And that is the most important aspect of owning any car!

 

We currently have '13 and '15 E550 Cabs and I had a '14 E350 Cab. I can say the 550s with their upgraded suspensions def ride better than the 350s with their non-adjustable compromised suspensions. The E350 was not as comfortable/plush as the 550 in 'Comfort' mode and not as sporty as 550 in 'Sport' mode. My guess is that the E400 coupe (now being the "lesser" coupe) will have same compromise suspension as 350 and will also not be as good as 550.

 

Why is it necessary for 550 guys to bash 350's? I just don't understand why you have to weigh in on why the E350 is such a crappy car and the E550 is so wonderful. Let us make choices (subjective or otherwise) without twisting my Johnson over my E350. I respect the 550 and the folks that purchase them. Perhaps too much FOX news?

 

Jeez HillC- most of the comments on the 350 came from Das and his dislike of his 2010 E350. By the way, I've never seen Greta, Bill, Megan or Sean have a single segment on a Mercedes...

By the way, I originally looked at the E550 from comments from a friend who had a 2013 E350, who raved about it. He is an MSNBC fan.

 

I'm not bashing on 350s and never said the 350s are crappy cars, someone else did. I liked the '14 I had and would recommend them - just not over a 550. Just stating that the spring and non-adjustable shock suspension setups on the 350s doesn't ride as good as the suspension on the 550s. Very pertinent info that the OP might want to hear when considering E400 vs. E550. GO TRUMP!

 

I have now been able to return to my home city and dealer - to conduct some E Coupe performance tests myself. The dealer did not have a 550 model in stock, but gave me a recently arrived 2016 E400 Coupe to drive for 24 hours (I have been a good customer). I was immediately impressed and very pleasantly surprised at its qualities.

The torque capabilities of its turbocharged 3.0 liter engine over its RPM range - even starting from 1200 RPM - were amazing. It was obviously not the equal of my current SLK's 5.5 liter engine, but very satisfying. It is more than adequate to execute VERY rapid passing maneuvers.

Even more satisfying were its handling capabilities. On the curvy, up and down foothill roads where I get to do a little "sporty" daily driving, it handled them with an "effortless" precision. While my SLK AMG can also be driven as "sporty" on them, it does not feel as effortless, and definitely imparts more jolts and bounces. I frankly think the 5.5 liter engine is a little too heavy for the SLK's shorter wheelbase, and requires stiffer springs and requisite damping rates. I suspect the E400 is closer to an optimum 50/50 front/rear weight distribution. Note: the SLK AMG can handle the more sweeping curves of less-traveled - and worn - rural desert highways at speeds of, uh, a little more than 100 mph, beautifully - as it has been designed to do.

Finally (Das Rattlebox take note), I found the seats in my demo E400 had too much surface firmness for comfort on longer trips. Like other hard seat surfaces, this creates a static, epidermal and muscle ischemic discomfort (trust me, I am a biophysicist). When you experience it in a car, you may notice more of the impulses transmitted through suspension components and tires, but the discomfort you feel is not caused by them.

The upshot is, I liked the E400 Coupe so much, I ordered one! However, I ordered it with the Premium 2 package which has ventilated seats (with commensurate holes), and also ordered it with Nappa leather seats, both of which provide for less surface stiffness. If those measures are not fully effective for our longer trips, I will have my wife make me one of her half-inch thick seat cushions (with fiberfill or foam) which she prefers for longer trips. Much better than passing on such a great handling sport coupe!

 

Congratulations on finding your next car that is right for YOU! That's what we all try to do. I'm impressed that the dealer would give you new E400 coupe to take home for a 24 hour test drive. Very nice indeed.

 

Great news El Capitan! Indeed very cool that you got a 24 hour test ride and loved the car. Hopefully you are happy with the optional upgraded seating surfaces you ordered. The 3.0 BiTurbo is indeed a nice upgrade from the NA 3.5L V6. Enjoy!

 

Jeffy, thanks for your approval of my choice. My original doubts about the E400 Coupe were that it might indeed be a "lessor" performing model than the 550 Coupe. Now that I have driven it, I don't have any illusions that it can accelerate as fast as a 550 Coupe (nor my SLK AMG), but I didn't find it to be a soft, sloppy handling car. If it wasn't clear from my post, I found it to ride appropriately firm (but not uncomfortable). I believe the engineers have endowed it with a suspension that takes full advantage of the 3.0 liter engine's lighter weight, and possibly lets it handle at least as well as the 550 Coupe (which apparently will soon be dropped). Instrumented testing will have to determine that, but in any case, I was duly impressed and happy with its everyday handling capabilities - which, unlike my current vehicle's torrid, stoplight capabilities, I get to enjoy without risking losing my license.

