BBowles

I had the good fortune of getting the offer I couldn't refuse and was able to retire a couple of years early from my job of 30 years. My children have good jobs and are financially secure so I don't mind squandering part of their inheritance

I've had 3 other Benz: '96 c220, '04 c240, '08 e350. The c220 I bought from a relative, the c240 new and the '08 was a CPO from an out of state dealer. The only one I test drove was the '96.

I live in the Midwest so there were/are not a lot of E550 coupes to test drive. But based on what I read on this and other forums plus my trust in the brand based on previous experience I went for it.

Here's my take on the '12 E550......

Like no other car I've ever owned....it's a rocket. I had a souped up '65 Mustang with a 289 when I was a kid but it wasn't even close to this.

I always felt like the '96 c220 had a "tank-likeness" about it. The E550 feels the same way but in a refined sense. My wife and I joke we feel like we are in a luxurious space capsule.

I wasn't certain if I'd like a coupe but I really do...especially when it's just the wife and I.

Although I really liked the'08 e350 honestly in my mind this E550 is a much better ride. I expected the E550 to be different but wow it is night and day.

I mentioned in another thread that I got this CPO 2012 E550 for $39k plus TTL which I think was a great deal. If you are in the market I highly suggest you take advantage of the current Mercedes deal.

So the next time you are out on the highway and you see an old geezer in a Winnebago I can guarantee it won't be me....I'll be the old geezer trying to talk the cop out of a speeding ticket.

amgboyw204

I like to reading stuff like this !!! Congrats on ur e550 u got a really good deal # Mbz forever

hillcreative

Congratulations... it's a magnificent car! BTW keep it away from that automated car wash : )

Dsurr

Mine is almost identical to yours. They are very hard to find actually. You got a very good deal on that one! How many miles were on it when you purchased?

BenzMan369

Congratulations - the 550 is truly a beast.

My wife and I joke we feel like we are in a luxurious space capsule.
Hah! That's a coincidence. The first time mine sat in our 350C she christened it "The Lunar Lander," for much the same reason. There is definitely a NASA-like feeling to the experience - but with more reliability! Of course, yours comes with booster rockets.

Trust me - you aren't the only "geezer" out there driving one of these cars. Around my area, I see mostly "mature" men driving the coupes, and younger women driving the cabriolets. Which may say something about where the money comes from to buy these luxos.

Enjoy your new ride. Every thousand miles will take a year off your age. Or so it will feel.

BBowles

23k miles. Here's the original sticker for comparison...

sinape62

The E class coupe is so sexy to look at. Mine was a black E350 coupe, but since traded it in for a white C63. Going back to my E350 coupe, I got it when I traded my Range Rover... Had I known there was E550 I would have gotten it instead of the E350...(yep, I was living in a cave and had no idea...).

In my opinion the E550 coupe is has a better profile than the C63... I like that pontoon bulges at the rear wheel well.

I was looking for more HP so I explored trading it to the dealer I bought my E350 (2012) from. They offer a E550 but they also had a black C63 P31 on the showroom, damn thing caught my eye big time! Just to feel them out, I told them I would be interested in switching to a smaller car in this case only but the deal had to be right... Of course if it didn't pan out, I would have defaulted to the E550 coupe.

Spent a week back and forth over the phone and email, and they cut me a deal on a C63 (2013). No money down. Traded my 2012 E350. Got the C63 out the door for $48k.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but some people asked why I switched.

The E class coupes are so eye catching. They turn heads. I don't get that many casual looks with my C63 because to the untrained eye, it's just a C.

I think most of you Eclass coupe owners love looking at your cars... When you park them and walk away you have to look, right? I know I did.

amgboyw204

Did u get any work done to ur c63 " I pass up the c63 for the 2012 e550 bt many ppl said that was crazy of me to Do but I dnt think so cause the 550 bt is a tuner car , a simple ecu tune transform it in to a super monster More hp an tq than a stock c63 (:

Dueclaws

+1

I'd say we're men of experience and knowledge with great taste in automobiles and women.

BenzMan369

How could I possibly disagree with such brilliant insightfulness!!

P.S.: I remember when my black E350 coupe looked as beautiful as yours does in the photo. It was about 57" of snow ago. Or so it seems.

Dueclaws

The weather has been miserable : that's for sure. Hope it clears soon so you can enjoy the E coupe!

BBowles

Well the snow has finally ended(at least for now) so I have had a chance to spend some time driving my E550. Here's a few other observations.....

1) I continue to be impressed with the comfort. My wife and I took a mini road trip and our conclusion was that the E550 is quieter and more comfortable than our '08 E350.

2) The doors are heavy and harder to reach than the ones on the E350. I know this is expected with a coupe but is taking a little getting used to.

3) The keyless go is great except I keep getting the keys out of my pocket.

4) Damn this thing is FAST. My favorite experience so far was when some kid in a bright yellow 'Vette challenged me at a stop light. I had great fun seeing his face at the next light after I handed him his ***. My guess is that he was not a very skilled at drag racing but nonetheless it was FUN and truly gave me a 40 year flashback to the last time I raced anyone .

All in all I couldn't he happier. Wife is happy as well and we all know what that means.

kingbolom

Congrats and a very nice ride!!!!

alzieboy

Love the car, you and the good Wife enjoy

Footnote, I retired in Sept 2013, bought my 6month old E350 Coupe in Oct 2013 . Love the drive and looks of the Coupe , not many 500s in the uk used car market, i can imagine what the drive in the 500 must be like, the E350 in sport mode is no slouch

atgd

CPO with 23K miles for $39K including P2 package. Damn, that is a great deal. Who is this generous dealer in PA and did they happen to have any other 2012/13 E550C on the lot? )

I am in the market for trading my CPO 2010 E550C for a 12/13 CPO model, and the best I have haggled for so far is $41K with 40K miles.

BBowles

Bud Smail MB in Greensburg, PA. They were great to work with the whole time. I actually paid $40,100 but with the $1200 from MB (first 2 payments) it worked out to be right at $39k. Car I bought was the owner's demo. It is absolutely flawless.Best car/deal I've ever made.

Don't know what they have now but talk to Stan the general manager. He's easy to deal with and won't waste your time.

BTW, as I mentioned before they paid to ship it in an enclosed carrier. I highly recommend these guys.