My reactions to my 2005 E320 CDI are as follows:

Perormance is amazing and the short turbo lag is followed by a great deal of thrust. This is sometimes annoying in traffic when the car suddenly takes off. I prefer a more linear acceleration as with non turbo cars.

Setting the transmission into the “C” Setting really solves my acceleration problem. Starting in second takes away the excess thrust but the car still really moves. If I want to take off quicker all I have to do is floor the accelerator, the car starts in second but immediately drops to first. The only problem is that it tweaks the tires.

Handling is excellent. I honestly feel it handles better than I remember from my 04 E500. Maybe the lighter engine makes the car more agile.

Comfort and Road Noise are very good. Again I feel the improvement over the E500 may be due to not having low profile tires.

SBC Brakes are excellent. They have none of the strange feeling I had with the E500. I think they have really figured out how to give them the standard brake feeling. I do, however, have periodic brake pedal noise as in earlier models. For the long haul I would still prefer standard brakes. It will give me an excuse to trade when new brakes are phased in.

Air Cooled Seats are one of the features I really enjoy. I thought they would be useless but here in Arizona they do a great job. It’s not that they get real cold, but they do keep me from perspiring as I used to with normal leather seats.

Fuel Economy is good but not quite as good as it will be when I settle down to normal driving. Much of my driving has been in the mountains and 85mph on the freeways.

The In-Line Six engine is very smooth. It’s kind of sad that in the future everything is going over to the V6 designs leaving the classic elegant engineering of a straight six.

Engine noise is low but the sewing machine sound when accelerating at low speed is a little annoying since it is a different kind of sound than I’m used to.

Overall, this is a really fine automobile. Having owned over 40 MB’s beginning with a 1956 190SL followed by a 300SL and many other models since then I would say this is one of the best all around MB’s I have had.

 

Good to hear you have positive reactions to your CDI. Congrats, by the way and enjoy!

Wow, 40 MB's total owned? That's heck of a lot.

 

I fear I might upset folks with the following observation, BUT it is not meant as criticism just personal experience acquired over a number of years.

These modern CDI engines have different characteristics to most other engines that we have experienced. The torque is quite outstanding and certainly impressive. The smaller Mercedes-Benz CDI powered vehicles come with the optional manual gearbox. If this is used then the car can very easily pull away on TICKOVER on an uphill gradient. No riding the clutch, no special treatment, just ease the clutch out and away it will go up quite steep hills with no use of the throttle whatsoever. (When I used to demonstrate this to friends it was quite amusing to watch their facial expression. )

My point here is that in 'S' mode on a 320CDI only a light foot on the throttle will give adequate acceleration. Of course you will not keep up with 'Boy Racers' that want to out accelerate a Mercedes-Benz, but who cares??? You will still be alongside them at the next set of traffic lights

There has been talk of 'Turbo Lag' and yes the 320CDI has a turbo, but any lag is usually down to being in the 'C' mode. Don't forget the CDI out accelerates the 320 petrol from 0 - 6-mph and any talk of the turbo lag lasting only one or two seconds just simply does not add up. You cannot recover those seconds on a test going from stationary to 60 mph!!!!!

'C' mode is a very nice option and if you want that initial acceleration why not consider using the 'S' mode for town driving (without the heavy right foot) and the 'C' mode when you leave the stop, start motoring behind??

PLEASE everyone do not take this post as any sort of criticism, it is just my own experience which others may, or may not agree with.

Bottom line is the 320CDI is an excellent vehicle

Regards to you all

John
Sunny Torquay

 

Having had a 320CDI less than a week, I am not really qualified to say much. But here are my early obervations and I would interested to have anyones views:

Haven't experienced really bad turbo lag and when I get to a certain level of revs (whatever that is!) it takes off!

Still getting use to the diesel knock (my first diesel) sometimes feel paranioid that this great looking car sounds rough to guest passengers or anyone I drive by! My previous C200K was whisper quiet at stand still. Whereas I can here the 'tapping' on the 320. However, there is something quite pleasant about the roar of acceleration ( open the window and listen to that gutsy engine) is this a cobination of a diesel engine and CC size?

I do a lot of town driving and at present (early days I know) getting 28-30mpg. Though thats better than my 'old' petrol C200K which returned 26mpg.

Handling - well still getting use to this. It is not so kind on the cornering as the C200K I had, Bigger car I susppose. I love the speed sensitive steering. Q: When cornering the steering wheel seems to stiffen up - like there is not enough air in the tyres, Is it just me needing to get to grips with a bigger car or a system reaction?

So far, so good. Generally I think it is great and I guess in time I'll love it. This sounds a bit sad, but I feel like the king of the road when I drive this car :p

 

Also a one week owner, I would but the ride above and the handling on par with an E39 BMW. Tires are junk though.

There is a lag, however so far it seems worse in S-mode, better in C-mode. Shifts seem very smooth, possibly in going from a low torque point to a high torque point.

In Kitzbuhel, meine Frau wants to go to dinner.

David

 

'C' Mode will pull away in second gear unless you 'floor' the accelerator pedal, then it will change down to first gear.

I would never advise 'aggresive' driving on a new engine especially such a high compression diesel engine.

Pulling away in second gear, then changing down to first gear, then obviously up again to second, third etc might, in your car be the way to avoid 'lag'

Good luck with your new car.

John

 

Traffic here (Romantic Road, Austria) doesn't really seem to support aggressive driving. However, there are some places where you MUST accelerate quickly for safety. This includes entering twith limited visibility and some Autobahn situations around trucks, especially trucks passing trucks.

 

Performance wise, how does it compare to your previous E500?

 

By +/- 25 lbs, so they are about the same weight. You mentioned the lighter engine but in fact the diesel engine is likely heavier than the gas V8.

Plus, the wheels on the CDI are 16" so they are lighter than the 17" on the E500, so it is likely that the engine is in fact heavier.

KB