Congrats! The E350 VS E550 is all you. It really comes down to preference. I chose the E350 because the perks from the E550 (more power, Airmatic) just weren't worth it to me, and the V6 gave me the experience I desired basically just as well. Speed/performance isn't a factor to me with this car, and the Airmatic is great, but adds a very complex, prone to break element to your car.

Insightful stuff right there!

 

I have same problem, so perhaps will draw straw. Cars are almost identical. I like more MB though, but it is just personal taste.

And sure I take exact configuration as yours, only different colors, I guess we are twin brothers.

 

Personally, I'd take the 550xi over the E550

Im not bias over a certain brand car just because i own or owned it. I can appreciate any car from any Make.

Both are great cars but I like the look of the F10 over the W212. It looks a little more Beefy and Manly compaired to the Benz. This is just my opinion.

as far as reliability, I've driven my E60 for over 100k miles so far for what i would consider all trouble free miles. I plan to keep the car untill its dies

Can't go wrong with either IMO though

 

I agree, on anything but reliability and ride, the BMW wins hands down - but - BMW has taken a huge downturn in reliability with their inability to first acknowledge, then resolve the high pressure fuel pump issue that plagues every turbo BMW sold in the US. These problems continue with the E90 and are also evident on the F10. The 328/528 were reliable, but anything with a HPFP should be avoided at all costs if you live in the US/Canada. The sulfur content in our gas doesn't play well with the HPFP and the effects of that sulfur content on catalytic converters with start/stop is completely unknown.

I love driving my 335 and I'm not sure if the modern Benz experience will be similar, but I'm tired of driving Enterprise loaners instead of my car.

 

Doesn't the new 550 also have better brakes than the 350?? More aggressive exhaust note as well.

 

You've guessed right. Nashi ludi vezde, dazhe MB forums.

 

Why do you think he's " nashi " ?

 

The 2012 E350 is a pleasant car to drive, & a very peppy engine compared to the 2011 E350. The biggest difference i noticed is the instant power on the new one. The new V6 doesn't have that typical "hesitation before you go" behaviour that they have had since '06. I actually find the power to be adequate to drive....if my wife wanted one.

Many people who come in will say, "I don't think i need to spend the extra $10k for more power", when deciding between the 350 & 550....okay...maybe.

I have now owned 5 E-Classes since i started selling Benzes and just ordered my 6th.

1999 E320 (great car)
2004 E55 AMG (amazing car, currently for sale)
2005 E320 4Matic (nice car, very underpowered)
2007 E550 4Matic (good car)
2011 E550 4Matic (wife's current car...twice the car of the '07)
2012 E550 4Matic (on the way)

Here is my assessment:

The E-Class is the best all-around car we make for someone who wants to be practical, drive a really nice car, and have the ability to carry 4 adults (or put kids in the back). It is my favourite car. Nobody makes a better car for the money (my money, anyway).

The E55 has been the best car i've ever owned. I actually thought i would keep it a lot longer than 3 years...but i have a pending sale on it because i NEED the new 4.6L. It is quite possible that the Airmatic suspension is the best feature on that car (aside from the mind-blowing torque).

Take an E350 out for a drive & go over some rough road, over some speed bumps, etc. Then do that in a 550. No comparison.

The ability to raise the car is a big bonus as well, if you live in an area where you get a lot of snow (i do). You want to put 19 or 20 inch wheels on the car (i do)? The Airmatic makes up for the roughness of riding on rubber bands. You want to lower the car (i do)? 15 minutes with a master tech & you can keep the car within factory specs, but still drop it about an inch. The majority of customers who buy an E are not putting 20's on & slamming the car, but for guys like me who like to tastefully mod, AIRMATIC is extra awesome.

The 550 also comes with real leather, not Artico/MBTex. The ventilated, drive-dynamic, multicontour drivers seat with massage function cannot be ignored either.

If you lease the car, the difference isn't really $10,000 either...cuz you're only paying 40-50% of the price over 3 or 4 years anyway. Youre actually only paying $4-5000 more.

Once you've owned (OWNED, NOT DRIVEN) a car with Airmatic, I think it would be really tough to go back to a regular suspension. There were rumours that the 2012 was going to have regular suspension in it...which is why i snapped up our last 2011 for my wife. I thought the Airmatic was more important than the new engine. Mercedes-Benz tricked me.

Sorry for the long post. I feel like a broken record, puking AIRMATIC all over you.

