I just thought that I would relay my first impressions of my new (05 W211S 500E) in the snow... I have had a lot of experience driving in the snow with a A6 4.2 (with Blizzaks), a Turbo Cayenne (with snows), and my last 93 240 wagon... and I have to say that the W211S is by far my favorite (I'm using the standard wheel /tires at the moment)... the Audi and Porsche are completely unstoppable but just aren't as fun as the W211S.

We have 18 inches of snow here in Eagles Mere, PA today. The cabin is 2100ft up on the side of a small mountain access via unpaved fire roads... (with very poor snow removal on the paved highways).. I got into the car this morning to go and grab the Sunday NY Times... hit the "raise height" button.. and vroom.. off into the yonder! The car drives like a rally car (with the ESP turned off) (remember, I'm the guy who wants staggered wheels for summer driving).

The rear wheel bias of the 4matic actually lets you rotate the car around corners... simply point and squirt! If you go into the turn and are not planning on rotating... simply keep off the brakes and light on the gas.. again, the car will track the turn with minimal under steer. When I finally get a set of winter tires on these rims... I can't imagine ever wanting an SUV again.. We have a new Touareg here at the house too.... simply no contest. You feel so much more in control with the Benz than the lumbering VW (no disrespect of Touareg / Cayenne vehicles ... as they fit a different niche for sure..but if more people were to understand the capabilities of a 4matic wagon.. they might think twice about the purchase)

I have heard a couple of people pooh pooh the system ... I think that they are wrong.. (probably have found themselves hung up and didn't turn the ESP off).

The only thing that sucks... the 500 eats gas! I have not seen anything more than 16 mpg on the display.. ouch!

 

forgot to add the pic..

 

I love seeing a benz driven in the snow and put through its paces. Also nice to hear that 4matic works as advertised if not better. Supposedly the next gen 4matic that is in the new S class is even better.

 

Yes, I'm nery happy we went 350W4 route. Now! Can't wait to get it, hoping for first week in March.

My wife will love this car and she certainly deserves it!

 

we had a big ice/sleet/snow storm in NY this past week. I was very impressed with how my E handled with all the ice and snow on the road. I saw all sorts of SUVs struggling whereas I just rolled on...

 

Sweet. Those are 18 inches right?

 

MPG 16??? really huh!
when i had mine 03' E500 i was easily getting 25-28highway, city 20-22. Actually i'm upset that my 01' C240 never seems to read nothing above 23 either highway or city.

But great to hear about the 4Matic being strong, my X5 was all over the road first snow storm, till i put the snows on it, but am still not comfortable with it. Maybe i gotta start thinking of going back to the E.

 

cycleryder are those the wheels that came on your sport? Those are the wheels that came on the standard E500 and appearance packages

Sport packages came with an AMG wheel??? can someone confirm?

 

Guru, how does your 530xiT compare to your E320 4matic in the snow?

 

55fanatic: I might be getting confused in my terminology... in the old days.. you would see a lot of "sports".. this car has the appearance package (included wider side skirts that are now standard for 07, 17 inch with wide spoke wheels, birdseye maple, white gauges, and probably other things that I'm forgetting to mention). The sports would have AMG styled (designo) body parts, wheels, and suspension mods.. I don't think that you see that so much in the newer cars.. It appears that AMG is trying to re-focus the brand's upmarket performance status.

Eventually, I want to change the lower sills and rear bumper to the E55/E63 versions, rear exhaust mufflers from AMG, and wheels (either E63 or E55 / CLS double 5 spoke)... if I go with the CLS wheels.. could get 8.5 inch all the way around the car and have the "depth" that I am looking for with the wheels and avoid the whole staggered non rotation issue....

We had some more snow today.. took the car out again...I can only say WOW.. everyone should at least once turn off the ESP, use the throttle and learn what the cars are capable of (of course on a closed circuit with a professional driver by your side!)

 

I don't know yet. This was the first real snow of the season and we only took the BMW out after the snow had been cleared.

Although I was very happy with the way the E handled in the snow, I suspect the BMW could be better. I am basing this on dry/wet driving comparison between the 2 cars. Will let you know after the next snow storm....

How do you find the handling of your BMW in the snow?

 

I have a E320 wagon that doesn't have 4MATIC and I happened to be caught in Colorado between the first and second snowstorm. I have never driven in snow (orignally from San Diego) and my friend lived on an unplowed side street that was packed with ice and snow on top of that. I was told I probably wasn't going to make it down the street. But I figured that I would give it a shot since there were people around to help if I got stuck. So I drove on and the traction control light came on a couple times but I never got stuck and continued going back and forth through the city without incident for the next couple of days. If I ever move where there is a lot of winter condition I will make sure to get 4MATIC.

BTW...I have decided that I don't care so much for snow.

 

I have also driven and had many AWD and 4X4 vehicles. I like the 4-Matic the best! My Audis have been great, but my S6 sits a lot when it snows since I always choose the Benz because of how well it drives in the snow.

I was just in Steamboat Springs and I made it up the 1/8 of a mile uphill driveway that I could not plow since the plow truck's tranmission finally died! (a 1982 Chevy Custom Delux 4X4). I was not let down by the car even though I was worried about braking my bumper or my fog lights since I ended up pushing quite a bit of snow with the bottom of the bumper. Thank goodness for that champagne powder!

4-Matics are incredible,

Steve

 

The roads in the Denver area (especially side streets) are just now visible once again! You would have had trouble if you had to drive on the ruts and the ice channels that formed after the storms. I never thought that I would use the 4-Matic and the Blizzaks in the Denver metro area as much as I have in the past 60 days, it has been unreal. The roads in the mountains have been in much better shape than in the front range. Kind of strange.

Steve

 

Guru,

I think the Mercedes is a little better in the snow than the BMW, but my BMW has the old style AWD instead of the newer x-drive. The BMW stability control tends to allow more "fun" which can be good when you want it but bad when you don't. Overall the BMW seems less planted but everyone was shocked when I was able to drive up steep snowy and icy driveways that Subaru's and SUV's struggled with when we got snow in Seattle earlier this winter.