bizinsider

I'm a few weeks in with my 2017 e300 sport and I love the car. It's ridiculously quiet, in a good way. And for such a relatively small engine, the power – while not so intense that it makes me smile – with the torque is impressive. My only quibble is....

I'm coming out of a noisy 2008 BMW 328xi wagon with 18-inch run-flats. This car is rear wheel with 19-inch run-flats.

1. When in Sport or Sport+ and I hit jagged roads or mild bumps the car feels as though it's losing its footing slightly. This may simply be rear wheel vs. 4x drive. Or 19 inch vs. 18 inch. I have no idea. It's a minor annoyance.

2. Sport+ seems to be a bit jerky off the line and VERY sensitive if/when you hit bumps and uneven roads. Ditto for steering in Sport+.

I've also noticed some glitches in Spotify connecting via bluetooth from my iPhone to Command. Most of the time, it works like a charm. Other times, for some odd reason, it doesn't connect. Or at least it doesn't show that it's connected. Yet if you manually play from the phone it works, except with no information on what's playing.

And riddle of the day: Why does Apple Pay with my credit card show up when i put my pone a cup-holder or the charging plate that Apple doesn't support? Very strange.

Otherwise, my only regret since I work from home is that I don't drive the car more. ;-(

joshg1001

Regarding the apple pay showing up, I have seen others mention this. The NFC charging somehow triggers the NFC chip that the iPhone has for apple pay. Nothing to worry about.

bizinsider

Think I solved my own mystery. The way the car was handling on rough roads and bumps was perplexing for this car. So...I checked the tire pressure. Must've been set somewhat a bit high at the factory: 33psi in the front and 34 in the back. Recommended for normal loads is 32. Took the pressure down and unless it's in my head, and it quite possibly is, the ride improved considerably. I have no idea if a minor tweak in psi can impact ride quality on 1-inch wheels, but it seems to have for me. My story and sticking to it!

thefisch

1psi should not make a noticeable difference. But you have run flats which are notoriously harsh anyway so maybe you just removed the pea from the mattress.

bizinsider

As I continue to drive it, seems it really must've been the pea under the mattress effect. Definitely drives better. Not my imagination.

bestgfe1

i had same issues with bumps , when i picked it up , i have Sport model , psi was 42, and i felt all bumps , went dont to 34psi , and its much better , but still on 50+ mph i can feel bumps.
Also i notice sometimes big delays in nav system going from menu to menu , other then that i love the car

bizinsider

Well, I think you'll always feel the bumps! It was the sliding on very dry roads that bothered me. Pretty much fixed now. Asking for all kinds of trouble, IMHO. The NAV is working fine; they could do a better job integrating Car Play. But overall, love getting into the car and driving it, even if it lacks a certain oomph. Definitely a luxury car over a driver's car, but I knew that going into it. I see a bunch of people knocking the engine. Would be great to have more pep. Inside can't be beat. Always tradeoffs.

bestgfe1

what bad having 34ps? , btw i didnt do it myself , i went to dealr and service guys lowered it to 34 psi

bizinsider

Oops, I was thinking in the 40s, my bad. I took mine down to the recommended 33! It's all good.

BeachBunny

It's just the car's way of reminding you that it *is* a Mercedes and the stealership will try any way possible to extract the maximum amount of money from your wallet, now ApplePay, it can.

Seriously though, glad you're enjoying the car! Keep us posted on your impressions over time. It really helps those of us looking to buy! Test drives aren't long enough to make a good decision.

