CEB

Assuming that you are using dedicated snow tires of course.

I'm trying to decide between the diesel and a 4matic. I'd hate to get the worse gas mileage all year long just for the 4matic for those few days every year.

Also, the only diesel I can find with the options I want (P2, parktronic) is a luxury model. I've had significant seat time in a 211 sport but aside from a few test drives, haven't much experience with the luxury model. Test drives obviously don't help with determining the differences.

What is the popular concensus - is the lux version really a dog in the long run? Oddly enough, it is fitted with the LED DRLs to make it a Sport wannabe from the distance.

listerone

Can't speak for the Bluetec because I have no real experience with it yet (got it in late March) but I did have two winters with my BMW diesel and I can't say it did well in snow/ice.I didn't have winter tires on it (kept the "all season" tires) and it,like the Bluetec,lacked AWD.My hunch is that,similarly equipped,the Bluetec would be about the same as my BMW...not great.However,90% of my miles are Interstate miles and I kept my speeds down in slippery weather (always have,actually) so this isn't a big issue for me.But it might,understandably,be important to some.

dfordham

On the gas version, the biggest thing in favor of the Sport (IMHO) is the larger wheels. On the diesel, this isn't an issue as I believe both Sport and Lux get the same 17" wheels.

I actually like the Lux interior better than the Sport, especially the availability of the wood/leather steering wheel. The lighter color scheme looks better to me.

Regards,
Don

ghstudio

The car you found has the LED lights because P2 includes them on the luxury. I think you would be hard pressed to tell the difference driving the luxury or sport diesel. I have a 2011 luxury P2 and I love it....and I was driving an infiniti M37 (which I hated and bought out my lease). I prefer the e350 Bluetec..but I don't floor it at lights and live in south florida where roads are flat and curves are wide. As noted, both BT versions come with 17" tires on the BlueTec (not sure why...maybe it's because the BT uses run flat tires and doesn't have a spare). I much prefer the P2 LED's on the 2011's which will be standard on all 2012 e's..in fact you will look like you have a 2012 If you find one with the new dashboard and comand 4.5 (built in July or August), you will almost have a 2012 car with a 2011 vin. (you probably won't have the newer transmission and I'm not sure about the LED license plate lights...but that's it....2012 and 2011 have the same diesel).

No idea about 4wd...I commuted in hilly back roads in ct in a miata for a while and a BMW 3 series (2wd) with no problem. I put four blizzaks on the cars and they would go thru anything if the car had road clearance. Then I drove a number of jeeps with 4WD in ct/vt and it's the only time I spun off a road into the median.

silberrosa

My e350 BT made it through last years winter in the NY area with no real issues. This was using the standard 17" all-season RFTs. I would imagine on snow tires there would be no problems at all. For me, the added fuel economy is more of a benefit than 4wd (if I cannot have both).

cvinfig

+1 in Kansas City

I had to turn off traction control a couple of times to get going uphill but other than that I had no problems at all. It's been a while since I've had a rear wheel drive vehicle and I had forgotten how much fun they could be in the snow.

CEB

Thanks all. I remember the white knuckle driving with my 280SEL6.3 whenever the roads got dicey, but that was before all the electronic nannies and proper snow tires. I don't want to duplicate that.

I generally fit Michelin X-ICE-2s on my car from mid November to March/April but sometimes do need to go out before the plows have properly cleared the streets. It sounds like the snow tires should solve that problem.

Since we don't a real date or VIN range for the updated bits, is looking for the color display the easiest way to determine if a car has the new stuff?

D_A_Brown620

I just got my 2011 E350 Bluetec P2 Luxury a few weeks ago, and it is anything but a dog.

ghstudio

No....look for the smaller SD card slot on the dash....and with Comand running, there is a globe on the far right on the top.

Apparently Mercedes built a few e class cars with the new color dash but the old comand system.

CEB

Ahh, gotcha - thanks