Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

bargamon

Reference to 430 was with larger high performence tires, and tread ware is less.

26pmg on freeway is good for 320. We can get 22-23 on our ML320 on highway, and my E430 got 22.5 on highway going 75-89 on recent 300 mile trip. So 26 is doable on 320. Also TIres on 320 are more effiecient.

I also have goodyears, and when its time to replace will do so with same size, but will look for a quieter and more effiecient size. Also would prefer an allseason. Tires are great but im not a spead demon and would give up alittle on dry pavment for better in light snow and less noise. I only have 1300 miles on car, and noise will increase.

I added the chrome rings to the lights, and it looks nice. So far no problems. Only complaint is variable volume on stereo gets too low at low volume. Not so at higher volume. May can be reprogramed. Not thrilled there are no rear reading lamps on a car priced as so. My kids love to read, and overhead lamp is too much for driver, but im not going to tell them to put a book down.........

valueguy

I too am willing to purchase the M-B extended warranty (3 year) for $2100. My dealer wants $2600. I have 1 month left before my car turns 1 year old.

There a quite a few of us wanting this warranty on this forum. If someone knows of a dealer willing to discount let us know.

44264

Well, at least on my 2001 E-class. Bring it to a dealer and complain that it distracts your driving and they can either adjust it by 3db increments or simply disable it.

I chose to disable it and I'm much happier..

prevostxlv

Value guy,

What is your email address?

vp16

Parfive, As I understand it, there's only so much they can adjust with the new E class unless you have these adjustable chamber/caster bolts. I highly doubt the MB dealers will put them on volunteerly. If your car keeps drifting left, then you have several choices. One is to repeatedly complain to the service department and see if they can fix the problem. Another is to have them install these adjustable bolts at your expense and see if it helps. If not, then under the service warranty, have them readjust them until they have it right. If all else fails, then just stay in the right lane.

turbotc

I am surprise that Wagner would install new Goodyears on your car. The Continentals costs quite a bit less. So unless you requested that they put those Goodyears on, I am very shurprised they did so.

valueguy

Thanks in advance for your help. My E-mail is
MBvalueguy@Yahoo.com

need4spd

I would put the P6000s in the same class as the Goodyears and Continentals. They are a fairly dated design. However, please understand that I'm a performance nut and so would gladly pay $200+ per tire if it made the car handle better, ride quieter or more smoothly (all at once, of course!). In my mind the ultimate E is an E55, though the E430 rides more smoothly and quieter for less money (there is some debate whether an E55 is actually a better value when you consider how much each is worth at trade-in/sale time, as a % of orig. price), and the E320 has nearly the performance of an E430 while getting far better fuel economy. Anyway, for my tire money, I'd go with 17" Bridgestone S-02s. If Yokohama AVS dBs were significantly quieter and rode better w/o sacrificing too much in handling, I'd go that route. I'd stay away from 18" or larger; too much ride penalty (note that E55s come with 18" and are criticized for ride). Of course, if you don't already have 17" wheels (std. on sport model Es), you'll have to buy them.

bargamon

anybody consider the Perelli P7000supersport? All season and only $145 at tirerack.

To 44264, thanks for the advice, not a priority, but will get it to dealer in due time.

cmayer

I put 17" AMGs and Dunlop SP 5000s on my '98 300 D in October.

Smoother and quieter than the 16" OEM Contis and they've been fine so far this Philadelphia winter.

mark156

(44264).... what do you mean by variable volume adjustment? I noticed that one click on the radio volume control is either too low or too high. Is that what you are referring to and that it can be adjusted or disabled? Thanks, Mark

prevostxlv

I took delivery of my 2001 e430 4matic and the pirellis on it are great. They handle nice and are not rough riding or noisy but I can't remember which ones they are -- I took the tires off and put them away for the winter. I think they are pirelli 6000 but I am not sure of it. Also, the AMG mono blocks look great in the 8 inch width instead of 7 1/2. My brother put them on his 2001 E320 and it looks great. I am actually going to get a set in the spring.

bsp2

Hi, my first visit to this site. Just thought I should drop a note expelling the virtues of the E auto. I was at a dead stop when rear ended. The car that hit me from behind was travelling at least 70mph. I was pushed into a big old Ford 4x4. I made it!!!! The only reason I was told by the state trooper was the automobile I was driving. I front and rear collision of this magnitude yet I was able to open all the doors.

