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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedans

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#3945 of 6709 My 2C on the New E by livetodrive Sep 21, 2002 (6:38 pm)
I took a drive to my dealer today to check out the new E. I received a backhanded compliment when one of the salesmen tried to unlock my '01 E430 4Matic and give it to customer for a test drive! Both my wife's and my first impressions were that the new E is smaller outside than the previous version. We lined up both cars, and sure enough, the new E was longer by a nose. I think it's the curved rear pillar that evokes that illusion. The rear pillar and tail lights clearly resemble the C and S classes. The car does look handsome, but somehow, it doesn't strike me as an awesome and unique design the way the BMW 3 Series looks (to me anyway). I really like the new wheels, especially the 17 in. wheels on the E500. The front retains a strong link to the previous E class, yet manages to look more modern. The only element I didn't care for in front was the egg-crate looking grill, as the vertical slats are now chromed. I think the slats are blacked out in the Sports Package. Inside, the dash and interior look updated. I didn't mind the chrome strip, but my wife thought it didn't belong with wood and leather. The seats are comfortable and nice, but are missing the piping around the edges that we have. The leather was also decontented, as full leather is now an option. Some pet peeves are still there: no sensitivity adjustment on the rain sensing wipers, lack of radio station names on the display, and no underhood light. Although I don't mind a dial for the automatic temperature setting, the setpoint can only be set in 2 deg. increments, instead of 1 deg. as the W210 has. On the other hand, the car has a locking gas cap. I didn't check out the sound system. It appears the gas tank was moved away from behind the back seat, creating a huge trunk. We took an E500 with 500 miles on it for a 10 min. test drive. It immediately felt even tighter than mine. I drove it hard around a turn, enough to slightly squeal those massive 17 in. tires. The Airmatic suspension kept the car level and in full control. I tried the same turn later in my '01. It handled just fine, but leaned somewhat. The Sensotronic brakes were unobtrusive. They worked fine and didn't interfere with normal braking. I tried the soft stop feature, but didn't notice any difference from my car. On the local streets I didn't notice the 27 added horsepower over my E-430. It did, however, feel powerful and very responsive. The saleman indicated MB will be accepting 4Matic orders next April. My overall impression was that the new E Class is a winner! The Airmatic suspension and Sensotronic brakes more than compensate for some of the features missing in my car. I would also consider the Distronic speed control, even with its $3,000 price tag (and yes, I have a pilot's license, but less than 100 hr. compared to mbdriver's 6,000+).
#3946 of 6709 EMOTION Texas Motor Speedway by dl7265 Sep 22, 2002 (8:12 pm)
Well, i attended the event this morning suprised how many showed up at the early showing on a Sunday morning.   The cars: round is in, dials, gages, seat memory, headlights, ect....   The drive: the start person said "drive as hard as you want " in the E500, but after some tire squeal one person got their armband cut off promptly, o well...   The Guest: everage age 65 , and women and childen, imo would be better served going to a dealer test drive than a driving event...not exactally like the BMW ultimate challenge thats for sure.   Guest comments : "this drives better than my volvo " " that 320 is more power than anyone needs"   My thoughts : VDO gages very nice, however the clock is slightly bigger than the tack, tells you what this car was really designed for.   brakes very progessive and steering was solid, for a 3800 lb car , handeled very nicely. An extra 8k for the E500, hard decision, i would skip the 500 test drive and no know what i was missing ... That pam roof is pretty cool, everyone loved it.   What id skip: Airmatic, dont know how long it last but id just prefer springs myself.   Keyless go: again neat feature but seems like could be troublesome.   distronic: take a cab or a nap, im more aware of my driving to need that...   cool stuff: Pam roof every one loved it.   fold flat front passenget seat.   thats all for now, DL
#3947 of 6709 franman23.. by mall610 Sep 22, 2002 (10:18 pm)
I have a E500 on order and have the CD Changer ordered also. Did you get warning that the CD changer would not be supplied? I hope they did not just ship your car and then tell you to take it or leave it after waiting since July to get it.   I would be very, very, unhappy if they ship my new E500 without my ordered equipment. I only put in a factory order so that I would get the car as I wanted it.   I did not order the sports package since I do not care for the black birdseye maple wood trim. I prefer the walnut look. The sports package is great on the E320.
#3948 of 6709 Need feedback on Michelin MXV4 by maui19 Sep 23, 2002 (1:57 am)
I recently got an E320 4Matic that came with Michelin Energy X MXV4 tires. I haven't been able to learn much about these tires and was wondering if anyone can give me some feedback on them. Specifically, I am wondering how these are in the snow, since I am considering getting some snow tires for the winter.   Thanks.
#3949 of 6709 German anti-US attitude by rayberg7 Sep 23, 2002 (8:23 am)
I had planned to buy another E-320 to replace the 2000 E320 I bought in the fall of 1999. But in the news this morning, it appears that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder won re-election by promoting anti-US feeling.   The US consumer needs to take a little butter off their bread. I have decided to keep what I have for another year or two. If US orders for German cars fell by 50 percent for a few months, maybe Schroeder might realize that he needs more than the Green party to get the German economy going. Ray Berg
#3950 of 6709 by magnetophone Sep 23, 2002 (8:27 am)
I simply don't know how you can equate the two. Gerhard Schroeder has a right to express his opinion. Doesn't change the fact that 80% of Germans don't want to help in bombing Iraq. Doesn't make them anti-US either. Just because they don't want to participate in our made up wars doesn't mean they hate us. We'll continue to buy German cars in record numbers.
#3951 of 6709 Germany...changed attitude by mall610 Sep 23, 2002 (9:21 am)
I just returned from a 6 month holiday in Europe with much of it in Germany and France. There actually is a anti-American attitude just below the surface in many conversations. A member of Schroeder's cabinet just compared the President of the United States with Hitler, then denied it, then made a non apology. I have always thought highly of Germany but came back a little troubled. I am not Jewish but was amazed at the widespread open anti Jewish sentiment in todays Germany. Heard several times that all American policy is driven by the Jewish lobby. Seemed to be aimed at Clinton as well as Bush. Don't think I will cancel my order because I am selfish but am not very happy with what I just experienced. Other countries do not have to like us I guess but then we do not have to support them either.
#3952 of 6709 by magnetophone Sep 23, 2002 (9:54 am)
Well, Germany is a vast and can be surprisingly diverse. There are many backwoods people in Germany, as there are in America. Sadly, any large society seems capable of hysteria and discrimination. Let's not forget we interned the japanese during World War II.   You will find a lot of people in rural or the southern US who are anti-Black, anti-Semitic, think that the government is evil, that Catholics are evil, etc. etc.   With this in mind, I don't use their ideology and viewpoint as representative of how America is like.
#3954 of 6709 94-95 vs. 96-97 E320's reliability by jodar96 Sep 23, 2002 (4:14 pm)
Can some of you give me some feeback regarding E320's in those years. Which ones are the better ones? I know Germans make improvements under skin. like the old version 300 series were mostly improved by 94-95.   Were there teething problems with 96-97 E-320's. there are some good buys on E-bay on E320's. There was a 96 with 93K miles, the guy was willing to sell the car for $15,500.   What kind of trouble area should I look for, while examining one of these? Someone said balljoint on these cost $1500. It is hard to believe people pay that kind of money for repairs at MB dealers.   Thanks,

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