FTMB

I am looking at 2005 E500 CPO 37000 miles $27K

1) What do you think about this price?


2) If I decided to buy this car what sort of issue/problem and maintenance cost I should be expect?

3) Should I consider purchasing additional 2 year warranty at $2500?

4) I am also considering 2006 E350 34000 miles at $29K. Which seem better choice for you?

5) What is overall reliability of 2005 E500?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Barry45RPM

1. I wouldn't want any 211 without an extended warranty. The later the MY, the better the reliability on these E Class cars.

2. The gas milage between the 2 won't be a dealbreaker, and the more powerfull V8 is a really nice drive. The 350 was a nice improvement over the old 320. Drive them both.

3. Off warranty, I would budget a possible $1200-1900 a year for unexpected (non scheduled) repairs, and about $1,000 over every 2 year period for normal maintenance. If you don't have the unexpected surprise repairs, its money in your pocket. Thats why I reccomend the Extended Warranty.

4. Does one car offer more options than the other car?

gnma

For me, its the engine:

E350 has V6 with 260ish hp, 260ish torque.

E500 has 302 hp, 339 ft/lb torque. And that torque comes in at 2,700 rpm. The V8 is an amazing motor. Its like a hot rod in a tuxedo. When it comes to power theres' no comparison.

You get the premuim leather standard. Ck. your options with both cars. The dynamic seats are amazing, and I recommend the xenon lights and navi.

E500 has airmatic suspension which provides an amazingly smooth ride. (Don't know if the E350 has it). BUT there have been failures in the suspension which can lead to $1K+ in repairs. Do a search here. I have 33K on my E500 and had her 9 months, and I love the car. The E500 RWD models come with a 7-speed auto tranny which is smooth as butter. (Don't know about the E350).

You really should drive both. But I honestly believe you'll regret it if you choose the V6 over the V8. (Unless you also own a sports car), if you're not into muscle, then you may be happy with the V6 (until you go for a ride in a V8)

E500 gets 26+mpg on the highway.

Good luck!

FTMB

Thanks for your feedback!

GNMA

Did you had any repair or reliability issue with your 2005 E500 so far?

High Technology

I drove both last week, and there is a very significant difference in the driving characteristics of the two cars. The E500 has a great suspension and as noted above, the engine feel makes a world of difference. If you are looking for performance, this is a no brainer, as there is virtually no cost premium for the V8 in the CPO marketplace (maybe $1,000 - 2,000). If you're not or you'll do mostly city driving, then the 6 cylinder makes more sense.

GNMA -- hey, even those of us who also have a sports car (911 C4 Cab) would want the V8

I settled on a 2006 E500 pretty loaded (Premium w/Panorama, Bi-Xenons, Parktronic, Keyless Go, Trunk Closer, iPod and Bluetooth) for around $34k in NYC. Car has about 11k miles on it.

gnma

I do have a vibration in the steering wheel @ 60 mph. Others too have had this. I'm guessing the wheels need road force balancing. Other than that, no probs so far.

As you research on this forum, u'll note many prob. existed with the '03-'04 models. Others say '06+ have few problems. My exp. so far (9 mos. and only about 1K miles), has been great. Good luck to you!

High Technology: u're absolutely right, and nice combo of cars BTW! Ck. the "events" section to find out when is our next MB meet. We have lots of fun.