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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

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Comments

  • mbman1mbman1 Member Posts: 35
    Please be more specific, what do you mean by air noise?
  • bargamonbargamon Member Posts: 302
    I own both, a 2000 ml320 and 01'e430.

    Ml was freshend and updated for 2000 to improve build quality on mostly interior to remove squeeks and reinforce weak interior fittings. 2002 takes it up a notch with 430 replaced by 500 engine, auto climate control and a few goodies. Im sure you have been over to the ml chat and know the goodies.

    The bama benz is less in quality than E class because its a different vehicle at a different price point. Base ML is 35k. Base E class is 47k. Thats 12k diff! And its the same engine and has state of the art 4wd! If the ML was up to E class it would cost the same, right? So its not that the ML lacks, its the E is excellent. NOw is ML worth the money? Can you get a 4wd E-320 for 40k? No. Can you get a 4matic wagon for 40k. No, in a sense the ML is a bargin. Its not as well constructed as Eclass, but serves the purpose with same engine,tranny, and perhaps awd system. I love them both, but they are very different. Some posted that ML is cheap. Well, its not cheap. Its cheaper.
    Good luck.
  • valueguyvalueguy Member Posts: 208
    My M-B '00 E430 is extremely well built. The fit and finish is outstanding. The "gap" tolerances are the best I have ever seen. The dash, leather,
    etc. are top-notch. My only complaint relates to the electronics in the vehicle. In that department M-B is behind Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc. I appreciate the improvements M-B made to the E Class' materials in '00.

    My 1997 and 1999 Acura TL's were well built cars.
    But, my '00 E430 is significantly better. The '00
    Lexus GS400 I almost bought was a well built car as well. After a detailed inspection, IMHO
    the M-B E class' materials and body integrity are superior.

    The new "E" Class for 2003 remains a question mark. The "S" was significantly cheapend from '99 to '00. Although the new S Class is a great car it does not have much over its competitors as far as build quality. The first batch of new C Class vehicles had a lot of bugs to work out.
    The new "E" needs to prove itself.

    Chech this out: http://mbspy.bacosys.be/mbquality.htm
  • livetodrivelivetodrive Member Posts: 104
    I also agree the E is extremely well built, and the fit and finish are next to none.
  • w210w210 Member Posts: 188
    is Telematics.

    As of today, there is still no built in cellular phone offered by the three Japanese manufacturers that works well.

    Expensive as it is, the Motorola solution is quite elegant and for those having no choice but to take calls in their car, MB/BMW do offer a nice set up with the system integrated to the dash, stereo and speakers.

    I cannot emphasize the convenience not having to hook up the hands free ear plug, turn down the music volume, taking one hand off the steering wheel, quickly glancing at the screen on the phone to identify the caller, and answering the call pressing the button holding the phone in one hand.. And I'm going into how all the cables get tangled with the seat belt or the complication when you get the low battery alert.

    With the Motorola system in a BMW/MB, when a call comes in, the music is muted automatically; you simply look at the dash to find out the incoming caller, and move your thumb half an inch to answer the call.
  • swimmomswimmom Member Posts: 23
    I am still grappling with the cd changer issue for my 01 e wagon. I took the advice of a much earlier post and purchased a becker unit from continental imports. Much to our dismay we could not figure out how to install the unit in the wagon. Continental imports was great about returning the unit. I again checked with our local area dealers and no one was moving off the $1000 mark for install. After a few conversations with the parts department at the dealer I purchased the wagon from, I came away with the impression that no unit besides the true Mercedes changer could be installed with relative ease in the wagon. Is this true? I read a post earlier that someone purchased a unit from gapa.com - was this installed in a wagon? I am about to accept defeat and fork out the $1000 for the changer from mercedes .I would love any input if someone who successfully self installed in a wagon and where you purchased your unit. I was also intrigued by the comments regarding the multi-contour seats. My only regret regarding my wagon was that I didn't spring for the multi countour. Is it possible to retrofit them into my car? I intend to keep this car for a long time.
  • valueguyvalueguy Member Posts: 208
    My '00 E430 Sport has the K2a package. So, I agree it is great to have a voice activated, integrated phone option. For me, the phone is more useful than COMAND as I drive to work in my car. I rarely use my M-B for long trips or new destinations. The phone I use daily.

