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This makes no sense whatsoever in terms of what the brand promises ... Should be the big brakes
I agree. Somehow I can't see someone buying a CLS550 coupe, that's priced near $80K list with a few options, being thrilled to find out their front brakes have been downsized.
Maybe MB is phasing out the big brakes on non-AMG vehicles in general as a way to further differentiate the difference between their regular cars and their high performance models. Kind of like how they are gradually phasing out V8's in favor of smaller engines in their non-AMG cars. Personally, I think something like that would be a mistake, as MB would just alienate a lot of people ever considering a vehicle upgrade in the future. As you say, the brand is supposed to stand for certain promises related to build and performance.
Its very hard to find actual brake specs on the MBUSA site anymore. However I noticed the 2015 C300 sport in my parking lot seems to have bigger rotors and for sure bigger and better piston calipers than my 2015 E550... Just dumb. Let's see... The car that weighs more than 800 lbs more and has almost 200 MORE HP get's smaller/lesser brakes.
If you look on the MBUSA site, you'll notice that the thumbnail for the optional CLA250 sport brakes looks like ours too. Can you verify that these really the same brakes as installed on our cars? If so, then it appears MB is just slapping these brakes on various models with no rhyme or reason.
All I have to say is if anyone sees a E550 coupe or cab coming up behind them, they better just get the hell out of the way because we might not be able to stop if we have to.
If you look on the MBUSA site, you'll notice that the thumbnail for the optional CLA250 sport brakes looks like ours too. Can you verify that these really the same brakes as installed on our cars? If so, then it appears MB is just slapping these brakes on various models with no rhyme or reason.
All I have to say is if anyone sees a E550 coupe or cab coming up behind them, they better just get the hell out of the way because we might not be able to stop if we have to.
Paul,
Yes those optional brakes on the CLA250 are the same as ours on our '15 E550s...
I think I'll re-up my gym membership to make sure I have enough leg muscle to get my 550 to stop before rear-ending someone. Still an awesome car though... Just under-braked now.
Maybe MB is phasing out the big brakes on non-AMG vehicles in general as a way to further differentiate the difference between their regular cars and their high performance models. Kind of like how they are gradually phasing out V8's in favor of smaller engines in their non-AMG cars. Personally, I think something like that would be a mistake, as MB would just alienate a lot of people ever considering a vehicle upgrade in the future. As you say, the brand is supposed to stand for certain promises related to build and performance.
I can absolutely state that without the V8, I would not have purchased my E550 cab. It's a nice car, but the most important differentiating feature was the V8. I didn't even bother to test drive the E350.
It is worrisome that MB would reduce the robustness of the braking system. Once the machinery becomes mundane, no need to spend top dollar. Just go Honda, they still make durable cars.
Maybe MB is phasing out the big brakes on non-AMG vehicles in general as a way to further differentiate the difference between their regular cars and their high performance models. Kind of like how they are gradually phasing out V8's in favor of smaller engines in their non-AMG cars. Personally, I think something like that would be a mistake, as MB would just alienate a lot of people ever considering a vehicle upgrade in the future. As you say, the brand is supposed to stand for certain promises related to build and performance.
Maybe.. but at the same time they come out with the AMG Sport that's ticking a lot of people off and blurring the line between the cars.
This thread certainly caught my attention as I have a 2015 E550 coupe arriving at the end of the month in Ontario Canada. I got a sick feeling as I went through the comments about small brakes as I love the big brakes on my '12 E550C
So I did some digging for some close up exterior pictures from MB dealer sites to see if I could eyeball some brakes. I ran across an MB San Diego dealership with lots of pics of 2015 E550C - attached - yup, small brakes, nothing like on my '12.
The detailed car specs the dealer shows (first time I've seem that kind of detail - as it does not exist on any MB corporate site I have researched) says " Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness (in) : 14.2" on the E550C and "Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness (in) : 12.7" on the E400
One look at the '15 E550C pix and the rotors are tiny compared to my '12 - but when I look at exterior photos of the '15 E550C on the MB USA site they are definitely the big bad brakes. When I go to the MB Canada site and look at exterior shots they are different pix (attached) and definitely the big brakes.
Of course MB and most manufacturers play fast and loose with photos they show under the guise of 'may not be exactly as shown' bla bla
Now to add to the curiosity, the MB Canada site makes specific reference to a "Sport Brake System" as being part of the E550 C package - the MB USA does not, but buried in the USA PDF E550C brochure makes reference to " perforated front brakes with stylish painted calipers"
So at this point, I won't know what I get till I go to pick it up - we'll see. I'll let you know.
I can absolutely state that without the V8, I would not have purchased my E550 cab. It's a nice car, but the most important differentiating feature was the V8. I didn't even bother to test drive the E350.
It is worrisome that MB would reduce the robustness of the braking system. Once the machinery becomes mundane, no need to spend top dollar. Just go Honda, they still make durable cars.
