Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

turbotc

I don't enjoy taking my E320 to the car wash but with the amount of salt on the road after a winter storm I have no choice. I take mine to a touchless car wash. The only things touching the car are the brush that the attendants brush my wheels with. it comes out pretty nice. I am happy with it. It washes and puts a coat of polish and wax and it air dry and wash under the carriage as well. I go to www.erniescarwash.com you can check it out and see what they have to say. i would assume all touchless car wash works the same way.

bargamon

I use a touchless wash, basically an automated high presure sysytem. Before going in I spray Duragloss wheel cleaner, an easy on wheel fluid to remove the brake dust. Then let it wash with out wax. I drive it till most water is off. ITs only 5 dollars. $6 with wax, $7 with wax and Blow dry. For $20 a month its a small price. Key is not letting car get too dirty. IN spring, I'll use my brush that attaches to a hose that removes dirt. Yes its a bruch, but soft. I still use sponge for hood and trunk. I also have a real nice powerwasher to blast the wheels and carefully blow off soap. If kept waxed nice, I can wash and powerwash the cars without scrubbing if doesnot get to dirty. Long story, use a laser type wash in winter. Of course, good car wash regardless of brushs will do a good job. Thousands of people use them daily. My wifes ML320 goes in. Trucks get dirty more often.

drew_

According to Curt Rich, part of the reason why MB switched to Mobil 1 (besides the significantly improved low/high temperature protection) is because many US non-synthetic oils did not live up to their specifications, and MB had some engine sludging problems. Apparently the European specifications for non-synthetic oils are much tighter/tougher than over here in North America.


Drew
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bargamon

Drew,

Mobil one does not sell a retail version of 10w 40 weight oil. In midatlantic east coast region of US, should I be using the 10w 30 or 0w 50???

Thanks in advance.

drew_

There is no Mobil 1 10W40, only 0W40. However, that is not available through stores because of it's highly specialised nature. Only MB dealerships in cold regions of Canada/US have it. I would recommend Mobil 1 15W50 (good down to -39 degrees Celcius) for most people, including yourself. I bought mine at Walmart.

BTW, haven't seen you over in the M-class topic recently. If you have the time, pop in and update us on how it's doing. You may also want to introduce yourself in the "M-class owner's club: Meet the members" topic in Town Hall's owner's clubs message board, if you haven't already done so.

Hope this helps!

Drew
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drew_

No harm, no foul :-)

I wonder the similarities may be because NavTech supplies the map data for both the COMAND system, as well as Alpine's navigation systems? Although the GPS operating software for both systems are completely different, the map data is from the same source.

vs4

I placed an order for a 2001 E430 with E1, E2, K2a, COMMAND, Multi-Contour, Sun-Shade, Front Heated Seats, Cargo-net, car cover, Chrome Head Lamp, Illuminated Door sills. The price is about $60800 including freight. I have already placed the deposit for this car and the delivery date will be some time in mid May to mid June.

The price I got for this car with all the above options comes down to about 3% above the invoice.

Does anybody know if anybody ordered E430 with all the options mentioned above and what price they paid? Secondly, does anybody knows if MB has any rebates or will be offering any rebates in the next month or so?

And if the rebates come out sometime before my cars delivery date or after a month I get the car, would I be able to use those rebates?

Even though I have placed an order now, but just for my satisfaction, what do you guys think about the car I ordered holding its value when new E430 comes out in 2002/2003?

I will really appreciate about your honest opinions.

dennett

Never heard of such a thing. 3% over invoice, sounds like you got a great deal! Enjoy your car you're going to love it!! No second guesses, go for it!

taison

Is your price including tax?

vs4

No, this price does not include luxury tax, state tax and licencing fees.

tomsky3

My 2001 E430 cost a little over $63,000. I didn't take the sunroof, windshield wiper sensor, heated or ventilated seats, phone, or the sport package. I did get Xenon, multicontour seats, parktronic, headlamp chrome rings, chrome wheels, COMAND, wood and leather steering wheel, wood and leather shift knob, trunk handle, illuminated door sills, electric sunshade, manual rear sunshades, and a CD changer.

All this was at list price. The dealer wouldn't even negotiate on the accessories. He did, however, throw in a set of $70 wheel locks.

Jack

mbdriver

I'm considering upgrading the 16" standard wheels on my '00 E320 to the 17" AMG Mono Block II wheels w/tires. Would appreciate quick posts regarding difference in ride, handling, steering, etc. + any other pertinent comments.