    The multicontour seats are nice. The only option I regret not getting is the rear sunshade. I planned on tinting my car which I did not due secondary to the "scratching" issue. So, I miss that rear sunshade.
  • kenyeekenyee Member Posts: 738
    You might want to ask your service department how much labor cost it will be to install it, then get the MB changer from clairparts.com....
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    I know the maintenance schedules call for items like brake fluid flushes and other items not directly related to A or B service. As these are recommended maintenance are they covered under the 4-year free maintenance policy? I have heard conflicting information on this and I just wonder if anyone has any experience with these issues to share.

    Thanks to all,

    JR
  • jawandajawanda Member Posts: 30
    What problem did you have trying to install the changer? Was it the wiring, or actually fitting it in place? I had a little trouble figuring out what to do to hold it in place, so I took some styrofoam I had lying around, and cut it to fit in the space in the rear passenger side well, and it is holding the player in place very snugly(not sure if that's a word, but you know what I mean). It doesn't look great, but you never see it except when you open the panel to change the cartridge anyway. I have yet to have a skip, and everything works perfectly. So, while this may be a little inelegant, I'll take it at a $550 savings.
    I haven't seen the MB changer, but I was under the impression that it is the Becker unit, with an MB logo. Is this correct?

    AJ
  • dkatlantadkatlanta Member Posts: 23
    I was all set to take the plunge: based on the enthusiastic recommendations here, I was about to buy 18" wheels and tires to replace the oem 17" factory wheels. Then walto writes to say that he obtained an even more effective improvement in handling and stability from an upgrade in shocks. So I stop by a local performance tire store, and THEY say that the most important suspension piece to upgrade is the springs. What should I do? I'd sure like to improve my E320's straight line stability and steering feel. I'd like to eliminate the slight tendency to wander at 50-70 mph and the bit of wallowing in the suspension. I don't need to take corners any faster than I already do. Thanks, everyone!
  • tgif888tgif888 Member Posts: 351
    Sorry, it is Infinti not Infinity. =)
  • mbman1mbman1 Member Posts: 35
    Sorry, can't help you with the cd changer. If you plan on keeping the car for a long time, please seriously consider the extended warranty. Cost can, and most likely will, skyrocket after the original warranty is up.
  • sapparosapparo Member Posts: 68
    E Class fit and finish is nice but it pales to the Lexus LS430 and GS 430 I've seen. LS430 has the highest tolerances in the industry for panel gap and fit and finish. Very few cars can top the Lexus in this department. Panel gaps were noticeably wider in the E320 that I drove than the the competitors from Japan.
    I'm willing to bet the next E will probably be decontented as the S class was. The "new" Mercedes is all about increasing market share and pleasing the shareholders short term profit typical of the Big 3 mindset.
    Sadly, the days of the over-engineered Benz are probably gone. This and the advent of Lexus has really put pressure on Mercedes to change and unforunately something has to give.
  • mbdrivermbdriver Member Posts: 426
    I'm wondering what you're doing posting here in the MB forum -- perhaps you're lost while searching for the Lexus forums! But seriously, while acknowledging "to each his own" and "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" (I can't think of any additional trite sayings), it seems to me that you may be judging the E-Class a bit harshly.

    I'm absolutely delighted with everything about my 2000 E320 and couldn't care less about how wide the panel gaps are compared with a Lexus or Rolls or anything else. Fact is, the car drives and handles like a dream, is solid as the proverbial bank vault and arguably is the most visually appealing car on the road. And I believe, like most other E-Class owners, that the quality of the build and materials is superb.

    Moreover, I'm slightly taken aback that dkatlanta finds that his E320 "wanders" at 50-70 mph and that the suspension has "a bit of wallowing." I upgraded my wheels and tires to 17" with Yokohama AVS dBs and found the handling to be even more superb than before. I have never noticed any wandering at any speed, and the suspension, IMHO, couldn't be better.

    However, the link in valueguy's post (# 2304) has a series of articles that raises concern about MB engineering and build quality. As he mentions, we'll have to wait and see what the new E-Class is like. But meanwhile, most MB owners I know and the majority of those who post here in the E-Class forum are quite pleased with their cars. Lets all hope that MB doesn't actually sacrifice its reputation for engineering and quality for the sake of increased market share.
  • w210w210 Member Posts: 188
    I find the E-Class fit and finish far better than Lexus. I'm talking about not just the cosmetics of the gap between two pieces of sheet metal but the overall lack of squeaks and rattles, durability of the pieces, etc.