I've had quite a few rental cars over time which seemed pleasant enough in the first 10 or so minutes, but after a week with them I was glad to part ways (Nissan Altima / Infiniti Q50 / Infiniti G25 come to mind). I've had others where I wasn't too thrilled when I picked up the keys and saw the car, but after a week I was seriously looking at buying one (Hyundai Sonata, VW Passat)

bizinsider

As I continue to drive the car, my impressions are continually refined:

1. I always wonder how anybody who is technologically challenged or has a phobia of technology will figure out the Command system. Add in Apple Car Play and it can be downright confusing. You'll know what I mean when you try to change the view on Apple Maps in Car Play. Took me awhile to figure out the technology, but I've figured everything out. I've come to love the steering wheel buttons, especially the left side. (Too bad it doesn't work with Car Play.) Everything works better on Command, and I do believe the "media" sound is ever-so-slightly better on Command vs. Car Play. But Siri on Car Play is much better with voice commands. At least at this point. I need to play more with Command's voice recognition. "Navigate to" simply isn't working for me. It very well may be human error on my part. (I also am starting to think the very technology that doesn't allow my iPhone to charge but causes my Apple Wallet to pop on might be causing a faster drain on my battery if it's not plugged in while sitting on or is very near the NFC charger. Anybody else notice this? Might just be a coincidence.)

2. As I read reviews on other boards (check out the comments under Car and Driver's recent 4-Matic review - Yikes!) this would seem to be THE worst car EVER to drive. It's true, there isn't great pep or oomph, certainly not the kind that brings a huge smile to your face every time you accelerate. But there's a tradeoff that I have learned to accept: While it certainly isn't heart-stopping quick, the acceleration is elegantly smooth (except S+, which is jerky but more interesting.)

3. For a true appreciation of this car, get yourself stuck in some terrible traffic. That's the real world of driving. That's where the quiet cabin and the seats come in. Did I mention the seats? Mine have the dynamic bolsters. I always thought my old BMW 3-series seats were the best...until I sat in these.

4. The interior. It really is a wow, and it compensates for the oomph this car doesn't have. Drivers who can afford it will like LOVE the AMG, when it arrives. It will combine the best with the best, oomph and beauty. Rear passengers LOVE the car. At night I proudly refer to this car as the Pimpmobile, with the subtle blue lighting.

5. My wife, the passenger, seems to complain somewhat LESS about my driving. Let me be clear: This car was a compromise purchase and I don't regret it. Our deal was she had to enjoy riding in it. For nine years, although she loved the BMW, she always complained that I drove too fast and too aggressively. She nixed an SUV (I really would have liked the Macan, though it was outside of our price comfort and there was that matter of it being an SUV) and she did NOT like the ride of the BMW 3-GT, which has good rear legroom but she felt was more constrained on the passenger side. In the end, I felt the reason she complained in the BMWs was for the very reason some of us love driving: The feel of the road. I think the road noise accentuates that.

6. Design. I vacillate between boring and very nice. Mine is Iridium Silver with 19-inch rims and a Pano sun roof. The 19-inch AND the pano sun roof give the look a somewhat edgier look, in my opinion. Alright, not edgy - maybe just a bit more personality that differs from the pack. Black/black inside. (Memo to me: Post a picture.)

7. The Burmester sounds great. Wish it could be tweaked just a bit more, but given the amount I don't drive I didn't need to spend another $5k the super premium system.

Truth: I'm 64 YO. I'm not a "car guy" but I love cars and for nearly nine years loved my old BMW x-drive Sportswagon, which had 140k miles when I sold it to Carmax for $7k, on its way to the auction. (New: $49k.) My wife has a 2009 C350 with 35k miles, yes you did the math correctly - 7+ years with just 35k miles. I HATE the seats, but do love the pep! (One day the sales guy will be telling the truth when he says, "This car was driven by a little old lady in San Diego who kept it in the garage.")

All of this is a long-winded way of saying: It's a fine car. I thoroughly enjoy driving it. The interior is exquisite. The pickup won't make you smile, but you'll be lying if you don't marvel at the smooth elegance of the acceleration that gets you to 60 pretty quickly, certainly faster than my old BMW, even though the BMW felt faster. The new e300 with this engine is not for everybody. The technology (I have the P2) will confound many, but once you nail it - you nail it. No regrets here, especially given our parameters. All cars can't be all things to all people. Hope this real world review helps. I'll add more thoughts if and when I have them.

teksurv

Great update, I think you nailed my perspective on this great car.