Thanks in advance.

jean7of9

Update to posting # 917 & 919. Just received a note from the Hella dealer advising that my defectives Optilux H7 55W bulbs "will not be replaced" rather refunded. As a Canadian buyer I still lose the hefty Canadian customs fee, but this would be negligeable if those bulbs were more reliable. Susquehanna MotorSports mentioned that they will not be distributing these (Korean) Optilux replacement bulbs because of the high failure rate of the the "new production". I will be missing that white beam and nice contrast at night.
Jean

taison

The Philips VisionPlus's are not as blue as the Hella Bulbs, but they do produce a more brighter light field. It's what I have and I am very pleased with them.

drew_

I feel your pain about the Canadian customs/sales tax. But I agree, try the Phillips VisionPlus +50% bulbs. Although you will loose the white look, you will gain a significant amount of lumens over the stock H7 bulbs. If you are willing to loose some (not too much though) of the light for higher colour temperature, try the Phillips BlueVision bulbs. Those are rated quite highly as well.

For both of those bulbs, go to http://www.autolamps-online.com . Many people have had good experiences with this company.

Good luck!

drew_

Since 4-5 pm seems to be too early for the live MB chat for many West coasters, how would 6-7pm Pacific on Tuesdays work out for all of you? Please let me know.


Drew
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bargamon

Seems like I tried to bookmark the ML discussion like I did this one and all it did was go to trucks and I had to navigate my way in from there.
Just lazy. Also, so many postings, and redundant questions that my cynic side was comming out. I mean it seemed people were asking questions they could and should find in owners manual. Your stamina and patience with this thing is great! I just needed a break. People here are great, I enjoy this chat. Even if it gets Zain(o)y! But I do miss some charactors on the ML site. Can be funny when some really get into it.

VS4: I got my silver e430, 01' with just sunroof and auto wiper. onlot and I got what amounted to 3% BELOW invoice. Yes I got into their dealer payout. Why? It was second new vehicle I purchased from them in 6 months, and a friend bought one at the same time. I have a good relationship with them and was very matter as fact with them, I mentioned to them I was going to pay a certain amount for a new or slightly used one, could write a check on the spot for car, and was willing to wait till hell froze over till the right car presented itself. November was a slow month, they waited till 2nd to last day of month and called, said if I could come right in and drive it off the lot the next day, they would agree to the price. Deal was not hinged to friend buying as that was not in my control. IF he did, great, if not, they would honor the price. My friend could not pass on that offer. OR as they say in the godfather, REFUSE. He was just in my office at the time dealer called me and he asked if they would do him the same. Sometimes they need cash flow too.
I think that end of month really does alot, knowing your pricing a must, shopping other dealers....even if out of state, no trade in issues to compremise yourself, or the dealers, being realistic with them, and not get emotional about negotiation or attached to a car. IF you really want it, and you show it, they can smell it. If you can buy it, but can walk or wait, then you demonstrate an ability. Also, if you are combative, then they will back up. IF you negotiate it right, every one walks away a winner and feeling good. I am being generic and alot of you know all this, but its a rant.

I love this car! I have changed the shifter knob, and only added chrome rings on the head lights. Imho does not need anything else. I wish I had the rear shade option, but I can add manual one later. Only regret was finding I cannot effectively tint the windows without streaking them. Car is garaged during the day and nite, so elements will not ravage.

Valueguy: Good choice on the fun car. I would have done similar.

drew_

Regarding the "bookmarking" of the M-class topic, try subscribing to it (the button is at the bottom of the page). That way, you can simply hit the message centre button and it will show you if there are any new messages.

As for repetitive questions, it's completely normal (even in this topic) and I don't really mind. But, that is the main reason why there is the M-class owner's club in Townhall.


Drew
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parfive1

I switched to the 17" wheels & Michelin XGT's shortly after I got my 00 E320. Handles and corners great, but the ride is a little harsher than the Continental touring tires that originally came with the car. I kept the old 16" wheels, put snow tires on them, and switch off for summer and winter usage.
The 17" wheels and low profile tires look fantastic. Much better than the stock rims.

turbotc

Drew,

My local Walmart sells Mobil 1 0w30 "Extreme Weather" right on the shelf for $4,27 a quart US Dollars. That's all though. No other brand I have seen has 0w30 Synthetic or not. I myself buy a case of 6 mobil 1 5w30 for $22. My dealer still insists kendall synthetic is approved. I will try calling different dealers.

drew_

This wouldn't be Clair Motors in Boston, MA, would it? Just curious.