    I have heard too many problems on the LS and GS message boards about the various noises Lexus owners have to try to sort out with their dealers often without luck (sunroof noise on the GS and the LS rear suspension creak requiring welding come to mind). If you close the trunk lid of a GS with a spoiler you'll hear the rattling and understand what I mean. Definitely not at par with MB or BMW.

    On the 2001 LS430 I test drove, the sports button had disappeared into the dash behind the wood panel and a few interior pieces were already loose not having the precise feel. The leather never smelled new or look durable but that's a minor complaint.

    Many of my Lexus friends are disappointed with the lack of built-in phone system in their GS & LS. Clearly, MB had invested more research and development in this area which pays off.

    While the Lexus cars do have the best stereo and GPS system in the market, their driving dynamics cannot be compared to BMW, MB, Audi or even VW in my opinion. Not only is the Lexus handling too "floaty", the electronic enhancements are not as sophisticated with the traction control kicking in too early and yet not having the precision to deal with performance oriented driving. (Try hard acceleration in a corner on wet surfaces between a MB and Lexus and you'll know what I mean. Porsche and Corvette's system is best in this area.)

    I think MB are still great cars, nowadays with sophisticated electronics in a car, one must learn to look beyond the the leather, plastic pieces and wood dash.
  • e320be320b Member Posts: 2
    I just completed 10K miles on my 2000 E320.
    I have been putting 92 octane gas in my car.
    Thinking of putting 87 octane gas, any suggestion ?

    Thanks,
  • valueguyvalueguy Member Posts: 208
    Look Lexus builds good cars. However, their designs have a heavy M-B influence at best.
    At worst, they are outright copies.

    Second, the steel that Lexus uses seems inferior to M-B. The M-B drives and feels like a vault.
    The Lexus GS 430 drives like a Toyota more than a BMW. Lexus needs to get the GS430 to drive and feel more like a German car.

    IMHO, the best we can hope for from Lexus in 2003 is that they copy the design of the current E Class, copy the BMW 540i's handling and steering and maintain Toyota (Lexus) quality. Also, Lexus needs a voice activated hands-free phone. This would be a Toyota/Lexus I might buy.
  • mbman1mbman1 Member Posts: 35
    After driving the S500 I do believe it is the best all around car in the world. I have seen no real evidence that Mercedes is loosing its edge. I've viewed the supposed downfall of MB quality on MBSPY and must say it's a weak argument. For instance, Audi has a chrome handle in the trunk while the Mercedes is plastic, just shoot me now! Personally, I put a lot of "stuff" in the trunk in my E320 and appreciate the plastic setup. It's cheap to replace, actually I can go ahead and replace the whole bottom piece for a reasonable price. What would it cost to replace the nice chrome piece in the Audi? Rest assured you'll eventually have to. Many of the places Mercedes is using plastic pieces will eventually have to be replaced regardless of material used, thus making it cheaper for MB owners, imagine that! Car companies are using fancy chrome pieces and hinges here and there and then claiming that they build the quality car, not Mercedes. It truly is pathetic when a car company has to resort to these tactics. The bottom line is that no other car I have driven on the road drives like a Mercedes Benz, this still holds true today.

    My sister and aunt each own a 1998 C230, the cars have been to the dealer a total of 3 times for service only, thats once a year! Show me better quality.

    My brother drove a 1997 Lexus ES300, prior to turning it in he told me that he just hopes this thing makes it to the end of its lease, it needed so much work he didn't want to think about it, even though it was still under warranty. He purchased another and will be turning it in shortly, again he has said that they are wonderful cars which are extremely reliable but they start to feel old very quickly. Don't get me wrong, Lexus quality is one of if not the best in the industry, but their cars get old like everyone elses.

