Sharing Experiences on 2013 E550 coupe vs. 2015 e400 coupe
10-30-2015, 01:59 PM
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1995 Mercedes 300E Diesel
Sharing Experiences on 2013 E550 coupe vs. 2015 e400 coupe
Love this site! Thank you for existing! This is my first post (I think) but have read a ton of your informative posts. Thought I would share.
So in 2011 I purchased a 2009 535i. What an amazing vehicle....until I hit 60k miles and the car fell apart. Sitting in my driveway was my backup vehicle, my trusty 1995 e300 Diesel with 305k miles, never had any problems with it, and I thought, I should sell that POS Bmw and get a benz! So that search led me to the e550 coupe.
I test drove multiple 2013 e550 coupes and was thoroughly impressed. It was an immersive experience. I did not understand complaints about ride stiffness, or uncomfortable seats. The engine is fun to drive, however, has slightly less initial resposiveness than the E400 I drove, and significantly less initial kick than my 535i. This is easily made up with the V8 roar and power later in the power band. The interior was lushly appointed and felt like a legit luxury/sport vehicle.
In 2014, the exterior changed, and I didn't mind the new exterior, and decided the ultimate choice would be a 2014 or up, Palladium silver with red interior or a 2013 e550 coupe black/black.
I found a nice 2013 e550 SEDAN, 4matic, and decided to test drive that vehicle as well. I swear to God almighty, despite identical engines, the Coupe drove more aggressively and felt like a totally different car. Am I crazy? I test drove a totally different 2013 e550 coupe just to make sure, and I confirmed my subjective experience. They are not the identical car with different exteriors.
I finally found one 2015 E400 which matched my color requirements (in another state), and thought I would test drive one locally. Perhaps the new V6 would talk me out of my V8 fantasies, like my 535i Sport talked me out of the 550i years ago? It did not happen. I for one was not impressed. The engine is lacking. It has initial responsiveness, but like a Michael Bay movie, it busts it's nut right there and too early. The power seems to dissipate into thin air later in the power band, where the e550V8 begins it's song.
No where near the performance of my 535i or the e550 coupe. The interior, in my brief exposure, felt a tad cheap, and not up to the 2013 e550. The leather stitched console looked shiny and stiff, aka cheap imo. The vehicle is riddled with automation "safety" features, which detracted from the overall drive experience as well. Perhaps the 2013 had the same features, but the salesmen wasn't pumping them up (perhaps because the V8 engine and the vehicle would sell itself).
Anyways, my quest continues for a palladium silver with red interior CPO e550 coupe continues .... I've decided to take my time and wait for it, as economists are predicting a recession next year, and maybe I'll get a good deal. The only complaint I have found for the v8 e550 coupe is that they didn't wait long enough for the color they wanted..haha... so I will try to learn from your experiences. Thanks!
So in 2011 I purchased a 2009 535i. What an amazing vehicle....until I hit 60k miles and the car fell apart. Sitting in my driveway was my backup vehicle, my trusty 1995 e300 Diesel with 305k miles, never had any problems with it, and I thought, I should sell that POS Bmw and get a benz! So that search led me to the e550 coupe.
I test drove multiple 2013 e550 coupes and was thoroughly impressed. It was an immersive experience. I did not understand complaints about ride stiffness, or uncomfortable seats. The engine is fun to drive, however, has slightly less initial resposiveness than the E400 I drove, and significantly less initial kick than my 535i. This is easily made up with the V8 roar and power later in the power band. The interior was lushly appointed and felt like a legit luxury/sport vehicle.
In 2014, the exterior changed, and I didn't mind the new exterior, and decided the ultimate choice would be a 2014 or up, Palladium silver with red interior or a 2013 e550 coupe black/black.
I found a nice 2013 e550 SEDAN, 4matic, and decided to test drive that vehicle as well. I swear to God almighty, despite identical engines, the Coupe drove more aggressively and felt like a totally different car. Am I crazy? I test drove a totally different 2013 e550 coupe just to make sure, and I confirmed my subjective experience. They are not the identical car with different exteriors.
I finally found one 2015 E400 which matched my color requirements (in another state), and thought I would test drive one locally. Perhaps the new V6 would talk me out of my V8 fantasies, like my 535i Sport talked me out of the 550i years ago? It did not happen. I for one was not impressed. The engine is lacking. It has initial responsiveness, but like a Michael Bay movie, it busts it's nut right there and too early. The power seems to dissipate into thin air later in the power band, where the e550V8 begins it's song.
No where near the performance of my 535i or the e550 coupe. The interior, in my brief exposure, felt a tad cheap, and not up to the 2013 e550. The leather stitched console looked shiny and stiff, aka cheap imo. The vehicle is riddled with automation "safety" features, which detracted from the overall drive experience as well. Perhaps the 2013 had the same features, but the salesmen wasn't pumping them up (perhaps because the V8 engine and the vehicle would sell itself).
Anyways, my quest continues for a palladium silver with red interior CPO e550 coupe continues .... I've decided to take my time and wait for it, as economists are predicting a recession next year, and maybe I'll get a good deal. The only complaint I have found for the v8 e550 coupe is that they didn't wait long enough for the color they wanted..haha... so I will try to learn from your experiences. Thanks!
11-01-2015, 02:32 PM
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2014 E550 Cabriolet, 2014 Porsche Cayenne Diesel
I too owned a 2009 BMW 535i Sport (RWD) for 5 years. It was trouble free, but only managed to put 36k miles on it until the E550 Cab caught my eye. It was my second E60 and was growing tired of a 4 door sedan, so made the move to Benz. Don't think I've ever owned such an eye catching car, the E550 is just gorgeous, particularly top down. My only complaint after a year is that it is not nearly as fun to drive as the BMW. The BMW just egged you on, as it to say "come-on lets play". I'm still having fun with the Benz, just a different type of fun. Most of the difference I've noted is how BMW and Benz set up their cars. Just my silly personal preference, and nothing to do with my particular car. I thought I took enough test drives, (4 actually), but guess not.
So, with all that said, and with all of 5,000 miles on my car, I'm looking to move to a 911, as BMW really no longer makes a product that interests me. Nothing else Benz makes interests me either, except the AMG-GTS (not going to happen). The 6 series is no better than the E-Class, and the M4 still looks a bit low rent for the price. The 5 series (F10) is calibrated like a Lexus- so its off to Porsche I go. By the way, most BMWs tend to need water pumps, and other normal maintenance at 60k. So just a thought, don't throw the E60 out yet and just make sure you like the handling of the Benz before you pull the trigger.
So, with all that said, and with all of 5,000 miles on my car, I'm looking to move to a 911, as BMW really no longer makes a product that interests me. Nothing else Benz makes interests me either, except the AMG-GTS (not going to happen). The 6 series is no better than the E-Class, and the M4 still looks a bit low rent for the price. The 5 series (F10) is calibrated like a Lexus- so its off to Porsche I go. By the way, most BMWs tend to need water pumps, and other normal maintenance at 60k. So just a thought, don't throw the E60 out yet and just make sure you like the handling of the Benz before you pull the trigger.
