Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

ljparr1 · August 2001

I have a 95 E Class Conv. When stored in 90+ weather, and not driven for a few days, it blows gas out under both sides of the rear of the car. Anyone experience this problem or know the cause?

valueguy · August 2001

Thanks for your input. It sounds like my original ESP sensor switch was indeed malfunctioning. Just curious though, does this vehicle display a traction control light when the wheels slip? Thanks

drew_ · August 2001

The ESP hazard triangle in the middle of the speedometer is supposed to illuminate (blink usually) when the ESP or traction control is activated. The light will illluminate steadly if the ESP off switch is used.

Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

2ndmb · August 2001

I almost convinced myself that the E320 was less of a car than the 530i BMW. Well, I test drove the BMW tonight on the way home and when I got back into my E I was sure I had made the right decision. If you think you are getting tired of your MB, try this test. The MB is a terrific car. Just my .02.

hto · August 2001

I test drove the 530i BMW too and I believed the E320 is more value of a car. BMW is just fun to drive but it's not elegant, roomy, luxurious feel as the MB. I think the BMW is over price for what it is.

w210 · August 2001

The BMW 5 series is especially pathetic with the little rear seat leg room for a mid size sedan.

bigrobnh · August 2001

Nope. I just regret not buying it sooner.

Later,
BigRob.

hto · August 2001

You also can't fit the luggages for 2 persons in the 530i tiny trunk either.

svinaik · August 2001

Drew, I checked with Mercedes and they told me that they do not have any mesh shades for the 2000 E class wagon (Rear seat windows). They have for lot of other model but not for the MY 2000 "E-Class" wagon?.

Is there any way you can confirm this.

They also recommended "Not" tinting the power windows as this effects the regulators and resistence readings etc..

So no tinting and no shades. Just get burned!!!
cool

swimmom · August 2001

As an e Wagon driver I cannot believe I am asking this question... Does anyone know if MB is planning on a minivan for the US market?

drew_ · August 2001

Yes, they are, but not for several years (more than 5). It will be based on the new generation MB M-class platform.

drew_ · August 2001

Just a reminder that the MB chat is on tonight (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/mercedeschat.html

zzaofijb · August 2001

I am close to purchasing a 2001 E320 MB 4Dr. My dealer is quoting me a price of $44,700. +sales tax, tag, license (another $3000). I am in S. Florida. Does this sound like a good deal? The 2002 are starting to arrive, so can I do any better with the 2001????? Thanks for the feedback.

varig · August 2001

zzaofijb: I wish I had goten a deal like that. My dealer wanted $5K above that + tax, etc.
I'd have grabbed your deal in a heartbeat. ....

cadbury · August 2001

What options are on that 01 E320 AWD? Sunroof, heated seats, E2 pkg. ...?

kjoo · August 2001

Do anyone know about the Next E class as me and my wife are interested in what the car will look like and offer.......

microrepair · August 2001

Drew,
Are you saying the MB minivan won't be based on the Chrysler Voyager ??????
I expected to see them change the penta-star to a tri-star and call it the V-class...
(Just kidding!)

rolands · August 2001

I own a 97 E320 and would like to install an aftermarket MP3 player. Does anyone have experience with the RIOCAR MP3 player pictured in:

http://www.riohome.com/products/riocar.htm

rolands · August 2001

I own a 97 E320 and would like to install an aftermarket MP3 player. Does anyone have experience with the RIOCAR MP3 player pictured in:

http://www.riohome.com/products/riocar.htm

eran1 · August 2001

Saw some earlier discussion about the new interior but nothing about the new exterior. I apologize if this the exterior was previosly discuss and this is a repeat. I found a picture on the cover of "Automotive News" magazine. It was either the July 2001 or August 2001 issue. This seems to be an 'industry' magazine, but I'm not sure. Whatever it is it cost $119 for a 1 year subscription. The car: slightly reminds me of a Jaguar S-type (just barely), signal mirrors, S-class rear end, still rounded headlights but they now slope back more. I hope someone can find this picture and is smart enough to post it on the board. It turns out they were filming "Men in Black", and some smart fellow snapped a picture on the streets of New York City.

