So after a few months of deliberation I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger o
11-17-2011, 06:32 AM
#26
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Perhaps you should be ordering from the factory...or looking into an '11 leftover.
11-17-2011, 10:39 AM
#28
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2014 E63S Wagon, 2013 odyssey
I live in the area too. I chose 4matic over e63, and I really wanted the e63. Remember Snowmaggedon? My wife made it home in her 4 matic and she is a terrible snow driver.
A couple of things though. My understanding is the mileage advantage comes at highway cruising speeds. Is your commute consistent?
Where I live (Potomac), relatively few gas stations sell diesel, and there aren't many to begin with. When I am gassing up, I've been asked many times of I know a station that sells diesel. Try 270? Dunno. Those are usually packed. You might make sure a diesel station is convenient.
A couple of things though. My understanding is the mileage advantage comes at highway cruising speeds. Is your commute consistent?
Where I live (Potomac), relatively few gas stations sell diesel, and there aren't many to begin with. When I am gassing up, I've been asked many times of I know a station that sells diesel. Try 270? Dunno. Those are usually packed. You might make sure a diesel station is convenient.
Edward
11-17-2011, 11:05 AM
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
Snowmaggedon, that was fun and my wife's fault. We just moved from FL and she was like I hope it snows this winter... and walla we got 80+ inches of snow. Of course she was pregnant at the time and got to watch me attempt to clear the driveway of snow. I gave up after doing half of on side of the driveway when I turned around and there were inches of snow on what i just cleared. So yes, 4Matic is a good thing to have... or a beer to watch all the stupid people try to get up the street in front of my house with rear-wheel drive on the wrong tires
Edward
Edward
11-17-2011, 11:16 AM
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+1. In Chicago on a snowy winter day, it is nearly as common to see AWD vehicles in the ditch as it is RWD. AWD helps, but it isn't a cure-all for turning and stopping.
I had summer performance tires on an S4, and decided to drive the car with a fairly light snow coming down and only about 1/2 inch of accumulation. At the first stop sign in my neighborhood, I slid all the way through the intersection only going about 15 MPH. I promptly turned around and parked the car in the garage. I later equipped it with Blizzaks and winter wheels and what a huge difference it made.
11-17-2011, 11:38 AM
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
+1. In Chicago on a snowy winter day, it is nearly as common to see AWD vehicles in the ditch as it is RWD. AWD helps, but it isn't a cure-all for turning and stopping.
I had summer performance tires on an S4, and decided to drive the car with a fairly light snow coming down and only about 1/2 inch of accumulation. At the first stop sign in my neighborhood, I slid all the way through the intersection only going about 15 MPH. I promptly turned around and parked the car in the garage. I later equipped it with Blizzaks and winter wheels and what a huge difference it made.
I had summer performance tires on an S4, and decided to drive the car with a fairly light snow coming down and only about 1/2 inch of accumulation. At the first stop sign in my neighborhood, I slid all the way through the intersection only going about 15 MPH. I promptly turned around and parked the car in the garage. I later equipped it with Blizzaks and winter wheels and what a huge difference it made.
It was an AWD, so it can go anywhere, right? Even with the high perf summer tires.
I lived in Govt. quarters then and piled a few of my co-workers into my car because I had the AWD and we had just had a bit of an ice storm.
We didn't even make it out of the parking lot before we (ever so slowly and gently) slid into a curb. We pushed the car back to the parking spot (remarkably easy as those tires had zero grip and the road was pretty slick) and took one of the other cars - a very aging BMW 518 with more rust than metal but it had (almost bald) winter tires. We made it the 15 miles to work without issues.
That's when I started buying winter tires.
11-17-2011, 11:40 AM
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2014 E63S Wagon, 2013 odyssey
Thanks for the correction
, the correct tires help out a lot. So I guess the formula for winter driving should be something like this:
AWD/4wheel drive + Winter Tires + Common Sense = Safer driving (or no driving).
Where AWD/4 wheel drive can be good or bad depending on the common sense factor, well shoot same thing for winter tires. So i believe I can reduce this equation to:
Common Sense = Safer driving (or knowing when not to drive).
Now if we could only find a way to sell common sense we would all be better off.
Edward
, the correct tires help out a lot. So I guess the formula for winter driving should be something like this:AWD/4wheel drive + Winter Tires + Common Sense = Safer driving (or no driving).
Where AWD/4 wheel drive can be good or bad depending on the common sense factor, well shoot same thing for winter tires. So i believe I can reduce this equation to:
Common Sense = Safer driving (or knowing when not to drive).
Now if we could only find a way to sell common sense we would all be better off.
Edward
11-19-2011, 01:07 PM
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Mine: 2008 E350 4Matic --- His: 2014 E 550 4Matic
CEB we also live in the DC area and both of us have all wheel drive. In the DC area that is great combination for the snow. If you are driving mainly highway the MB will have pretty good fuel economy - depending on the engine. Our 2008 E350 4matic is routinely in the low 20s commuting in beltway rush hour traffic.
