W211 Disappointment
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2000 W210 E55->2003 R230 SL500->2004 W211 E55->2007 997TT+2007 E63->2010 GLK350->2012 E550 4matic
Originally Posted by BudC
But the question is whether or not the new W211's have been so cheapened that they aren't going to have the traditional Mercedes longivity.
I don't argue that they are fine handling, performing cars but let's face it, every bit of it from bumper to bumper has been wrung through the cost cutting wringer.
Of course if you are only going to keep the car for a few years (the majority of first time buyers) then it will probably satisfy most people.
It's like comparing my new Canon G5 digital camera to my magnificient Leica M3. The Leica doesn't have the convenience of the Canon but the 36 year old Leica will still produce great images and will probably keep on doing it well beyond the life span of the Canon.
Not only that but the Leica is so much more satisfying to use than the Canon. It's like comparing a fine English overunder shotgun to a Winchester automatic.
I don't argue that they are fine handling, performing cars but let's face it, every bit of it from bumper to bumper has been wrung through the cost cutting wringer.
Of course if you are only going to keep the car for a few years (the majority of first time buyers) then it will probably satisfy most people.
It's like comparing my new Canon G5 digital camera to my magnificient Leica M3. The Leica doesn't have the convenience of the Canon but the 36 year old Leica will still produce great images and will probably keep on doing it well beyond the life span of the Canon.
Not only that but the Leica is so much more satisfying to use than the Canon. It's like comparing a fine English overunder shotgun to a Winchester automatic.
While I remember paying more for the 500E more than 10 years ago, the E55 is clearly an improvement in all areas.
Will the E55 last as long as the 500E? Who knows and honestly I care more about the present utility of the car more than anything.
I would much rather put myself and my family in the E55 than the 500E if we were to ever get into an accident. Not that the 500E is unsafe, the E55 is just definitely more advanced as far as passenger safety is concerned.
Needless to say, the E55 also performs much better than the 500E with a far superior drive. Count me in as a believer in the new Mercedes.
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
A car is like jewelry for guys. It adorns them, people stop to look at it. They admire it. I happen to own my cars, but I have traded them in on average every 2 - 3 years. I get tired of them or I have been dissapointed in the long term with them, or its simply time...
If you can afford to do that its ok, but do remember that NO car is an investment. ...and the fact that I BUY and then trade so soon, is an even more unwise monetart decision...I should be leasing if I intend to do that, but then I would feel I was driving a borrowed car, and it wouldn't feel as good. That all in MY head, right or wrong.
I could wear a black plastic, deadly accurate cheap digital watch too, but I don't. I prefer a "better" watch, not quite a Rolex, which wasn't accurate enough for me. Go figure. It takes all types.
If you can afford to do that its ok, but do remember that NO car is an investment. ...and the fact that I BUY and then trade so soon, is an even more unwise monetart decision...I should be leasing if I intend to do that, but then I would feel I was driving a borrowed car, and it wouldn't feel as good. That all in MY head, right or wrong.
I could wear a black plastic, deadly accurate cheap digital watch too, but I don't. I prefer a "better" watch, not quite a Rolex, which wasn't accurate enough for me. Go figure. It takes all types.
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Leasing ......now that sounds more for my needs. I keep my cars for about 12-18 months max. It seems i buy a car for its style, looks and not for my needs. So end up trading in for another. Bought Accord(Honda) 5 door...perfect then 18 months later traded it in for E Class. 10 months later thinking of trading in for something more practical.... have lost a fortunte in the process.....but then we all learn from our mistakes...if we listen to the head and not the HEART...we're only human.
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From: Planet Earth
E320
While the new E-Class may not last 20-30 years, you should realize that most Mercedes owners do not want to keep their car for 20-30 years. I see hundreds of 2000+ MB's on the road everyday... I see perhaps 1-3 1990-2000 MBs every week.
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From: Long Island
'07 Porsche 997TT
Originally Posted by BudC
It's like comparing my new Canon G5 digital camera to my magnificient Leica M3. The Leica doesn't have the convenience of the Canon but the 36 year old Leica will still produce great images and will probably keep on doing it well beyond the life span of the Canon.
Not only that but the Leica is so much more satisfying to use than the Canon. It's like comparing a fine English overunder shotgun to a Winchester automatic.
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
cte430 -
I sent you a PM on the camera question, in case BudC is off for a while - and I just realized that a Canon drebel is a Digital Rebel - very nice camera.
I sent you a PM on the camera question, in case BudC is off for a while - and I just realized that a Canon drebel is a Digital Rebel - very nice camera.
Last edited by DWP; Sep 24, 2004 at 07:14 PM.
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From: London, England
E320 CDI March 03 Avant-Garde, Tansanite Blue/Grey Nappa
Just bought a used E320, having had a very good look at several cars. Only one was ion poor condition, presumably because it was not looked after. Other, even cars nearly two years old were in very good condition.
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From: San Diego
2004 E320
Originally Posted by Barry45RPM
Best car I have ever owned. Its my 1st Benz. They may not be carved out of a solid block of granite like they were 25 years ago, but nothing else is either. Cars have to be lighter so that we can go further on a gallon of gas.
As I said. Best, most solid, most comfortable, driveable, sporty performance car I ever had... and 4 doors, too!
As I said. Best, most solid, most comfortable, driveable, sporty performance car I ever had... and 4 doors, too!
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Originally Posted by BoSoxFan
I wonder if those cars were taxicabs (or some kind of fleet car) with a really cheap interior which is not available in the US versions. 60K miles in two years is a LOT of miles.