44264

mark156 -

The variable volume, I meant the speed sensitive volume has to do with the automatic volume increase as the car speeds up (to compensate road noise). Some of us find it distracting and want to turn it off.

It has nothing to do with the increase in volume as you manually turn up the volume using the knob. However, if you find each click on the volume control being too loud/sensitive, try with other tape or CD, it may have to do with the recording of the particular tape or CD you are listening to.

microrepair

I think you really meant to say "extolling the virtues". Expelling would be "getting rid of" and when I started to read your post I thought you were going to trash the E-class. Lo and behold, I had a similar experience 2 years ago although the walk-in van that hit me while I was at a stop light probably wasn't going more than about 30 when he hit. But he had a very heavy load so the impact was pretty good. He also pushed me into the car in front of me and in spite of the left front quarter and the entire rear quarters getting replaced, the body shop never had to touch the doors, window glass, or cabin frame. They were perfect.. The crunch zones worked perfectly.
My right knee never hit the dash bumper and it is normally only about an inch away. The seat belt retractors worked great; I could feel them cinch up when he first hit me. And I had only a slightly sore neck for a week or so. Did you have any injuries?

bsp2

Sorry to scare you, soon as I hit the send button I realized what I had written. My pelvic was cracked, liver lacerated, and lower back injured. I have been in therapy daily since. But the true reality is that if I would have been in a Grand Am I wouldn't be here! Most of my injuries were probably due to the seat belt.

drew_

Wow, glad to see that you're still with us! Do you have any pictures of your E-class after the accident? I'd love to see how well it did. Hope that you had your head restraint adjusted properly. I take it that you did since you didn't mention whiplash.

For everyone else's info, at minimum, the top of the head restraint should be at least level with the top of your ears. Ideally, the top of the head restraint should be level with the top of your head, or even a tad (1/2 inch to an inch) higher. Of course, whenever you have passengers riding in the back, their head restraints should always be extended to the proper position. With this in mind, you can see how inadequate the head restraints in many (domestic especially) cars are!

Drive safely, everyone!

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dunninla

I am reposting my post from a five weeks ago, as it and several others were erased in the system conversion. Anyway, tires are one thing I discussed that should be relevant:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello all. This is my first post...but believe it or not I have gone back and read EVERY post in the past 7 parts (3000+). Picked up some very nice details and information, at the expense of about 15 hours of enjoyable reading. Thanks for all the help I have found on this forum.

Saturday the 25th I picked up my black/java 2001 E320 with e2, from Esther Wolfe at South Bay Mercedes Benz in Torrance, CA. Got a VERY good price, so if you're looking, give her a call. She is the Internet Marketing Director. Also got the two year MBZ warranty extension, premium for $1920. Two days later, went to Globe Tire and installed 8.5x17 AMG Chrome Monoblock wheels (not 7.5x17) with Dunlop SP 8000 235/45/17 tires. Have also ordered Zaino package from Zainobros.com and chrome headlamp trim from gapa.com.

I am very satisfied with the car, having turned in a Black/parchment '96 C280...no comparison really. The C was really a nice car, and I was skeptical that the E could justify the 25%-30% higher price, but it does. The E is much, much larger overall, and particularly in the rear seat. Trunk is a little better (the C trunk is really big for a compact). The E is a little quieter inside, has a much smoother ride, and the stereo is a little better. Behind the wheel, it corners better and has a little more precise steering wheel feel. It's acceleration is better per the numbers, but I do not notice much difference over the C. I don't punch either one much. Overall, it well ustifies the price differential for my uses.

