james_san

Hi fellow members,

After some serious reading of this forum (and other "spy sites") we have decided to go for an E350 (could be a mid-'05 or an '06 model).

I went by a local dealership last weekend the the salesperson swore on his mother's grave that there is no plan for an E350 (!) and said the only cars that have the 3.5 ltr engine are ML's and the new SLK's.

Well, not sure if he is telling the truth, or he just doesn't know. Anyways, since the production is rumored to be in the coming December, when realistically do you think the dealerships will be informed of this so we can start ordering cars?

Also, the 7% discount is quite attractive but family/job obligations may not allow a trip to Stuttgart. Think it's possible to get a new model at or near invoice? I wouldn'd mind buying one from LA area than here in SF bay area.

Any input is appreciated.

saffrontiger

Take a look at the E320 CDI. Amazing power/torque, excellent mileage ( 27-39 mpg), refined engine w/ longevity. At last check, it was available for ED. Take it for a test drive. You will propbabaly want to buy it then and there! As for the E350, I can't give you any intelligent feedback sorry.

TPAbnz

1. No, I don't think that you'll get an invoice price on a new model although the new SLK is listed as qualifying for the 7% ED discount.

2. You are not required to personally sign for the car at the factory. MB will provide you with forms to designate someone to pick it up, drive it across the street to the shipping agent, and return to the US. Air fares are about $400 r/t.

Obviously, I agree with saffrontiger's thoughts above.

konigstiger

Check your PM (private messages).

DavidNJ

Call the ED people on the MB Customer Support Line. Ask when you can order an E350 for ED. My guess is they will have it first since there order are months in advance.

E350, Appearance, Premium, Parktronic, TPM would be an interesting car.

Also, MBUSA lists the SLK as price TBA for ED. Talking to them (in July) I was told that it is at US MSRP - destination. No 7% discount. However it is readily available for ED and may be hard to get domestically.

While the CDI will be more efficient than the E350--higher mileage--the extra 70hp will make the E350 much faster. I expect a mid 14 sec 1/4 mile and 0-60 in the very low 6 second range.

Nevada Jack

Keep in mind the straight 6 320CDI will be replaced probably in early 2005 with a V6 CDI...I am sure there will be an increase in HP and torque,

DavidNJ

Absolutely right...231hp I believe. With the relatively wide, flat power curve (power, not torque), it should be pretty quick with very good mileage. Improvements in sensors, electronics, and fuel injection should result in a smoother and probably quieter motor. I believe the expected production dates are May-June 05, so it will virtually certainly be introduced with the '06.

The E350, if it is December production would probably be a February or March introduction. The questions are: Will it be an '05 or an '06? When will the '06es be introduced? (could be as early as March-April)?

A lot of this depends on how long you plan to keep the car. Two-three years on a lease? Probably pays to wait 6 months but not 12. 7-10 years? Maybe it pays to wait, however a 7 year old car is missing a lot of newer features. Who even remembers what the 6-cylinder issues were in 1998? IMHO, the problem is most accute for buyers in the 3-6 year range. Where having the new car counts and it is probably owned. Then I would probably wait for the '06 updates.

james_san

I'd love to get the CDI. Frugal on the gas, adequate performance. For snubs living in my neighborhood they wont even able to tell if it's a gasoline or diesel model. But, it's not legal in CA yet.

Well...I have just put my M3 on sale yesterday. Should go pretty quick (<2 weeks?). Depending on how fast it goes and how much $, I might go with an E500. Perhaps the 7-spd auto uses less gas on the highway....Either way I am still saving fuel compared to the M.

MB-JIM

I'm counting on the E350 being available by March. As a result I'm putting my 05 CDI up for sale. It's not that I don't like it but that once I found out that the 350 CGI was coming I decided that is the car for me.

For what it's worth, I like the 05 CDI much better than I did my 04 E500. It is primarily because the brakes feel very normal now and I find that for me the handling is better.