AFAIK, Kendall is not on the MB approved list. I used to recommend the xW30 oil since I (and many others) used it before. However, I now know that the 0W40 or 15W50 oils are better because MB uses low friction piston rings for higher engine efficiency/lower friction, and the thinner xW30 oil will cause more engine blowby.

FYI, you can buy Mobil 1 15W50 directly from Mobil 1 online by clicking here (it's in the "Motor Oils" section). Price is quite reasonable at US$26.99/6 quarts.

BTW, is this a scheduled (FSS recommended) oil change, or not?


Drew
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taison

You can also check http://www.suvlights.com


That's where I got mine. He gave me a pretty good deal on them.

cmayer

I put AMG 203's on my '98 E300. It's a matter of taste, but I preferred wheels that were not the same as a Benz offering. (No areos, monoblocks, or 5 spokers like the ones on the CLK.) I considered the OZ two piece monoblock style for the same reason, but they were significantly more expensive.

In Philly we don't have too much snow to contend with (we hope!) so I put Dunlop SP 5000s on them. To me they had the best price and road rating combo - other all seasonals did better on the track, but I don't drive on the track, although our expressways simulate it at times.

They perform well and they look very sharp. I think there's a similar Benz wheel on newer SL's, but so it goes. And few mistake my E for an SL!

jean7of9

Thanks for your both recommendations. I will order the Philips this week and will share the experience on this board, as usual.
Jean

ahmadm

Please pardon my feeble brain ... but regarding the discussion on the Xenon Bulbs, do I understand you guys correctly that I can replace the standard (non-xenon) bulbs in my 01 E320 with Xenon bulbs?? Is it that simple? Thanks.

jures

the dealer put mobil1 0 w 30 in my 2000 e class monday when i went in for fss. i would have liked a higher weight, but i will ask for a higher weight next time ( 0 w 40) , but i will change my own oil in 5k miles to the 0 w 40, my question is ,, by changing oil weights 3 times in 10 months, am i harming the engine? i also ordered phillips vision+ from fosmo as a replacement to hella optilux's. i ordered them a week ago, they haven't responded to my emails asking when they should arrive, its a uk company and i don't feel like calling over $33 bulbs.

drew_

They really should've used Mobil 1 0W40 or 15W50 since 0W30 is not on the approved list. No, changing the oil weights won't harm the engine, but changing the oil every 5K miles is unnecessary with synthetic oil (it doesn't break down like mineral oil).


Drew
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microrepair

The 96 E320 uses H7 bulbs for both the Lo and Hi beams. Can I safely use the Phillips bulbs in both? Or would the electrical load be too much for the wiring/fuses?

vs4

Does any body know if you can have daytime running lights on 2001 E430 as a factory option or aftermarket option. I have ordered my E430 with Xenon lights option.

Thanks for all your help.

taison

You should be able to use the Philips bulbs. They are H7 55 watts, which is the standard wattage on my 2000 E430.

I think suvlights.com gives the best deal and he is easy to get in touch. Either on his cellphone or his landline.

drew_

Don't forget, 5-6pm Pacific tonight!

http://www.edmunds.com/chat/cartalk022001.html?id=hphall2.cartalk2

drew_

Thanks to Ken (aka kenyee) for uploading and hosting the files.

Right click on the link, and choose "Save as" to save the file onto your hard drive.

C-class TV commerical
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/C-class_Ad.avi

MB safety/heritage commercial (my 2nd most favourite MB commercial):
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/MB_Safety.avi

Revised MB M-class staying alive commercial (my favourite MB commercial, of course :-)):
http://www.off-road.com/mbenz/Staying_Alive.avi


Drew
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44264

vs4 - I looked into DayTime running lights quite extensively for the E-class.

Mine is a Canadian E-class with DRLs standard and I wanted it disabled. My only solution was to replace the light switch. I'm not sure if the same applies in your case but if you want my DRL light switch from my Canadian 2001 E-class, leave a post here? I'll set it for US$50.