Here are my thoughts on the car and experience, it may be helpful to those looking to buy or upgrade their E class:

1. My previous cars: Datsun B-210 during college, '74 Volvo 164E (wife), '71 Volvo 144, '84 Honda Accord, '87 Honda Accord (wife), '91 MB 190E (wife), '91 Mitsubishi Eclipse Turbo, '92 MB 320SE(wife), '99 MB 320S (wife), and now finally my '01 E320.

2. My requirements: I have 5 and 7 year old daughters, plus sometimes I take clients to lunch, and found the back seat of my C280 to be fine at home but cramped for business. Therefore the E class was the ticket.

3. E320 vs. GS300: My neighbor has the GS300 and let me test drive it. Really nice car...just a different feel than I'm used to with Mercedes. Also, on a lease, the GS holds less residual value, so would have been close to break even financially over four years.

4. E320 vs. E430 and E430 Sport: I am generally frugal financially. Also, my C280 had plenty of power for me, and since the E320 is slightly quicker, I found the E320's power to be sufficent.

5. E320 vs. E320 Sport (& other options): I really, really liked the look of the 320 Sport, but thought the price was excessive. Also, here in L.A. the Sports are rarely discounted, and the base car can be heavily discounted. The amount I saved from window sticker on the base model was more than enough to buy 17' AMG wheels and Dunlop tire upgrade ($1900), and still save over $4k. Plus the AMG monoblocks are the same ones they use on the E55 (non-chromed and 18"), and I like that look better even than the Sport Wheels.

6. The Wheels/Tires: I looked at Tirerack.com, and the Benz wheel brochure, and narrowed my choice down to the AMG Monoblocks, the AMG 5 spoke 170, and the Sport Package Wheel, the F. Ended up thinking the monoblocks looked more substantial than the other two choices. The monoblocks come in either 7.5 x 17" or 8.5 x 17", or the E55 package which is 8x18 front
and 9x18" in the rear. In the 17", I agreed with the Globe Tire manager that the 8.5" just look more sporting, so I got those. The 18" presented four problems: #1, the mid-price tire choice in 18" would have been the Pirelli P7000, about 25% more expensive than the better Dunlop 8000 (see TireRack reviews, #2, I have heard but not verified that the ride would be slightly more responsive=(feel every expansion joint in the highway), #3, with the offset wheels, you cannot rotate the tires, which would add another 25% to the cost of tires, since they wear out faster, and #4, I wanted to find a mid-point between having a nice wheel, and looking like I was having trying to recoup my lost youth.. I thought the 17" was a nice compromise on that point. I paid around $1900 for this upgrade, net, after Globe gave me a credit for my new wheels/Michelin tires. I don't drive is snow more than once every couple of years, so had no reason to keep the
wheels +snow tires. Note: I have found the correct tire pressure for this tire to be 30lb. front 32lb. rear. At 36/36 from the rack, it rode way too harsh.

7. Paint Care: After reading all the post about Meguire and Zaino, gave Sal Zaino a call, and discovered, contrary to some posts here, that he has been selling his formulation for 11 years, with no problems and obviously very satisfied customers. I chose Zaino mostly because fundamentally I have concluded that wax is just a cover, and polymers bond to the paint surface to last longer and provide better protections. I found the Zaino distributor in Anaheim, and ordered with credit card for next day delivery Z1, Z2, Z6 and Z7, along with the applicator... around $55.00

8. Suspension: After getting beautiful wheels, I noticed that the E class appears to ride rather high above the wheels/tires (not just mine, but the stock wheels/tires which are the same diameter as my +1 upgrade). At the dealer, I looked at the new S-class, and sure enough, the S-Class rides almost a full inch closer to the tires, like an E that has been lowered. I think this is a much better look, and will investigate if it is not too expensive, and not hurt the design of the car, to lower my E to the same profile as the new S.

