Im shopping 2000-1999 e430s. For the same money or less, I found an audi a6 biturbo with gps, airbags all over etc, a 2000 that dealer indicates can be had for 4ok. This is about 6k less than sticker.
Please talk me out of it. It drove very nice and has lots of features, but it aint the E.
And you get the added benefit of satisfying a cumpulsive need that your wife finds very hard to understand .... Seriously, Zaino is worth it if you want a "show car" finish. Think of it on a continous scale of 1 = absolutely nothing, 10 = perfect protectant and shine. Turtle wax and the like might be a 3. Mequier's a 7. Your first coat of Zaino an 8. 7 coats of Zaino will give you a 9. It's an incremental gain. But for some, it's worth it.
I am a research scientist in the biomedical field in San Diego.... I am also a car enthusiast, at least to the extent my budget, and my wife will allow. Like many people, I learned about Sal Zaino's products in chat rooms like this, and after using the products, have expressed my enthusiasm for them. ... Sorry that bothers you.
Doesn't that deal on the Audi tell you anything? Audis are overpriced. Resale value will plummet. You won't find a 2000 MB for a 6K discount, that's for sure. Like you said, it ain't an E.
I too drove the 2000 Audi A6. Thought it was a very nice car, also could of bought it cheaper than my 00 E class. IMO Audi's look kinda non descript, sort of blend in with every other car. An E class is a work of art and beauty. Makes you feel good just being in it. Consider yourself "talked out of it". Buy the E Class.
I've got a '98 MB E320 Sedan. I've reached the point where I need a lumbar support in the lower seat back. I want it to fit properly in the MB bucket seat. (Suffice it to say its not worth griping about why a $45000 luxury car does not even OFFER lumbar support.....) Any help would be greatly appreciated.
We do seem to agree on everything regarding Zaino -- except the need to clay! I guess I was just lucky that my dealer had done a fantastic job in detailing my new brilliant silver E320. It's now more slick than any car I've ever owned (and it's my first experience with Zaino). I know that Sal Zaino advocates clay for a new car, but I'm happy as can be with the results without claying.
ctic - I can tell that you haven't tried Zaino. The seven coats of Z-2 did not require 10 hours of back breaking work. Just wipe it on, let it dry, and wipe it off! No buffing, no rubbing and there's no leftover residue. That's one of the many advantages of using Zaino -- it's unbelievably easy to use. And each coat just adds to the shine, reflectiveness and protection. It even provides UV protection!
slotown - Your reaction to Zaino users is not unusual; we really don't own stock or represent the company. We're just enthusiasts about a product that's the best of its kind that I've ever tried in many years of car care. Actually, if Zaino were traded publicly, I'd buy a ton of stock. But it's a privately owned firm. Try their web site at www.zainobros.com -- or better yet, visit the Zaino forum on Edmunds Town Hall; it's topic #1319 under "Maintenance." If you try Zaino, you'll understand!
Well, I see we are back on the Zaino discussion. Drew, how do you like the Zymol product? I plan on detailing me '00 E430 for the first time since delivery (02/00). I wash the car weekly and use a Meguire's polish to remove embedded dirt, etc
I am not interested at this time in a product that requires multiple coats and hours to apply. My Brilliant silver E looks great with "just" the Meguire's polish. Drew, is the Zymol a little better? M-B recommends a good wax like Meguire. Polymer products are my preferred potectant because of ease of application and "wet look." Again, I want a single application product.
As for Zymol being the "best" I will wait for Consumer Reports to make that claim. Those of you with dark colored E's may have more to gain with multiple coats of Sal's "wonder' product.
The E does offer lumbar support if you get the multicontour seats. I have had a diskectomy (L5-S1) and I find my seats very supportive and comfortable.
I had to special order my '00 E430 because very few E cars come with these seats. Like the Xenon lights, heated seats, etc. Mercedes considers these things "options" where most of us think they should be standard equipment on all E320's and E430's. Similarly, my sport package should be standard on the E430.
It may interest you to know that Consumer Reports did already rank Zymol as their top rated wax (among those that they tested) a few months ago. Second in line was Prestone's BulletWax which was also very good and easier to apply because of the unique applicator, but couldn't match the deep gloss and shine of Zymol. Meguiars didn't really do very well in C.R's tests as well, even their multiple step products (which is what MB sells under their own name).