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From: Red Sox Nation (No. Va. chapter)
2004 E500
Originally Posted by luxury1
This is a good point that I didn't think of right away. Here in the US these cars come pretty well loaded and then I loaded it up some more. I really like the car. I don't know if you saw the comparison testing of the group of cars in this class by Road & Track but the magazine put in second place. All the critics also had great things to say.
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From: Santa Clarita, CA
'03 E500
Goodbye and good riddance . . .
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
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Posts: 103
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From: Dedham MA
2015 C300
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
Sure there were problems with some early '03s, mine included, but the comparison is so absurd...overall the quality is still there and the car is an awesome car. Someone looking for an M3 never would have been happy with an E Class (but maybe they'd like a Stratus - those crazy BMW owners! 
)
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 416
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From: Lone Star State.
W211 2005 CDI, X166 2013 350 BT, 997.1 2008 C4S
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'm sure you knew a statement like the above was going to receive a flurry of flames. Did you not do your "due diligence" before buying the car? I'll keep it clean.. good bye and good luck
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From: Atlanta, GA
Whichever one is available (1 of 5)
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
E500 as follows:
Last edited by paulhu; Sep 26, 2004 at 01:08 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Germany
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
......And by the way I did not expect hell to break loose, just giving my personal opinion on a car. There you can see carstuff is not logical at all. Just read the comments on the same post in the W124 forum, they are sometimes as weired as some of those in the W211 forum.
....And by the way BoSoxFan and Glojo WRONG GUESS. There maybe a large US military installation in Bamberg, but so what? has nothing to do with me, but has BoSoxFan been there? So he may know about the worms in the water there.
Thread Starter
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From: Germany
'00 S320 W220, '98 A160 W168/ sold in 2005 '86 260 E W124 '90 260E W124
Hi BoSoxFan, I may have "hurt GloJo's feelings" talking so neagtive about the W211, so GloJo had suspected "worms" polluting Bamberg's waters.
Anyway, Hope you not only enjoyed the Bamberg Symphony but also the different types of local beers. The City of Bamberg has 70.000 people and 10 indipendant breweries!!!! Maybe it was the beer rather the worms.
http://www.bamberg.info/www_tks/homeen_268_89_7_f.htm
Anyway, Hope you not only enjoyed the Bamberg Symphony but also the different types of local beers. The City of Bamberg has 70.000 people and 10 indipendant breweries!!!! Maybe it was the beer rather the worms.
http://www.bamberg.info/www_tks/homeen_268_89_7_f.htm
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From: Red Sox Nation (No. Va. chapter)
2004 E500
Of the many wonderful things about Germany, some of the best are the local beers. Sad to say, I've never been in Bamberg long enough to sample the beer or hear the orchestra live. It's a pretty city and one of my goals in life is to get back there long enough to try both the beer and the music. I'm also an enthusiastic lover of Frankischer (I hope I spelled that right) wein.
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From: Torquay, England
E-class E300e Estate, Sprinter (stretched limo)
Originally Posted by bamberger_1
Hi BoSoxFan, I may have "hurt GloJo's feelings" talking so neagtive about the W211, so GloJo had suspected "worms" polluting Bamberg's waters.
http://www.bamberg.info/www_tks/homeen_268_89_7_f.htm
http://www.bamberg.info/www_tks/homeen_268_89_7_f.htm
Hi,
PLEASE do NOT think you have hurt my feelings. Everyone has the right to like what they like, and dislike what they dislike.Your post describing second-hand 211's being sold in such a deplorable condition just does NOT add up.
This is an actual quote from the Mercedes-Benz Used Car Program...
******A used car has to work particularly hard to get our seal of approval. Mechanics, electrics, bodywork, interior, tyres, wheels, vehicle history and mileage - all are checked and double-checked before the car even gets close to the showroom. So you enjoy the kind reliability you'd expect from a new car.
To find out more about the programme, click on the links to the left or ask your Mercedes-Benz Retailer. *********
A 211 is not the most basic vehicle of the Mercedes-Benz range and worn seats, water 'sloshing about in footwells' just does not equate to ANY experience I have ever had when looking at such a relatively new range of vehicle.
If indeed you are German, I congratulate you on your excellent English.
By all means stand up and say you do not like any brand of vehicle, and give your truthful, personal experience.
Regards,
John
Warm, but overcast Torquay
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was '03 E320 - now - '04 S4
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I think that's pretty funny. After a week of driving rental cars - a Kia V-6 Optima, Ford Escape (pretty nice, actually) and Taurus - I really enjoyed having my wife pick me up @ the airport in the E320.
Granted - I'm not convinced it's worth the MSRP and having a relatively early '03 it hasn't been close to being the most trouble free car I've owned but it's far from being a German Chrysler.
To be fair I don't think it's right to tell the guy that he should have researched the car further - he was driving an '03. How was he to know?
I think it's a safe assumption that a car any company charges 60K for should work pretty well...
My ego isn't wrapped up in my car so if someone has a bad experience it doesn't diminish my self-worth.
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From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by hd_vato
Just traded in my '03 E500 for an '04 M3. The E500 is nothing more than a German Chrysler. I would have been better off buying a Stratus and spending $20,000 on booze and hookers.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
I'll never own a Mercedes again. Good luck to those who still own a W211.
If you don't see much difference between an E500 and a Stratus you should probably save yourself a lot of grief and buy an "econo-box".