9. Getting the best Price: I have very mixed feelings here, since I sell for a living (telecomunications). I don't like grinding, but also I don't like leaving money on the table needlessly. I find the Edmunds Invoice +3% to be a reasonable mid-point. Let me say first that I think it is to your advantage, long term, to purchase where you intend to have the servicing done. If that just doesn't work out, I have noticed that Southern California is the Benz capital of the world, with at least 4 mega-dealers, and another 10 of regular size. Lots of price competition. If you live outside of Southern California, it is definitely worth while to call or email some dealers down here and find out if your particular dealer is being unreasonable. And if you have to, buy your car here and drive it home. One thing to keep in mind: if you do not buy your car from your servicing dealer, they are not likely to comp you your loaner car when you receive service. Plus, all the little questions you n

dunninla

Now I see why it didn't carry forward...there is now a size limitation on posts. Here is the end of my 12/3 post:

9. Getting the best Price: I have very mixed feelings here, since I sell for a living (telecomunications). I don't like grinding, but also I don't like leaving money on the table needlessly. I find the Edmunds Invoice +3% to be a reasonable mid-point. Let me say first that I think it is to your advantage, long term, to purchase where you intend to have the servicing done. If that just doesn't work out, I have noticed that Southern California is the Benz capital of the world, with at least 4 mega-dealers, and another 10 of regular size. Lots of price competition. If you live outside of Southern California, it is definitely worth while to call or email some dealers down here and find out if your particular dealer is being unreasonable. And if you have to, buy your car here and drive it home. One thing to keep in mind: if you do not buy your car from your servicing dealer, they are not likely to comp you your loaner car when you receive service. Plus, all the little questions you need answered during the first month..well, it would be a little ackward, and frankly cheap, to ask them of a dealer you chose not to buy from.

10. Extended Warranty: After three japanese cars, two Swedish, and now my fifth Benz, I conclude that Mercedes is almost, but not quite as reliable as Japanese cars...especially on my wife's '92 300SE, a first production year car that really started to fall apart after 70,000 miles. Learned my lesson there. Things that went wrong, in order of expense: 1. transmission rebuild at 85k, Head Gasket leakage failure that cascaded to include radiator replacement (because of oil in the cooling system. They wanted $2100 to replace the radiator and all radiator hoses, but I refused and only replaced three or four main hoses plus the radiator. Illumination in the dash for the outside tempurature guage ($1200 that I never fixed), front bushings on both sides (I only replace one, the other never quite needed it,
$600 each). Bottom Line, seriously cosider any desire to buy a '92 300SE.

In my '96 C-class, things were almost flawless right up to the 69,500 miles where I turned it in after a 5 year lease. The only things were, again, the light that illuminates the outside temperature guage. The '91 190E would sometimes stall, right in the middle of an intersection if you turned the steering wheel sharply while at idle....verydangerous, but somehow the dealer made that stop after two occurences. Bottom line, I've had the best and worst in Benz reliabilty, but still I didn't want to be out of warranty when I hit 50,000 miles (3.3 years for me @ 15k miles per year). And I also fully intend to keep this car for at least six years (4 year lease, two one year extensions if all goes well). This warranty was the only purchase I made for this car that, considering the E-class's superlative track record, I would reconsider.

Well, that's been my experience, for what its worth. I would be happy to follow up with any clarification that would help anybody out.

dunninla

After having my 2001 e320 for six weeks, I still love it.

I get over 27 mpg highway, it rides and corners great on the 17" +1 wheel upgrade. The Zaino treatment gave it a mirror finish. The chrome headlamp rings also look great. No regrets whatsoever.

Oh, I just got back from Asia. Most of the E class there are E240. Not even available here in the U.S., nor is the E280. Strange.

drew_

Not strange at all. There is no market in N.America for an E-class with a 4 cylinder engine, nor a small V6 engine. In Asia, fuel is expensive and vehicle taxes are by engine displacement. A 2.0 litre car is already considered luxurious there. That said, even the BMW 5-series is available with a small 2.0L inline 6 in Asia.