PJ550CAB,
I did test drive the E350 first and was completely underwhelmed by it. Nice car and all, but I thought to myself "This can't be why people rave about MB being this great luxury / performance brand." Sure nice luxury features, but not the exceptional driving experience I was expecting. From my perspective, it was just barely equal to the performance characteristics of my old V8 Lexus. Then I asked to test drive a E550 sedan (no E coupes or cabs were available to test drive) and that is what sold me. Like night and day in terms of the driving experience.
I agree. If MB phases out the V8's on everything but their AMG and S class cars, they will be throwing away a major differentiator. Same holds true if they skimp on the build quality of their non-AMG vehicles. No one is going to pay premium prices for run of the mill machinery.
Typical manufacturers' adage. Let's degrade standard equipment to adequate, cut costs, increase profits, and raise the price 5% over last year's model.
They all do it.
The big brakes are wonderful and look good. Have them on my C63.
I did test drive the E350 first and was completely underwhelmed by it. Nice car and all, but I thought to myself "This can't be why people rave about MB being this great luxury / performance brand." Sure nice luxury features, but not the exceptional driving experience I was expecting. From my perspective, it was just barely equal to the performance characteristics of my old V8 Lexus. Then I asked to test drive a E550 sedan (no E coupes or cabs were available to test drive) and that is what sold me. Like night and day in terms of the driving experience.
I agree. If MB phases out the V8's on everything but their AMG and S class cars, they will be throwing away a major differentiator. Same holds true if they skimp on the build quality of their non-AMG vehicles. No one is going to pay premium prices for run of the mill machinery.
Paul,
Truth be told, while the V8 is nice, we need to understand its not the most fuel efficient configuration. Porsche and Caddy both offer twin turbo V-6s with similar power to the advertised output of our V8 biturbos. (Note I am saying advertised). it wasn't the V8 I was after, it was its power output. I also thought the extra coin for the 550 was a no brainer considering the extra features, incremental power and driving experience.
That being said, word gets out fast these days when drivers aren't pleased. These are expensive cars, we should be confident the parts we don't really see and feel everyday are up to the brands standards. Sounds like that confidence is shaken.
This thread certainly caught my attention as I have a 2015 E550 coupe arriving at the end of the month in Ontario Canada. I got a sick feeling as I went through the comments about small brakes as I love the big brakes on my '12 E550C
So I did some digging for some close up exterior pictures from MB dealer sites to see if I could eyeball some brakes. I ran across an MB San Diego dealership with lots of pics of 2015 E550C - attached - yup, small brakes, nothing like on my '12.
The detailed car specs the dealer shows (first time I've seem that kind of detail - as it does not exist on any MB corporate site I have researched) says " Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness (in) : 14.2" on the E550C and "Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness (in) : 12.7" on the E400
One look at the '15 E550C pix and the rotors are tiny compared to my '12 - but when I look at exterior photos of the '15 E550C on the MB USA site they are definitely the big bad brakes. When I go to the MB Canada site and look at exterior shots they are different pix (attached) and definitely the big brakes.
Of course MB and most manufacturers play fast and loose with photos they show under the guise of 'may not be exactly as shown' bla bla
Now to add to the curiosity, the MB Canada site makes specific reference to a "Sport Brake System" as being part of the E550 C package - the MB USA does not, but buried in the USA PDF E550C brochure makes reference to " perforated front brakes with stylish painted calipers"
So at this point, I won't know what I get till I go to pick it up - we'll see. I'll let you know.
'crossing my fingers'
2015 E550C MB San Diego
MB Canada Corporate website
Yeah all the pics on the MBUSA site show the older big brakes (361mm/14.2") and the specs (if you do a vehicle compare), also say 361mm brakes for the '15 E550 but what is coming to US dealerships are the smaller 12.7" brakes. So they downsized the brakes but didn't downsize the spec sheet. Which I am sure is just an oversight...
Perhaps Canada is still getting the older brakes but I doubt it. Indeed fingers crossed for you.
Paul,
Truth be told, while the V8 is nice, we need to understand its not the most fuel efficient configuration. Porsche and Caddy both offer twin turbo V-6s with similar power to the advertised output of our V8 biturbos. (Note I am saying advertised). it wasn't the V8 I was after, it was its power output. I also thought the extra coin for the 550 was a no brainer considering the extra features, incremental power and driving experience.
That being said, word gets out fast these days when drivers aren't pleased. These are expensive cars, we should be confident the parts we don't really see and feel everyday are up to the brands standards. Sounds like that confidence is shaken.
PJ
Hi PJ550CAB,
Honestly, fuel efficiency wasn't on my list of considerations. I was just looking for a fun driving experience with a decent amount of luxury feel to boot. I figure anyone who drops the kind of money we do on cars like this shouldn't be concerned about what it costs to feed it. If the cost of filling it up or ongoing maintenance is a prime consideration, then that person shouldn't be tying themselves to something they really can't afford to drive. These are expensive cars to own, just like most luxury / performance car brands, and I think a lot of people don't see beyond the initial purchase / lease.
From MB's perspective, they shouldn't be cutting back on the build quality of their cars, if they expect to maintain their existing customer base and build it up through customer referrals. Like you said, it doesn't take that much for word to spread that quality is starting to drop off.
