WDB
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Post by WDB on Jun 24, 2019 5:47:25 GMT
I always collect/drop off on the North side on the ground floor of the main car park. Recommend you use that if you've got doubts. I think you’ve described the bit I’m concerned about — the concrete multi-storey accessed off the big roundabout next to Reading Bridge. Next to this side of the station.  To get to the short-wait area requires a tight right turn between kerbs into the multi-storey, followed by an equally tight left to get to the spaces. But it’s useful because I can leave the car and go to meet my passenger at the bottom of the escalators. But yes, in the CLS I tend to chicken out and wait among the taxis on the Tudor Road side. |
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Post by tyrednexited on Jun 24, 2019 7:25:13 GMT
I was dropped off less than an hour ago 200 yards away just down Station Hill in an E-class.
Not sure if you can wait for long, though. If you can, it's very convenient.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2019 8:55:24 GMT
Would that be a four cylinder taxi E-class, as opposed to a six cylinder private E-class?  |
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Post by tyrednexited on Jun 24, 2019 9:57:19 GMT
E220 - they're all taxis aren't they? Stayed with daughter in Reading yesterday. SWMBOs big birthday, so we hit the town en famille. Son joined us, and it was kept as a surprise. Smart car managed two large cases and two cabin bags nearly as easily as the Merc.  Taxi to Reading Station this morning, RailAir coach to LHR, currently waiting flight to YVR. The travel commitments of this retirement job are a bit arduous, but it was in the job description, so I can't complain  Funnily enough, I booked the taxi randomly after the website for daughter's preferred firm "disappeared". Talking to the driver, turns out her next door neighbour is the boss! |
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Post by Humph on Jun 24, 2019 15:16:02 GMT
They're no fools those taxi drivers, they know that in the real world a 220 is plenty quick enough, and way more economical than a 350.
😉
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jun 24, 2019 15:40:37 GMT
My six-cylinder, three-litre 350 uses fuel at near enough the same rate as the 220 I had before — although that rate is rather higher than the six-cylinder, three litre BMW I also had. The bulk and mass of the vehicle — and the speeds you drive it at — do far more than engine size to determine fuel economy.
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Post by Alanović on Jun 25, 2019 7:56:55 GMT
I always collect/drop off on the North side on the ground floor of the main car park. Recommend you use that if you've got doubts. I think you’ve described the bit I’m concerned about — the concrete multi-storey accessed off the big roundabout next to Reading Bridge. Next to this side of the station. To get to the short-wait area requires a tight right turn between kerbs into the multi-storey, followed by an equally tight left to get to the spaces. But it’s useful because I can leave the car and go to meet my passenger at the bottom of the escalators. But yes, in the CLS I tend to chicken out and wait among the taxis on the Tudor Road side. Is your CLS significantly wider than my E? I mean in physical terms of course, not "wide boy" terms, there's only one clear winner there...
I've never been worried about getting the E through there, although of course for the vast majority of the time I'm doing it in the Leaf now. Pick the missus up there most working days. As I said, it's the Land Cruisers and full fat Range Rovers etc that I love to watch going in there, very gingerly. And then parking in the 2 outdoor disabled spots, natch.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jun 25, 2019 9:08:32 GMT
Is 60mm significant? That’s the difference in published width from the S211 to the X218 — although it’s never clear to me whether that include mirrors, or what difference it makes at kerb level. Mine also seems to be 58mm wider in rear track, and wears 285mm tyres against your 225s. So it probably isn’t but just might be 118mm wider at kerb height.
I’m about to undertake another of my least-favourite tasks in this car: Le Shuttle. It does fit between the steel side rails without rubbing tyres, but it feels awfully close and I can’t help overthinking it — and, of course, there’s no way out of driving the full length of the train. Last year we were behind a full-size Range Rover, which had no spare width at all. Wasn’t pretty.
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Post by Alanović on Jun 25, 2019 10:46:57 GMT
Hmm. Sounds significant enough. You're not really winning me over from E to CLS on any count I don't think. Not that I think you're trying to, I'm just struggling to see the upside.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jun 25, 2019 11:30:26 GMT
It’s not my job to sell you one, and for stumpies with a dog cage it probably doesn’t work. Even for us, the current 530i or d Touring probably just outdoes it on space (which the S212 and S213 Es do not) but would have cost us significantly more — and would by now have developed a BMW buzz somewhere. The 630 GT certainly has more passenger space, but is a more compromised load carrier and is even bigger outside.
I doubt we’ll have another big estate anyway. There’s plenty of life left on this one, and by the time it needs replacing we’ll have ceased to make four-up family trips. I’m thinking of a 430i GC for when that time comes — but it may then be time to go fully-electric.
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Post by Humph on Jun 25, 2019 11:37:43 GMT
You can't really get away with grey slip on shoes in an E or indeed having too many buttons undone on your silk shirt...that's for the CLS drivers.
😉
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Jun 25, 2019 11:54:08 GMT
This from the man who not-so-secretly wants a black X class pickup. Got your muscle vest and big gold rings yet? 😈
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Post by Humph on Jun 25, 2019 12:49:51 GMT
Nissan Navara N-Guard now. Should come with a free Staffy.
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Post by Alanović on Jun 25, 2019 15:00:23 GMT
My step father's Navara has just been written off by a spectacular MOT fail, in which the chassis has been found to have been abducted by aliens and is no longer there. OK, it's a 2003 which lives in Wales. But sad to see it go after only 50k miles in that time, he's had it since brand new. He's down to the V8 LPG bling-mobile Range Rover, the MG B, and the Wolsely 15/Something or other now. Plus various earth moving equipments and a funny little Turkish tractor. And 2 quad bikes. And Mum's horses (plus one trap and a gypsy caravan, and an ordinary modern touring caravan). And the FIAT 500L, and a Morris Minor which has been parked up under a tarpaulin for about 6 years. Shame the FIAT Panda got dragged off to the scrappy, I had my eye on that.
Always an entertaining visit, going down there. Nutters.
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Post by dixinormus on Jun 26, 2019 6:06:36 GMT
Isn’t the Merc X-class just a Navara in drag?!
Enjoy your 6 cylinders while you can! Three seems to be becoming the norm it would seem, which I am still suspicious of. If 3 cylinder engines are so good why weren’t they developed earlier? 4 has been the default for decades!
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