Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon 1999 - 2003 review

Visit a franchised dealer for regular servicing and you'll be looking at some very big bills. It's not because the E-Class is especially tricky to work on or that it's unreliable, it's just that Mercedes dealers charge more than most to lift a spanner. If you don't want such big bills at the 9000-mile service intervals, an independent specialist will help reduce maintenance costs.

Insurance is affordable for most E-Class models, with the exception of the V8 petrol models and, especially, the E55 AMG. These two are also the worst for fuel economy.

The petrol V6s offer a good balance between economy, refinement and performance. But, don't think you need to sacrifice a V6 for financial reasons, as the 2.0-litre petrol offers little extra economy.

Come to that, if fuel economy is your ultimate priority, you should be going for a diesel. The 2.2 turbodiesel is easy on fuel, while the 3.2 turbodiesel is also reasonable given its strong performance and refinement.