a step behind the Germans (not enough space, old-fashioned touch-screen infotainment system, narrow front seats) and the fuel tank is on the small side, limiting your touring range and making the car feel thirstier than it actually is. The 2.2-litre diesel engine in 190hp form is the best all-round to go for, but the lower power 163hp is a bit cheaper to buy and you'll hardly ever notice the difference in day-to-day driving. Or, you could get the best version; the 272hp 3.0 D V6 diesel – a properly quick, practical car that.

Here's our road test of the XF Sportbrake

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Hi Richard,

The Alhambra would be my choice here. A budget of €6,000 won't get you the current model, but it should find you an old one and they're still good. SEAT's reliability is pretty solid and you should be able to find one at a lower mileage than an equivalently priced (and mechanically identical) Ford Galaxy. 

It would be worth keeping an eye out for a Ford S-Max too, though €6,000 is the very, very bottom end for S-Max prices, but keep your eyes peeled and haggle hard and you might just land a nice one. 

And, as I always advise anyone looking for a seven-seater, there's always the option of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate with extra seats in the boot...

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Hi Emmet,

It is, actually - one of the few mid-2000s Mercs you could say that about. The 200k engine is a solid old thing, although it does sound worryingly like a broken cement mixer when you accelerate hard. The complex folding roof mechanism is also pretty good, but be careful if the previous owner chose to leave the roof mostly up, as the electric motors can freeze in place if it's not exercised regularly.

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Hi Colm,

Taking the C 200 CDI as a baseline, the official figures are 58mpg for the manual, 55mpg for the automatic. Did you read our road test of the car?

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Hi Riccardo,

No, it's not. You're quite right that the 1.5-litre CDI engine in the A 180 model is derived from Renault's long-serving dCi engine, but the 220 CDI unit is Mercedes' own 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine in 170hp trim.

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Hi Noel,

All things being equal, it'll be the Merc that'll do better. I'm comparing the 2011 model years for both as I'm assuming you mean the previous generation of Mercedes-Benz ML-Class. 

According to the official figures, the ML 280 CDI automatic gets 30.1mpg on the combined cycle, while the Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DID automatic returns 26.6mpg. 

Hardly surprising really: the Mitsubishi has a five-speed gearbox compared to the Merc's six-speed unit, plus it's lugging around a heavier body and seven seats (the Merc's a strict five-seater).

Hope that helps.

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Hi Jay,

Well, that's pretty much all you'll ever see at a taxi rank in Berlin or Munich so draw your own conclusions. Just watch the 2002 - 2010 E-Class like a hawk. They were pretty shoddily built my Merc standards and developed a lot of electrical, braking and transmission problems.