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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans
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Comments
1-The seats in the 350 are MB tex which is not leather, leather is an extra option.
2-350 feels under powered, which is what I hoped they would correct for 2008 (BMW has 535 with 300 hp turbo)
3-The suspension in the E500 is the airmatic and this option is not even available in the E350, it is a good option to have in my opinion.
4-I'm thinking about ordering the E550 now, but I might be better off with E350 because of the gas prices.
Anyway goodluck with your car sounds like a nice vehicle. Any reason why you didnt get the 4matic?
DO like power. However, I drove a 350 Sport and was surprised that it has
PLENTY of power!
I think one thing that helps the instant power is its smooth and well geared
7 speed tranny.
One dealer told me that they aren’t selling many 550s. Of course they’re
9,000 more, so that probably isn’t a big surprise. Gas mileage, TODAY, is
quite important. I think that will effect resale, too.
jimm
==========
On Order: 08 E350 Sport, P2, Black/black,
Parktronic, Voice, Bluetooth, Burl Walnut,
Split rear seat, Rear mud flaps
E320 bluetech, white, cashmere MBTex, Premium II, parktronic, wood/leather, voice, split rear seat
Have you heard about any changes for 08? I wish they’d put in a new Nav .. like Lesus has.
jimm
==========
On Order: 08 E350 Sport, P2, Black/black,
Parktronic, Voice, Bluetooth, Burl Walnut,
Split rear seat, Rear mud flaps
So what is so bad about leasing? I drive a new car every 24 months. Should I feel better about myself driving a 10 year old MB that I own?
I've looked at Volvos in the past but many of them aren't roomy enough for me (6' 3") and their reliability is pretty bad too. I do fit in the S80 but it isn't as "roomy" as the E320 so I probably wouldn't be comfortable on one of my 3-4K mile trips.
Others mentioned buying a luxury Certified car. Both of my E320's were Starmarked and I wouldn't have bought them otherwise. Both required expensive repairs during the 50-100K range. The 2001 more so than the 1996...! Quality has been going down in my experience.
I threw out the $800 repair number as an estimate. My 1996 once out of warranty cost me about $3500 in repairs between 115-120K miles. That's expensive when I'm doing about 19K miles per year.. I don't want to repeat that with the 2001 in the next year or so (95K and counting now). And I haven't been impressed by the resale /trade-in pricing. Maybe that's partly due to the perceived quality drop-off in recent years for MB.
One luxury Certified car that interests me is the Infiniti M35. On the online auto sites, the few that are available are priced very high. But I'm looking at the 2006 version which is the newer M35. So maybe I'll have to wait a year to get an affordable one. Or buy a lesser car like an certified Avalon.. Time will tell..
Also if you have the Sport Package would you get it again?
Thanks.
Also if you have the Sport Package would you get it again?
I for one am very happy with the performance of the E350, and do not crave the power of the V8. In addition, I get 21-22 mpg in city and 24-28 mpg in mixed driving, an extra bonus. I love the white instrumentation and exterior effects of the SP. The ride is not excessively stiff and allows spirited performance when desired. The dark wood (not my first choice) that comes with the SP and the expected decreased tire wear are the only drawbacks to it IMHO. That being said, I'd get the SP again. With it being a no charge option, to me it is a no brainer.
My $.02.
Tire noise seems much higher with the low profile tires. This is my biggest issue, and my dealer didn't tell me what to expect.
Low treadwear - dealer recently told me to expect 12K to 16K depending on how hard I drive it. Front and rear tires are not even same size so you can't rotate. Plus cost to replace tires will be higher.
I wouldn't do the SP again. Wish I had gotten the 320 CDI.
My deal is for one I wanted exactly and finding an E320 diesel isn't easy if you want certain things, like the P2 package. The price is based on 4% off MSRP. The actual price isn't known yet, as MB hasn't released the '08 cars yet. Go figure!! My problem is getting a good price for my '05 Cadillac STS4. Hear the usual "They're not selling well right now" excuse.
MB is going to redesign the E in 2010. Only difference between the 06 and 07 is the front grille and side mirrors.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help on this but Mercedes and Continental are correct, it isn't their responsibility.
Best Regards,
Shipo
...I've logged 15,500 miles over 21 months on a Porsche 911S with a fair number of city miles in Washington DC without any flats or problems on 235/35 and 295/30 19" W rated tires. (The rears were replaced due to tread wear at 12,600 miles - but that is considered normal and the tread wear was very even).
I suggest that when it comes time to replace the Continentals, you shop around and do some research. Continentals are generally considered to be the worst quality brand of tire, at least for higher performance tires. I have Pirelli's on my 911, but Michelin's were also highly recommended by my dealer.
Another consideration might be to go for a harder compound in a H or V rated tire next time around (assuming sizes match). The E350 is a sedan, not a sports car and I seriously doubt that too many people could tell the difference in handling between a good H/V rated tire and a W/Y/Z rated one. If they can, they should probably be driving an E63 (or, better yet, 911S).
A golfing buddy of mine recently bought a E350 Sport off the lot, rather than a E550 non-sport. Part of his reason was the better gas mileage for the E350. He got the sport package, because he liked the look and they had it in the color and other options that he wanted. On the 19th hole, I bet him that the additional tire cost on his E350 Sport would eat up all of the gas savings from not going with the E550. He drives 15-18k miles a year and plans on keeping the car 6 years, 100k miles (bought an extended warranty).
