Wow, my father's taking delivery of 270 CDI on Thursday, finally it has arrived. The car is at the dealership already though and yesterday we went to see it. I've spent good 10-15 mins looking at different things. One word is excellent. It was better than I thought it would be, i.e. exceeded my expectations in almost all areas. One pleasant surprise is that it came with Michelin tyres.
Really looking forward to driving it for the first time.

 

Knight Rider,

Make sure you give us a full report and digital pics too!

 

KnightRider

Congrats!! Just out of curiosity did your dad buy or lease and if so how much??

thanks!

 

Post some pics!
Is it an auto or 6-speed?

 

Guys, I don't have a digicam, if you look at my previous pictures they are scanned and not of the best quality really. But I'll take the film camera with me and as soon as it's finished (maybe later this week) I'll get them developed and then post the pics.
It's an auto, my dad bought it for just over EU 55000, which is almost exactly $50k. We ordered it in the end of Feb, so it took exactly 2 months to arrive.

 

What options did he get on it?

 

2 months to arrive?? That's pretty damn quick.

 

It is quick, I was surprised myself. Well done on Mercedes behalf to provide the cars so quickly.
I am not sure on the US spec, maybe some of the following is standard there, but he got:

Elegance package
Metallic paint
Leather seats
Heated seats
In dash CD player
Velour floormats
BiXenon lights
Rear and side window shades
Automatic transmission
Parametric steering
Bigger 17" alloys
Lowered sports suspension
Parktronic

 

The options are different compared to what we get here in Canada.

i.e. leather and parameter steering, floor mats, auto transmission, metallic paint, heated seats, and metallic paintare all standard.

 

Sorry if i sound dumb.. but what is parameter steering?

 

Parameter steering I believe is similar to speed sensitive steering in which the steering wheel tightens up and is more sensitive as the speed increases, but at slow speeds it is loose and comfortable to manuever around parking lots, etc.

 

Hi, I am also ordering the E270 CDI , Avantgarde (Sport in the US), with the panoramic roof, leather, metalic paint ... But unfortunatly, I won't receive it until september (in Paris). Can you please give us some reviews on how it drives.
The only thing that made me kind of hesitating is the fact that the new E320 CDI is coming out on september (but th waiting list untill january). The car will be a six cylinders and more than 200 HP. I don't know if it would be better to wait for it.

 

Ramad - I thoght the only two models were the E320 and E500?? Are they definately bringing the diesel or is this speculation??

 

Finally after some delay the car is in the garage. The pictures, I'll develop the film tomorrow I guess. One thing is absolutely certain is that silver suits this car brilliantly. The profile is very sleek. When at the dealership I noticed the car has two exhaust pipes, one on each side under the rear bumper. Didn't know that.
The car is as good as I hoped it would be, more really. It's everything we expected it to be and better/more. I am totally satisfied. It's very quiet at speed and soft. It has sports suspension and 245/45 ZR 17 tyres, but the ride is very very smooth.
Really liked the steering wheel, it's thick, small diameter and bound in soft leather. Parameter steering is indeed heavier at higher speeds and lighter at lower speeds and I say it works. It's so natural that you don't notice its' interference/change of weighting taking it for granted.
I found the stereo and air con controls a bit complicated, but I guess I'll read the manual.
Never thought I'd like diesel sound, but this sounds good. Heavy, slow, low, quiet sound instead of a nervous dry clatter smaller 4 cyl diesels produce...This has kind of a big truck diesel sound. It's rather appealing actually.
I think I've read somewhere that 320 CDI will have 204 hp, available in autumn. It will be faster, but the power of 270, 177 hp, is sufficient for us and it's a good all rounder so we never really hesitated. I think 400 CDI with 250 hp is also coming out.
Whichever engine you go for you will love it, I'm sure.
I've seen CLK 240 in the showroom. It looks better in real life than in the pics. The best view is when the windows are down and it's pilarless, the lines and curves are unbroken. Inside it's the mix of SL and C. I liked it, but then I looked at the sunvisor and it was like C's, of cheap hard gray plastic. It was disappointing and out of place in that type of car. Still, very pretty.

