Rovel

Hello All,

I have purchased 2013 E550 (twin turbo) 4matic recently. The car is amazing. Lots of power and the exhaust sound is OK too.

I have been trying to spin tires on backroads or slow turns with no success (I had been only trying it after making sure there were no other road participants of course.)

I understand that this is a 4-wheel drive car and cannot be as fun as rear wheel drive AMG models. But I cannot believe that in order to have fun in a MB you should get AMG. It is the second most powerful E-Class in the end of the day.

Can you guys share some tips on how to make the car spin tires when taking off or go sideways on slow turns? Are burnouts or donuts even possible? Can I even accelerate from stop sign with a loud exhaust sound like Mazerrati owners do?

I am not looking for anything crazy that will kill the car or tranny of course. Just want to have some fun with my TT V8 engine.

Please share some tips: turning ESP off; putting the car in dyno mode; or what else?

Thanks.

The G Man

Try driving on ice

Rovel

Cannot wait for the snow

cocobeex

go in Dyno mode, there you go.......have fun

ItalianJoe1

Gonna require real effort in dyno mode, with the car being 4-matic. It's designed to maintain traction, not slide around.

Put some cheap tires on it, go play in the rain in dyno mode, and post pictures when you crash the car.

I'd do exhaust so it sounds good, and a tune/downpipes, and enjoy the 11 sec car that takes off super hard from a dig even on the street. I'm actually looking for an E550 coupe for just that reason, although they aren't available in 4-matic.

Peachy

This advanced driving course I took at a racetrack put a plastic tire cover thing on one of the rear wheels of their cars to induce oversteer so you could learn how to get out of a spinout, try to get one of those, lol.

Rovel

I hope I won't crash the car. But will give it a shot in dyno mode.

Also I couldn't understand your last paragraph about 11 sec car taking from a dig. Would you elaborate on that thought?

Thanks

Rovel

Nice, I am thinking about taking such a course too. Can't find one in MA area

Rovel

Also, do you folks think that taking the car to a race track in spring time is a good idea?

I mean how much stress does it put on car's engine, transmission, lifetime in general. The car currently has 30k on it and has a warranty for 3 years. But even with warranty I don't want to kill it if race tracks are for AMG type of cars only.

belarus27

as long as you dont go to race track everyday you should be good

Rovel

Thanks everyone for responds. Please share your driving style, how do you have fun in your MB, etc.

ItalianJoe1

The last line was, rather than worrying about drifting, use the AWD to your advantage and have fun with a car that is very fast from a stop. My 600 is a great car but it is traction limited until about 50mph. A properly setup 550 will beat me to 60mph every time due to the AWD. The launch is the best part.

blegthbloo

I'm also ready for the snow... since it's AWD, you can do donuts in a 4 parking spot square of space in the snow, and the handling capabilities of the AWD are pretty impressive overall. I turn off ESP, since the last few times I've had it on in the snow, I've had close calls with curbs when it decides to lock up all the wheels and slide, rather than keep spinning the wheels to maintain a forward momentum (and to think these were not because I was playing around and being stupid)... I find the ESP is too intrusive in the snow. All of this I did in my E350, however... I haven't had the E550 in the snow yet and I just got it tuned, so I have no idea how it handles in the snow. I'm sure being in MA you will get to find out sooner than me.

As for non-snow shenanigans, I agree with the above posts... enjoy the unlimited grip your car has and race from a stoplight all the grannies in Corollas to your heart's content. I do.

One more thing... I've find mashing the pedal to the floor while going into a fairly sharp (100-120 degree) turn is enough to induce a 4-wheel drift sometimes, even going up a hill.

Rovel

Thanks for the input blegthbloo.

I had E350 4Matic before this one and had done donuts, drifts in the snow. That was great and easier to handle. I am not that pro to floor the pedal in sharp turns with E550.

It snowed in MA yesterday. I took the car out. First, I tried with ESP on. I think intrusion was too aggressive. Perhaps because the car has more power and slides more. Then I turned ESP off. That was fun Intrusions still happened though.

Then I stopped, put the car in Dyno mode... and God, that was insane...and crazy!!!

In Dyno, everything turned off, even the headlights. I certainly had fun. After 10 mins a plower came and pushed me out of the parking lot

BTW, does anyone know whether having fun in a parking lot is illegal?

blegthbloo

Yeah I expect the same with the 550 vs the 350... will have to take the first snow storm nice and easy.

It's called trespassing, and it is illegal. But you'll only get in trouble for it if the owner of the lot (or a business renting space there, or a party-pooper customer) calls the police... with the E350 I destroyed the nice, fresh powder in one lot and the guys plowing in the lot over stopped to watch (presumably waiting for me to crash lol)... and when I left, a group of STi guys came by and seemed a bit disappointed that there were so many tracks in the snow. I guess I ruined their fun.

Rovel

Ha, ha, ha! That's funny. I imagined their faces when they saw that the area had been explored before them

belarus27

Exactly my thought lol ^^

Rovel

When having fun on snowy day or wet/dry asphalt, how to minimize the stress on drivetrain, 4Matic system etc.?

I usually switch the transmission to manual using paddle shifters and lock it on the second gear with a hope that it decreases the stress on the tranny. Is that true at all?

J.M.G.

Smooth driving in the snow will let the 4matic E550 BiTurbo slide a bit...:

Rovel

This guy must have had summer tires on, or really worn tires. Mine with conti pros (all season) on them won't go sideways that smoothly even with ESP off. Or perhaps I am lacking driving skills

J.M.G.

The car is equipped with 245/40 R18 Continental Winter Contact TS850P M+S winter tires on stock wheels. 75% threat left.