ppilot

Follwing comments from a 525i driver friend:
"MB has finally made a car which seems to be a true 4door sports sedan (instead of those tired old ,boring road cruisers with no personality) to compete with the BMW 540 (a technical triumph in an ugly suit)...........It still needs a more modern engine.......perhaps 4 valves per cylinder and V-Tech engineering instead of the 12 year old power plant living in there. The interior is excellent.......good leather,but weird steering wheel buttons designed for the visually impaired and the usual unreadable heating and ventilation controls identifiable only by the hand of a small child. Seat technology excellent ,back seats like the 540,wrap around you and
feel very secure. Visability to the outside through the smaller than
usual glass area is surprisingly good. The oversized tires and wheels and
new suspension should make this a good road warrior . The trunk is
small....average sized golf clubs must go in diagonally (I actually measured
this ) and the trunk carpet is cheapo.........Still in all a remarkably beautiful car for what RAB (dealer) says it asks 70k with Nav. plus T&L...........If yours dosen't fall apart I may be in the market for a 2007 as I think BMW may have gone over the styling cliff. I thought you might want my learned opinion on this.........

bm75204

I'm breaking the lease early on my beloved 540 because I'm so excited about the CLS. A lot of BMW owners are going elsewhere because of the terrible new styling and over-the-top techno crap that takes away from the pure, incredible driving experience on which BMW has built its reputation. The CLS isn't perfect, but the difference is that I won't regret eating breakfast before I open the door to the garage each morning and see the car (compared to the 545i).

shoes

I am a reformed BMW owner. I have owned 12 of them including a 2004 545 and a 2005 645 and I currently have a CLS500.

The benefits of the CLS versus the modern BMW's is superior ride quality and the CLS handles very well, not quite to BMW standards, but close. My issue with the modern BMW's (aside from how ugly they are inside and out) is how they have created such artificial feeling from what was once the best steering in the world. Driving a 645 or 545 felt more like a computer simulation than the ultimate driving machine. BMW's insistence on using run flat tire technology absolutely ruins the ride quality. I also never got used to the way they reinvented the turn signal and other controls in the vehicle.

sacguy

I am also a reformed BMW owner (02 (e39) 5 series) But due to the new (e60) 5 series interior and exterior design - I am doing something I never thought I would do, buying a MB. I love the new CLS, but sadly it is a little out of my $$ range.....so, maybe next time, this time it will be an 05 E500 (April delivery).

bm75204

There is nothing wrong with an E500! Congrats on your order.

sacguy

Thanks bm75204!! Its a very nice car too. Congrats on your "April" CLS!!

DWP

... as owner of an E500, I thought I would cruise on over to the CLS forum to see how M-B's styling exercise is going over in the real world. I naturally looked for the CLS forum in the "Sedans" section of MBWorld and didn't find it. Only after looking around a bit more did I find the forum in the "Coupes and Cabriolets" section. But of course - if M-B says that a car with four full doors and a thick B-pillar is a "coupe", then of course it is, right?

http://sundials.org/about/humpty.htm

I haven't seen a CLS yet, and don't expect to see one real soon - Sacramento is pickup and SUV country - but it will undoubtedly sell well. There's a lot of money out there and no shortage of people willing to pay a premium price for a reskinned E-class. Since the whole point of the CLS is ostentatious display, one might think that people who like the style of the CLS enough to buy one, would be satisfied with its looks. Not so. The same threads about tinting, and dubs, and lowering, that clutter the W211 forum are starting to turn up in this forum as well. Apparently, it's not enough to possess a newly-released $70,000 car with styling that might be described, charitably, as "unique" - people still feel the need to mark their automotive territory with nonfunctional cosmetic modifications. A pity, really. The CLS already makes a bold statement (the statement being, "Hey! Look at me!") and aftermarket cosmetic mods are just wretched excess.

adam76

youre seriosuly mistaken there. while the CLS is a great car to start with, its merely just a blank canvas. aftermarket tocuhes are a neccesity to bring out the true character of this car. put some dubs on your E, and join the club, youll then understand where we're coming from!

bm75204

DWP --- Your insight is overwhelming. I especially liked the "hey! look at me!" impression of the CLS' image. I guess we'll all have to cancel our orders and buy ugly cars, as God forbid we drive around in something that people actually notice and compliment. You have me thinking that E60 525i in brown with the 13" wheels. Now THAT is sexy.

adam76

BTW- last time i checked, tinting, dubs, and lowering, while cosmetic, all happen to have a function, and physcial improvement as well. Maybe you should investigate further.

Function Dictionary

Tints- will actually help keep your interior a bit cooler under the blaring sun, as well as preserve interior appointments, something that would seem to be a good idea living in Sacremento.

Dubs\Wheels- usually larger, in most cases will provide better handling and traction. They are usually lighter then heavy stock alloy wheels, and a lot stronger.

Lowering- will lower the center of gravity, increasing handling.


Maybe you should consider some functional modifications, that also enhance the appearance of your vehicle

HELL ONA HARLEY

Today I went to my dealer in Santa Rosa (Smothers European) and drove the CLS (about 30 miles).... I have been looking at this car now for many months and have to say I really like the looks. Inside, the car is very nice. Alot like the E500 I currently drive but also different in many ways. Yes the windows are small, but as stated earlier they are suprisingly easy to look out and visability is good. That being said I must say the side mirrors (for me) are way too high as I found myself trying look around them. This is not a big problem, just something you would have to get used to....
My likes..... Excellent syling (with alot of mod possibilities ie, bigger rims ,etc.)
Great handling, but lighter steering then my E.
18s look great, 19s would be even better.
The multi fuction seats air adjustments are alot faster than my E.
Most all other funtions and options seemed to be about equal to the E in many ways.
Back seats are wonderful and very comfortable (cozy) and have lots of storage for rear occupants.

My Dis-likes.... Cup holders right out "in your face".... These should be hidden until needed... They already had lint and debre in them.
Plastic fuel door (Cheap in my opinion)
Backing the car can be difficult... again, something you need to get used to.
A little to much wood in the car for me but its well done.

So anyway, I'm driving down the 101 in the car and naturally getting alot of looks... You know, most were wondering "what the hell is it" kinda looks. So on the way back to the dealership just before exiting a car pulls up next to me and I get a thumbs up form a dude in a lexus.
I thought to myself.....No way did the dealer set that up. He got a real kick out of the story when I returned the car.... Bottom line I think I would buy this car if I was in the market. Just buying the E and all doesn't make sense to trade it in now, so I'll have to suffer with my current ride..... NOT.
Good luck to all you future CLS owners... I think your going to be very happy with your purchase.

ultraseven

Uh oh.... light steering is definitely a huge shot in the arm for me. I currently drive an 04 C32 and I think the steering weight is just right, though I do wish for a bit more feedback. I recently test drove a CLK55 and I complained the steering being too light. That's a shame....

I am still trying to get used to the styling. Overall the profile is sleek and elegant, but the droopy rear and the elongated front lights aren't signature MB cues. The interior is fabulous, hands down. I see a good amount of leather and wood. It feels like an expensive luxury car.

HELL ONA HARLEY

I'm only comparing the steering feel to my current E500 since these cars are from the same platform. The lighter feeling was no problem, just different than the E. Perhaps it was the rim size difference??? The interior is nice and really liked the way the center console opens from both sides, but the cupholders out in the wide open and even with chromed rings around them to make them stand out more.... sorry, hate them.