Is it just me, or is the E 350 (mine is a 2009) center console arm rest uncomfortable. I had a 2000 E 430 with a fully padded console arm rest. The newer ones have the pull down cover (over cup holders) that has no padding so you have to rest your right elbow on a hard surface -- terrible for long drives. Anyone figure out a way to cushion this?

 

I think it's fine. I don't know about you, but when I sit I am very relaxed. Sometimes I have my arm out and laying under the passenger seat headrest. The center console doesn't bother me at all.

 

I agree with you 100%, it was an annoyance on my 211. I would say you are posting this in the 212 forum- where we have the luxury of a padded armrest

 

I guess my elbows just naturally want to rest on something, and the left one has a nice place on the door, but the right one just has the hard surface of the console.

 

Are we men or what?? lol

 

The '03-'04 MY's had the padded armrests, I guess M-B changed it to the wood roll-top for styling purposes (I find it to look much better personally). Personally I have no problem with it, but it's definitely not a cushion. The '10's brought back the padded center arm-rests, but ironically the door arm-rests are pretty hard, wheres the 211's is pretty plush and soft. I guess M-B won't let their buyers arms have the best of both worlds.

 

No they aren't. I just spent 2500 miles resting my left arm on the door and it was quite pleasant. Even with my arm bent and my elbow "pointing" down onto the door arm rest, it was comfortable. Of course they're still not as nice as the arm rests in the S Class, which are outstanding (as one would expect).

 

The S-Classes are great. I'm sure the 212's are comfortable and won't in any way cause any arm discomfort, but they are substantially harder and more "rubbery" per-se than the 211's. Not hating on it necessarily, just pointing it out. I do kind of like how it bends upwards though, I'd assume it would give a better arm positioning for long trips especially.

 

Eh, they are pliable (guess that could be a bit rubbery), but less so than the S-Classes, which have substantial give. Perhaps they are harder than a 211's (don't have a 211 for comparison), but they aren't hard. The positioning is very good - my old car was a stretch to rest my elbow and still get the wheel with my left hand. Part of that may be the steering wheel, though, which seems to be fairly low - of course that's adjustable.

 

Yeah, perhaps not "hard" in all actuality, I think my impression of them being hard was in comparing them to my 211's. Unless I've got a freak car, mine is actually a lot softer and more "plush" (cushiony, with a good amount of that pillow-y give), and none of that "rubber" feel to it. Was one of the first things that struck me when I got in a 212 and put the arm in the ol' lazy mode on the door.