BavarianMachine

Hi all,

I am looking to buy my son, 16, his first car. I've been looking at both E-class sedans and wagons. It should be 4matic, and the '500' would be nice. I am aware that some 2004 E-class models have problems, and numerous recalls have been made. Can any E500 sedan, or wagon, owners offer your insight on this matter? Also, is the V8 in the E500 that much quicker than the engine in the E350 (for a first year driver)? Anyway, I came across this sedan on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ONE-O...rkparms=65%3A7

Is this a decent price price for this car?
(considering the warranty expiration in 2011, and other factors)

If not a good price, what would you all recommend for a first year driver? (Some kind of a 4matic MB, wagon or sedan)

Thank you very much!

03_E500

Honestly I would not recommend this car for a 16yo. The car is just too large.. I would look into something along the lines of a C class MB.

03_E500

If it has to be 4wd, BMW 325Xi seems like a good candidate for a 16yo.

Scraz51

Honestly I would go with a w204 with the largest engine (not C63), it will provide him with much better handling and allow him the ability to progress to a larger, faster engine once his driving skills are better honed. Even though he is your son, and I do not know him, nor am I trying to lump him into a category, if you buy him a fast big saloon that doesn't handle very well, he might get into some trouble. I know you probably don't want to think ill of him either, but when you are a younger driver, you will probably have some scrapes, or at least near misses.

I am sorry if this comes across as me judging him because that is definately not my intention. But for a 16 year old kid who is new to the road, I would honestly want to buy him a smaller engined, better handling car. The new Cs have great handling and their engines are not that slow, but if you decide to drag race a 5L V8 you will obviously lose, but he probably shouldn't be doing that anyway haha.

Additionally, there are less things to go wrong with that car, it is newer, has better technology, and it looks pretty damn good to, especially if he decides to put an AMG body on it.

It may be a first gen car (w204), but it will see less problems and cost you less money (significantly) than an older E.

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...your-w211.html

As you can see from this thread, nearly all of us have experienced some problems with the 03-05s. I am not saying that the car is bad though, or shockingly unreliable. I owned a 10 year old Alfa, and as Clarkson has constantly stated, you will probably spend more time on the side of the road than on it, which was pretty much true and I am very happy with the E but to be on the safe side I really would buy him a newer car with not such a large engine. IMO but you don't have to listen to me haha, just a stranger on the inter-web.

CEB

I'm not quite sure why the Op wants to buy his son a big car/big engine.

It is an established medical fact that the brain of a 16 year old isn't wired to properly determine risk and consequences - giving him a big car that he can cram 5 (or more) others into is a bad idea - a big engine is equally a bad idea.

A car that is a few years old, small, slow and with the modern safety features is the best way to go. He will bump into things, he will get tickets and he'll do some very stupid things - regardless of how responsible the OP thinks his son is.

We all know - we were all 16 once....

BavarianMachine

Thank you all for your insight!

I think we will look into a C-class sedan or even a 3-series sedan for him. Thank you for bringing me to my senses! You are right, we were all 16 once, and know that a big ol' V8 is not great for a first year driver (maybe once out of college).

Thank you all again!

chokaay

I fully agree with this decision (and with what was said in the posts above). IMO, it would be one thing if the large car was an old family hand-me-down AND that your son is capable (and trained/practiced to drive) that particular vehicle. It's another thing to go out and purchase him an E-Class sedan... and a 500/550 at that!

Seriously, I honestly had no idea how large the E-Class was until I parked it beside a Lexus LS430 and found that bumper-to-bumper it was only a couple inches shorter (or less).


EDIT: And I think you're making the right decision considering the C-Class for him. I thoroughly enjoyed my C240, and still would be driving it if I didn't need more room in the back seat. My wife is VERY reluctant to get rid of her 2003 C230 Kompressor 2-Door Coupe (about as short of a MB as you can get in the U.S.), even AFTER being presented a 2009 E350... go figure...

Scraz51

Yes good choice on the C or 3

They are both very nice cars, very reliable and still very good to look at, your son would be very happy with them.

And when you are 16 years old you are probably going to hit something, especially with a larger engined car, so say the statistics and the insurance companies that rely on them.

Nothing is better than a naturally aspirated V8, but he still has another 70 years left in him (touch wood), plenty of time to be able to get one!

lkchris

The E-class is fine.

Recommend, however, checking with your insurance person on difference in rates between the V8 car and a V6 car, teenager driver.

I've always been confused how folks spend so much of a child's first years trying to protect them, and suddenly when it's time for them to drive they look for a "small" car. This is illogical.

fortlaudsummer

I'd like to add to this conversation this:

It is 2009 and at this point in time most of the issues commonly associated with 2003 or 2004 W211s have certainly been worked out by the previous 1 or 2 owners. Just make sure to get a complete car fax and maintenance history should you opt for either of these MY cars.

That being said, I concur with the C350 recommendations above.

Scraz51

Statistically speaking you would be safest in a big 4wd, get a F250 lol.

