Schu Dog Nite

Since my CPO warrantee expired last month Ive been laboring over the idea of trading my 04 545 in for something with a CPO warrantee. Seems I really cant afford anything as capable/fast/nice/well equipt as my 545 from BMW I checked into Mercedes. Found a E350 4 matic sport with 32k on it for 31k. I value the forums opinions and its diversity. Any thoughts of performance comparison, ride, ect. Ive never owned a MB and also considered a 2007 Audi S4. My last option is drop $1800 for a two year 20k extended warrantee. My car has 52k on it and was told if its under 60k Im still eligible. After my "coolant" deal ive started to get worried about the ol E60. Lay it on me folks if ya got a few.

healthservices

If it was not a 4matic I'd think about it but with 4matic I think it will be a pig that will have gas mileage in the high teens to low twenties if you are lucky.

goodman

I also have a 545i sport that is out of warranty. Rather than get a E350 CPO, I would buy a brand new Hyundai with a 5/60k car and 10/100k powertrain warranty.

xenonrider

the E350's are nice, solid, cars. my girlfriend had one a couple of years back and it is comfortable and very enjoyable to drive at moderate speeds. it's something i would not hesitate recommending to others. won't handle like the BMW or have the power of the 545 though. but should have less issues than a BMW.

no experience with the 4-matic, but the 2WD gets great fuel ecomony.

br31

I strongly considered the 350. Only thing is can you live with a new model already out? I know that the new 5 is out, but it hasn't been as long at the E class. However, the one I considered was really comfortable and felt a lot like a cockpit from the drivers perspective. Audi's are nice cars and it may feel more familiar with a V8 under the hood, plus you get the quattro only thing is it looks like an Audi There were so many different styles between 2001 and 2010, total identity crisis. But if you're biggest problem is picking between a bimmer, benz or an audi consider yourself lucky! Bought my wife's car from carmax, they offer an extended warranty on their cars (50K or 5 years I think) and you can take it to the dealer for repairs for $75 instead of the $25 you'd pay by taking it to carmax. Just another option.

matthewlfd

When I was car shopping for a larger luxury sport sedan (moving up from my E46), I too was looking at the E500/550 W211s. The facelift ones look way better IMHO, so that's what I was after. I've always been a BMW guy, so I figured I'd expand my horizons and see what I was missing.

I first test drove a E550 4-matic with 30k on it and was severly disappointed. The car didn't seem to have much power at all for a V8. Also for some stupid reason, MB put the cruise control stalk right where you would think the turn signal was. I'm sure I'd probably get used to it, but it really bothered me. Also, all the climate controls were above the nav screen. Probably only bothered me since I'm weird/picky. Other than that, I did like the interior layout better than the E60. Looked a bit more plush. I thought the seats were very comfortable (heated/cooled) and the active support & massage features were pretty cool. I didn't like that most of the ones I found didn't have HID headlights. Kind of stupid for a car of that class to not offer as standard. The brake system was very tricky to get smooth. They had a new brake system that had some kind of assist that felt way overdone. It would take time to adjust to that. The exterior (facelift) I thought stood out more than the E60 and looked very classy. If I recall, they W211 also had an exhaust pipe on each side; something I think the V8 definately should have gotten.

After my highway crusing, I put the car into a 25mph highway off-ramp turn and that ended the test drive for me. The thing felt like a complete boat. I tried all the settings on the air ride suspension and the car just felt huge. I got out of the car wondering what all the hype about MB was. My next two test drives were RWD versions with around 40-50k mileage wise. Finally I felt some power! Sadly, they also felt huge, and nowhere near as tight as my E46 or E60. I began questioning weather I really wanted a larger car because of this until I drove the E60.

I guess if I wasn't going to put it into any decent turns or expect much cornering power out of a car, my take would be different as it was quite comfortable on the highway and easily swallowed up potholes and bumps better than my E60.

I'd definately hit up some of the MB boards to see some of their issues. When I looked, the air-ride suspension, certain model year radiator/trans cooler leaks (leading to a glycol contaminated transmission), and the SBC Brake unit were the biggest trouble points. Other than the usual electroic issues that seem to plague all high end German cars.

Just my take on it as I tried to approach both cars from a neutral standpoint. For sure test drive a few and see what you think since your opinion may be completely different than any of us.

Schu Dog Nite

Matt very insightful! Big thanks,,im gonna re up my warranty and keep it. Seems its too much car for the money I owe on it and nothing I can afford can touch its options/power/handling and looks. AND this kick as forum. Cheers all and have a safe weekend

pennetta

Best choice. The MB E350 doesn't compare well to the power of the 545.
You're correct about the location of the directional stalk, had to get used to it.

toyota2bmw

Good decision. Mine is almost at 70k now. No real problem to speak of other than a few preventive maintenance items. Every time, I replace a worn part, it's like I am driving a new car. I would never give up my E60 for an E350. Not even for an E550. My brother in law had an E550 on a 33 month lease and he couldn't wait to get rid of it after he drove my 3 year old 545i.

pjinca

LOL I am looking at E350's right now, time to get the wife a new car. Since it's for her not me and it gets good gas mileage and has a larger rear seat than my E60 (kids need to be driven around) it seems a perfect choice for her. Also, we will definitely be getting an extended warranty