boladoj · August 2001

I was looking at the same system. I have been told by a couple of sources that the MP3/harddrive auto systems are nice, but don't have the quality of a brand name system (ie. Alpine, etc.) Primarily because these new companies don't have the experience of keeping the noise/distortion level down while the car is running. Of course we are talking MP3s so quaility can be questionable anyway. The two people I talked to are from very high end car audio shops so their explanation is not too surprising.

blehrlich · August 2001

Will the 4matic system be as effective as Quattro in New England winters? Info. that the dealer provides makes my head spin. Please help.
Thanks.

habitat1 · August 2001

I travel back to my hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania frequently (i.e. 150+ inches of snow last winter), and my wife has family north of Portland Maine. We are planning to buy a E320 4-matic wagon at some point to replace our current SUV. Our friends tell us that the Mercedes' 4-matics work very well under all but the most severe conditions. However, neither the Audi or Mercedes is SUV-capable, so a set of snow tires may be a worthwhile investment.

livetodrive · August 2001

I don't know about the Audi, but the E-430 4Matic is able to transfer power even if only one wheel has traction. Coupled with the standard ESP (electronic stability program) I don't see how it could be better. I picked up my 4Matic in March, after the last snowfall, so I don't have any experience with it in snow yet.

drew_ · August 2001

drew_ "Mercedes-Benz M-class" Aug 9, 2001 9:41am

Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

cce182 · August 2001

My priority for a sedan was 4WD from the outset, so Audi and the E-Class were the condenters. I teach skiing at the local mogul in the winter and need to show up on the worse driving (best skiing) days. Such rationalization! The 2000 E430 4-matic came in cheaper than the A8 so the choice was a no-brainer.

Remember, 4-matic "upgrades" the M-B from a RWD sedan which has gotten marginal ratings in the press, altho ESP mitigates the problem somewhat. Audi, by contrast, is FWD. But, if a wheel isn't driven (and thus can't put power on the street), no amount of ESP-instigated braking on the other wheels is going to help. In New England winter driving, this can be an issue.

To me, the 4-matic is totally undetectable in driving. You gotta look under the car to be sure it's there.

I took delivery of my car in April 2000, and couldn't wait to try it out in the snow. When this happened, it got around OK, the ESP light flashed alot, and I found the car a bit scary. Turns out that the sneakers that came on the car (Goodyear Eagle F1's), while a great rain tire, are not so great in the snow. So, in a bit of a panic, I bought 4 Blizzaks on 17" AMG rims (which look nicer than the stock wheels), put 'em on the car, switched the tranny to "W", and everything was beautiful. You don't want to use Blizzaks in the summer - - the tread life maybe only 10-12k miles.

Conclusion: You need it all. ABS, ESP, 4-matic, and tires that'll grip in snow. Break any link in this chain and you should prepare yourself for some "freestyle" driving, or worse.

The only other tradeoff re: an SUV is ground clearance. The car is lower than an SUV, the bottom airdam makes a lousy snowplow, you might severely damage it at considerable expense if you try to plow with it. So, you may find yourself shovelling to get into your driveway in snow your SUV would probably just blast thru.

Just for yuks, the only ramaining missing item the list is a ski-bag. If M-B designed a gas tank (which is behind the back seat) in a donut-shape (slightly lowered capacity), they could include this feature bundled with the 4-matic system. But, I bet they won't.

wmbiff · August 2001

Has anyone purchased the roof rack system from Mercedes-Benz? I'm mainly interested in carrying bicycles, but from time to time would probably use it for luggage or other large items. Has anyone purchased any after market alternative roof rack? If so please comment.

My 2000 320E has about 20K and have been very pleased overall. No major mechanical problems. I notice some don't like the cup-holder, or the window switches on the center console, or the garage door opener position. I find I can live with all of this without any inconvenience. I miss having a CD in the dash; would like a better sound system; and most of all don't understand why the sun visor is so short. When rotated to block sun from the driver's side window it is inadequate. All that would be needed would be for an extension that could slide out and cover the distance to the door jam. Has that feature been changed in the 2001 or 2002 models? Any suggestions on quality after market sound systems would be useful.

