I am in a quandary: I own a very nice 1999 Mercedes-Benz S500. It's well maintained, has only done 70,000 miles and I got it cheap (previous owner was banned) so it stands me in at little money. The car only gets used at weekends and most of my trips are short, under 15 miles (I live in South London). However, we're doing up a place in Somerset, and I now make the 300 mile return trip about twice a month. The Merc gives 26mpg on this trip, the same as my wife's 2.5-litre Volvo estate. Once or twice a year, the Merc gets to go over to the continent and really stretch its legs, but less so now that so many weekends are spent bimbling up or down the M4. I have some spare cash and have been wondering if I should change to a more economical car, maybe even an oil burner? Problem is, I love Mercs and the best Merc Garage in London (Merc Repairs) is within walking distance from my home. So, if I did trade down, I'd probably be looking to get an E270 or S350 or similar, and it's a lot of money to get one with the same knobs and functions as my existing car. I'm not sure what I'd get for mine, but I guess I would have to spend around four grand just to end up with a similar car. Is it worth making the trade or should I stick with the (excellent) car I know and love?