 

Are you going to post the pics Knight Rider? Tell us way more about the car

 

Sean, you are so impatient! I have seen 4 new Es since its' presentation in late March and 3 of them I saw today! It makes sense since the cars are delivered in batches (?), so the first ones were delivered on Monday. I had a little competition with one of them on the highway, it was 240. We accelerated several times from about 100 kmh/60 mph to 180 kmh/110 mph. I don't know if it was manual or automatic, but I didn't loose any ground, I was stuck to it.
I must say I was impressed with the diesel, they are very competitive with petrol engines these days with outstanding torque and much better fuel economy. As a little insignifica, 270 CDI has the same specific power output as 540i, around 65 hp/l. Of course 540i's engine is not the most modern, but nevertheless it's an impressive fact. 400 CDI is going to be sooo good.
I've done about 470 kms/300 miles since Monday already and the tank is just above 1/2, the range of 1000 kms/600 miles is huge. That's one of the things I really like.
That's our first Mercedes and first automatic car. I have never driven/been driven in previous E so I can't comment on the difference and we don't have any cars now directly comparable with new E, so instead of being relative my statements are absolute, which isn't really useful.
However on some points I can compare new E with other cars I've driven. One of them is brakes, they are damn powerful, haven't had an opportunity to test them with respect to fade with prolonged high speed braking, but they are very very strong when doing occasional stops at sane speeds.
Another issue is suspension, it is the most comfortable car we've owned. It is very well balanced in soft/hard sense, for me the setup is perfect. We had doubts about sports suspension and bigger wheels, but now I don't regret it even a second. I really can't imagine a person who would complain about it, but everyone's taste is different I guess. Still I recommend ordering sports suspension if you consider buying E.
Same goes for Parameter steering. The stifness changes significantly with speed, which is useful when going fast. Directional stability is good, i.e cross winds, lane changes, etc don't upset the car's balance.
Very quiet at highway speeds, however they should offer optional double glazing because we'd go for it still. No car can never be too quiet with respect to wind noise.
Sunshades seem to be kind of feeble, BMW's design of the side ones is especially more sophisticated and superior in protecting from the light.
Engine sound from the inside under acceleration is good, quiet, but always growling there up front. One slight rattle is pissing me off actually. Nothing's wrong with the car, I suspect it's rear cupholders in the armrest design. They are made of hard plastic and the pieces don't seem to be fitting each other perfectly, but with some gaps. I think they rattle against each other. I don't like the mechanism, it looks and sounds cheap and as a matter of fact I don't like the whole idea of cupholders. But never mind.
Other really cheap looking items are interior door knobs, the ones that go in when the car is locked. They are just grey plastic, making them chromed would be a nice touch.
Another thing, which is minor, but is there nevertheless, is the bonnet. It is big and heavy and it seems there are no springs/bushings, because it just literally slams with hard metallic bang when closing. Also it took me 2 or 3 times to close it properly because I think there are 2 (?) latches, one on either side and I had to bring it down hard pressing with hands on either end to close it properly. Again, BMW's design is better. Not that you would have to open/close it often, especially since checking the oil level is reduced to turning the key in ignition and pressing some buttons. No more looking for that dipstick.
The ignition key itself is a modern design, I don't know, maybe new C or S have the same? It doesn't have the metal bit sticking out at all, it's just a short plastic bit which fits into a square hole in the dashboard.
I noticed today that there is a fine chrome line running above and along the woodtrim in the car, a neat touch. I think you can see it in the pictures.
By the way the colour of the car is the best. I really think that silver is the best colour for the E. It looks elegant and imposing. People in the street notice the car.
It looks to be well and solidly built, I like the feel of it.
The leather is ok, it's soft and pleasant to touch, when you have an opportunity to sit in the car put your hand on the door armrest, the door side leather trim is so soft and deep!
Silver Lana, you have C 320 on order? We thought about buying C 270 CDI, but then we decided that the difference between E and C is great, greater than the extra money you'd pay, so we bought the E instead. It being a brand new model of course is a temporary pleasant bonus. Go for E 320
There are small niggles with the car, but overall I am overwhelmed with how good the car is, the more I drive it, the more I like it! My father bought the car, but as he insists anyone in the family owns it as much as anyone else, so that's the reason I always say "we" and "our". So much for that BS about Mercedes being an old man's boring car. I am 23 and I've heard so much of it, it's incredible and after driving this car for 3 days by now I want to say that all this stereotype is one big BS built upon envy and ignorance.