I still think my E550 is one hell of a car. I'm just disappointed to learn that they decided to cut back on the quality of the front brakes used in this year's model without at least either telling potential customers up front about the planned change or offering the older, better brakes as an extra cost option. We shouldn't have to find out about design changes through a user forum.
Honestly, fuel efficiency wasn't on my list of considerations. I was just looking for a fun driving experience with a decent amount of luxury feel to boot. I figure anyone who drops the kind of money we do on cars like this shouldn't be concerned about what it costs to feed it. If the cost of filling it up or ongoing maintenance is a prime consideration, then that person shouldn't be tying themselves to something they really can't afford to drive. These are expensive cars to own, just like most luxury / performance car brands, and I think a lot of people don't see beyond the initial purchase / lease.
From MB's perspective, they shouldn't be cutting back on the build quality of their cars, if they expect to maintain their existing customer base and build it up through customer referrals. Like you said, it doesn't take that much for word to spread that quality is starting to drop off.
I still think my E550 is one hell of a car. I'm just disappointed to learn that they decided to cut back on the quality of the front brakes used in this year's model without at least either telling potential customers up front about the planned change or offering the older, better brakes as an extra cost option. We shouldn't have to find out about design changes through a user forum.
Paul-
I'm with you, just saying that while I love the V8, powerful alternatives like the twin turbo V-6s are out there. My last car was a BMW 535i with the N54 twin turbo- I had a trouble free gem of a car, loved the engine and it was not a V8. As for the fuel, it needs to be reasonable. Part of the balance of an engine's traits is it's fuel consumption. So had a 400+hp V6 been offered in my E550, I would have considered it...so I amend my prior statement, that it was the powerful engine, not necessarily the V8 that attracted me to the cabriolet. By the way, the Cab does 0-60 in 4,4 secs...blistering.
On the original topic- long ago I had a 1983 Pontiac Grand Prix (my first new car). It was stolen in Queens, NY after 18 months of ownership. It was a great car, and I loved it. To make a long story short, replaced it with a 1985 Grand Prix, with the famous metric 200 GM transmission. The worst shifting car ever, and, everything else started to breakdown within a year. By the way, my '83 had the Turbo 350 tranny. So, after 30 years and at least 25 cars later, not a single one of them has been from GM. So while the brake issue doesn't affect me with my '14, it absolutely resonates.
PJ
Agreed. If MB built a 400+ hp E based on a V6, that would be OK too. As long as a car company understands that if they substitute one engine for another, they have to find a way to deliver the same performance their customers are looking for and expecting for the prices they're being asked to pay. At least for the segment of the market that is interested in performance. After all, that is a big part of what we're paying a premium for. I did look at Porsche before Mercedes. Excellent cars. I didn't think it would make a good DD car for me.
Unfortunately the trend of a lot of luxury car companies these days, in order to meet the insane fleet-wide CAFE standards, is to phase out their V8's in favor of lesser performing V6 alternatives. Case in point, the E550 is being phased out in favor of the 329 hp E400. That's not the kind of trend most of us want to see and hope that MB doesn't get carried away with the trend like Lexus did. They completely destroyed the brand.
The brake issue on the '15 E550 is more of an unnecessary annoyance than anything else. If MB had been up-front with the proposed change before I ordered the car, I would have been happy to pay a bit more for better brakes.
I also agree with you regarding the quality of GM cars. After three or four years they are
I sent an email to MB customer service about my disappointment in their decision to downsize the brakes from the previous years and that the new brakes are indeed inferior in stopping power and I noticed it immediately. I suggested they retro-fit MY '14 brakes to those customers who notice and complain about the downsized brakes. I already received notice that they are forwarding my concern to the proper party.
So you're welcome. I am sure they will get right on that.
I sent an email to MB customer service about my disappointment in their decision to downsize the brakes from the previous years and that the new brakes are indeed inferior in stopping power and I noticed it immediately. I suggested they retro-fit MY '14 brakes to those customers who notice and complain about the downsized brakes. I already received notice that they are forwarding my concern to the proper party.
So you're welcome. I am sure they will get right on that.
Thanks Jeffy. Let us know if the proper party actually agrees to do anything other than place the complaint in the circular office receptacle. Don't you just love those automated response systems?
LMAO and to think how crap the ever warping brakes on the 2012+ E550 Coupe were. Mercedes continues to push the boundaries of ****ty build quality year by year. **** them .
LMAO and to think how crap the ever warping brakes on the 2012+ E550 Coupe were. Mercedes continues to push the boundaries of ****ty build quality year by year. **** them .
Granted there is the warping issue with the 2012+ brakes (and I did slightly warp the brakes on my 2014 CLS550 at about 7000 miles) but I still prefer their stopping power over the 2015 brakes. I wonder if warranty costs with the 2012+ brakes was another consideration in their decision to discontinue the 2012+ brakes... I could understand that but don't understand the decision to replace them with such smaller brakes.
[off topic] I also don't understand the 235mm front 255mm spec rear tires on these beasts... The car spins up and pushes way too easy. It really needs 255 front and 285 rears - That would make the car soooooo much better IMO.
04-07-2015, 12:08 PM
