New 2009 E350 4MATIC Owner - Couple of questions...
01-19-2009, 09:32 PM
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W204 C63
New 2009 E350 4MATIC Owner - Couple of questions...
Hey everyone!
Just got a new 2009 E350 4Matic (picking it up next Saturday), black, black interior, black wood trim, P1 and Sport packages, former 2008 BMW 335xi coupe owner. Happy to be here and to get rid of my BMW.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Does the 4MATIC still get the real sports suspension with the sports package? (lowered 0.5in and stiffer suspension). The reason I ask is because, with 335s, once you order the X-drive you don't get the lowered, stiffer sports suspension even if you order the sports package.
2) How much does the scheduled maintenance cost on these cars? I'm guessing ~$200 for oil changes?
3) Should I de-badge or not? I'm leaning towards YES, I think the rear looks too busy and would look cleaner without all those letters and numbers (particularly being a black car). I am NOT thinking about rebadging or adding "AMG" all over my car. Few things are lamer than that.
Thanks
-Ale
P.S. Here's a pic of my car
Just got a new 2009 E350 4Matic (picking it up next Saturday), black, black interior, black wood trim, P1 and Sport packages, former 2008 BMW 335xi coupe owner. Happy to be here and to get rid of my BMW.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Does the 4MATIC still get the real sports suspension with the sports package? (lowered 0.5in and stiffer suspension). The reason I ask is because, with 335s, once you order the X-drive you don't get the lowered, stiffer sports suspension even if you order the sports package.
2) How much does the scheduled maintenance cost on these cars? I'm guessing ~$200 for oil changes?
3) Should I de-badge or not? I'm leaning towards YES, I think the rear looks too busy and would look cleaner without all those letters and numbers (particularly being a black car). I am NOT thinking about rebadging or adding "AMG" all over my car. Few things are lamer than that.
Thanks
-Ale
P.S. Here's a pic of my car
01-20-2009, 01:47 AM
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
Ale, nice car. Enjoy!
1) The AWD E350s have a higher ride height. You will see that if you compare a RWD along side a AWD. However, you could lower it later on. The AWD also does not have the staggered rims/tires like the RWD. The AWD has a 5-speed transmission instead of the RWD 7-speed transmission.
And it weighs about 200 lbs more than the RWD. The AWD has a bit different suspension setup; the front is a double wishbone type while the RWD has the independent 4 link style. None of this should be noticeable; either version of these cars are not the sort that one throws into the corners like a RWD BMW or Porsche. But they are very competent cruising cars.
2) Although there's no free maintenance like BMW, oil changes are based on the FSS and so figure every 10k (unless you feel like doing it at 7.5K) And yeah, Mobil 1 oil changes and the filter run close to $200 (depending on where you go.) They hold a lot of oil. Anyway, maintenance expense is really no better or worse than other Euro cars. Brakes and other disposables are up there in cost and that's where the BMW free maintenance is nice to have.
3) Debadge looks good. I debadge most of my new cars, but the MB looks particularly good debadged (see pic.) But if you are leasing, you should save the emblems. I do it myself (very easy) but if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself then have a competent detailer do it for you. And you really should have the car detailed ($250-300) as the dealers make a mess of it at prep time.
1) The AWD E350s have a higher ride height. You will see that if you compare a RWD along side a AWD. However, you could lower it later on. The AWD also does not have the staggered rims/tires like the RWD. The AWD has a 5-speed transmission instead of the RWD 7-speed transmission.
And it weighs about 200 lbs more than the RWD. The AWD has a bit different suspension setup; the front is a double wishbone type while the RWD has the independent 4 link style. None of this should be noticeable; either version of these cars are not the sort that one throws into the corners like a RWD BMW or Porsche. But they are very competent cruising cars.
2) Although there's no free maintenance like BMW, oil changes are based on the FSS and so figure every 10k (unless you feel like doing it at 7.5K) And yeah, Mobil 1 oil changes and the filter run close to $200 (depending on where you go.) They hold a lot of oil. Anyway, maintenance expense is really no better or worse than other Euro cars. Brakes and other disposables are up there in cost and that's where the BMW free maintenance is nice to have.