 

Great decision. Congrats on your purchase.

 

Thanks, now I know what it is called. I am an accountant so I just called it "back pain". I hope the training for biophysicists includes treatment of back pain - you will need it!!

 

Actually, in my case, it did. The 2016 E400 Coupe I ordered has different seats than the demo I drove. My coupe's seats will have softer Nappa leather surfaces as do the 2013 SLK55 I am currently driving - which I find really supportive and comfortable for all but long (multi-hour) drives. For those long trips I simply add a thin seat cushion. Problem solved - not to worry. I can enjoy the everyday crisp handling of a sport coupe or roadster, and be comfortable on long trips as well.

 

I love the way my E550 c rides. It's no S class by far but when roads in the SF bay area are bad you notice. When the road conditions are normal I pay no attention to the ride quality, I'm more concerned about getting a speeding ticket. Fresh paved asphalt, the car feels like its floating. I'm going to 19's soon and I've made up my mind that the tire reviews will play a large part in selection. Women say the sexier the shoe the more they hurt.

 

It's a great car. There is nothing better.

 

I own a 2015 E550, identical to your 2014. Not sure I understand your complaint about the E550 "unnerving." Mine is anything but that. Now it is not a 911 or M4. But mine handles very well, in comfort, and confidence. And I have owned my share of cars, Alfas, BMWs, Audis, etc. This is one helluva fine car.

 

Nevermind...

I don't know what I was thinking, being critical of a car I actually own.

 

Interesting thread. My last 4 cars:
CLK350
C63 (W204)
991S
E400 coupe (current)

I bought the E400 as a stop gap until the facelift to the W205 C63 arrives. It rides well, is smooth to drive and ride in and has enough oomph for a typical day on Sydney roads. We have a few potholes but I tend to go around them rather than through them.
It is not the fastest or the smoothest or the sportiest or the best of cars but I reckon it comes up pretty well when you add it all together.

 

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh with the car. I'm driving it to and from work everyday, around 15k miles a year and I do really enjoy driving it but I just wish it was a little more comfortable and had a bit more feedback from the steering. The steering is definitely a little numb.

It is a beautiful car to look at though and very classy. I love that about it.

 

SDRider: Some solutions: Move to where the roads are good, like where I live and everywhere I have lived. Sell the E550 and buy a Lotus. Sell the E550 and buy another CLS. Sell the E550 and buy a 1978 Cadillac DeVille--it is great on bad roads. Or, as a last resort, sell the E550 and buy an M1A1 Abrams Tank. It handles quite well with the tracks and all. Steering is anything but numb. It turns bad roads and nasty terrain into smoothness. And you can shoot all those nasty E550s right off the road while on the move with its 120mm smoothbore gun or just run over them without feeling any suspension discomfort.
And to top it off, you can join the Abrams Tank fan website and make adverse remarks about your tank as compared to the M60 one you owned in the 1960s.

 

Very funny.

I'd love to have an Elise but there is no way I could live with a car like that every day. It is tiny and very focused on one thing... Performance. It is a great car though.

 

Ride is very subjective. I have the Sport button which really changes the car and makes it more BMW M3 like. I have been told my seats are hard, the car is low and the ride is stiff, but that's why I bought it. Don't want a floaty bad handling ride. My only complaint is the brakes are not up to the performance of the rest of the car. I believe MB downgraded them further in later years. I always need to change my brakes before the pads are worn. May try aftermarket next for the brakes as that would make the car perfect.

 

Low speed driving on battered roads and depressed manhole covers really upset this car. You get a nasty "clack" from the front wheels now and then that seems to do nothing. Highway driving is excellent. It soaks up the imperfections beautifully. The biggest problem with the set up are the low profile 18" tires, Just not enough rubber to cushion any shock. I wish there were some different tire options to cure the low speed issue.

 

My wife and I took the car to dinner last night. We met some friends at Pala Casino and had a nice dinner there, checked out some live music and then drove home (we don't gamble). The ride out there and back is on the 76 which is a relatively smooth twisty road that winds out through the canyons to the base of Palomar Mountain in north county San Diego. Beautiful country and a very nice drive. Anyway, the car was very comfortable and smooth. We both enjoyed the ride there and back.