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greasykid1

I have a 99 e300. Had an alignment problem that showed up as a wandering. The warranty book stated that an alignment is no charge during the first 12000 miles. Assuming that one is necessary. Read your warranty to see if this is still in effect for newer models. TIRES: Replaced my oem tires with a tireack package of 5 spoke alloys & 225/50x16 P6000s. Wheels great but P6000s were wearing extremely course even after alignment. Called Perelli direct & they bought the tires back for what I paid for them. Even paid the freight. Replaced them with Bridgestones of the same size. Noproblems. This wheel/tire setup sharpens up the handling with no appreciable change in ride quality. Plus 5 spoke wheels look MUCH BETTER!

greasykid1

Silver/charcoal ,sunroof,$2000 stereo upgrade w/indash CD & 9 speakers,& alloy wheel/tire combination as described in previous message. This car was a special factory order in order to get ESP STABILITY/TRACTION & XENONS. 32000 miles. In perfect condition. Photo available.

mac2002

I will hopefully p/u my E-55 in a few months. Would you mind sending me info on warranty that you have: madmac2000@compuserve.com

need4spd

If you don't mind me asking, when did you put your order in and when do you expect delivery of your E55? Also, did you pay MSRP or + or -? Right now, I'm on the fence between an E55 and M5. Both have a long wait associated with them if ordered, but the E55 seems more obtainable or at least that's what I conclude since they're charging MSRP for them where I am but anywhere from $10-25k over for M5s (If I go that route, I'm going to see if someone in another state will sell it at MSRP.). I have to admit that my contemporaries (all around 45 y/o) are giving me a hard time for even considering a Mercedes, despite it being an E55. They keep checking my pulse and asking me why I want such an old fogey's car!!

prevostxlv

I have driven the e55 and it is great even though I could have gotten a better deal on an M5 because of a close friend. At 30 I didn't even hesitate at the thought of buying one except that I needed all wheel drive for the winter. Maybe next time. The dealer I deal with sells them for MSRP because the demand has softened up in my area -- Northeast NJ. Hey, if you can go into a dealer and test drive one (as I did, but it did sell) you know that charging over MSRP is nuts.

macbest

I wanted to thank you for your very extensive analysis of the E class. All of your bullets are the same things I'm wrestling with right now in terms of making an decision on which one, sport/no sport, wheels, tires, etc.

Great Post!

toddl1

Regarding posting number 612. The oil pump that Tomotomo uses to change his oil, does anyone have a web site that has any information on this product, or know where this can be purchased?

tomotomo

Todd - I purchased my Topside Vacuum Pump from Boat US. They have it listed at $39.99 in their on-line store at: http://www.boatus-store.com
Good luck.

chasberb

I have had my 2000 E320 for about 8 months and the integrated factory installed cell phone disconnects regularly in the middle of a conversation. It has been in the dealership twice for this problem and they keep saying that they can find nothing wrong. The very next day it cut out 2 minutes into a conversation and continues to do so about 80% of the time. Has anyone else experienced the same problem with their phone?

bargamon

I had a 89 s420 till it had 105miles on it. I have a great mechanic. The car never had major problems. I did all the required maitnance. Friends of mine that cut corners had problems. I gave my mechanic free reign to (with permission)do what is needed to keep car to spec. I don't trust the dealers and think they overcharge. I think the cars need alot of tlc after the warranty is over, and all the preventive care you can do early is important. the result is happier ownership. Im not suggesting that others here did not do a good job, there are some bad eggs out there and some cars are problematic. The 89 I had was in production in europe starting inlate 1979 and was sold here till the 92 model hit. That car was designed in the 70's! In 89' it was the last upgrade for "126" model. That car was right! The 2000 E class went thru a significant improvement, I belive 500 million dollars was spent for the last run of the E till the new one comes aboard. I would not get the first run when the new one comes in. I love the look of my '01 430 and believe all the improvements should result in a happy experience. Its sad that Mercedes is going the route of GM and not getting it totally right the first time, but they do eventually do it. I did consider the 5 series but read that the 540 is a hell of a car, but is high performance the requires alot of maitanence. I also think that the 5 series is too small, the trunk is 11 cubic feet, same as 3 series, and back seat room is not enough. I love the 3 and think its a great car, the 5 size does not overcome its wonderful attributes...........all this and its only my humble opinion. Good luck.

