slk55lvr

Here's a link to a first drive story from Edmunds:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=115341


It sure sounds like MB has done a great job on this new model!

johna1

Great article, thanks.

Barry45RPM

You know, I can say each and every word of that article about my '04. The "problem" is that the author of that article is not "living" with the car over a long-ish period. Whenever I hop into my car to use it and everything works the way its supposed to I feel the same exact way as the author... for weeks at a time.

The problem is that when you live with the car and you get all these crazy electronic gremlins that disapear when you re boot the car, or worse, go away when you park the car overnight, the car is "not so perfect".

There are simply too many STUPID "electronic gremlins", too many trips to the dealer to reset something or synchronize something. Electronics design is fairly straightforward... when its done well it works the first time every time. If the Japanese can do it... well then, German engineers should be able to do it too. Some of the mechanical things leave something to be desired too.

A short (or even a long) road test is not long enough to call a car "perfect". At least six weeks of living with a car is required... Driving it to work, having fun with it on weekends, listening to the iPod, Satellite, AM/FM and USING the Nav unit to get somewhere NEW or locate a favorite restaurant using the POI menus.

Then maybe you can call a car perfect.

PHXATC

I haven't read the article, but maybe it was "perfect" for him and his 2 hour test drive!

DWP

Sorry, Greg, but any transportation appliance that consumes hydrocarbon fuel at the rate of less than 20 miles per gallon is not "perfect." It may be very good for its class, it may be better than its competition, but it's not "perfect."

Benz-O-Rama

Very well said, Barry...

But, even with all of the "little things" that people like us tend notice and take our MB's to the dealer for, I can't say enough good things about the car to anyone that will listen.

Love it, love it, love it.

That said, I've had my '04 E500 for about 6 weeks now and I'm already on a first name basis with the my SA. He knows me by phone number on his caller ID already. Well, I do work .9 miles from the dealership here in Maryland. Makes it easier to pop in for any little thing that annoys me.

I will say that from the outside, the friggin air conditioner sounds just like an F15 taking off. Quiet as a mouse in the inside though.

slk55lvr

You are absolutely 100% correct, and they even mentioned this very point at the end of the article:

"We look forward to an extended stint in this remarkable new car as soon as possible, for no other reason than to discover where that irritating pea is hidden away, if indeed it exists at all in this nearly perfect automobile."

Nonetheless, this is without a doubt the most glowing first drive article I've ever read by edmunds, and that's no small feat if it's not a BMW! I know we all hope that MB has solved its reliability crisis over the past 5 years, and let's hope it begins with this car. I for one cannot wait for a test drive!

LNL

How true. And how long will it remain the "perfect car?" Only until the next one comes along.

Lou

slk55lvr

Of course it can be, at least to me. Are you trying to tell me that if McLaren brought back the F1 and sold it for 70k it wouldnt be the perfect car? If gas mileage matters so much to you drive a datsun b210---oh wait, you already do!

Dema

When will it be in US show rooms? It's so tempting to buy it.

sklasse

2007 e550 has lots going for it--

new steering, new transmission, new sports package...
wow, this is the model year to buy, unless you hold out for the w212

btw whats the EPA estimates ?


heres a skimpy repost of the article:
"

We're also pleased to report that the revised steering effectively erased the numb feel that was a major flaw in previous Mercedes racks, and the tauter front suspension helped the big car's nose turn in more adroitly through the corners. The big V8 may not be the most economical powertrain in the E-Class lineup, but if fuel prices are of no concern, it's the ideal engine for the size and heft of the almost 4,000-pound car.



"
To sharpen the car's dynamics, a Direct Control Package adds a 10-percent-quicker steering ratio and improved front suspension geometry for a more direct response to driver inputs and reduced understeer in hard cornering.




All U.S. rear-drive E-Class vehicles, except for the E63, are equipped with a newly introduced seven-speed automatic with Touchshift. The 4Matic models and the E63 come with a five-speed automatic.





"Sport" models ride on 18-inch, 10-twin-spoke wheels and are distinguished by a new rear bumper with dual exhaust pipes, a lowered suspension, blue-tinted glass, black bird's eye maple wood trim, a white-gauge instrument cluster and matte chrome surrounding the gearshift lever.

"

MB Fanatic

I thought the E63 was to come with the new 7G Tronic transmission.

Germancar1

It does.

M

Dvinn

My 2003 E500 is already a perfect car to me, the E550 is just WOW. My only problem is those new ugly tail lamps, but then Mercedes always look better in real life than in prints so maybe they won't look so bad in person.

ultraseven

The so called "Direct Control Package" should really be part of the Sport package.

The 0-62 mph estimate is also conservative. BTW, is MB going back to the older center console?

BzzzBom

The service manager at my dealership told me that they are still having problems with the 7 speed tranny and the 550 is a new engine. I have a 2003 E 500 that will be out of warranty this November. I am very tempted to buy the facelifted E 550 but I think I'll wait for about a year to see if there are any problems with the 550 engine and if they get the tranny stuff worked out.

MB Fanatic

The 550 engine has been with the 7 speed transmission for quite sometime now in the new S class. I am willing to say its bulletproof.

BzzzBom

Check the threads. There are a lot of problems with the 7 speed transmission. Also, ask your service manager at the dealership. Just make sure there are no salesmen around. I wish the 550 engine / 7 speed tranny was "bulletproof." I would have already ordered the E 550.

MB Fanatic

I own a 2006 S550, and in my family we have 3 already. None have problems like you describe. There are fixes for the 7 speed transmission. The new fixes include updated throttle plates amongst other things like new ECU's, software, and so forth. The number of S550 owners complaining are far and few. Hell my 5 speed in the E320 had shuddering problems when downshifting to 1st gear from 2nd or 3rd.

Germancar1

I would hope Mercedes would have worked this out by now because the 5.5L V8 and 7-Speed are going prime time across the whole range - SL,S,E,CLK,CLS, etc..thats a lot of models to have a glitch still being produced with new build cars from the factory. I haven't read anything about this combo in the new S-Class. The problems with the 7-Speed seemed to be centered around the ML and SLK per the posts here.

M