I like Zymol just fine. The complaints centre around the fact that it is difficult to buff off if dried completely on the surface. I too experienced this problem when using Zymol for the first time. To get around this issue, simply do small areas at a time (2 feet by 2 feet) and buff it off before it dries, just as the instructions state.
I usually do only one coat (I'm not that fanatical unlike Zaino fans :-)), and it provides enough gloss for me. One thing that I do recommend is that you use a clay bar (such as the one sold by Mothers) to remove the contaminants from the paint prior to waxing. I didn't have time to do it the last time when I waxed the car and I could see the dirt on the rocker panels being covered by the polish.
WRT Zaino, even its fans admit that it is not really very obvious with a light coloured vehicle (Silver, Desert Silver, Smoke Silver, White, Sky Blue, etc.). I might consider it if I had an Azure Blue or Black vehicle, but not with my current colour choices.
Hope this helps! Drew/aling Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
Ok ladies and Gents, Lets change the topic: Radar detectors. Its been some time since I last had one. The last one I had did get me in a little trouble. Nothing that a few bucks to a counsler of law could not remove. I beleive we pleaded "malfunctioning equipment", which has some truth in the detector did not functin properly in order to detect Smokey.
So with this astute group of people, what is your detector of choice? Can you trust it? How fast over are you comfortable driving over the limit. Staying 9 mph over has kept me out of trouble, but with a detector, I was wondering what others thought.
Just picked up 2001 Impala yesterday (8 miles on clock) for take home work car. Has 3.4(yuck) but what can you say when you aren't paying for car(or gas or tires,etc). Had choice of Taurus or Monte Carlo, would probably taken Monte if it had 3.8, but it was another 3.4 engine. Would have setteled for ugly Bonneville for 3.8 v6 if one was available at our supplier, but only one there had 10K on clock and looked a little rough. Noticed cupholder/armrest appeared redesigned from 2000 Impala, but other than that, any problem areas with these cars? What is the 3.4's top speed? Thanks for all the help..
I wash and wax my y2k wagon and have found the best source of help in maintaing my car is my local detail shop or paint & body shop.These are pros who attend trade shows to find out what type of products work best. I live on the central coast of Calif. and what works well here may not perform as well in a snowy climate. These are people with a wealth of knowledge on car care, (most are car collectors)and are more then willing to answer any questions you might have. I have not endorsed any products because I am not paid to do so!!!!!
cce182: I'm thinking of ordering the COMAND system. Can you tell me if it provides vocal prompts ("turn left", etc) and if it will guide you back on track if you take a wrong turn?
I have also learned a lot from detailers, such as the benefit of claying the car before wax or other polishes. However, detailers make money on repeat business, and NO detailer is going to recommend a polish that you can do yourself in 20 minutes that looks as good as anything he can do, and that only needs to be done only once or twice a year.
Attn: Drew. I was driving home late last night from a meeting, and all of a sudden my entire dash board went dark. Not the LED displays mind you, just all the lights behind the dials...so I wasn't able to see how fast I was going (think a cop would have believed me??) LOL. I called the SOS/wrench @ MB and they said that they had never heard of this happening. Does this sound like a fuse problem to you or what??? I also got an error message which said lamp failure, check lamps. My radio also does not get softer anymore when I slow down and stop. Do you think that I am starting to have electrical problems?? Would appreciate your input. I have a Y2K E320 with 7300 miles.
The rain sensor on my 2001 seems to not provide a sufficient delay - the wiper seems to be pretty frequent even when the windshield is relatively dry. Is this common?
I was offered a choice of an 01' impala, a 71' Dart supreme, or a E 320. The impala has the 3.4 engine with a in dash CD. The dart has a Straigh six, no indash cd, but a 300 watt equilizer/booster added to the Fm modulater, attached to the stock am radio. The Jenson triaxels are perhaps too bright, maybe I can change to co-axels. What a system! The other choice is a E320 00' with 15k miles on it. Im leaning towards the impala because The 3.4 liter engine is bigger than 3.2 in the mercedes, Since mercedes merged with chrysler, I am sure they are using leftover K-car parts (have you seen the little peter tele-aid nub erect in roof?), and no in dash cd. IMpala has great new car smell and a much better ratio of cup holders to occupant.
slotown - It really seems difficult to convince you that Zaino users are NOT paid to endorse the product and that we don't have any relationship with the company -- we've merely found Zaino to be the best car polish available anywhere, and we want to share our good fortune with other car enthusiasts. Automophile said it best in his "DETAILERS" post #177.
rojieh - I have COMAND in my Y2K E320, and it's a joy! It does, indeed, provide vocal prompts including warnings such as "Prepare to turn left," Turn left after 800 feet" (or 900 or 400 or whatever), "Make the next left turn," etc. And you can't get it lost or confused -- it's gotten me out of some confusing circumstances. It also provides an in-dash CD capability (at the expense of losing the nav -- you can't use both simultaneously). I'd strongly recommend it!
bargamon2 - Are you pulling our chain wondering if you should opt for a Chevy Impala over a Y2K E320? Get serious -- the two cars aren't even remotely similar or in the same league! Would you prefer a Big Mac to a prime New York steak? Some people might, but then it takes all kinds! Go for the MB! You won't regret it!
You’ve already seen the answer from mbdriver. Yes, COMAND gives verbal prompts and recomputes routing if you take a different turn that it was expecting, etc. It may tell you to do a U-turn, but once it decides you’re not going to comply, it recomutes the route. There is a Detour function that I haven’t used much. I just drive if I know the way, and finally COMAND will recompute the route. A very nice touch is that the “prepare to turn” and turning directions, elapsed-distant-to-turn indicator, and distance to next navigation action is all available on the little screen below the speedometer in graphic form. It even shows little tick marks for streets where you should not turn. This means you can actually put the regular map up on the console screen, see the routing and still get the verbal and visual prompts. The verbal prompts are mute-able if you don't want the music interrupted. On the main screen, you can also scroll into a text-oriented routing page. And, you can save waypoints that you use often. A great little system.
What you give up with COMAND is the in-dash cassette tape player. But, that input, called AUX, is still available as a receptacle inside the glove box. For the few times I want to listen to a cassette tape, I just put a portable in there, use the AUX input of the audio system, and listen to the tape. I used this to review the VOX-actuated phone controls also in my car.
For ACD7 and others.
There seems to be some confusion about the rain-sensor system. This is basically an improved alternative to the interval (delay) wiper function on other cars. Rather than having to guess at the time between sweeps based on what you’re seeing coming at you, the rain sensor is a through-the-windshield optical sensor that watches what’s being deposited there and then, when it judges the accumulation to be deserving of a “wipe”, cycles a single wiper sweep. The sensor is in the top black crosshatched area on the WS behind the RV mirror. Have your dealer show you. The sweeps are done at one of the regular sweeping speeds. The rain sensor is determining WHEN to do a sweep - - not adjusting the speed of the wiper during a single sweep. I would be surprised if there were an adjustment that changes the sensitivity of this sensor, but a dealer might be able to change it. Mine works like a champ and I think it far superior to the driver switch-settable alternative found on most U.S. cars.
Thanx CCEL82 for your input. The problem i seem to have is not the speed of the swipe but the relatively quick time between swipes - this is the first time i used the wiper - maybe it takes time to adjust over a few uses.
1) Is there any way to adjust the amount of compensation volume on the stereo? Sometimes I feel the compensation amount is too much when driving next to a truck. 2) What is the yellow light coming from the bottom of the RV mirror? I believe it's only on when the parking/driving lights are turned on.
I don't know for sure, but I suspect the yellow light you asked about is the sensor for the autommatic dimming of the mirror when a driver is approaching from the rear. It would be needed only when the parking/driving lights are on. Perhaps someone can straighten us both out if I'm wrong.
I have the integrated Star Tac telephone in my 00 E320. The speed dialing, pushing in and holding down memory on locations 01-09 to dial a preprogrammed number, work fine with my handset, but will not work with my radio buttons. Is anyone familiar with this ?
I checked out the website suggested in response 109 regarding the new body style. I was concerned bc I just ordered a 2001 E430 4matic, and didn't want the last year of the model. The website does show spy pictures of the new E430, but they date back to 1999. My dealer checked it out and informed me the new body style won't be introduced until the 2003 model year, at the earliest. Anyway, if it does come out, that's life.
I'd like to know what mileage I can expect with this car. What have you been averaging? Also, is it necessary to put in premium gas, or will regular suffice? I thought if I put in regular gas performance might drop a bit as the computer retards the timing to prevent knocking, but otherwise there should not be any problems. What has your experience been?
bargamon2 - Sorry! You sure fooled me with your Impala post. I was wondering if the one who posted #173 was lost, tetched in the head or just a joker. Now that I've reread your post, I can appreciate the humor. Cupholder ratios!?!
Drew, I was just about to order the H7 bulbs and decided to check the owner's manual, just in case. And it says the BOTH hi and lo beams use the H7 bulb. Is htere any rational reason NOT to use the Xenon bulbs in both the hi & lo housings? Thanks, Fred
Looks like I waited a few days too long to order those bulbs. I hecked into the Susquehanna web site after the previous post and it now says they are not selling them until Hella gets the manufacturing process improved to raise the quality of the bulbs...
6 years I have had my 420sel, sea foam green with tan leather. Love the big ole girl, with 103k, she getting a little old fashioned in her ways, and soon she will be in a good friends driveway whom likes these older girls, er, I mean cars. She is prestine and like a good stock, selling her while the getting is good. Now I turn my attention on a younger model, smaller, faster, svelt, An E class with a big set of pistons, perhaps eight of them. You the choir, sing the praise and help me decide. NOt gonna go over budget of 46k, so new is out, but its either gonna be a 2000 or 1999. Thoughts, suggestions and what to look for would be most helpful. FOr those whom will drive no other, for those whom understand you need never apologize for driving a MB, I thank you in advance. For those whom are visiting and love your lexus, audi, BMW, then you understand.
The website reference was so you could draw your own conclusions about the risks of ordering now vs. waiting. The styling is one issue, of course, but the bells and whistles features grow year by year, e.g. improvements to COMAND (or it’s inclusion as standard), the telephone system, etc. Something new will come out every year.
Re: mileage. I get basically what the sticker says (17/23 - 19 +/- for most of my driving which is short to medium trips - - I’ve yet to take a long trip with it). It seems to be best on the highway using the electric foot. Mid 20's there, but mine has only 6k miles on it and for the first couple of months the mileage wasn’t good at all. It’s still getting better. While V8 and 4matic both reduce mileage, I think the tradeoff is worth it both for the performance and traction, and I've yet to go thru a winter with it. Figure your annual mileage driven, the number of gallons you’d use in each case and then what the incremental cost of the gas would be. If you can afford to buy this car, it is unlikely the cost differential of the gas should be a deterrent for the thirstier options.
Re: use of regular gas. The owners manual is unequivocal on this: use of less than 91 octane results in no warranty on engine failures along with a dire risk of having such failures. I’m not sure there’d be an issue, since detonation margins vary with temperature, weather, and a whole bunch of other stuff, but you don’t necessarily know how this engine's computer “thinks”. If it’s a cost of gas you’re worried about, I’d either buy one that gets the best possible mileage or buy a brand of car that doesn’t require 91 octane. I sure wouldn’t want to experiment only to discover that the owner’s manual is correct.
Hjborn re: the little yellow light at the lower edge of the inside RV mirror.
This light is pointing in the wrong direction (down) for any sensing. The little round unsilvered circle at the upper right of the RV mirror does this. I think the little yellow light is for slight illumination of the console when it’s real dark out. Go in your garage some evening and check it out! Cool!
That light is always on I believe, even if your driving lights are off. I think it's one of those comfort lights. If you notice, there are lights in the door handle, and also by your feet.
Yup, the LED is supposed to dimly illuminate the centre console at night. My ML also has one, but the E's is a tad brighter. I would've expected them to use a red LED instead of orange though.
Drew/aling Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
If 46K was my upper limit,I would opt for a new E320-without even a sunroof(does any one know how hard it would be to find such a rare car?)The roof robs headroom and can add wind roar as car ages.But mostly,I would use the sunroof all the time,and I would worry about all that sun on my face all the time.To go from your current S-class with "small" V8 to lighter E-class with improved small V8 would give you a much more rapid car.Is this necessary?I have driven the current E320 many times-I've never wished for more power.Admittedly the E430 would offer more smoothness and a pleasing sense of effortlessness to acceleration,but it would be merely added luxury-and I find the E320 to offer plenty.If you can afford a few more thousand(I hate to say this as a life-long Mercedes admirer)you should consider the Lexus430.Other than the interior being somewhat garish,it is an outstanding car.
Thanks for your imput. I doubt very few dissatisfied 320 owners out there. I have a 00' ml with 320. It is a heavier vehicle and w/all wheel drive, it does very well with the six cylinder. The 430 is for fun and excess. I have not ruled out a 320, and then change to 16 wheels for similar footprint of e 430. FOr a few more thousand, I can get a new E430. But I ahve set a budget, by the time you add taxes and a little room up if right car came by, then it's 48k. Lexus is not consideration. they are fine cars but I would rather have a "mid size". GS is interesting w/400 engine. Doubt I'd go that route, but its not often you get to shop/play with wifes blessing in the automotive arena. Thank you for your input.
(First time contributing to the board, good work everyone.)
Regarding radar detectors, I'm quite happy with the Valentine One. It is sensitive giving me enough warning for even photo radars. The directional indicator is also a big plus helping me to look for the threat.
The downside of the V1 is its high cost, US$400, and its hard to hide size.
If you're serious into this anti-speed-trap game, I suppose in addition to the V1, you can install the laser diffuser (K40 makes one) and also possibly the police radio scanner detector for highway use (made by Uniden, against highway patrol using instant-on as well as aircrafts. It simply beeps whenever it picks up Police radio activity within 5 miles).
We our expecting our first child. I need some advice about MBZ baby seats for a 2000 E-320. I know that MBZ sells their own, and I have heard that they automatically kill the air bags.
Does anyone have any experience with these ? Are there any aftermarket manufacturers ?
I want a seat that can fit into a stroller and my wife's Lexus also - will MBZ's do this ?
please feel free to e-mail me a response since I suspect this question is too specific for most on this forum.
Just tested out the brand new 2001 LS430 and GS430 last weekend, thought I should share my comments as someone mentioned about them earlier.
The LS430 has the luxurious option (rear power seats, massage, etc.). Overall, I find the car way too soft compared to the current S class or the BMW 7 series. It reminded me of an old limo having so much lateral movement making the ride uncomfortable. I actually got a bit car sick in the back when an associate was test driving. Acceleration was not bad but I find the brakes a bit weak with poor brake feel. Car was very quite especially when idling.
GS430 is a different story, its performance is much better as expected. Good handling with less body row than a BMW 5 series. Acceleration was a bit disappointing, I expected the car to be much faster with its 300 horsepower and relative light weight; there seems to be very little low end torque. Car did not feel as solid as a Mercedes or a BMW. Biggest complaint - little front headroom and serious lack of room in the back.
Perhaps I'm being too critical but I do not find the switches and ergonomics impressive in the Lexus line. Buttons are all over the place with little logic to their locations.
Also had a quick look at the IS300 and was shocked to see Lexus having completely different dash designs for the LS, GS, & IS cars.
MB sells a series of 3 child seats for infants, toddlers and young children. All three will deactivate the front airbag if placed in the front seat. I have the toddler one and will get the young child seat later. The toddler one is easy to use.
You can place the seats anywhere in the car, but I prefer putting mine in the front seat so I can see my kid.
You can put the car seats in any other car, but they won't deactivate the front airbags.
Regarding the stroller, do you mean in the stroller or underneath it?
Can anyone tell me if they are familiar with this color? Is it like a orange/carmel type of color. sort of like a baseball mit?? Or is it a brown/red?? What colors were it use in on the exterior????
The yellow/orange light is on the bottom side of the interior RV mirror. Just put your hand near the bottom center location of your RV mirror and you'll see the light reflecting off of your hand. I believe it's only on when the parking/driving light is on, and it seems to be too weak to be effective as far as softening the cabin interior.
My rear seat ventilation vent seems to be putting out very weak air flow, even when all the front vents are closed. I wonder if this is typical?
Try closing the vent inside the lower center console/arm rest (for keeping cany bars cool in hot weather?). I believe this will direct more air flow into the rear seat area.
Try closing the vent inside the lower center console/arm rest (for keeping cany bars cool in hot weather?). I believe this will direct more air flow into the rear seat area.
I was at my dealer today and they had a poster showing 3 MB child seats. They all look like they are upright seats. I know what you are talking about, the infant seat where you can take it out and place right into the stroller without having to remove the base from the car. I used those on my kids, but the poster didn't show these seats, unless they came out with new ones that I don't know of.
Comments
Please talk me out of it. It drove very nice and has lots of features, but it aint the E.
of these infomercials?
IMO Audi's look kinda non descript, sort of blend in with every other car. An E class is a work of art and beauty. Makes you feel good just being in it. Consider yourself "talked out of it". Buy the E Class.
point where I need a lumbar support in the lower
seat back. I want it to fit properly in the MB
bucket seat. (Suffice it to say its not worth
griping about why a $45000 luxury car does not
even
OFFER lumbar support.....) Any help would be
greatly appreciated.
We do seem to agree on everything regarding Zaino -- except the need to clay! I guess I was just lucky that my dealer had done a fantastic job in detailing my new brilliant silver E320. It's now more slick than any car I've ever owned (and it's my first experience with Zaino). I know that Sal Zaino advocates clay for a new car, but I'm happy as can be with the results without claying.
ctic - I can tell that you haven't tried Zaino. The seven coats of Z-2 did not require 10 hours of back breaking work. Just wipe it on, let it dry, and wipe it off! No buffing, no rubbing and there's no leftover residue. That's one of the many advantages of using Zaino -- it's unbelievably easy to use. And each coat just adds to the shine, reflectiveness and protection. It even provides UV protection!
slotown - Your reaction to Zaino users is not unusual; we really don't own stock or represent the company. We're just enthusiasts about a product that's the best of its kind that I've ever tried in many years of car care. Actually, if Zaino were traded publicly, I'd buy a ton of stock. But it's a privately owned firm. Try their web site at www.zainobros.com -- or better yet, visit the Zaino forum on Edmunds Town Hall; it's topic #1319 under "Maintenance." If you try Zaino, you'll understand!
Drew, how do you like the Zymol product? I plan on detailing me '00 E430 for the first time since delivery (02/00). I wash the car weekly and use a Meguire's polish to remove embedded dirt, etc
I am not interested at this time in a product that requires multiple coats and hours to apply.
My Brilliant silver E looks great with "just" the Meguire's polish. Drew, is the Zymol a little better? M-B recommends a good wax like Meguire.
Polymer products are my preferred potectant because of ease of application and "wet look."
Again, I want a single application product.
As for Zymol being the "best" I will wait for Consumer Reports to make that claim. Those of you with dark colored E's may have more to gain with multiple coats of Sal's "wonder' product.
I had to special order my '00 E430 because very few E cars come with these seats. Like the Xenon lights, heated seats, etc. Mercedes considers these things "options" where most of us think they should be standard equipment on all E320's and E430's. Similarly, my sport package should be standard on the E430.
I like Zymol just fine. The complaints centre around the fact that it is difficult to buff off if dried completely on the surface. I too experienced this problem when using Zymol for the first time. To get around this issue, simply do small areas at a time (2 feet by 2 feet) and buff it off before it dries, just as the instructions state.
I usually do only one coat (I'm not that fanatical unlike Zaino fans :-)), and it provides enough gloss for me. One thing that I do recommend is that you use a clay bar (such as the one sold by Mothers) to remove the contaminants from the paint prior to waxing. I didn't have time to do it the last time when I waxed the car and I could see the dirt on the rocker panels being covered by the polish.
WRT Zaino, even its fans admit that it is not really very obvious with a light coloured vehicle (Silver, Desert Silver, Smoke Silver, White, Sky Blue, etc.). I might consider it if I had an Azure Blue or Black vehicle, but not with my current colour choices.
Hope this helps!
Drew/aling
Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
Its been some time since I last had one. The last one I had did get me in a little trouble. Nothing that a few bucks to a counsler of law could not remove. I beleive we pleaded "malfunctioning equipment", which has some truth in the detector did not functin properly in order to detect Smokey.
So with this astute group of people, what is your detector of choice? Can you trust it? How fast over are you comfortable driving over the limit. Staying 9 mph over has kept me out of trouble, but with a detector, I was wondering what others thought.
Cauwfee tawk amung>>>>>>>
Noticed cupholder/armrest appeared redesigned from 2000 Impala, but other than that, any problem areas with these cars? What is the 3.4's top speed? Thanks for all the help..
Must be a Palm Beach County voter.
to answer any questions you might have. I have not endorsed any products because I am not paid to
do so!!!!!
However, detailers make money on repeat business, and NO detailer is going to recommend a polish that you can do yourself in 20 minutes that looks as good as anything he can do, and that only needs to be done only once or twice a year.
Attn: Drew. I was driving home late last night from a meeting, and all of a sudden my entire dash board went dark. Not the LED displays mind you, just all the lights behind the dials...so I wasn't able to see how fast I was going (think a cop would have believed me??) LOL. I called the SOS/wrench @ MB and they said that they had never heard of this happening. Does this sound like a fuse problem to you or what??? I also got an error message which said lamp failure, check lamps. My radio also does not get softer anymore when I slow down and stop. Do you think that I am starting to have electrical problems?? Would appreciate your input. I have a Y2K E320 with 7300 miles.
Thanks so much for all your help Drew,
Wenfen
rojieh - I have COMAND in my Y2K E320, and it's a joy! It does, indeed, provide vocal prompts including warnings such as "Prepare to turn left," Turn left after 800 feet" (or 900 or 400 or whatever), "Make the next left turn," etc. And you can't get it lost or confused -- it's gotten me out of some confusing circumstances. It also provides an in-dash CD capability (at the expense of losing the nav -- you can't use both simultaneously). I'd strongly recommend it!
bargamon2 - Are you pulling our chain wondering if you should opt for a Chevy Impala over a Y2K E320? Get serious -- the two cars aren't even remotely similar or in the same league! Would you prefer a Big Mac to a prime New York steak? Some people might, but then it takes all kinds! Go for the MB! You won't regret it!
You’ve already seen the answer from mbdriver. Yes, COMAND gives verbal prompts and recomputes routing if you take a different turn that it was expecting, etc. It may tell you to do a U-turn, but once it decides you’re not going to comply, it recomutes the route. There is a Detour function that I haven’t used much. I just drive if I know the way, and finally COMAND will recompute the route. A very nice touch is that the “prepare to turn” and turning directions, elapsed-distant-to-turn indicator, and distance to next navigation action is all available on the little screen below the speedometer in graphic form. It even shows little tick marks for streets where you should not turn. This means you can actually put the regular map up on the console screen, see the routing and still get the verbal and visual prompts. The verbal prompts are mute-able if you don't want the music interrupted. On the main screen, you can also scroll into a text-oriented routing page. And, you can save waypoints that you use often. A great little system.
What you give up with COMAND is the in-dash cassette tape player. But, that input, called AUX, is still available as a receptacle inside the glove box. For the few times I want to listen to a cassette tape, I just put a portable in there, use the AUX input of the audio system, and listen to the tape. I used this to review the VOX-actuated phone controls also in my car.
For ACD7 and others.
There seems to be some confusion about the rain-sensor system. This is basically an improved alternative to the interval (delay) wiper function on other cars. Rather than having to guess at the time between sweeps based on what you’re seeing coming at you, the rain sensor is a through-the-windshield optical sensor that watches what’s being deposited there and then, when it judges the accumulation to be deserving of a “wipe”, cycles a single wiper sweep. The sensor is in the top black crosshatched area on the WS behind the RV mirror. Have your dealer show you. The sweeps are done at one of the regular sweeping speeds. The rain sensor is determining WHEN to do a sweep - - not adjusting the speed of the wiper during a single sweep. I would be surprised if there were an adjustment that changes the sensitivity of this sensor, but a dealer might be able to change it. Mine works like a champ and I think it far superior to the driver switch-settable alternative found on most U.S. cars.
I'd like to know what mileage I can expect with this car. What have you been averaging? Also, is it necessary to put in premium gas, or will regular suffice? I thought if I put in regular gas performance might drop a bit as the computer retards the timing to prevent knocking, but otherwise there should not be any problems. What has your experience been?
I was just about to order the H7 bulbs and decided to check the owner's manual, just in case. And it says the BOTH hi and lo beams use the H7 bulb. Is htere any rational reason NOT to use the Xenon bulbs in both the hi & lo housings?
Thanks,
Fred
FOr those whom will drive no other, for those whom understand you need never apologize for driving a MB, I thank you in advance. For those whom are visiting and love your lexus, audi, BMW, then you understand.
The website reference was so you could draw your own conclusions about the risks of ordering now vs. waiting. The styling is one issue, of course, but the bells and whistles features grow year by year, e.g. improvements to COMAND (or it’s inclusion as standard), the telephone system, etc. Something new will come out every year.
Re: mileage. I get basically what the sticker says (17/23 - 19 +/- for most of my driving which is short to medium trips - - I’ve yet to take a long trip with it). It seems to be best on the highway using the electric foot. Mid 20's there, but mine has only 6k miles on it and for the first couple of months the mileage wasn’t good at all. It’s still getting better. While V8 and 4matic both reduce mileage, I think the tradeoff is worth it both for the performance and traction, and I've yet to go thru a winter with it. Figure your annual mileage driven, the number of gallons you’d use in each case and then what the incremental cost of the gas would be. If you can afford to buy this car, it is unlikely the cost differential of the gas should be a deterrent for the thirstier options.
Re: use of regular gas. The owners manual is unequivocal on this: use of less than 91 octane results in no warranty on engine failures along with a dire risk of having such failures. I’m not sure there’d be an issue, since detonation margins vary with temperature, weather, and a whole bunch of other stuff, but you don’t necessarily know how this engine's computer “thinks”. If it’s a cost of gas you’re worried about, I’d either buy one that gets the best possible mileage or buy a brand of car that doesn’t require 91 octane. I sure wouldn’t want to experiment only to discover that the owner’s manual is correct.
Hjborn re: the little yellow light at the lower edge of the inside RV mirror.
This light is pointing in the wrong direction (down) for any sensing. The little round unsilvered circle at the upper right of the RV mirror does this. I think the little yellow light is for slight illumination of the console when it’s real dark out. Go in your garage some evening and check it out! Cool!
Good luck.
Drew/aling
Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference
Thank you for your input.
Regarding radar detectors, I'm quite happy with the Valentine One. It is sensitive giving me enough warning for even photo radars. The directional indicator is also a big plus helping me to look for the threat.
The downside of the V1 is its high cost, US$400, and its hard to hide size.
If you're serious into this anti-speed-trap game, I suppose in addition to the V1, you can install the laser diffuser (K40 makes one) and also possibly the police radio scanner detector for highway use (made by Uniden, against highway patrol using instant-on as well as aircrafts. It simply beeps whenever it picks up Police radio activity within 5 miles).
Does anyone have any experience with these ?
Are there any aftermarket manufacturers ?
I want a seat that can fit into a stroller and my wife's Lexus also - will MBZ's do this ?
please feel free to e-mail me a response since I suspect this question is too specific for most on this forum.
The LS430 has the luxurious option (rear power seats, massage, etc.). Overall, I find the car way too soft compared to the current S class or the BMW 7 series. It reminded me of an old limo having so much lateral movement making the ride uncomfortable. I actually got a bit car sick in the back when an associate was test driving. Acceleration was not bad but I find the brakes a bit weak with poor brake feel. Car was very quite especially when idling.
GS430 is a different story, its performance is much better as expected. Good handling with less body row than a BMW 5 series. Acceleration was a bit disappointing, I expected the car to be much faster with its 300 horsepower and relative light weight; there seems to be very little low end torque. Car did not feel as solid as a Mercedes or a BMW. Biggest complaint - little front headroom and serious lack of room in the back.
Perhaps I'm being too critical but I do not find the switches and ergonomics impressive in the Lexus line. Buttons are all over the place with little logic to their locations.
Also had a quick look at the IS300 and was shocked to see Lexus having completely different dash designs for the LS, GS, & IS cars.
You can place the seats anywhere in the car, but I prefer putting mine in the front seat so I can see my kid.
You can put the car seats in any other car, but they won't deactivate the front airbags.
Regarding the stroller, do you mean in the stroller or underneath it?
This color does show up in the 2000 model year.
Thank you
My rear seat ventilation vent seems to be putting out very weak air flow, even when all the front vents are closed. I wonder if this is typical?