The only thing people could hit or he could hit are the tyres.

fortlaudsummer

Just go big time with an '09 Ford F650 or an old school F850 fire truck

Sportstick

There are few inherently poorer decision-makers than a 16 year old, as you suggested (except those 15 and younger). Part of your first impression was correct in seeking a reasonable mass of protection by considering an E....just make it the 6. If a C or 3 series, again, get the smallest engine to deter competition. Or, consider the radical thought that maybe a 16 year old doesn't need a luxury car...(horrors!). Go to iihs.org and pick something reasonable from their crash test BEST PICKS list and put the difference into a CD or other savings for college or beyond. Yes, some luxury brands are listed as very safe cars, but there are many reasonable choices too for lots less $$ with equal safety and as good as or even better reliability. Sadly, what starts out as a well intended car-buy too often leads to sadness for parents of 16 year olds!

Sportstick

One other thought....read about "graduated driver's license"....set the ground rules for the car....NO passengers other than your family, cell phone set to off when in the car, and have a curfew before darkness for the first year. He's more likely to make it to 17 that way.

chokaay

I know these comments may (or may not) have been made (at least partly) out of sarcasm... but just to add on, yes, in general there is the belief that larger vehicles offer more protection. And that statement is can be viewed as partially correct (with some limitations). These suggested large vehicles may offer better straight collision coverage for the driver, but may fare poorer in other coverage (one example is rollover tendencies and protection). With a 16 year old at the helm, I'm willing to bet that he would probably want to accelerate pretty fast, drive relatively fast, and and most likely take corners fairly fast as well (at least periodically). Putting an inexperienced 16 year old driver who likes to drive this way at the wheel of a "brand new" large SUV or truck (at least to him since he's never driven it before) may not be the best decision.

Not only that, but you also may want to consider the consequences to the other person if there is a collision. Should someone be critically injured and/or disabled for life (or worse, God forbid) then your son will be held responsible (especially if he's driving a "monster truck" that was proven to be going at an unsafe speed and/or being driven recklessly). He (and you) will also have that on your conscience for the rest of his (your) life as well.

I applaud OP's efforts and determination to protect your son from harm, but just remember that the ABILITY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY plays just as much of a role (if not more) in avoiding accidents than the SAFETY FEATURES/RATINGS of the vehicle themselves! That being said, the new C-Class MB gets excellent safety scores/ratings across the board for its class (even more so than the E-Class you were considering). IMO, if you are determined to buy your son a MB, then IMO that would make an excellent choice (as would the GLK, or other "smaller" vehicle roughly the size of a C-Class).

I would also consult your son as to what he is looking for in a vehicle, and if he has any specific vehicles in mind. I would also have him contribute a portion of his savings towards the vehicle too (maybe work out a deal with him). IMHO, if anyone's son (or daughter) contributes a portion of HIS (or HER) OWN hard-earned savings towards his (or her) own vehicle, and it's a vehicle that he (or she) actually LIKES (and WANTS) (within reason of course), then he (or she) will most likely take better care of his (or her) vehicle and drive more responsibly. Just a thought...


NOTE: The thoughts and opinions in this thread is to give OP something more to consider other than the size/weight/safety features of the vehicle themselves. I agree that a heavier/larger vehicle with the same safety features will NORMALLY protect the occupants better in a collision (compared to smaller vehicles in a controlled test environment), but there are many other factors that should be considered when choosing the "right" vehicle for someone (like their skill level, their ability to drive such a vehicle, their driving tendencies/habits, their mental maturity level, etc). (For example, someone I know has no problem parallel parking her C230 Kompressor Coupe, but absolutely CANNOT parallel park an E-Class, or larger vehicle, at all.) These thoughts, opinions, and comments should be taken under advisement and assessed by anyone purchasing a vehicle for him/herself or for someone else, (they're NOT meant to be treated as absolutes).

Sportstick

Well said Chookay!

I realize the OP was considering a used vehicle for his son.....so one more point needs to be made. The newer the vehicle, the more likely to have the latest safety features. I would, without question, reject any vehicle with side impact air bags and ESP. Much better outcome for his son to be in a new (pardon the expression) Accord with those features (and an IIHS top pick) than an older E without those features....that is just data based on performance for HIC (head impact) and chest g's.

Benz-O-Rama

No chance I'd buy my child a V8 Mercedes for his first car. He's getting a Honda Civic or maybe a Scion TC or something of the like.

Think about the way you drove your first car. I don't know about you, but I would power slide it, or jump railroad tracks any chance I got. He needs something with little to no power, reliable, fuel efficient, safe, with as little room as possible. You don't want his car to be the one that all his cronies pile into.

Just because you're in a financial situation that allows you to buy your child an expensive car, doesn't mean you need to. Or should, for that matter.

Fitty

Benz-O i love your sig, I just upgraded to a E500 from a C280 and i pretty much want what you have with the exception of possibly black polished rims with chrome lip, pretty sick tho

Benz-O-Rama

Thanks. She's was a work in progress for 3 years. As soon as I decided I was finished modding her, I started looking at SL55s, SL600's and CLS55's. Currently still looking.

If you like my wheels, they're for sale.