Here are the numbers we came up with:
Gas Savings: E550 average mpg = 18; E350 average = 23. (His estimate from talking with other owners with similar driving habits). For 100k miles = 5,555 gals in E550 vs. 4,350 in E350. Gas savings with E350 = $4,000 +/- (1,205 gallons at $3.35).
Added Tire Cost: 100k miles = 6 sets of replacement tires at total of $1,400 per set on E350 = $8,400. 2-3 sets of replacements at $750 total on E550 = $1,500 - $2,250. Difference = $6,200 to $6,900. :surprise: :surprise:
So, for anyone considereing getting an E350 over an E550 because of gas prices, you might want to hold off on the Sport Package, since it is very likely to cost you substantially more (50-75% more by our calculations) than the gas savings you will get with the 6 vs. 8 cylinder engine. A 30% savings at the gas pump gas won't cover a 400%+ increase in tire costs.
Feel free to check my math. My number crunching friend did several ways and I won the 19th hole drinks and dinner bet.
P.S. Perhaps this is why the Sport Package is free. If I were Pirelli or Michilen, I'd give you those larger rims for free and make it up in selling tires. Kind of like the $99 HP printer that takes $50 in ink catridges every 2 months.
Thanks for the heavy lifting, sorry to create the need.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
What make tire do you have? My Conti's do not seem noisy.
Chander
On a separate note, Habitat please remember that every time I tried to menton on the Porsche 911 forum, the benefits of buying a 911 non-S Type because it was less money, the smaller tires would be less expensive to replace , would have less road noise and would ride better, I got hammered! Sometimes more isn't better.
It's a great car, but be prepared to spend money on maintenance. We just had one of the infamous window regulators die, which cost $375 to replace!
Stay away from the current model W211 (starting with 2003) - worst reliability ever in a MB.
Not necessarily. My 2003 gave me two years of no problems as has my current '07 at one year thus far.
How many miles did you put on them in the 2 or 3 years you owned them?
The reason I ask is that both my 1996 and 2001 had no problems at all until they got up into the 70K-80K mile range and then they had some serious problems. My 2001 E320, which now has 98K miles, has had a failed wheel bearing (I haven't heard of ANYONE having a failed wheel bearing in more than 25 years !!), both catalytic converters, the down tilting rearview passenger mirror that has been fixed twice and still makes some weird little noises and jerky movements until it is turned off, front suspension bushings, control panel LED failures (replaced entire panel), and on and on.. And all of it started at about the 70K mile mark. I am so glad it had Starmark coverage, otherwise would have cost me $3-4K for all that work. My 1996 E320 was somewhat better, which fits in with the idea that their quality level is dropping with the newer models.
So if you only have 30-40K miles on them, IMHO you haven't had them long enough to see any real problems.
Me, I put on 18-20K miles per year and I simply don't keep my cars more than two years, with some exceptions.
I bought both with mid-30K miles on them and a Starmark warranty. Not sure what you mean by the above statement regarding a "30-40K mile cut-off".
What I was trying to say is that almost any car these days will run reliably for the first 30-40K miles. If you only keep a car that long you probably will never see any problems. I also put 18-20K per year on my primary car (currently the 2001 E320) and usually keep my cars at least 4 years even when bought used. I kept my 96 E320 until it had 140K. My 2001 now has 99K and I plan to keep it for about another year or about 120K miles.
As I said in my previous note, my 2001 has been much less reliable than the 1996 which, in my case, indicates a drop in quality over a 5 year period for MB. And many others have noted that their 2003-4 models have already proven to be less reliable than their older models also. Seems to be a trend.....
For his graduation gift, I was looking into getting him a nicely used mid-lux ride.
Well, I have a close friend who is in the market to sell his well-cared for 2002 E320.
Was this a good year for the final year of this model? What should I expect to pay (only 32k miles in impecable condition). What are some of the pros and cons of this model. Myself, as far as MB's goes, I've usally bought S-Classes, and so have little knowledge of the E-Classes, although most people I talk to say they're generally good cars. So what's your take?
B.
I know that there are many others out there with the smell problem or MB would not have an approved fix. Would be interesting to hear from others about their experience and in particular from someone who knows what the problem is.
The alloys I wish to fit to my car are 8 1/4 Jx17 H2 ET 34, are fitted with Dunlop 9000 tyres 235/45 ZR 17.
Please could you tell me if this is OK to put on my 1997 E230 Mercedes saloon(210).
The handbook says that suitable wheel & Tyres "light alloy wheel" is these cobinations 235/45 R17 93w tyre & the alloy 8 Jx 17 H2 ET37.
Compared to the alloys I wish to fit, would the above handbook stated ones be OK on my car?? If so what differences in cars drive should be expected?
Thank you very much
Before anyone thinks that Lexas are cheap to operate;guess again. Have driven over 100,000 mi over a wide variety of models. Need regular service every 5,000 mi.
MB service is every 13,000 mi. 2-3 years ago LS430's had a tranny recall. The fix was a new tranny. Also a very large number of 6 cyl. cars have had a "sludge" problem which calls for a rebuilding the engine. Parts are also expensive, as on any luxury car.
No beef on Lexus, just pointing out that no marque is without its shotcomings. Buy an expensive cars expect expensive costs when there are problems.
Any difference for 4Matic vs standard model?