E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

Will Your E Go Straight?

Old Apr 21, 2007 | 09:30 AM
  #1  
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‘08 E-350 Sport, C6 Vette & Harley Davidson
Will Your E Go Straight?

As a prospective new E 350 owner (I’m coming back to MB)
I’ve been reading every review I can find about it. (Has that
ever been you?)

One review pretty much praised it on every level. Except one:

Paraphrasing, he said that it was hard to keep it going straight
on a turnpike type road. That it took continual “tweaking” with
the steering. (Remember, this was his only complaint.)

Have any of you found this?

jimm
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 10:21 AM
  #2  
hecdog's Avatar
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2014 E350 Estate Wagon 4Matic
mine leans to the left.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 10:39 AM
  #3  
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2015 ML 350
My '07 doesn't display any annoying drive charactaristics.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 10:45 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by jimm
As a prospective new E 350 owner (I’m coming back to MB)
I’ve been reading every review I can find about it. (Has that
ever been you?)

One review pretty much praised it on every level. Except one:

Paraphrasing, he said that it was hard to keep it going straight
on a turnpike type road. That it took continual “tweaking” with
the steering. (Remember, this was his only complaint.)

Have any of you found this?

jimm
The car may be sensitive to roads that are heavily tilted, otherwise it should go well straight. If not, wheel alignment and tyre pressure & tyres should be checked.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 11:18 AM
  #5  
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Alignment will make a big difference in how much effort it takes to keep a car straight (and conversely how eager the car is to turn in.) All you have to do is find a good shop that can help you find the right mix of front and rear specs to fine tune it to your needs.

Also of course wide, low profile tires will follow uneven surfaces and require you to correct no matter how much toe you dial in.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 11:55 AM
  #6  
Roupin's Avatar
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From: Encino, CA
a toy
Mine tracks perfectly straight, except on tilted roads of course.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 01:53 PM
  #7  
lig's Avatar
lig
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was '03 E320 - now - '04 S4
Mine was gay. j/k

It tracked pretty true.
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 03:22 PM
  #8  
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2003 E320 sport
was he just talking about the tires tracking along imperfections and stuff in the road? any car with wide low profile tires will do that
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Old Apr 21, 2007 | 09:40 PM
  #9  
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My tracks straight even with a slight crown on the road. But at some degree of tilt, the car will go off in that direction.
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Old Apr 22, 2007 | 06:53 AM
  #10  
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From: Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
‘08 E-350 Sport, C6 Vette & Harley Davidson
This review was written by:

Aaron Gold,
Your Guide to Cars

Here’s where you can pull up his whole review:

http://cars.about.com/od/mercedesben...g_07merc_e.htm

His only negative comment was:

“Is it perfect? Not quite. Though I like the improved steering response in
the curves, I wish it wasn't such a chore to pilot the E in a straight line.”

jimm
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Old Apr 23, 2007 | 08:04 PM
  #11  
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03 E500 and Corvette
Originally Posted by eddietr
Alignment will make a big difference in how much effort it takes to keep a car straight (and conversely how eager the car is to turn in.) All you have to do is find a good shop that can help you find the right mix of front and rear specs to fine tune it to your needs.

Also of course wide, low profile tires will follow uneven surfaces and require you to correct no matter how much toe you dial in.
This is correct, Ours will track straight on flat roads at what ever speed you chose to drive. Jim

My corvette will also track straight at speeds up to 130 on the track. Alignment at a "good" shop is the answer,, The car is not a problem. Jim
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Old Apr 23, 2007 | 08:34 PM
  #12  
jimm's Avatar
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From: Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
‘08 E-350 Sport, C6 Vette & Harley Davidson
I appreciate all the positive answers. Makes me feel better.

I was just a “tiny bit” concerned. It would be a pain to have
to “keep on it“ every second.

jimm
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Old Apr 24, 2007 | 01:43 PM
  #13  
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Land Rover BMW E500 Miata
Replaced stock tires @ 19200 with Avon M550 A/S. Was tracking to right. Local dealer checked at last two services and stated the alignment was within specs. Dealer inflated tires to 42psi. I started to notice inside wear so I went to Ians tire and they said it needed alignment. E500 drives much better now. I have before and after alignment read outs. I complained to dealer and they said it was the tires causing the pulling. I sent an email to MBNA about the alignment at my local tire shop, and now I am getting calls from local MBZ dealer to try and patch things up!
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Old Apr 24, 2007 | 05:28 PM
  #14  
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2007 E63
Originally Posted by lig
Mine was gay. j/k

It tracked pretty true.
My neighbor has reported that his E320 tends to lean right and has demanded through the MFD that the government oppose any and all future road taxes citing that we have the right to drive our cars as much as we want.

He's also noted that the radio refuses to play anything but Justin Timberlake.
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Old Apr 24, 2007 | 11:40 PM
  #15  
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was '03 E320 - now - '04 S4


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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 12:52 AM
  #16  
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4 wheels
My E63 with stock rims and my SL65 19" rims tracks perfectly straight.
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 01:57 AM
  #17  
deaded's Avatar
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
2003 E55
Originally Posted by lig
Mine was gay. j/k

... not that there's anything WRONG with that...
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 06:35 AM
  #18  
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
I find that Benzes actually track better the faster you drive. There is something in their suspension and areodynamics that allows them to "sit" down on the road more snugly as speed increases. I've had my car the limit a few times and still can't get over how true and composed it is. All German cars share this, but Mercedes is better than all of them when it comes to composure at ridiculous speeds. At low speeds on bad roads its all over the place especially on severly crowned roads, but I too had to learn that this is due to the low-pro tires mainly. They try to follow every groove on an imperfect road. Annoying yes.

M
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 07:41 AM
  #19  
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you must check the tyre pressure, and use the related ytyres to your car, that you can find on lable on driver's door
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 08:34 AM
  #20  
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From: Dallas TX
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
Has everyone checked the inside of their fuel filler door for the correct PSI for sustained driving over 100 mph? Interesting little detail. AMG Benzes usually have the PSI listed for driving over 120 mph for sustained periods. So many little neat little details on a Benz.

M
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 11:19 AM
  #21  
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From: Atlanta suburbs
2008 Aspen, 1970 Corvette, 2000 Corvette and 2009 Legacy Limited
My 2002 E320 did this... never could figure this out. My 2006 E350 does have a tracking issue... but the steering wheel never seems to be centered while I am going straight... took it to the dealer and they basically said I was crazy...

good car though...
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 08:28 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by hecdog
mine leans to the left.
lol.. dont i kow u fromk somewhere?
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 10:09 AM
  #23  
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2006 E320 CDI
Our E320 tracks true when I drive it. The wife (who is very picky) also feels the car tracks true with little or no effort. Ed B
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