    As for the ML, yes its quality was/is questionable at best. I am an American and it sadens me that the first MB made here has such poor quality, the same can be said for certain BMW's made in the states. So to those who question MB quality, I agree with you in regards to the A and ML classes, but in regards to everything else I strongly disagree.
  • sfmbsfmb Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a black 2001 Wagon. The car is great. The dealer was trying to sell a paint sealant/interior treatment for $799. My regular detailer says he can permaplate the interior and exterior for about 1/3rd of that cost. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated on whether these treatments are even worth it and whether the less expensive permaplate treatment is a good option.
  • retiredjeffretiredjeff Member Posts: 33
    Fuggedaboutit!! That's a complete and total waste of money. Permaplate -- never heard that before. Go buy Zaino, apply it as called for and you won't regret it. See how easy it is to save $800, or even $250. Geez, for $250 you can stay supplied with Zaino products for several years.

    Of course, IMHO - Jeff
  • gadomgadom Member Posts: 16
    The gas cap cover (2001 E320) indicates the recommended tire inflation pressure is 27 psi. Given the recent problems with tire separation on suvs (in part apparently due to low tire pressure), should I be concerned about running tires at this psi?
  • mbman1mbman1 Member Posts: 35
    Permaplate is a polish for the exterior of the vehicle. Beverly Hills Mercedes uses it to detail all of their cars prior to delivery. If you really want it you can buy it online. As for any treatment to the interior of the car, it's a waste of time and money.
  • swimmomswimmom Member Posts: 23
    The problem we had was actually trying to mount the unit. We simply couldn't get anything to line up (the brackets provided by becker, the extra brackets that continental imports sent along and the actual changer itself). We didn't even get far enough into it to attempt the wiring. So you never actually mounted anything, you set the changer unit in the "cage" (for lack of a better term) surrounded by styrofoam?? Your ingenuity is to be admired - my husband said a few unmentionables and then deemed it impossible to install!! I did check with claire parts re the unit and they want over $900. For that price I would pay my local dealer and forget about the self install.
  • bargamonbargamon Member Posts: 302
    I have read here that tinting in the E gets scratched because of the tight rubber seals.

    I called a tinting place of good reputation and asked if they have any product that solves that problem. There response was that the seal is removed and not replaced. And I would not notice an increase of sound nor mosture build up.

    I am not in the know how critical this seal is and how it works. If any can comment to this I and perhaps others may find this useful.

    Obviously I don't want to alter the fine tolerence and build quality of the car, but want the windows done if can be done.

    Lexus vs benz and build quality.

    I do think that some past models were over engineered and thus cost alot to repair. The previous S class was way over done. In general, the sum of the parts is how I would evaluate. The new E class should offer more in some areas, but perhaps insignificant trim pieces may not be as well done.

    I remember Toyota over did their cars years ago. They offered the sound deadning steel used on the first lexus on the corolla. The corolla was a great small car, but over priced. The new s class priceing actually went down vs the old model.

    I tend to compare not the E class to the LS lexus but the GS. The Benz is priced higher for reasons we all know. For those looking for high cache value for the buck, there are others makes and models priced well below the E class.

    The GS lexus has a spoiler on its trunk just like the ones they put on the Celica. I think it looks great on the celica, and accords, and civics, etc.

    Stereos on some cars are better than The E class. Not a major deciding point.

    I recently ran into an old friend who recently purchased a 4 year old E class. I remarked that the old '84 finally Died? No, they were t-boned in a bad accident, and was very adament that they owe their lives to the structural integrity of the car. NoW I don't know all the facts here as I did not see the totaled car, or the details, but when they had to get another car, they could not afford a new Benz, but they were going to drive one never the less.

    I think we often miss the safety aspect here.
  • htohto Member Posts: 21
    According to the consumer report, Lexus leads the pack with its reliability. If we take a look at the most problems on the MB is the electrical section. I think Lexus may have a tighter electronic component picking. But, it's just that.

    MB and BMW had better technologies, the ESP program on MB is more sophisticated than Lexus. Next model year for MB and BMW would include 6 speed automatic gear box. Lexus, Infinity just started with 5 speed automatic transmission.

    Look at the inside of the trunk, you can see the different in the workmanship between the MB and Lexus - MB is clearly the winner. Remove the rear seat and take a look - MB is the winner. Japanese car used the cheap material where you cannot see. It's the way for them to cut cost. It's the reason why after a few years on the road, the Japanese cars started to loose the integrity. On the other hand, MB is still solid like a rock even you have to bring into the shop because the electrical problem.

