cte430

I had a 2000 E430 which was replaced by my E500 in October. The new E wins out in probably every category. there is one thing i'm wondering about if any other former E430 owners can attest to. At highway speeds, say 60-70 when I stand on the gas there seems to be a significant "lag" before the car takes off. I don't recall this happening with my 430. I was passing someone today as lanes were merging,(he would probably say I was cutting him off, but who need details?) floored it, and was like, come on already... lets go. It just seems like my 430 had the power more readily available. Overall I think the 500 is faster, except in this scenario

MJH53

I can't compare against an E430, but I would agree with making a similar comparison to my 99 SL with basically the same V8 as the new E. The SL seemed to have quicker throttle response, and certainly had a lot less electronics.

MadManAboutTown

No other Mercedes experience for me to relate to either, but there is definitely a lag between when I want to accelerate and when the car actually starts to accelerate.

Really odd - the other oddity I've noticed with the transmission (or rather, the electronics that control it) is when I accelerate from a dead stop like a bat out of $%^ but then I back off in second gear, the car doesn't seem to know what to do. It sorts of lurches ever so slightly, then settles down to the engine speed that I expect.

So I think in both cases, it's a matter of how the car is programmed to react to driver input (in this case, my right foot).

On the other hand (or should I say foot), the left foot input (brake) seems to be working like a charm

ctouhey

I can't contrast with a 2000 E420, but...

I've wondered about that lag thing and all the computerized controls that are trying their best to figure out what-the-heck-kinda driving I'm doing. The car seems to want to be ready for what I need, but, like a woman, my needs change without rhyme or reason. (This forum from my reading is almost totally male, so I'm risking a blatantly sexist comment here...)

Sometimes I'm on the interstate and when want to just kick it up a notch (Emeril) but don't really want to "floor it", I just can't get any satisfaction (Jagger). It is really sluggish and I don't get that "lift" I'm looking for. I'm wanting the transmission to shift down a gear or two, but not hard acceleration. I'm almost embarrassed as this finely tuned piece of machinery accelerates like someone paid by the hour. (Oops! Another politically incorrect comment!)

Shift to another scenario. I'm darting in and out of traffic like a bat-outta-hell and screw the rest of the world and I'm king and it's my road and, well, maybe you've been there.... Man, we are one. I want a little kick, I get a little kick. I want to eat up asphalt, by god (big g, little g, you choose) I eat up some asphalt. The car knows what I want the moment I realize it and gives it as I'm thinking it.

I guess someone programmed these beasts with a good-driver, bad-driver mentality. You can't straddle the fence; you have to commit.

Damn, it's fun when I'm the bad driver!

MadManAboutTown

My sentiments exactly! And I don't mind those euphemisms at all

Dema

430 also hesitates. Probably, you should do manual shift down. This problem is quite annoying and I was sure that E500 does have fix for it.

mrfu

There is no fix for this, since what you are describing is an attribute of the so-called "electronic throttle". If taking a big "stab" at the gas pedal is not your everyday drving style, the computer will need some time to "think" what you are trying to do before it reacts to your input.

If you constantly "stab" at the gas pedal, then OVERTIME, the computer will learn that this your driving style. Therefore, it will react more quickly next time.

Personally, I do not recommend taking a big "stab" at the gas pedal too requent when he engine is still new. If you take it easy on your engine for the first 10,000 miles (not 1,000 miles), then the engine will sound a lot smoother in the long haul. Trust me, I speak this from my experince. 1,000 miles is not the still not the break-in period. It takes more than 20,000 miles to break-in an MB engine.

mrfu
2001 C 240X (56,700km)

mallard

I cannot speak for the E500....yet....but I also notice a lag in acceleration in my E420. Not the same exact engine as the 430, but close enough for comparison, I assume. I notice the lag more when accelerating from a stop rather than at highway speed, where I get a more instantaneous response.

Dema

Many people sell their Merces just after 15-20K miles. So it looks like they never get all advantages of the car, which needs to be own some time. The described behavior of the computer is a bit illogical for me. Sometimes I need to accelerate fast, especially in dangerous situation. In this case I can be not ready to do manual shift, and the computer will think that I'm joking. I didn't notice such behavior on my Lexus, although I do not like this car, it behaves as I expect.

6.3

On my 98 E430 the lag is also present although I can't predict when it's going to happen. Yesterday for example yellow cab wanted to cut me off when going on the one lane entrance to a highway. We are standing on red light and as soon as light is about to change he rolls over the line and wants to sneak in. Since I hate this type of behavior I floor it and its like let's gp already!! It took like a second of slugish start and then it was like a rocket up the hill!! If I could just get this response right away. That is a reason why people prefer manual transmissions. I am a little surprised that E500 still has this issue.