mcbc220

Bumping this thread because it's pretty relevant to me and would rather not start a new one.

I'm looking at either a new C or a 2014 E. I have test driven the C and still haven't had time to get back to the dealership for the E. C was a lot of fun to drive but a little lightweight and not exactly Benz-y. I've driven the W211 and that felt numb, disconnected and boat like. Comfortable and solid and extremely confidence inspiring in the classic Mercedes way, but a little too soft and detached for my taste. I'll need this car for driving in downtown DC, so I'm a little worried about the size of the E, and I'm just under 30 and not quite ready for a car that completely trades comfort for fun to drive, but I've grown up with heavy Benzes and love them. I'm still driving a C220 I bought for 4K in college and enjoy the small size and balance between heaviness and tossability, but it's slow and getting too old to be a DD. Things are breaking one after the other this year.

So, from people who actually OWN an E (since even a test drive will be on a 1 mile loop of city streets and straight line freeway that's always crowded), is this a car that fits what I've described I'm looking for, as far as maneuverability/size and fun to drive go? I'm so confused; some threads or reviews say the E350 has great handling, others say it has a ton of body roll and is best kept to sedate cruising, where it shines.

jonUF02

I don't have much experience in the C class, but I love my E550 sedan. It's not the most nimble car, but it is an absolute pleasure to drive and packs tons of power. A comfortable ride in the city, and a perfect highway cruise missile. It never feels too big or bulky for me. I think the 4matic really helps with handling over RWD models, and I would consider it a necessity in any climate with snow. If you heavily value performance over comfort and luxuries, then the C may be your choice, or possibly a BMW. I think it's highly personal, some think the W212 with sport trim is rough, some think it's too soft, for me it's a perfect balance. I had to move to a sedan due to a new baby, and my previous car was a CLK430 which is more E class than C class, I like the bigger bodies and consider them more of a true Mercedes than a C class.

jjsaustin

I also picked up a very similar car with panorama roof and CPO with 14k miles for $35.5. It is less than 2 yrs old.

jonUF02

Also, I would go for the used E, because buying a new MB is silly unless you intended to keep it until the wheels fall off. They loose 50-75% of their value in the first few years. I bought a car with original sticker around $70K for $25K when it was 3 years old. Everyone thinks I have secret family money or something.

thefisch

I would drive the C and E back to back so you can appreciate the differences almost immediately. Also, not sure how long you keep cars, but in 4 or 5 years you may be glad you went with more comfort.

mcbc220

I do keep them 5 years or more if they're good. E seems like it would be a more rewarding car in the long term.

Does the sport suspension really make much difference as far as handling goes? Lots of threads seem to suggest it's more an appearance package and/or that the car rides rougher without an appreciable improvement in how it handles.

TSchuettinger

I think it will too. The 2010-2016 e class has been rewarded with a Consumer Report "good bet".

TYUS

-BUMP...

Holtgraver

I have a 2014 E350. Safety options are better than 2013. Has a CD player and spare tire (unlike new ones).

Bought it new and have not had a single problem.

Mercedes E class has a much lower death rate than C class or Accord.
https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/driver-death-rates

Power is sufficient and interior is great.

Groganm@live.co

I have the 2014 E 350 wagon with 65k miles. The perfect car for me with only one warranty claim. I will buy another one when I get to 100k miles. Even the same color.

fganter

Curious as to why you would buy (replace?) at 100K miles. Shouldn't we expect at least 200K from an E350?

I am actually asking - How many miles should we expect from an E350?

fganter

You are bumping, because you are considering buying a 2014 and you are looking for more recent feedback?

Groganm@live.co

I frequently take long trips during the Summer and it's a hassle when things break. My last two cars were BMW's and they never went longer than six months without breaking. I have no doubt that my E350 wagon will last a very long time with excellent reliability but then again a new car is something to look forward to.

David Lavoie

If you consider dropping $900 for an oil change fun, by all means get the E350. I've owned both a 2011 E350 and a 2014 E350 Wagon . Generally they were pretty reliable, but just know that even routine maintenance and minor issues are incredibly expensive. Ultimately sold the 2011 as new shocks and struts were going to cost $4000. Yes, the interior and ride quality are superior to the Accord, but the Accord is also quite nice. I'd think hard before selling the Accord, which is one of the highest quality production vehicles in existence. If you want a fun , reliable, and relatively affordable luxury vehicle, I'd strongly consider the Lexus GS350 which has a build quality on par with the Accord.

Holtgraver

I have a 2014 E350 4Matic. Love it and plan to keep it 10-15 years. Bought it new along with 2 years of maintenance. Maintenance is really not that bad. Here is actual data to 2019 and projected costs for next 3 years.

2017 $ 274.00 A service plus Inspect

2018 $ 551.00 B service (Brake Fluid change, Wipers, Air and Combo Filter)

2019 $ 105.93 NAV (GPS maps) update

2019 $ 1,199.09 Tires (Bad flat and decided to replace all 4)

2019 $ 284.00 A service plus Inspect

2020 $ 551.00 B service Brake Fluid change, Wipers, Air and Combo Filter

2021 $ 1,084.00 A service plus inspect plus Spark Plugs

2022 $ 561.00 B service Brake Fluid change, Wipers, Air and Combo Filter

LILBENZ230

What the hell is going on in this thread.

David Lavoie - this thread is 4 years old. No need to search it out and post insane things in it - like that oil changes cost $900 on an E350.

Holtgraver - that's a big fail on that image.

El Cid

Any German/European car is expensive to maintain, other than VW maybe. The C will cost just as much to service as the E. The oil change in S.C. will cost you about $300. But the next service will cost you about $500 and then the fourth will cost about $1,000, especially on a previously owned model. An independent will cost less, but not a whole lot.
Another factor is insurance companies charge more to insure an M-B just because it costs more to repair them than Asian or American cars.
As for reliability, all M-B's are mediocre on reliability. The E class was good in 2011-1013, but then fell off. C class has always been low on reliability.
If I were you, I would keep the Honda and put money away for a couple of years and then maybe consider a German car.
If you get a European car, you will enjoy it, but your bank account will really miss the Honda Accord.
I have an E, but also a Toyota and a Nissan. The expenses for the Nissan and Toyota are about 25% of those for the E.

jonUF02

If you only want the V6 you're better off buying a loaded Accord or Camry.

$27K is a lot for a 2012-2014. I think you might find a much newer one including CPO for that.

I've had a search set for years to find the holy grail 2014 E550 with low miles, under $30k, they do come up from time to time. You can get that with the incredible V8 power under your price.

If you don't know how to change your own oil and brakes, the basics, yes, the dealer maintenance bills will kill you. I do my own oil once a year, it costs me $80 including a dealer filter. You will need a decent independent MB or German shop to do the larger routine things like trans service and spark plugs. Local shops charge half the dealer prices.

AVOID AVOID AVOID airmatic suspension unless you have a couple of grand set aside in your piggy bank to fix it when it fails.

Holtgraver

Tried to copy paste and it blew up. (from Excel)

DFWdude

This thread is so old, Benz9 has probably bought 2 cars since 2016.
Let's please think before resurrecting these old threads that are no longer relevant.