    The bottom line is what you pay what you get. Lexus, Infinity are not stupid to sell a car with more superior than the others with much cheaper price.
  • kappiah2kappiah2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a warning that the brake lining is wearing out. It says to visit the workshop. I have a 2000 E430 sedan with 16,669 miles. Is this normal?
  • mbdrivermbdriver Member Posts: 426
    e320b -- With a $50,000 car, why would you want to save a few pennies with 87 octane fuel for every fill up?!? Stick to the highest octane and you won't void your warranty or develop other problems. The owners manual doesn't offer a choice -- and MB engineers aren't dumb.

    sfmb -- retiredjeff got it right. Go to www.zainobros.com and save yourself a bundle while enjoying the best car care product on the market. Zaino is easy to use, less work to apply and provides the best protection for your finish. Best of all, it's more durable than anything I've tried in years and years of detailing my automobiles.
  • cmayercmayer Member Posts: 38
    You may need new brake pads if you do a lot of stop and go driving or you take advantage of the quickness of your 430 by making it do quick stops, also. In my 20 years of Benz ownership, I've gone thru many, many pads. They're much cheaper than new rotors.

    FYI, I got about 32-33k on the initial pads on my '98 E300. Mostly stop and go city driving, although I try not to drive aggressively.

    The old joke about the "other" car is that it doesn't go like my Mercedes. That's a good thing because it doesn't stop like my Mercedes, either.
  • fred132fred132 Member Posts: 22
    At the end of this month, I will celebrate the 1 year anniversary of purchasing my 2001 E320. So far, it has performed flawlessly.

    I understand that I have one year from original purchase date to buy an extended warranty.

    My questions - Is the price of this additional year negotiable, or should I expect to pay a standard price? Also, is there any reason I can't buy the warranty from a different dealer from where I originally got the car?
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I had an Alpine installed in my 96 E320 (non-optical cable) last year by the folks that do all the installations for my dealer. They charged me only $300.. Because the dealer wasn't involved..
    It has NEVER skipped no matter how hard a bump in the road..
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    Yes, the seats are firm to some, but I discovered years ago that for long trips and for aggressive driving, that's what you want. Then again, maybe I've got to much padding on the backside of me...! However, I have and continue to complain about the lack of an ADJUSTABLE lumber support in a car of this price range. I've owned many much more lowly cars that had adjustable lumber supports.. Come on MB, get with it...

    Re: the leather, etc.. My sister-in-law has an equivalent BMW. The drivers seat in her car needs to be re-upholstered BAD..! The drivers seat in my MB hardly shows any wear at all.
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    And then there is the warranty stuff. My 96 E was bought as a Starmark car. Good thing because last year at 63K miles it needed new bushings on the sway bars and steering links. Would have cost me $1000 ... I know that because they tried to charge me that before pointed out to them that it was a Starmark car. Then it was free..! My warranty runs out in a few weeks and I'm actively shopping for an aftermarket warranty. Anyone had any good or bad experiences with certain companies?
  • mbdrivermbdriver Member Posts: 426
    fred132 - Don't buy the MB warranty at full price! It's negotiable, although many dealers won't budge (including mine in the D.C. area). I got mine last April for my 2000 E320 for $1680, thanks to the great people on this forum. It's The Mercedes Care Premium coverage for an additional 48 months or additional 50,000 miles.

    Contact Lisa Lehrbaum, Finance manager at Courtesy Motors Auto Center, Chico, CA.
    Phone: 1-800-655-3535 or 530-893-1300. Fax 530-893-1131 Email lehrbaum@dcsi.net

    MB may have raised the price since I bought , but you won't find a better deal anywhere -- and it's a pleasure to deal with Lisa!

    LOL, and let us know how you made out.
  • vs4vs4 Member Posts: 70
    I visited the Owners section on MBUSA website and it is telling me that my car is due for service at 3750 miles. Currently my car has 3200 miles. My understanding was that the car will tell you when it needs service.

    Service A is the first service which you do on the car and usually it is not due until 10000 miles. So could someone please tell me if what is on the MBUSA website is wrong orthere is suppose to be a service done on E-class at 3750 miles which I am not aware of.

    I will appreciate all the prompt replies.

    Thanks,
    Victor
  • lenscaplenscap Member Posts: 854
    Don't know how you can back up what you said:

    "It's the reason why after a few years on the road, the Japanese cars started to loose the integrity."

