omgitselaine

Love the way it looks .... the contrast in dark and light colors really makes the interior look elegant congrats !

MBBobby

Chuck-
Thank you so much for taking the time to take those pics and post them.
You're car is very classy.
I sent the dealership the first photo you posted and he confirmed that that is what my interior is going to be. And I got to him in time to change the brown trim to black, and I'm getting my dynamic drive driver's seat. Now the wait.
Thanks again.

MBBobby

I drove the luxury E550 at my dealership over the holidays. I loved the ride of it with the 17" wheels. I did notice while turning off an exit ramp (Harter Rd. on 287) that it was not as tight as my Audi with the 18" wheels.
BUT! That's not what I'm really looking for. In the last 6 years (118,000 miles) I have been on the side of the road (sometimes at an ungodly hour) changing a flat.
I'm done with that. I'm sure the ride quality is good on good to mediocre roads, which most roads are. I just don't want to deal with as many flats.
My wife's Volvo hasn't had a single flat in 5 years (46,000 miles).
Anyway, I'm not criticizing anyone else's decision, this is just my .02.

Another question. Why are there no other luxury package owners here (at least I don't see many pics)? All I see are pictures of the sport. Is it because it's a free "upgrade"? Hmm. Or is it the enhanced handling. I can buy that, too. Does anyone opt for the sport and 17" wheels?

cvinfig

I did. Of course 17" wheels with run-flat tires is the only option (in the US) on the diesel...

K-A

MBUSA seems to deem it necessary to provide for no diversity with the W212's, so they supply only Sports (and/or Dealers only order Sports, because MBUSA oddly doesn't charge for them). I remember when M-B's used to have 3-4 Packages (that changed styling), now they just treat it like some Fleet Car in that regard.

Even if someone wanted a Luxury, it's hard to find it, unfortunately. I would have stuck with the Sport, but I'd like to see a variety of looks, and I'm sure if the option were available, lots of E buyers would appreciate the softer ride of the Luxury.

scfishnman

Where I live and shop (two cities in SC - Columbia and Florence), the two MB dealers had a good selection of both luxury and sport models in stock. They were also able to locate a luxury and a sport model with the options I wanted. I chose the sport.

ngerstman

From what I understand, there is no difference in the suspension between the e550 sport and luxury, only the wheel size, body trim and interior color combo offerings. There is a difference between the e350 sport and luxury on the suspension tuning. I think that most people who buy an e550 over the e350 tend to be people looking for an upgrade in performance, not just in the engine but also in the handling. So they knee jerk take the 18 inch rims. There is no doubt that you will get a sportier ride with the 18 inch rims, the trade-off being all the things you know about. As I said, I never had a chance to try an e550 luxury, I would have liked to had the chance to compare them. I'm not really sure what I would have done had I concluded that the 18 inch rims handled meaningfully better(even that is subjective) versus the more comfortable ride and lesser chance of flats and bent rims. I suspect that I would have still been foolish enough to take the sport for macho and image reasons(how vain!!!) if it was more fun to drive. But if there was very little difference in the handling, I would have taken the luxury. As a matter of fact, I was intent on buying the luxury until I test drove the sport and was shocked by how civilized the ride was. I have a 2001 e55 with 18 inch rims and the ride can be bone jarring hard. Not so with the e550 sport. As it is I am very happy with the sport, the ride is comfortable and I haven't had a flat yet!! BTW, are you shopping at Morristown Mercedes? That's where I bought my car. Regards. Ned.

ngerstman

Did you get the opportunity to test drive the e550 luxury before buying the sport? If so what was the difference in ride and handling. Thanks. Ned.

WGB

I was not a fan of the black ash until I brought my car home and particularly after driving it on a bright sunny day.

With the sun shining on the wood you get little seams of unstained wood that almost look like gold seams in black quartz.

I also have the wooden wheel which is standard in Australian E500's and it does the same thing in the sun.