I don't post much, but do enjoy reading the informative comments made here.

WB

jfz219 · August 2001

Your sun visor will extend on the metal rod to cover the side window.

wmbiff · August 2001

So it does! How embarrassing. After 2 years and not knowing. The last car I drove had an extension, so I suppose I had a mental block. Thanks for the tip.

WB

mrowe2 · August 2001

Does anyone know when 2002 E-class sedans will be available in the US and how much of a price change one can expect?

macbest · August 2001

Picked up my 2002 E430, Comand, Multi-countour, Active ventilated seats (which are very "cool"), rear shade (no sunroof!, hate the sunroofs!), Brilliant silver, ash, on Tuesday. Was told I was the first 2002 E delivered in California. The car came with Continental Conti Sports which I was surprised had a wear rating of 280. Handle great and are real quiet. Overall, the car really is exceeding my expectations. 5 to 6 years of making this E really has made a rock solid car. I thought long and hard about a 2003, but this is just too hard to pass up.

The most incredible buying experience I have ever had from Bob Blake at MB of Laguna Niguel. Great deal, totally professional, no crap, hard sell, etc. Email me for more particulars (wbest@sprintmail.com). I flew from the Bay area down to LA and drove it back and it was the best decision I've made. The LA dealers have this business down the way it should be, especially relative to the bay area which by comparison, is very disappointing. There showroom is so impressive (they are doing so well in moving cars, that their showroom shows up on the cover of the book on where each of the MB dealers are in the country), but it is the service (and price) that really counts.

The Comand system is more than I expected and I had a great time playing with it over the past few days. It even helped me find some out of the way wineries (not by address, but by a selection in the Tourist attractions sub menu for "Wineries".

MSRP went up $650 list, now at $53,850. Options went up slightly, I believe these have been posted elsewhere. My price was no where near this. Only visible change is a chrome center 3 pointed star for the wheels.

hto · August 2001

this month Car&Driver magazine has a review on the luxury sport sedan cars and here is the rate from lowest to highest:

Cadilac DTS
Jaguar QX
MB E430
Infinity Q45
Lexus GS430
Audi A6 4.2
BMW 540iA

danniel · August 2001

My 2000 E320 has 11,000 now. I made an appointment for a scheduled maintenance service with the dealer. The service man said everything is covered except for the tire rotation, which is $80. It does not sound like a reasonable price to me. Any comment?

Thanks.
Daniel

jgwaltney · August 2001

have found 97 e430 for sale from private owner - white w/ sport package - 35,000 mi, asking $30,800 - likely past the 4 yr manuf warranty, so thoughts re: probs/maint costs w/ 97 e430's?

(have been considering $35K pre-owned options, eg '98-99 e320's v 99-00 528 v 98-99 ls400)

thx for your help - great board w/ useful info

opryman

rolands · August 2001

I am offering this from experience after purchasing a 97 E320 with 16k miles:

Check for oil leaks on the front seal. The 97's are prone to this. This will cost you about $500.00 to replace the seal. The control arm bushings are the next thing. They can cost around $700.00 to replace. The reason being is that the 97's were the only year that the control arms were not adjustable. If your car requires an alignment these will have to be replaced. If the car is still under warranty the dealer will replace the seal and the control arm bushings. Also, the 97's were proned to having cracks on the dash prematurely. Other than all this being done, I still love the car. Some words that were shared from other MB owners: If you cannot afford the maintenance do not buy an MB. Hope this helps.

jgwaltney · August 2001

rolands,

great tip - will ck out per your suggestion - may be better to spend approx $5-7k more for '99-'00 e320 - thx again for your advice

habitat1 · August 2001

...doesn't exist, unless I'm mistaken. A good friend of mine has a 1997 E420, but I thought the E430 wasn't introduced until 1998. In any event, his E420 has had a lot of little nit-picky problems. Headlights (non zenon) and foglights burn out or go off unexpectedly, and other mostly electrical problems. Nothing major (yet) and he generally likes the car, but given what "rolands" mentioned, I would be inclined to go for a 1998 or later.