    I have never heard of a Japanese car losing it's integrity. I know people that have had Japanese cars for 10+ years and 200,000+ miles. Your comment is just not true.

    Simply put, both Lexus and MB are good cars, and let everyone buy what he or she likes. Don't defend your purchase by bashing the competition.
  • kenyeekenyee Member Posts: 738
    FYI, Japanese cars are 2 for 2 in our family. My Acura Integra started rusting at the age of 6 yrs. Suspension was not as good after 3 yrs and I replaced 3 sets of shocks on it (kept it for 12 yrs...you should have seen the rust through...and the check engine light came on at 55mph...and it creaked horribly when it was hot out...and the A/C compressor developed a hole...and the shocks were dead again...and it rattled....and the tranny couldn't get into overdrive any more ;-)
    My brother's Camry is 7yrs old. The mirrors' and bumper paint are peeling off (neither part was in an accident). The brake light out dummy light keeps coming on even though his brake lights are fine. It rattles too. It definitely feels old.
    They may be reliable, but they sure don't hold up. Folks here have said old MBs still feel like new. I sure hope my ML will in 10yrs when I retire it...
  • fred132fred132 Member Posts: 22
    Thanks for the warranty tip!
    It's really interesting you bought your car in DC, but the warranty from a CA dealer....hmmm
  • fred132fred132 Member Posts: 22
    On the topic of old cars -- about a year ago I sold a '90 300SE with 120k miles. It had been wrecked a couple of times.
    Everyone who drove it marveled at how rock solid it was at high speed.
    Japanese cars have some great qualities, but MB engineering is second to none, IMHO.
  • bargamonbargamon Member Posts: 302
    If the seat is right, it does not need lumbar adjustment.

    For those that do, they offer multi countour seats.

    I have owned toyotas, many hondas. Seats in my Old vw quantum was best of group.

    93 ls400 We had at 52k felt awful. Suspesion just lost its crisp. Engine was good, leather cracked. 91 legend just plan sucked after 20k.
    89 s-class lasted and looked new at 102k after 11 years. Great car, still is. These were the supposed golden years for these Japenese upstarts to undercut the german auto. They looked and felt great new, but did not hold up.

    My experience, my opinion and Im not bashing the other makes. They are all very good cars, and perhaps hold up well, except when compared to MB.

    And we still don't talk enough about safety. Lexus has great stereos, but I would not bet my life on it!
  • swimmomswimmom Member Posts: 23
    I just had a lovely conversation with Lisa at Courtesy Motors and as everyone has said she was a pleasure to deal with. She quoted me a price of just around $1700 for my 01 wagon. She also gave me an option for an extended warranty for my 99ML (we did not purchase a MB warranty within the required window.) Its a warranty offered by Daimler-Chrysler and allows purchase after the 1 year window. She quoted me around $1800 for an additional 3 years. I think its 7 years or 75,000 miles whichever comes first. The price is good and allows for repair at any MB dealer. One real positive vs many after market warranties we looked into was the review period of 30 days to read all the mice type. Sounds like as good a deal as I can get for an extended warranty for the ML.
  • fred132fred132 Member Posts: 22
    For some reason I can't read your profile, but I seem to recall you are in the Atlanta area.
    Ddi you price your extended warranty at the Atlanta dealers?
  • nkalinkali Member Posts: 3
    I bought my 95 E320 3yrs ago with 50K miles, I now have 90K on the clock and it still feels great, not a squeek or rattle, I thought about trading it in for a 01 E class and after driving it. I was dissapointed. First, the sales guy was an absolute moron and told me that my car was really not worth keeping on the lot as a trade and they would have to wholesale it, I asked him about the other 93-95 E's on the lot with 85-95K miles on them he had no answer. I asked him does he want to make a sale or not, after 30 seconds of more BS out of his mouth, I left. I went to another dealer and they were going to offer me 2 g's more than the first dealer I went to. Service at the dealer in southern calif has really gone down the toilet. Also it just did not have that solid benz feel that I have been used to for the last few years of drving it. I think I might keep my 95 till the wheels fall off (which might be a long time) who knows. One other thing I noticed, the sheetmetal on the newer body style are about 18 to 20 gauge steel as opposed to 16 gauge like the 95 and older. The paint looks great for being almost 7 years old. Anyone else out there with a 94-95 whos happy with it, yeah the new ones are cool looking too, but there's just somthing about the older ones they built.
  • dmac8dmac8 Member Posts: 54
    My car ownership experience includes 2 MB's. A 1979 240D, and a 1986 300D. At the same time I got the 86, I also purchased a 1986 Acura Legend.

