exporter

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts on must-have options.

I've been on and off about buying an E320 CDI through the European Delivery Program. I have very sufficient income this year, but there are a few things I keep telling myself, perhaps out of the "guilt" factor:

- a corporate client that accounts for 1/2 my income might not appreciate me showing up in a Benz when they've taken pay cuts
- why not wait and see if the E400 CDI is available in the US in 06 or 07?
- I'm early 30s and there's plenty of time to get a Benz in the future.
- Just had first kid, so shouldn't I stash excess cash in his college account? Let the rule of 72 take over.
- Probably going to upgrade houses within 2 years, keep some of the cash for that.
- It would about $2k less per year to own a SUV, thanks to having my own company and being able to take advantage of IRS Sec 179 deduction
- I can rent them when I travel to Europe and drive them like they're meant to be driven

Did anyone else go through this excessive hand wringing when they thought about buying their E?

bmms8

hey, sounds like you have a lot going on, but i wasnt in that situation, so i cant really comment on that. i can answer the question in the title, about like or love. sometimes, i personally feel 3 emotions, hate, like, and love. i hate it sometimes because of the floaty airmatic which makes the ride so horrible sometimes. also, i dont like the fact that we paid over 70k for a car that has quality issues, and cant be as nice, quality wise as a lexus. i love it more than i hate it, because it is a great car with flaws, but the performance, and luxury mixed with all the technology is just awesome, and sometimes i forget how fast this car really is, since it isnt a daily driver in our household. with hate, and love, love outwheighs hate, so over all i do "like" the car. we have to see how long the engine lasts, and how much repairs will cost us to really se how much we love or like this car though

GL with your decision

kort677

this is always an issue, my BIL worked for a firm that serviced equiptment in doctors offices and because they didn't want to show up any of their clients they issued ford taurus or chrysler mini vans to their techs, a friend of mine is a politician and while he has a lexus, he shows up at politcal events in his chrysler 300.
I like the fact that my '05 e320cdi gives of an aura of competence and success.
you have to weigh you options, if you think your clients won't appreciate the image of success the MB conveys, or the fact that they can't afford one skip it


and in 06 there will be an even better car on the horizon, this a poor excuse, buy what you want now, you can always swap it in in 2 years.


these are financial questions that only you can deal with, if the numbers don't add up, then don't do it, most of us get the MB because we love the car not because the numbers show the MB to be a better deal



most of us can afford to have what we want without the excessive hand wringing

rickyfanmdr

I LOVE my car!!! I've owned a Mercedes since 1985 and can't imagine me in anything else! I just buy what I like--that's what money's for! I get it exactly the way I want it, and only regret not knowing about certain things like the automatic trunk closer! Buy what you love and you'll never go wrong.

DWP

To answer your title question, I like my Benz but I don't love it. That's not necessarily a knock on the car, but after all, it's just an inanimate object, not a person. Our W211 has been reliable and almost trouble-free so far, but in purely objective terms it's not so much better than a loaded Camry or Accord as to justify the doubled price.

You set out a pretty persuasive case for not buying a W211, so the fact that you're still considering it tells me that emotion is a factor. I should know; after all I didn't do the rational thing and buy a Camry or Accord - I got a Mercedes. Emotion in car selection is OK; if every consumer made purchase decisions on a purely rational basis the economy would collapse and life would be a lot more boring.

Nobody here can decide for you what course you should take, but let me offer one piece of unsolicited advice - if it comes down to a choice between a Benz and a truck-based SUV, go with the Benz for sure. If you have a wife and a new child, no tax advantage can make up for the safety deficit of truck-based SUVs. The SUV illusion of safety is just that - an illusion. You don't want your family driving around in a truck that forgets how to keep the shiny side up with the first sudden evasive manuever.

NATS64

I love both of my E's. I drove several of them in Europe and knew that MB was the car for me.

Life is too short not to drive a Mercedes-Benz!

lig

I'm more in agreement with bmms8. Some things about this car I absolutely love. Others I like. Some drive me crazy.

Love, Hate and Like all wrapped up in one. More entertaining than some relationships.

moa4r

abosulutely LOVE the car, but this concern is definately a big one, bcs the new body E will ALWAYS get looks; Also, while its unbelievably smooth and quiet, its not really a drivers car, so if your looking for an exciting drive, your not going to find it there...

moa4r

also, since money is an important concern, y not conider a used e320 or e500; Can't you write off the mercedes as well??!! Also, check out a lease!!

jrthiele

Yes - I too went through quite a bit of debate before ordering my E 320 CDI for ED in September. (Glad to hear that the MB labor dispute has been resolved prior to production of my car.) I was finally motivated by 3 factors.

1. The ED discount of 7% is at an historical high and can be reduced to a more normal 2 or 3% at any moment.

2. The inline 6 320 CDI motor is naturally balanced and very smooth which I think is a advantage compared with the newer V6 motors being used to allow 4 matic. I definitely wanted the inline 6 and don't care about 4 matic.

3. Future diesels will be equipped with additional smog devices which may prove to be a hassle. Not sure what the future MB Urea system will be exactly but I'm quite comfortable with the present setup.

Go for it.

Barry45RPM

I love mine... and have had no real problems. I'll be honest & tell you I didn't buy it for safety. You can get a Volvo or 2 for that.

Its fast, its comfortable, it looks awesome, it got a lot of features and it has stature. Yes people look at it. ...and everyone doesn't have one. Is it "an investment"...NO. No car is, but it does say SOMETHING about the person that drives one. Whatever the message is, it is as individual as the person who owns it & the person who observes the car and "recieves the message".