rcon1

I am considering buying a 1988 190E I 69000 miles on it for $5000 or leasing a new Japanese economy car for 3 years(not quite as luxurious). I was under the impression that Mercedes would rock solid and ran forever. However, after reading the comments here I am not so sure. I've never owed one. Am I going to be performing an extensive amount of maintanence on the Ben to keep it running forever? I don't want a bunch of new headaches but I would like to have a nice car. don't mind having an alder car with more amenities for less money as long as I feel I can get my money's worth out of it. My current car is an 81' Volvo Wagon with 200,000mi.I've been driving it for ten years and it feels like it is beginning to catch its last breath. Thanks for your input.

dunninla

rcon1: My wife drove a 1990 190E 2.6 for six years and 95,000 miles. See post #670, #10 above for a discussion of it's reliability.

Generally I recall that the air conditioning is weak, and it is not near the car the C class is...it was just sort of a very solid, small tank without much luxury associated with it at all...in fact the '84 and '87 Honda Accords that preceeded this 190 were much larger and luxurious.

Also, if you are looking at a 2.3 engine...well I recall it was not among Mercedes' best efforts. In fact the 190 in general is probably to poorest effort Mercedes put out. At 12 years of age, I would find out which dealer it was serviced at, and get a complete computerized printout of all work done on it over it's life, if possible, and certainly over the past five years.

Lastly, I think it is quite easy to roll back the manual type odometer on this car. In fact at a party once, a guy said he enjoyed thrashing the car to its limit on his 3yr lease, then rolling back the odometer and turning it in for a new one.

If I were you, and seeing your objectives, I would be looking for a 5-7 year old Honda Civic (actually larger than the 190E) with under 50k miles. It will probably serve you better and cheaper over the three years.

bargamon

You said spending 5000bucks. is that the cost your looking at for the next 3 years??? I would lease a new camry before buying a 13 year old little mercedes. If headaches are a concern, you will have none. If you need the pride of ownership of having a mercedes in your driveway, and thats your top priority, then you must do what you must do. I would not agree, but your asking never-the-less. Any 13 year old car can be a real pain in the you know what. I really wanted a 3-4 year old cl 500, which is an s class coupe. Used with 40k miles on it they cost $50,ooo. For that amount of money, I could not tolerate much repair bills. Its a great car, but one must have ownership that makes sense, and that is a very personal choice. Good luck!

rcon1

Thanks for the advice on the 190E. I went to look at one yesterday and I wasn't that impressed with the interior creature comforts. Its an OK looking car as Mercedes go. I think the pride of ownership thing is clouding my vision of what kind of car I "should" drive and I've decided to re-evaluate my objectives for getting another car. Right now I think the best thing to do is to get the most reasonably priced,low maintainence car in the best condition that I can find in my price range and tough it out for a few more years until I can afford to pay for the extra maintainence that a luxury auto requires. I am going to check into leasing a new economy car with a good warranty. Thanks again.

alexalee1

If I remember correctly, 1987 Accord has around 178" in length, and the 1987 190E is around 175" in length.

But, I agree, the 1987 Accord feels much bigger inside. Probably, it's because of no side impact provisions inside the car (ie. there is not much space between the door skin and the door panel).

sddlw

We had both an '88 Accord and a '91 190E 2.6. It has been a year or so since we sold the 190E, but i found it to be a nice little car. The Accord was slightly larger, but I don't recall it being any more luxurious. The 6 cyl was definately better than the 4 cyl of the 190Es, and worth every peny of the extra cost. Ours was kept in pristine condition and cost on average, about $1K/year to maintain at an independent MBZ mechanic over the last 5 years we had it.

joe227

I recently purchased a pre-owned 1996 E320.
Is there any control button on the radio panel that stops or pauses a CD that's playing in the CD changer?

