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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans
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Comments
Jean
Anyone have any experience with quiet tires or other tire recommendations?
My priorities, in order, are noise/ride, handling right behind noise, and treadwear as less of an issue. Tirerack rates some of their tires this way, but not all of them. I'm also suspicious of rating numbers carried to three decimal places for the subjective evaluations they present. Their ratings are a great start, but I'd like to hear what folks here have to say.
I had an Alpine CD player installed after delivery (claimed to be what comes with the "MB" on it) and now it is sending out the "NO CD" error message. The installer sent it back to Alpine who took two months to "initialize it" and 3 days after re-install, it again gives the NO CD message. Is my best bet to just buy another one, maybe a used one from eBay? (Mine is now out of warranty!)
Someone was asking if $35K for a 2000 E320 coming off lease with 14K miles was a good deal. In my opinion, if that is a two year lease, then yes, it sounds like a terrific deal to me. I bought mine the day after it came off a two year lease for $38K and it had 38K miles. So this other one is a better deal.. Plus it will have all those little upgrades mine doesn't have.. I'm jealous.. Especially if that $35K includes Starmark.. Hmmm, if you don't want it......
Previous posts mentioned others here have the same problem. I will stop by the dealer tomorrow.
M-B needs a Technical release/recall on these seats. Sadly, this may be my last M-B product as I am tired of visiting the service department.
Jean
During the inspection I was treated with a 02 C240 as courtesy car. I was impressed with the kick of that small engine as well as the excellent and silent ride.
Jean
...just a recent observation here in my travels.
Many thanks!
Reminds me of the old Mazda 626 series where they had a regular sedan and a fastback sedan..
Then I drove the X-5 and with the 3.0 engine it feels a little more powerful but maybe that has to do with the final gearing too. Otherwise that SUV is a piece of crap compared to the ML class. I thought I was going to need my chiropractor after driving on a normal residential road. Horrible ride quality. Even the Explorers and Jeeps I've been in are better riding vehicles.. Maybe the 4.1 engine might make up for some of it, but that has to be a scary ride !
Unless MB fails miserably with the new E, I would prefer the E over the current 2002 525...
All the above is strictly the opinion of the author.. based upon a 20 minute drive scenario..
Even though it looks swoopier, they are claiming that there is more passenger space and there will be an option for fold down rear seats.. Whooppee, now I'll be able to make dump runs without a station wagon..!!
Jean
the only 6 speed auto is on the new 7 series. Unless the 525 you test drove was a prototype, it has 5 speed autobox. I am sure it felt weaker than the 3.2, with a 2.5 liter engine. 530 probably would have given you a better comparison. I test drove E320 and 530 each for a day and agree that BMW has better interior layout (to me at least). I actually thought that the BMW felt more solid. Like you said, purely an opinion of the author.
bmms8
MB 2.4 (actually 2597 cc) liter engine IS a v-6.
http://www.mbusa.com/brand/container.jsp?/models/main.jsp&modelCode=C240W
M
The felt padding solved this problem; but, M-B should have been aware of the seat issues and issued a service bulletin. Once again I am a satisfied M-B owner. I am still undecided if I would buy another E.
Provided M-B improves the quality a bit on the late '03's I will get the E-55. 470Hp is just too enticing to pass up.
Even the X-5 3.0 didn't have the stump pulling feeling that my E320 does... The 2.5 and 3.0 appear to be designed for higher rpm and therefore more hp, rather than for broadband torque.
I am quite sure E320 also has 5 spd auto, just like the BMWs, BTW. E320 does develop max torque from 3000 rpm, and the BMW 3.0 makes it at 3500. I barely noticed any difference as far as the pulling power and the acceleration.
Interestingly, I called TireRack, gave them my replacement tire criteria, and "Clay" gave me advice directly opposite that of "Luke" (dunninla's sneaker-advisor at TireRack) - - that is, Clay asserts that the Bridgestone PP S-03's are quieter, grippier, happier-in-the-wet (where, here in New England, that does make a difference), and less expensive, to boot compared to the Pirelli PZero Rosso Direzionale.
One can draw a couple of tentative conclusions from this. Maybe what TireRack recommends is dependent on their comparative inventory. Or, perhaps the sales commissions differ from product to product or the sales incentives change. Or, most likely, the rating of tires is so subjective that they both could be right. Or, all of the above.
I just discovered their customer comparo page which summarizes all the max-performance tires in one table. That page is:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/max.jsp
But, in the end, in a table of 15 comparisons, the S-03 and PZero Rosso were first and second, and the Goodyear Eagle F1's were dead last. So, if you trust the surveys, then you can't do worse than the F1's. More to the point, anything is better than F1's.
It's important, too, to observe that the Brigestones report many more users than the Pirelli's (5.8M miles vs 9k miles (meaning just one driver checking in!!)). All of these customer experience surveys are subjective at best.
Louis
Jean
Louis
My 00 E-430 has been mechanically perfect to date, but I have to take it in for its 24K mile service in a few days, so I inspected it carefully over the July 4th holiday.
My Eagle F-1s are barely worn and look like they can go another 10-12K miles easily and my brake pad warning light has remained suspiciously off.
I use this car for work and put about 40 miles on it daily in heavy Northern Virginia and DC area traffic. I'm wondering if others are having the same experience or should I be worrying that my tires and brake pads will fall off within the next few days.
Also, remove any Zaino before filling chips. The touchup paint will not stick to the polish.
Having replaced the pads twice already on my E, I can estimate that once the brake pad wear indicator comes on, you still have a couple thousand miles before the pad backing metal will be touching the rotors. The wear sensors are an "early warning" device..
And the pads will NEVER fall off..
I recommend that you use material that blends well with the interior of your E as you may see a tiny piece of it from the back seat. I found an old cotton towel that had been bleached several times to a light blue/gray color. This matched my ash interior well.
Without input on this board I would have a squeaky seat and most likely traded my E430 for a 540. My 2002 330CiC has a nicer interior with what appears to better quality materials; and the 2002-03 540 received high marks from Consumer Reports.
Now, when my wife asks me why I bother with this board I have an answer: these posts save me time, money and allow me more enjoyment in driving my E430. Thanks!
To answer some of the questions about official launch times for the new coming E Class (211) I am posting Production Startup dates, Earliest Potential Wholesale/Retail Release (EPWRR) and Planned Wholesale & Retail Release (PWRR) dates:
E-Class Production Earliest Planned
Startup (PWRR) (WRR)
E320W (211) 06-01-02 08-09-02 08-26-02
E500W (211) 06-01-02 08-09-02 08-26-02
E55AMG(211) 03-01-03 05-01-03 05-01-03
E320S (210) 06-01-02 07-01-02 07-02-02
E320S-4M(210)06-01-02 07-01-02 07-02-02
Notes: The earliest Potential Wholesale/Retail realease date is the target completion date. The Planned release date is the most likely release date at this time given the high volume request from MB centers nationwide for the new E Class. Of course this may still change based on "market and business conditions."
I personally have been invited to test drive new E500W and I am thrilled with its handling and quick pick up. The engine is superbly quiet and I am a true believer this is gonna be the one to have. Very solid built.
For those of you Southern Californians who would like to see the car in person (E320W and E500W) before its release date come with your digital cameras to Mariott Hotel in Torrance on June 22nd.
Cheers
J2K
Wally