But then, with your US spec car, you may be able to simply turn DRL on or off. For us up north, we don't have a choice..

billc01776

My dealer says that after an investigation by an MB tech rep they think that the groan comes from, in different cases, the "boot" or the "rack." He told me to schedule an appointment to make sure they had both parts in stock. I won't have time for a few weeks. I hope this works. Anyone else hear anything or get a fix?

jures

received the phillips vision plus from fosmo tuesday, put them in , and they are very bright and surely an improvement to the standard halogens, i am very pleased with them and plan no more bulb shopping, only thing is they do not give the 'bluish' xenon tint the optilux's did. but they should last longer than 3 month. i am becoming an expert in installing replacement bulbs. it was suggested by a stateside lamp vendor to purchase them directly from fosmo (UK), the cost was 22 lbs, which came out to $33. this included all costs which is very reasonable. only thing is fosmo did not respond to any of my 2 emails, but i had them in 7 days. rate them 0 in customer support but 10 in value and delivery. roger

mbdriver

Regarding the steering groan, go to post # 981 by "broon" for specific info. My '00 E320 started the same groaning noise about a week or two ago, but I haven't had a chance yet to have it checked out. Please keep us posted on your progress.

microrepair

Just discovered this website today. They appear to have a very complete inventory of parts for most MB models and offer a Forum to assist with DYI repairs. And their prices are discounted from about 20-50% off "list"..

http://www.mercedesshop.com/

microrepair

Who is "fosmo" and how do I get in touch with them?

swimmom

I have been an avid reader and an occasional contributor to this board - (I'm an I Class owner and have ordered an 01 wagon for April delivery)I ran across an article in today WSJ that I thought the board might find interesting. Today WSJ has an article (page A3) stating that DaimlerChrysler is considering using MB engines in some Chrysler cars in the US for the next generation of large Chrysler cars. The article mentions the "once considered taboo" mixing of the brands. Apparently the financial situation at Chrysler is such that they must eke out saving where they can to appease the greedy stock market.

I don't know if this article is on their web site (www.wsj.com) but I would be happy to email it to anyone who is interested.

vs4

Thanks to 44264(Eric) for looking into the daytime running lights. I will talk to my dealer about this and find out if this option will work with the American E430 car.

Secondly, I like to get the opinions from you Knowledgeable people about how WedgeWood colour will look on E430.

I haven't been able to see the car with this colour so it has been very tough for me to visualize the car in this colour. Also like to know if Oyster or Ash will look good inside E430 with Wedgewood as exterior colour?

Also if anybody has pictures of E430 in Wedgewood colour and like to share with me, please post it here or email me.

Thanks a lot!

jures

www.fosmo.com will give you fosmo website. i ordered via internet

kkops

Well its been six months since I have been reading this site and finally I can contribute. About 10 days ago I picked up my new E430 AWD with xenon lights, rear window shade, hands free phone and E2 sunroof, brilliant silver and charcoal interior.. The car drives terrific as described by many of you in the past, it has a nice solid feel to it, hugs the road very nicely and acceleration is also terrific!

There are a few quirks which I will discuss with the dealer but I was very happy with the turn around time (about 2 weeks from order time to delivery) and the dealer was a pleasure to deal with except when it came time to demo the car in which he was tied up for 1/2 hour beyond our scheduled appointment (a mild disappointment).

I have to go back to the dealer to get my plates this weekend. Here are the quirks:

1) Gas tank issue (most people know about this one), you fill the tank and it shows less than full. However, the computer does indicate you have a full tank.

2) LED display on temperature controls- If I touch the LED display with my hand, there appears black lines beneath the glass. This lasts for several minutes and then dissipates. Has anyone experienced that?

3) Radio issues: At first the radio sounded horrible which I was surprised given the upgraded Bose System. After thinking about this for a day, I realized that like my home system, speakers do require a break in period to sound properly. After 10 days, the sound is much better but I imagine I will need another 50 - 100 hours playing time break in period.

A weird thing happens with the radio/CD when I accelerate the car. There is actually a noticeable increase in volume in the radio/cd. Initially I experienced this in the 60-80mph range and thought maybe my enhightened sensitivity to the car and road actually made the radio seem like it was louder. However, testing acceleration between 20 - 60 mph obtains the same result. Anyone have this one before?

4) Cup holder front seat: The design is interesting with a one touch swivel cup holder. The problem with this is when you press the silver dot, it doesn't stay down. I have to manually lock the cup holder in place by holding down the internal lock mechanism.

