marka5083

I’ve just completed my first 1,000 miles in my 2011 E350 (P2, Pano Roof, Dynamic Driver Seat, Palladium Silver exterior/Almond-Black Ash interior, 18" non-AMG wheels) and thought I’d share my experience. I traded up from a 2004 Audi A4 Quattro 3.0.


*I’ve been surprised and impressed by the ride. For a heavier, longer car compared to the A4, the E350 is incredibly responsive, holding turns very tightly with no feeling of any looseness. Acceleration from a stop is more delayed than the A4 was, but I chalk that up to the car’s weight and RWD vs. the A4’s AWD. Once in motion, I have no trouble overtaking other vehicles, passing, etc. What is most striking is that at speeds over 70MPH, the car feels like it’s gliding on butter. My A4 was definitely less elegant at speed, compared to the E350. I like to put the car in neutral at long lights, and I've noticed that there is about a 1.5 second delay when shifting to Drive which I didn't experience in the Audi. I suppose that is the extra time needed to reconnect the transmission to the axle for the rear tires. As I’m letting the car out more post-break-in, it definitely feels like it can handle harder, more aggressive driving and I’m anxious to experience that.


*For the size of this vehicle, I’ve been surprised by how easy it is to park in tight spaces and to turn it into narrow passages. With the Sport Package extra trim, I also thought I’d be scuffing the lower surfaces on parking blocks and curbs but it actually clears most common sizes. I still suppose that over the years the bottom surfaces will end up getting scuffs/scratches since I’ll likely misjudge some curbs.


*I’m still struggling to get used to some of the controls. Having the shifter as a stalk vs. a center console shifter is still confusing to me. In the rain the other week I inadvertently reached for the shifter stalk (where the wiper stalk was on the A4) and put the car in Neutral. That said, I’ve found the COMAND interface to be straightforward and generally intuitive and I like have the redundancy of being able to select systems through the dashboard panel, the COMAND interface, and through the voice commands (which I still haven’t fully mastered yet).


*Cruise control was also an adjustment, specifically using the stalk to increment/decrement speed in units of 1 or 5 MPH. Other cruise controls allow infinite adjustment without being so precise. Not judging this feature negatively, just saying it’s something I have had to get used to.


*BT Audio was immediately available in my build, so I assume that the software for newer units has been updated with this feature by default, in contrast to others’ experiences here.


*It seems strange that my Audi had leather seating and auto-retractable sideview mirrors standard, while the E350 doesn’t, but I wouldn’t go back to the A4 just for those reasons.


*There’s some dumb stuff in terms of workflow, for instance when I open the trunk via the Keyless GO system by holding the trunk latch, closing the trunk re-locks the entire car. That seems odd…if I go to load groceries in the trunk and shut it, it’s more likely that I’ll be getting into the driver’s seat than walking away. Secondly the electrical system turns off after ~20 minutes after the engine has been turned off, which is a good battery saver, but it’s cut off phone calls I’ve been in the middle of. Something in the software should sense if the user is on a phone call and hold the auto-shutoff until after the call ends. Those scenarios are more than offset by other things that MB thought of, like being able to open/close all the windows/sunroof with the remote and leaving the electrical system on after the engine has been turned off (to complete a phone call, for instance).


Overall though, I’m very happy and anxious to let the car out more now that I’m past break-in. Definitely a good trade-up from Audi. Hope you found this review useful.

ngerstman

What is your opinion on the comfort of the seats? What do you think of the driver dynamic seats, asside from comfort? Regards. Ned.

Tjdehya

Very nice. There are things with this car that will take a while to get used to and then when you try driving another car you feel as if everything is backwards.
Enjoy!!!

marka5083

Seats are great. The inflatable side bolsters really hug you in curves, but let's face it, that's just a luxury and not really necessary. I haven't really used the massage feature yet but I'm on a long road trip this weekend so we'll see if that limits fatigue at all.

I also like the ability to increase the length of the seat for thigh support.

I think the seats are much more comfortable than the A4 seats were, and more comfortable than BMW (personal opinion).

ngerstman

I would personally like to see more cushioning in the construction of the seats. Lean, supportive seats has been a trademark of Mercedes forever. Functionally, I really like the driver dynamic seats as well. The active supportive side bolsters work spookily well and I do like the massage feature, kind of like one of those chairs at Brookstones with spinal massage. Keep on Truckin. Regards. Ned.

EmE247

I have done this. I would be surprised if everybody that has been driving for some time hasn't done this at least once. Just very happy it didn't throw the car into R.

I know you said you had an A4, but I don't think there should be much comparison as I would think the A4 would be more along the lines of a C Class, A6 - E Class, and A8? - S Class. Just my opinion... Please no flamers.

BenzE350

Welcome and thanks for posting your thoughts.

I scuffed my front up within the first month. I'd be interested in the experiences of others on this board.

K-A

Thanks for the write up!

A few things to note:

-I wouldn't do the "N" thing at a light, as I agree, the tranny takes FOREVER to shift, and it isn't good for the tranny if it inevitably shifts while at load. Use the awesome "HOLD" function instead, in which the car holds the brake for you. Just give the brake a swift and singular "push" (not too hard, just quick and direct enough), and voila. All you gotta do to get moving, is hit the gas again.

-For the wiper stalk, I'd keep it in "Auto" mode, to avoid from the confusion of stalks that goes on up there.

-For the Auto Trunk close, there should be two buttons, one that simply closes the trunk, and one that closes and locks it. Keep in mind, that if you unlock the car, and don't open any doors, it'll automatically re-lock after a period of time.

I love how easy and nimble it is to maneuver this car as well, and it still gives me that substantial, "big sedan" feeling that I love and crave as well. It makes me extra happy that I chose it over the S-Class (which is also very nimble and taut feeling for its size). The amazing turning radius of the W212 makes things very easy in that regard.

I agree about the front bumper. It gives an illusion of low, crouched down sportiness, but it doesn't scrape on the things that my humble Chevy Malibu does, yet it appears lower. I did catch it once while pulling into a steep driveway curb, and it pissed me off.

Tjdehya

If you look at the IC when driving you will notice that you cannot shift the car into reverse.

dmbordoni

Agreed. I find the seats bottoms very uncomfortable when driving more than 1/2 hour. Too hard and seat bottom bolsters are narrow.

K-A

I wonder if it's our proportions or weight that has something to do with it? I find the seats to be pretty damn comfortable. Like a great mix of firm and supportive, and cushiony. Maybe if I sat in something with better seats for a while, I'd find it more flawed.

dmbordoni

True, the S seats are really the best. I am 5'10" and 175, I would think bigger guys would find the E seats too narrow, but who knows?