PS: Danniel - $80 for a simple tire rotation, assuming that the car is already in for other covered maintenance, is pure BS. Although that's not likely to blow anybody's checking account, it would certainly burn up any goodwill that I would have for the dealership. What do they charge for an oil change, $250?? Where is this dealer, so I can be sure to avoid them when I'm shopping this fall.

rexconde1 · August 2001

You are right, 1997 was the first year for the V-8 E420 not the E430. It was also the first year that they got rid of the external antenna on the E Class and integrated into the rear window.

I dont really remember having many problems with the car. But then again I was away at college most of the time so I really wasnt home that much to enjoy the car.

R

jaliv · August 2001

I apologize if this has been asked before but here goes anyways. I have a 2000 E320 4matic Wagon which came with M-B Tex seating. Now I want to detail and have received conflicting answers to the question of whether all of the seat is TEX or only some. The dealership felt the solid portions of the seat was TEX while the perforated portions are leather. Mercedes 1-800 said the entire seat was TEX, mind you, the individual on the phone originally said all leather until I questioned them on it and they went offline to check. I would like to know so that I can treat the appropriate material with the correct surface treatment, i.e. vinyl or leather solutions.

Many Thanks,
Jamie

pslade67 · August 2001

Just purchased my first MB. Love it! But I notice that, from a cold start, the engine/transmission hesitates at acceleration. In addition the upshifting growl is not something I'm used too.

The dealer says that the above is normal for "all" MB since 1995.

Any comments are welcome.
Regards

svinaik · August 2001

Jamie,

I also have the same vehicle as you. The perforated part of the seat is Leather and all the sides and back is MB Tex. In fact if you check the car sticker, it mentiones the material as Leather Twin. Basically all MB seats now have leather seating insert unless you opt for a full leather option.

I use leather care for the perforated part and MB interior care for the MB Tex part. Hope this helps.

jaliv · August 2001

Thanks so very much for the reply! One other question would be the headrests, am I safe in assuming those are TEX as well?

Again, very many thanks.

Jamie

drew_ · August 2001

Yes, the head restraints and the front seatback map pockets are also MB-Tex vinyl. The only leather portions are the side airbag covers, the steering wheel, and the gear shift lever, in addition to the leather seating surfaces.

drew_ · August 2001

Yes, that is normal. The transmission won't shift as normal until it gets up to normal operating temperatures. It holds each gear longer so as to shorten the time it takes for the engine to warm up (more revs), and in turn lowers cold start emissions. Cold start emissions are the dirtiest, so MB tries to minimise as much of that as possible. That is one of the reasons why there are two intake valves but only one exhaust valve per cylinder.

Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

mark156 · August 2001

I just had my "A" service done. I was just about to turn 11,000 miles when the computer displayed "Service in 3 days". The next day, "service in two days". So I drove down to the dealer and set up an appointment for the next day. I truely enjoy my E class. Previously, I had a '91 560SEL that I purchased from a friend and drove for 7 years. Traded in (9 yrs old) with 82,000 miles and $7,000 in repairs over the previous 3 yrs. Too many things went wrong with that car that shouldn't have. In the future, I most likely won't keep a car past the warranty period.

Mark

pslade67 · August 2001

Thanks Drew. I'll get used to it knowing that it is normal and for a good cause.

Thanks

jamesr88 · August 2001

many posts ago, someone mentioned recall of 2000 e due to side airbags deploying in hot weather when car parked. I had no info on this so i called dealer who said only certain lots recalled and if mine were to be recalled, i would have been notified. posted this way back with no reply. any insight on this topic?

hjborn · August 2001

Correction to post 2192. Actually, in the E320 and E430 sedans, the seats are all leather, at least since 1999. You don't have to opt for them, they are standard. But they are optional on the wagon.

valueguy · August 2001

M-B spy site has the new AMG SL55 with 476HP!
This engine may find its way to the new E-55.
This 2003-04 E-55 should be faster then anything in its class.

jgwaltney · August 2001

Thx for the info and correction - so accustomed to typing e430 - yes 97 was definitely e 420 - was not aware of some early probs. that have been raised, thx for your feedback

prob going to wait and continue looking for a '99-'00 e 320 as it has all the power i need and some addtl desirable features from '99-on

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles