New R-Class Owners - Give Us Your Report

Congratulations on your new vehicle. This is the place to post your initial impressions.
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M
I was always concerned about the ride -- whether it would be close to the standard of my E Wagon -- and after a weekend of hauling stuff back and forth between a couple of houses, cruising highways and carting a xmas tree home -- I have to say that in several ways I found it superior. It is rock solid, got nearly 22 mpg on the trip home (110 miles) and averaged 18 overall over nearly 400 miles of very mixed driving.
The handling (I have the air suspension) is excellent, with a good steering feel and a very stable attidue in turns. It drives and rides like a Benz should. It doesn't feel anything like its size.
I know from experience that MB's gain efficiency after 5,000 miles or so, and I am hopeful that the mpg will get even better.
In short, a very happy camper.
M
Well the sales numbers YTD say otherwise, they're way up over last years. Sales aren't the M-Class' problem. Qualtiy? We'll just have to see.
M
they did do right by me given my problems, and i hope people are having better experiences with theirs. it is a wonderful vehicle otherwise.
Well that is all you can expect really. It says that the new one is a success. The old M-Class sold pretty well right up until the end for it to be so outdated.
M
What are the colors?
It was a great drive. I found it took a little getting use to. The view out the front windshield does not include the front end. As I look out my E320, I see the hood of the car and the Mercedes hood orniment. With the R-Class you see nothing. It is a very different feeling. It took about an hour to get use to it. But then again, I have been known to be a slow learner.
I will keep you up to date as to my (our) opinion. So far I think I got a great deal on a great car.
I wish they had kept the hood ornament because it also served the purpose of knowing how close your front bumper was to the wall.
MB design in reference to the sloping hood is...it should dissapear and give a "better" view ahead. If it dissapears under the hood you are close enough.:P It takes some getting use to certainly. We shall see if this stands true for the GL (square hood).
If no Cargo Covers are included, what else did Mercedes leave out. For on overprice car, they still look for a way to stiff you. Is it the Chrylser influence?
It comes in the comfort package in addition to the cargo cover.
Man, if it came in it you would complain, " I don't have a dog why am I paying for a net". You guys......
My wife doesn't care so much about not having the cargo cover on the R because she reufses to drive it.
With the deep discounts and aggressive lease program, it was hard to pass on the R Class. We have no regrets, but its not a car that we love. I know that my child will be safe in it.
It's called GL marketing.
Options
- pano roof
- leather
- wood leather steering wheel
- airmatic
- entertainment package
- heated seats
- 18 inch wheels
Because the family didn't come along, I can't speak to how it works with a full crew but here are some thoughts from my trip.
* Overall this is the nicest and most comfortable car I have owned. We own a 2000 ML 320 and a 2003 Volvo Cross country and this is much smoother, quieter and more comfortable than either of them.
* the gas mileage cruising on the highway (typically around 72mph) was 22.7 mpg. Somewhat better than I had expected.
* it is a quiet car. I was surprised when I got home and loaded the kids in the back I could have a conversation with them without yelling.
* a great cruiser - comfy, quiet, and smooth.
* it isn't really quick accelerating. If you want this - I would try the V8 or another car.
* Don't really like the wood and leather steering wheel. The wood part looks nice but is a bit slipperier than I am comfortable with.
* the silver hides the road dirt but the black leather (and carpeting) shows everything - oops!
* the ipod integration kits works well and sounds great but you have to manually switch play lists and modes (shuffle, etc.) by disconnecting it from the cable in the glove box and using the ipod controls. Not a huge issue but could be nicer.
* I love the intermittent wipers and cruise control. The wipers really do a good job detecting when they come on and how fast they need to go. The cruise control is great because you can go up or down by single 1mph increments AND the 5mph increments (55, 60, 65, 70, 75). Move the stock a little upward and you go up one mph. Move up all the way and move speed to the nearest 5mph. Down works the same - nicely thought out but probably old hat for most of you.
* the shifter takes getting used to. My intuition told me that down SHOULD mean backward and up is forward. Fortunately I had my foot on the break @ the gas station or I would have visited the window of the store!
* the standard lights aren't great - work well on high beam but most of the time I had to ride with low beams because of opposing traffic. Investing in the Xenon would probably be a good choice for someone.
Worst part of getting the car was my mother's reaction.
"It is interesting looking - looks a bit like a Chevy." Ouch #1. She followed up with "Ah they still haven't fixed their leather seats have they." Well I agree on that one - not real software leather.
Kids have only ridden to their soccer game so don't have much to go on yet but they love it so far. "The sunroof is "COOL" dad." "Where is the DVD player" - we are getting a portable unit in this car and see how that works vs a built-in.
It is early but I am a very happy owner. It is comfortable, versatile, drives nicely, and feels good - a definite step up from my ML. I got a great deal (well lower than invoice) If it is as reliable as my ML, I will be very happy.
M
The steering wheel is THICK. I find myself staying away from the wood.
Try the "lane change" signal. Tap the stalk and you get 4 blinks only.
Your mom might not like the leather but you will in 4-5 years when it looks the same as it does now.
I hate to say I told you so, but the low beams seem like they are aimed too low.
My kids love the "lap top" type DVD player with additional screen. I take it inside and on airplanes etc.
I recommend the "sport" suspension setting for heavy cross winds.
Hmmm what else.....oH YEAH! Read your Ipod book. You can go to artist, lists, etc. I had to read the little book to figure it out. Use RH buttons as well.
How did you feel after the long drive? I am interested in hearing about your mental and physical state after a long drive.
BTW it is time for your first service. 1K greet,6K tire rotation, 13k service.
The car we found was a loaded 500 without the leather seats. I initially wanted the 350 for the gas mileage, but I've enjoyed the bigger engine when the car is loaded with passengers. Speaking of passengers, I've had 4 adults and 2 kids in the car for hours and it's been extremely enjoyable for all. We don't have the 3 zone climate (seems crazy for a 67k MSRP) and it tends to get hot in the 3rd row, but other than that, very comfortable and a LOT of fun to drive.
The MB Tex is fine, especially with kids, but I do miss the zenons my E has. Other than that, the car is great - no regrets at all.
I was driving a 2006 E350 before, but needed more space.
The exterior is eye catching. I have the Barolo red.
Mine is fully loaded.
The drive. My husband has an s class. The first thing we noticed is that it drives like a sedan.
We have the monitors on the head rests. My daughter plays her leap pad handheld game on her screen, while my son will usually watch dvd's on his.
The only thing I don't care for too much is the small storage in the back. Weekly grocery trips require lowering one of the back seats.
Don't even get me started on the stares and comments the car gets. Everyone that has been in ours has headed up to the dealership to check it out.
Only changes I would have liked is to have the seats fold completely into the floor.So far, we have been pleasantly surprised with the vehicle.
i absolutely agree with your points, but really should we pleasantly surprised by a car that costs $50k+??? I burn through disposable income like its....well disposable, and I expect cars to deliver based on the price category. when i pull the trigger on an R500 I expect it to meet pretty high standards. i was pleasantly surprised at the auto show when i got in the new hyundai azera, the subura tribeca, mazda 3 and volks passat because of styling and value in their respective price categtories. i approach higher prices cars with my arms folded and an expectation that they will deliver. do others feel the same way?
It is a true luxury car in the European sense, with a very supple ride, strong engine, tight steering, and quiet interior. It has lots of room, but is a big car, so does take some getting used to in terms of parking. I just love the "Toys" which comes with this car. The Panaromic roof is vast and open, the HID lights which "steers" is just unreal, and the airmatic suspension is tight in the sport mode, while nice with just the right feel in comfort mode. The Parktronic is helpful, although I would prefer a rear camera. I will need to calibrate this system with my senses, as it still leaves plenty of room when all the red LEDs light up(I would prefer 2" rather than 8"+). The stereo is very nice with a full sound. The GPS navigation is not as intuitive or user friendly as my Garmin C320, but I'm sure I can play with it to get from point A to B.
I get a lot of interest from other motorist and people just walking up to see what is this R350. There are very few in my neck of the woods, and I may have seen 1 or 2 in the last few months in my neighborhood. The car is not under-powered as some suggested, but is on the heavy side. The engine is strong, particularly at high speed. It has enough "oomph" to start from a standing stop, and the only problem was going uphill from around 35 - 40mph. I didn't know how to use the paddle shifter initially, and finally figured out the inside edge was for downshifting and the outside edge was for upshifting. I didn't read the manual
Well, thats it for now. I will post another update after living with the car for some time. Oh, another thing, this color interior is really hard to keep clean. Oh well...
Oh, besides every conceivable option. I nearly "emptied" the accessores catalog: mud flaps, aerokit, "light up" sills, rear console, IPOD, hands free, handle inserts, on and on.
MY R500 not only has EVERY conceivable option except the DVD, which is stupid at 3K when you can by a portable player at a third of that, but also, at least, seventy five percent of the "accessories catalog" . . . aero kit, mud flaps, cargo carriers, luggage, lighted door sills, ipod, hands free, on and on and on. Did I mention she's black and macadmania. She's mind boggling. Stop comparing some night when your R is in your front yard all shined up. If she's gorgeous then, forget the other mazda options you maihgt have considered. WRONG. I now have 5K on mine and I've owned every concievable "top line" luxury vehicle from every mark, and this one is not only unique,it "well executed. NO, there is no single aspect or driving ability to this vehicle that is better and ANY other in the world, BUT it does aWHOLE lot of a WHOLE lot of different things, very , very, very, well. I will now return to my "cubicle" on this site and reiforce what I just said with some pic of this goregous vehicle.
initial impression - what a great car for $500 month!! i dont i think i would have gotten it for $600-700+ month because it has a number of shortcomings, but you cant beat this level of luxury at this price.
200 miles driven and a few comments -
exterior - styling is great. while it is a bit minivan looking, no mini can boast this fluid styling! it blends CLS roof line a bit, low stance and just looks tough.
power - 7 speed tranny [non-permissible content removed] around quite a bit. subtle shifts b/c of close ratios, but little bumps with constant gear changes always seems to remind me what is going on...plenty of power on tap under hard acceleration. cant complain about the size/speed at all.
handling - again with low stance and decent rubber, it settles in nicely and while you can easily upset it in a corner, you can also set it up to transition smoothly.
driving position/parking - i cant see the hood. i m 6'1" and i cant see the hood....if i crane my head close to headliner, i can see the washers on the hood.... as a result this car is not easy to park and navigate tight quarters. blind spots? oh yeah! mirrors dont offer much coverage, high beltline, tight space between seat and b pillar all make for a harder drive than large SUVs and minvans. Can i live with it?? oh yeah. just need to get used to it and be careful when lane changing, backing out of parking spots, etc. In retrospect, i definitely would have gotten parktronic!
interior fit/finish - very nice, although i am driving a $63k car with no leather....how is this an option???? i dont care how nice the mbtex is. this is ridiculous that basic seating surfaces were not leather in the R500 and then offer a pricey full leather option that includes seatbacks, door panels, dash, etc.
stereo - nice. good fm radio reception, good sound stage, pletny of volume for stock system.
rear seats - folding the 2 row and getting them at the right spot for the 3rd row pin to engage is freaking hard!! manual is no help. definitely not quick and easy. but once down, nice space.
overall - this thing still lacks the convenience of a minivan in terms of space, sliding doors, etc. BUT the styling, performance, interior materials, handling ,etc. more than make up for it! we still have a honda ody and it will be the vehicle for most family (2 toddlers, 2 goldens) trips, but for everyday use, we are putting in a 2d set of car seats and will split the car for everyday commuting/driving duties.
it really is a pleasure to drive! at $500 a month it probably cant be beat.
car has no Rear cargo cover, Cargo net, Grocery bag holder
or Cargo tie downs.
I understand that these items are standard for this car.
Any input would be appreciated.
So far I got a nice comment from a "cougar" in an Acura TL and then a man went wow in positive way as we drove past him at a shopping mall.
The diesel is no weakling and it does like to drive at triple digit speeds. Furthermore you can still have an intelligent conversation at high speed something that can't quite be said for my CTS-V. At this point couldn't be happier.
Thanks
See the complete story and pictures at http://www.landxml.org/R320.
Dealer has been great -- put us into another R Class 320 CDI, which drives like the dream we thought we were buying, and the diagnostic process seems to be working methodically. But it is sure taking a long time, and if this is a harbinger rather than an anomaly, I want out. We didn't spend $50K+ to have an invalid car.
1. Would like to have the entertainment package but $1900 seemed a bit steep. I think I will either install aftermarket or use my MacBook Pro. My kids want to know how they can play their XBOX on long trips so I have some research to do.
2. So far we have driven almost 1,000 miles and the love the diesel mileage (21/27).
3. The room is to die for!
4. Seats are difficult to keep clean......any suggestions are welcome.
5. The panoramic roof is the kids favorite along with the ability to control their own A/C
6. The Navigation systems is extremely accurate, but the joy stick is a bit awkward. I would also like to scan channels using the steering controls.
Overall I think the car is 9 out of 10.