3) Debadge looks good. I debadge most of my new cars, but the MB looks particularly good debadged (see pic.) But if you are leasing, you should save the emblems. I do it myself (very easy) but if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself then have a competent detailer do it for you. And you really should have the car detailed ($250-300) as the dealers make a mess of it at prep time.
Last edited by 220S; 01-20-2009 at 01:49 AM.
01-20-2009, 09:42 AM
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When I picked up my car, it was spotless inside and out, as it should be. But I noticed the first time I washed it that water wasn't beading up, indicating almost no wax. So, you might want to plan on waxing it right after you pick it up. With a new and clean surface, this should be a pretty quick job. Enjoy!
01-20-2009, 12:57 PM
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Ale, nice car. Enjoy!
1) The AWD E350s have a higher ride height. You will see that if you compare a RWD along side a AWD. However, you could lower it later on. The AWD also does not have the staggered rims/tires like the RWD. The AWD has a 5-speed transmission instead of the RWD 7-speed transmission.
And it weighs about 200 lbs more than the RWD. The AWD has a bit different suspension setup; the front is a double wishbone type while the RWD has the independent 4 link style. None of this should be noticeable; either version of these cars are not the sort that one throws into the corners like a RWD BMW or Porsche. But they are very competent cruising cars.
2) Although there's no free maintenance like BMW, oil changes are based on the FSS and so figure every 10k (unless you feel like doing it at 7.5K) And yeah, Mobil 1 oil changes and the filter run close to $200 (depending on where you go.) They hold a lot of oil. Anyway, maintenance expense is really no better or worse than other Euro cars. Brakes and other disposables are up there in cost and that's where the BMW free maintenance is nice to have.
3) Debadge looks good. I debadge most of my new cars, but the MB looks particularly good debadged (see pic.) But if you are leasing, you should save the emblems. I do it myself (very easy) but if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself then have a competent detailer do it for you. And you really should have the car detailed ($250-300) as the dealers make a mess of it at prep time.
1) The AWD E350s have a higher ride height. You will see that if you compare a RWD along side a AWD. However, you could lower it later on. The AWD also does not have the staggered rims/tires like the RWD. The AWD has a 5-speed transmission instead of the RWD 7-speed transmission.
And it weighs about 200 lbs more than the RWD. The AWD has a bit different suspension setup; the front is a double wishbone type while the RWD has the independent 4 link style. None of this should be noticeable; either version of these cars are not the sort that one throws into the corners like a RWD BMW or Porsche. But they are very competent cruising cars.
2) Although there's no free maintenance like BMW, oil changes are based on the FSS and so figure every 10k (unless you feel like doing it at 7.5K) And yeah, Mobil 1 oil changes and the filter run close to $200 (depending on where you go.) They hold a lot of oil. Anyway, maintenance expense is really no better or worse than other Euro cars. Brakes and other disposables are up there in cost and that's where the BMW free maintenance is nice to have.
3) Debadge looks good. I debadge most of my new cars, but the MB looks particularly good debadged (see pic.) But if you are leasing, you should save the emblems. I do it myself (very easy) but if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself then have a competent detailer do it for you. And you really should have the car detailed ($250-300) as the dealers make a mess of it at prep time.
Thank you very much
01-20-2009, 03:49 PM
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When I picked up my car, it was spotless inside and out, as it should be. But I noticed the first time I washed it that water wasn't beading up, indicating almost no wax. So, you might want to plan on waxing it right after you pick it up. With a new and clean surface, this should be a pretty quick job. Enjoy!
01-20-2009, 04:23 PM
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2015 ML 350
Back in the days of Old Paint Technology.... the era of cheap laquer paints. Todays paints are more Chemistry than Paint. ...and they're clearcoated which means you aren't polishing the pigmented layer.
By the time a freshly built/shipped/delivered car reaches its owner, its safe to wax away!
By the time a freshly built/shipped/delivered car reaches its owner, its safe to wax away!