In the business world, some people wear $100 suits, some wear $ 300 suits, and some wear $ 1000+ suits. They all do the job, but there is NO MISTAKING the $1000+ suit. Ever.

I wear Wrangler jeans, and a polo/golf shirt to work as an optician every day in the retail world, but as I got older, and could afford the monthly payment, I got a Benz. I feel good looking at it & driving it.

Thats all there is to it. Its not something you can analyze.

ATS

I love it and the reason I bought it?

I was at the Toronto auto show and sat in it.. In just 2 seconds I said out loud. "I am buying this car". That was all it took.

I fell in love with the interior. I have to say that it is the BEST looking car on the inside in the whole Merc line (IMO).

CALBenzo

Ditto both Barry45RPM and Atssystems. I never test drove either my 993 or the E500. I just liked them. Dumb for doing that? perhaps. Impulsive? Yes. Regrets? No way, I love both cars. Knock on wood, the E500 has been trouble free for me so far.

Double Eagle

I LOVE my current E-500 and previous 2003 E-500 without Nav; however, I only LIKED my earlier '97 E-320. With the decontenting of the 2005 model, I'm glad I got the one I have even if it doesn't have the new seven speed transmission. Since my wife is an artist, we especially like the fold down rear seat for carrying large paintings or other large objects. I'm not sure if they will still be offereing this in 2005.

A lot of folks drive MB's, BMW's, Jaguars and Lexus's here in Southern California so you don't have to be concerned about what others may think. One minor concern with owning my Mercedes is getting it repaired should it break down on one of our trips through NM, AZ, UT, NV, WY, ND and CO. I had a minor failure when I was in Colorado a few years ago and had to drive over 150 miles to get to a Denver dealer and back with a loaner. They then took four days to make the repair of the speed control unit and I picked it up on my way home. There are very few MB dealers in any of the states noted here and repairs could be a problem.

adam3

This was a very difficult dilemma for me..should i get the New Accord or the BMW 5 series 525i/525d or the E Class last Xmas.

The Accord would save me 10K sterling, the BMW save me 2-3K and the E would cost me 30K. I worked it out that although the Mb was more expensive the other two would lose me more money in 3 yrs. The Accord in 3yrs lose about 10-11k. The Mb lose around 10K depending on mileage and the BMW over 12k.

So basicallly buying a MBz is a better !"investment than other cars" and would u not drive a Mbz and lose the same amount of money as an Accord.

I see so many Hondas, BMW and never look twice but seeing a fellow E Class driver always gets my attention. Other car drivers do notice the CAR. Its give u plesure driving it...so iits an emotional thing.........The only thing i worry about is someone else vandalising it.....i've had several large scratches recently and one always is too careful parking it in a safe area.......So compared to a Accord( which i would just dump anywhere..no-ones going to nick it) the Mbz demands resepect and careful ownership.

You;ll probably end up buying a small runabout for the small shopping trips where dents are collected as if its "buy groceries and get a DENT free"

If you have one kid its the safest place....have more and they will make a mess of your interior....so back to the runabout scenario and E Class for work only.

Do ur sums and if I was thinking of buying a house...then thats comes first........I bought a house first and within a few months treated myself to the e Class...only bcos i saved first.....remember houses appreciate and cars depreciate...and ur money is best in bricks and MOTOR....why not wait till your priorities are sorted.

outtadaloop

I thought about buying a lexus, bmw, etc.. even thought about the ML350 for the new tax benefit, but when I saw the brilliant silver E in the showroom and when I sat in it....the rest is history! :p

maxdog

It makes me feel really good being able to own an automobile of this caliber. This is a reward for me for all the time invested in school and going through the hard work. This care really makes me forget the world and a tough day's work when I punch the accelerator, windows down, wind in my face and the HK sound system full blast.

Simply the best mid-size sport sedan out there.

guru

I bought it because of all the cars she saw, my wife immediately fell in love with the e320....For me, the drive, handling and the 4matic was clearly superior to other alternatives. Also, the styling of the car, inside and out, is truly awesome....I still catch myself admiring my car from a distance....

MBE55AMG

I'll be straightforward. I simply love my W211 and am very grateful to have ownership of this machine.

champaigntaste

I have always enjoyed driving a nice car. My wife and I travel a lot, and we drive on long trips frequently (35,000 miles on our BMW X5 are just vacations in the last three years). I was looking for a car that handled well and cruised nicely at high speeds. Something that looked nice inside and out that was well built. As the owner of several BMW’s with a very good local dealer, I wanted to like the BMW 530i, which is a very nice car, but I preferred the styling of the Mercedes E Series and the interior layout / fit and finish is much nicer than the BMW. I also think that subconsciously, I have always wanted a Mercedes.

Our E500 only has 600 miles on it and we haven’t had any problems. This isn’t enough for me to recommend it from a reliability perspective, but there is a wealth of other posts on which to judge this. Assuming things continue with the car as they have so far, this will be the best car I have owned by a comfortable margin. I don’t believe you would regret purchasing one.

Nevada Jack

Nice work on the signature!

topspin4hand

I LOVE my MB. I went thru a little hand ringing, but I was certain that I could meet certain financial saving thresholds after the car's purchase. But even if you don't save what you want w/ the car, so what? There's nothing like a long azz day, when you leave your j-o-b and see your baby waiting for you (talking about the car not my wife, but I love her too). Like others have said, a luxury car isn't going to jive well in a logical analysis.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, get the whip!

champaigntaste

See title