Mind you in our fierce summer the wooden wheel is a bit of a love hate relationship as it heats up quickly if the car is parked in the sun.



Mine is a black interior with Black Ash which might be a bit dull in a dull climate (not around here anywhere though) but is eminently practical as it doesn't show the dirt when it ages.

Bill

scfishnman

I test drove an E350 sport and an E350 luxury and there was not a noticeable difference in the ride quality between them. I then chose the E550 without a test drive for the increased horsepower and the airmatic suspension. I chose the sport version because I liked its appearance better.

K-A

Is that a sport model with a white headliner? That would be ANOTHER gip that MBUSA gives us, in not allowing for creative diversity with W212's (forcing them all to practically look the same).

I LOVE my interior combo, and a white headliner certainly would add too many contrasting colors to it. BUT, I think the black interior/white headliner look on a Benz Sedan is pure class and classic. It's BS they don't allow Sport models to come like that as well.

MBBobby

Hi Ned , yes. I'm moving back to Morristown after a twenty year hiatus. So Morristown Mercedes is my dealership. I've known the Owner there a while. As a matter of fact, my Mom is the commercial realtor that put him in that building. That and $3.50 gets me a cup of coffee! (That was a funnier comment when coffee was a quater!)

WGB- I like the black ash trim! It looks great. Does the wood wheel get a little slippery in your hands? And, what is on the tele? Are you watching network news or ESPN on the nav screen?

K-A- could you post a picture of your headliner? Is it black? WGB's looks gray or ash. And when you say "Don't allow" do you mean that you can't order the headliner (or any other part) from the factory any way you want it? I would think you could.There's a difference between "dont allow" and plain "don't". I mean, if you wanted a luxury item in your sport, can't you just ask ( and buck up)(and wait)?

YYZ-E55

Check out the designo Bamboo trim for the E Sedan at www.mercedes-benz.ca/designo - I think it would be beautiful with the black/black combo. It is the first image that comes up when you select "E-Class Sedan & Wagon"

WGB

[quote=MBBobby;4479686]
WGB- I like the black ash trim! It looks great. Does the wood wheel get a little slippery in your hands? And, what is on the tele? Are you watching network news or ESPN on the nav screen?

quote]

No the steering wheel doesn't get slippery but it does get hot after sitting in the sun.

The headliner is gray - alcantara is an option available here but mine is just the standard cloth.

I think I had just arrived home from work when I took that photo and the News was on TV. I like to drive home listening to the news even thougth I can't watch it while moving (nor do I wish to).

Bill

MBBobby

This is the E350 (I'm getting the 550) in Platinum Black that's in the showroom. It's not a great photo, but still ****!! The color looks like granite, with eensy speckles in it. Very cool!

ngerstman

I saw that car there. I thought that it was stunning!! If they had an e550 equipped the way I wanted it in that color, I may have gone for it over the indium grey that I bought. I still love my indium grey. No color buyers remorse!! And you're right, the picture doesn't do this color any justice at all. Are you getting platinum black? Regards. Ned.

MBBobby

Yep, im getting the platinum black 550. Initially,my wife and I went there for me to buy her Christmas present. The GL350. When I saw that car it was pretty much an impulse buy. Love at first sight.
I've been in an A6 for 6 years now, and it's been a great car. I mean it, a really great car. But I dont feel the need to go back to Audi again. And I don't love the BMWs. When I drove the E350 and the E550 it didn't have the "drive on rails" feel that the A6 has. The the 550 has the *****. And man, soooo comfortable.
So there you have it.
It should be delivered in March, but I'm not moving back there until April or May.
And I went with the brown trim, not the black with the ash and black leather interior.

ngerstman

Should be a stunning car!! I'll be dropping my car off at Morristown Mercedes tomorrow to have a remote starter installed. It has an i-phone app to start your car remotely from any distance. Can't wait to be able to start my car on a cold winter day from my office before walking out to parking lot. Expensive at $1625 installed but should be totally cool. Regards. Ned.