Some of you asked if I would let you know how I get on with the B-class, so here goes.
Likes
Seems well built and nothing, touch wood, has gone wrong or fallen off yet.
Supplying dealer, Greenoaks of Reading, are excellent. A 'team leader' meets you when you bring your car in and meets you again when you come back, with knowledge of what has been done.
Good high driving position and very comfortable seats.
Engine becoming livelier - like most diesels it won't give of its best till I've done about 10,000 miles. Sport mode on the multitronic transmission is useful.
Rear seats fold flat easily without removing headrests. Plenty of room in the back.
Dislikes
Engine very noisy, especially while accelerating: all 4-cylinder automatic diesels are going to drone to some extent, but there could be more soundproofing. There's none on the bonnet lid for example.
Idling speed irritatingly low at about 700 rpm - it doesn't stall but the whole car vibrates.
Wipers, although clap-hands, set up for LHD in that the offside one is shorter than the nearside and parks under it, leading to a wide unwiped area next to the driver's A-pillar.
These may seem minor but are surprisingly irritating. Greenoaks have tried their best on the second and third of these, but it's all fixed immovably by the factory.
I wouldn't have had this one but for the special deal whereby MB put up £2000 deposit and the PCP is at 2.9 % APR. I'm not sure whether MB extended this beyond the original deadline of 31 March.
Anyway it was £100 pm cheaper than the Audi, but there's no doubt that the Audi (A4 Avant 2.5 TDI) was worth it.
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Channel Four teletext currently have a review of this vehicle with the 1.5 engine installed. In their words it's not worth the price of a stamp to tell the folks at home about it! I think this is more a reflection of the power unit rather than the whole car.
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Yes, it's a big heavy car for a 1.5 engine. I doubt if it would be more economical as it would have to be worked so hard to propel the car along at any decent speed. Mine's a B200 CDI and I think it needs a 2-litre, or a 1.8 at the very least.
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Thanks for the update avant, i followed your posts about the change back in the winter and appreciated your perceptive comments. I liked the B in the showroom but there were no used ones in my price range. I know you loved the A4 and in my test drives it was the best driving experience (in 1.8T/multitronic).
trouble is the Audi badge premium is very high and at 4 years dealers were asking 12/13K. As with BMW too much i think so i went for the S60. A good all round compromise fror me.
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Idling speed irritatingly low at about 700 rpm - it doesn't stall but the whole car vibrates.
My Saab TiD used to rattle my teeth out at idle, I was at risk of getting vibration white finger from the gear stick.
I mentioned it at a main dealer service and they adjusted the idle speed from 900 up to 1000rpm, I think they just did it via the plug-in diagnostics, and it improved things a lot.
They might be able to do the same for you next time you take it in?
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