5) Break in Period- My last issue I throw out to all of you since it involves the 1000 mile break in period to which I am only at 600 miles. According to the manual, p.173 indicates that for the first 1,000 miles, you should keep the car at moderate vehicle & engine speeds, by avoiding heavy loads, full throttle driving (flooring), excessive engine speeds, avoid acceleration by kick down, don't brake via manually shifting down to a lower gear or manual down from high speeds. It then finally says after the 1,000 mark that speeds can gradually be increased to the permissible maximum.

My question is, how does this relate to someone who drives in the USA and not the autobahn. Is 80 an excessive speed for a car that tops out at 154? When I press the accelerator pedal half way down the car flys off between 4000 - 5000 rpm. Is this bad for the car? I have dropped down one or two gears manually once or twice to test this feature out but I don't use it regularly. Also, can anyone help me what they mean by excessive engine speeds and permissible maximum?

Thanks for listening, your thoughts are appreciated.

kkops

VS4- You got a very good deal from what I can tell. Basically my understanding is that putting dealer holdback aside, Mercedes US has a very simple policy, there is a 7% markup on dealer cost to invoice on their cars. I told the salesman if we can agree on price, I will buy a car right now. I was able to get my car for 2.6% over invoice (E430 4matic) but paid list on all the accessories. It still amounts to about 63K after tax, delivery and luxury tax. This includes xenon lights, handsfree phone voice activated with six CD changer, sun roof with rain sensor and rear window shade.

ahmadm

kkops:

2) The display is actually LCD (if I am correct) and not LED, hence touching it will cause the liquid to streak and then disappear - no issues there.

3)Interesting to note your observations about the break-in period for the speakers. I have the same system and, though I did not notice any inferior sound quality, I will look forward for better sound ahead! The auto volume increase/decrease is a feature in MB. It compensates for cabin noise levels - don't worry, brag about it ;-)

4)Cup holder is very poorly designed - agreed.

5)Car manufacturers, in general, are conservative in describing what you can do within the break-in period and what you can do after. Definitely avoid excessive acceleration during the break-in period. Occasional manual shifting or acceleration is OK. Just avoid such things with the car fully occupied or heavily loaded. A moderate driving style until 5K miles has been suggested to me by a long time BMW guru and a friend of fine. According to him, this greatly improves the life of the engine.

Have fun with a great car!

jean7of9

Congratulations for a great car.
Gas tank: This problem disappeared after I over filled the tank. The problem with overfill is that the tank will throw out the excess gas which can be a fire hazard. If the cap is closed after overfill then your check engine light will come on.
LCD panel: The liquid crystal will flow only if you press firmly on the glass. You should not see black lines under a soft touch. You should let the dealer check it out.
Break in period: MB engines are built under tight tolerance. This will make them last longer after a reasonable break in period. Normally you should not exceed 3,000 RPM for the first 1,000 miles and 4,000 RPM before 2,000 miles. This discipline will pay you back handsomely in the future. I also recommend you not to use the cruise control for extensive periods before 2000 miles. If during break the engine runs for a long period on the same RPM, it may develop a harmonic speed in the future. That means the engine may shake slightly for a split second whenever it reaches that RPM. These engines will reach their optimum performance after 15,000 miles. Once you reach that level you will notice a more silent engine with better fuel economy. Enjoy the ride.
Jean

fgaldes

I have a 2000 E-Class w/o a CD player. Does someone make a 3rd party CD player/changer that is compatible or do I need to buy one from Mercedes (which is around $1300 as I recall).

Thanks in advance

mbdriver

My MB salesman (good guy) arranged for a trunk mounted CD changer about three months AFTER I bought the car. I called and asked if I still had any negotiating power. He called back in 10 minutes and said they'd install the MB CD changer for $619 total! I did it two days later and love it. Normal price is around $900 or more. It's worth a try.

parfive1

Go to http://www.continentalimports.com/be_chang.html (model 2662) for becker cd changers, or http://www.gapa.com/GetSpecials.epc?make=MERCEDES for MB cd changers. Both have the fiber optic cable capability. Both easy to install and require no radio coding.

tomotomo

The front driver's seat on my '01 E320 makes a slight annoying noise each time I start moving and sometimes when I stop. It sounds as though the seat might be slightly loose. Have any of you experienced this and if so did you find a correction? Thanks.

greasykid1

Have seen wedgewood on E320 & liked it very much. Had ash interior which looked great but will soil easily

Radio volume is variable with ambient noise in car. More noise-more volume. Less noise-less volume. It's in the book.

Front seat clicks are caused because the mounting bolts are not the correct size. My dealer found out about this & ordered the correct relacements from MB