Does anyone know how to trunk mount the CD player?Are there supposed to be brackets with the changer?

turbotc

If you install a MB changer then the head unit should be able to control it. If you install a third party then you probably will need an adapter between the changer and the head unit and then the head unit will control it. Least favorable option is to install a changer that uses RF interfaces which will play the music thru an FM station. Sound quality will not be as good as direct connection to the head unit.

livetodrive

I would also like to obtain information on the extended warranty. My E430 is due to be delivered in March.
My e-mail address is Wanderer27585731@aol.com
Thanks

joe227

It is an MB changer.

drew_

The Accord didn't have a 6 cylinder engine till around the mid 1990's. It was just a 4 cylinder engine before then.


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turbotc

You're right. Honda started placing the V6 DOHC into the Accords in 1996. The engine originates from the Acura Legend of the early 90's.

greasykid1

I am a long time mercedes owner, many models over a 30 yr period but I am seriously considering an Ls 430. Because...on the 430 the following are standard items that MB charges a LOT EXTRA for. Basic LS has mettalic paint,in dash 6 CD changer,wood trimmed stearing wheel,xenon lights & last but not least a V8 engine. A similarly equipt MB 320 is no cheaper. Also the MB BOSE system is terrible. Lexus standard system is far superior & the upgrade Mark levinson system is outstanding. Is anybody else getting tired of getting ripped off on $1000 xenons, $600 paint & $900 CD changers? The standard ls430 with above features lists for $54500 including freight & dealer discounts are becoming available. Any comments?

mbdriver

Why are you trying to sell your MB E300 diesel? Sounds as though you've gone sour on MBs. If you want a Japanese car, then, of course, buy one. But you'll probably miss the excellent handling and driving characteristics of the E-Class compared to the "lux-boat float" of the LS430 (as reported by the car magazines). Also, it's probably more fair to compare the Lexus LS430 with the E430 (and you CAN dicker on the Mercedes price). Both have 8-cylinder engines, metallic paint is NOT an option, nor is the upgraded sound system (Bose on the E430, which to me is satisfactory and NOT a paramount reason to buy a different luxury car -- and who needs a wood-trim steering wheel). Lexus was a superb alternative to Mercedes in the early 90s and was key in getting the Germans to price their cars more realistically. But the LS430 has lost its edge and now, IMHO, is more like a gussied-up Avalon!

dkam

My 2000 E320 hesitates slightly when starting up from a stop, or if I lift off the gas, coast slightly, then apply the gas (like when creeping in heavy traffic). This isn't a combustion hesitation, but seemingly a transmission hesitation. It's like my old 54 Chevy w/ Powerglide, without the winding up sound. The dealer has checked it and says all codes are OK. Has anyone experienced this, and, better yet, gotten a fix? Thanks for your comments.

sddlw

Sorry my post was confusing. I meant the 190E 6 cyl. You are correct, our 88 Accord was a 4-banger.

44264

I test drove the LS430 to find out what so special about the Lexus and must tell you how horrible the ride is, way to floaty! Test drive it first.

turbotc

Although I agree with the options MB charges are rediculous and should be standard on this type of car, I rather have and E-Class over the Avalon-lookalike anyday. Although the Lexus will probably be much more trouble-free. I haven't driven any late models LS but did drive one in 97 and it drove like a Lincoln Town Car and floating on clouds. The LS430 should be compared to the E430 and not the E320.

eadlu

The LS430 can be purchased with a European tuned suspension at no additional cost. I have not driven the LS with or without that suspension tune but according to David E. Davis of Automobile magazine the European suspension makes a lot of diffence in handling and provides a supple ride. I did own a LS400 for about 4 years which I purchased in early 1990. It was absolutely problem free but it was a bit boring to drive. It did not float any more than any of the M.Benzes I have owned. However I went back to MB because they seem to fit me like a tailored suit. The seating position, ride, handling and just general comfort make them, for me, the car to own. I have owned a 2000 E320 for a year and 3 months and so far it has been as reliable as the LS400.