 

Thanks Knightrider for all your information. What Are you happy with the handling as far as manuverability on high speed lane changes are concerned? How are the seats? Any neat features or gizmos not disclosed by Mercedes? There is a little storage area near the glove box...how big is it exactly?

Thanks,


Sean

 

KnightRider,

Can you pls tell us more about the parameter steering, I have never heard of this prior to reading your message. It seems really cool to me

 

Sean, yes I am happy with high speed maneouvering. The car is planted and doesn't float over the road. I am saying this because we had a testdrive of C 220 CDI earlier on and it had standard wheels with 195/65 R 15 tyres and standard suspension. Even though my father was driving I could still feel it wallowing when going at about 160 kmh/100 mph and overtaking in the left lane and then coming back into the right one. This one is a pleasant surprise after a couple of months of doubt/worry of how it's going to be. However it is almost just as comfortable, if not just as comfortable, as the C we drove with regard to the softness of the ride.
Standard seats are wide and supportive enough, you sit unusually (maybe for me?) high up in the car even with the seat in the lowest position, but it's not a bad feeling. It doesn't take long to find the suitable position, the steering wheel is rake/reach adjustable too.
Well there are lots of little gizmos in the board computer, which you can adjust the settings for, like interior and exterior light delay, automatic locks on/off, ambiental lighting on/off and 5 or 6 levels of intensity, etc.
There is a storage space by the glovebox, it is about 5 cm x 20 cm I guess? Both remotes for the garage doors fit in there nicely.
One thing, which is cool is in-dash CD changer, the way the panel lifts and lowers itself with a touch of a button and the way the intake slot appears/disappears with it. Looks hi tech, but I don't want to imagine what happens if something there breaks down. Whole console to be disassembled?
Oh, the winshield wipers are well weird! They look very primitive and basic, like a thick strip of solid heavy rubber with wiper's slim steel hand kind of inserted right into it? I haven't had time to look at it in detail yet, but it looks very strange at the first glance, isn't like anything I've seen before. No those massive thick complex assembly hands, with wiper blades attached to them, this looks as if the wiper blade is one with the hand and it all looks very simple and strange. There seems to be some kind of a cord in the rubber, because when lifted it doesn't bend in half completely, but only say quarter or maximum third of the way down. I'll have to look at it again to understand how it works.
Parameter steering was available on previous E and on current C too as far as I know. There are no buttons to operate it, it works automatically. I suppose the servo assistance of the steering changes noticeably with speed, so less effort is required when parking/town driving, the wheel is very light and a lot more effort is necessary to turn the wheel at high speed, it becomes tight and heavy. It's a useful feature.

 

I have been thinking about that a whole lot recently... it may be worth the wait for the slick car and DVD based command.

 

your CD, is it the 6 disc changer or a single disk unit? great car, i'm glad you like it!

 

James, we wanted to have and ordered a single disk unit. What happened is that the car arrived with 6 CD changer, but I don't think we were charged for that, as I checked the order sheet and the amount charged for the CD is way too small to be for a 6 disks unit. It says "in-dash CD player", maybe the salesman thought that "in-dash" automatically implied a single disk unit?

 

so does this mean if you get the CD changer, it deletes the single CD player?

Please if you can, take some more interior pics, especially of the dashboard.
Thanks!