    Most Japanese cars of the '70's and well through the 80's were much more rust prone than the MB products of even the early 70's. However, imho, MB products declined from the 79 I had, to the 86. I think todays MB's have declined even further.

    Part of this is attributable to the fact that volumes at MB have increased dramatically, and the Japanese have pressured them from a pricing standpoint. Consider the MB 6 cylinder engines. They are derivative of the v8's, purely for manufacturing economy. The in-line 6 could go for a very long time.

    Driving an MB at night and seeing the 3 pointed star atop the hood, is a very self satisfying experience, and MB prices this into the product.

    But as far as integrity of cars like Acura is concerned, I still own my 86 Legend, with 160,000 miles. The dealer where I go for service, regularly works on the same model, most with over 250,000 miles and the highest with just under 500,000.

    A friend has a 1987 300 E with the same miles as my Acura, but it has cost him $9,000 more in repairs to get to 150,000, never mind the original cost.

    Both cars however, are pretty good at 90mph on the freeway.
  • loubapacheloubapache Member Posts: 30
    nkali:

    Keep the W124!

    I used to have two W124's (now only one). My wife insisted on a W210 so I traded one W124 for the W210. In term of handling, the W210 cannot compare with the W124. The W124 handles much better, feels tighter, leans less in turns. The W210 is too soft for my taste. It feels like a Cadillac Deville. Some people have changed the stock shocks for heavy duty and sport shocks and said they feel better afterwards.

    The workmanship and material quality of the W210 cannot compare with what is in the W124. Just in this discussion alone, people have seen cracked dashes for 1 - 4 year old W210s.

    Another thing was a big surprise to me. The truck in the W210 (looks much bigger) is not as deep as the one in W124.

    Bo
  • dkatlantadkatlanta Member Posts: 23
    On September 5, I posted a message, asking everyone to sort out the various tire and suspension upgrades for my E320. I complained that my car was wallowing, among other things. mbdriver wrote that he couldn't understand why I would say that, as his car hadn't ever wallowed.

    By coincidence, I brought my car in for service the next day, complaining of a slight creaking noise from the right rear shock area. It had seemed so minor that I'd listened to it for months without bothering the dealer. Turned out to be a bad shock and, just like that, I've gotten back the marvelous road feel the car had when it was new. Talk about not putting two and two together!
  • wnielwniel Member Posts: 97
    You mentioned the very poor service that you get from a dealer in So. Calif. Would you mind mentioning what dealer that might be?
    Wally
  • htohto Member Posts: 21
    I apologize if I offended you. But, the car would run at 200K miles, it is the reliability not the integrity of the structure of the car. You want to understand what I was talking about? You go and test drive the car of its first year of a model and you drive the new last year car of the same model then you can tell how much different between an old one and a new one, on Japanese cars and German cars. It is the integrity. I owned more Japanese cars than German cars. Including, Toyota supra, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Camary, Lexus GS300, BMW 5 series. After 5 years, BMW was still holding up much better than the others, even I have to bring it to the shop for repair more than the Japanese cars. I'm currently having a Lexus LS430 and MB E320. The Lexus is amazingly quiet, it still performs flawlessly after 10K miles, no doubt about its reliability for over years. But, for daily driving, I still want to drive my MB for the reasons that we all knew.
  • nkalinkali Member Posts: 3
    I was referring to laguna niguel MB, I have had very good service from Caliber in Anahiem Hills, where do you have your cars serviced ?
  • pvrickpvrick Member Posts: 2
    Boy are the dealers in So Cal loaded with inventory of E 320's Most have at least 10-30 2001's and a lot full of 2002's.

    Just purchased a 2001 E 320 with e2 and k2 options for $ 8000 below sticker and $3400 below invoice.

    Most of the dealers I spoke with would do $2500-2900. No Desert Silvers' unless you want them loaded.

    Neat car. Will be interesting to compare to my S 320.
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