I would not be buying the 2012 E550 if it didn't have Airmatic, period. I'd step up and get the new CLS.

Dude, get the 550...you will not regret it once you own it.

 

freind of mine in nyc has replaced on average one tire per month in his BMW Sport. Id also go with a lighter interior on the dakota grey...just my two cents...

 

Interesting. First time I've heard someone consider the F10 a "manlier" look over the W212. Most sentiments seem to feel it's opposite, the W212 looking more masculine and the F10 being a prettier, more feminine look (that's not a dig toward it in my eyes at all, btw). The F10 does follow BMW's "bloat/beefy" design language, with the W212 following M-B's catering toward lean and tight lines, however.

 

Thank you. I am negotiating it. Here in NYC, E350 also comes with leather seats (option), Air Suspension is not formally offered - it is a "hidden' feature which you, if you know, ask the dealer to include. The difference, indeed, is not that much when leased though E550's lesser mpg adds a bit to the real ownership expenses. What is your experience with E350 vis E550 mpg?

 

The E350 sport is quite possibly the worst ride over rough road of any car I have driven regardless of price.

I haven't driven the 550 with airmatic, however, there was a thread a while back and many folks indicated the airmatic suffered from much of the same problems.

 

I decided on an E350 because I wanted a change of pace and MB offered very attractive lease rates. I certainly didn't expect to be so disappointed in the car.

 

Confused. Does the new e550 come with automatic as standard or is it an option that is not listed on MB website?!?

 

Just started a new thread on this.

 

In my eyes its the other way around. Front end of both cars have an aggresive look but once you start to walk around to the Profile and especially to the back of the cars the 212 appears a little more feminate. Its just my opinion though, Im sure "Most sentiments" on a MB Enthusiast website would agree with you.

 

I had no idea the HPFP was still a problem on the Turbo engines. I heard about the problem when the Turbo 6's came out but would have thought they would have corrected it by now.
That would for sure make a difference when considering to buy one of the cars. Not so much when it comes to leasing.

Another option i would throw in there is the new 2012 A6 3.0 S/C w/ the Prestige package. Was never a huge fan of the prior A6's but the new ones are pretty damn nice.

 

I wouldn't say that it's M-B enthusiasts "sentiments" that would make that distinction between the two cars. IMO, it's a natural perception and common sense of design, the F10 has more feminine, sensual, and graceful sweeps, while the W212 has a more angular, masculine cut. To each their own. IMO, neither masculine or feminine design qualities can work for or against a design in an absolute sense (it's up to the design in question and how it pulls it off).

 

That is not a "Natural Perception and Common sense of design" this is your opinion.
The lines of a car has nothing to do with if the car is going to look more Masculine or Feminate unless you going to judge the cars strictly on paper.
A C-Class has similar lines to a E-class but the C-Class is(in my opinion) a very Feminate car

Why dont you get a picture on a F10 with the M-Tech/Sport package to compare to the 212 sport for a more accurate comparison. Also look at the profile and rear end because that was what i was referring too

 

The rear end I can somewhat understand, but I still wouldn't consider the W212's "feminine", more-so straightforward. The F10's rear is more voluptuous. I guess it can also be said that the F10's rear is also more muscular, but I still feel that the W212's rear is more masculine overall.

I feel that when the designers set out to create the F10, they wanted to create something with a feminine beauty and grace, while the M-B designers set out to design something more stately and masculine with all the hard lines and edges, square jaw, etc. (I'd think that hard lines and edges are antithesis to femininity, which was what my "common sense of design" was about). The W211 I feel also has a graceful femininity to it.

Anyway, this is all really just perceptible to the person perceiving it.

 

I think BMW just set out to fix what Bangle broke and they did an awfully fine job.

I think the F10 is one of the best designs out there right now (especially with the M-Sport bumpers) It looks better than the 7 series or the 3 series. From a design standpoint BMW has a winner.

 

I was never saying the 212 is feminine. If it was i would have never purchased the exact same car as you(lol) Im just saying it is a "little" more feminine then the F10 IMO. My reason is when comparing the rear of the cars, The F10 is a bit more Beefy. Nothing about the front of the 212 is Feminine.This is just my opinion, everybody here has their own taste and you can't go wrong with either cars in my eye's

I have a few pics on my phone of a really nice White 550i w/ the M-Tech kit i saw one day but for some reason i cant attach them on here

 

I totally agree CEB

 

Slightly off topic but I cannot stand the cheap looking exhaust on both the W212 and F10. Both models have a very obvious "tacked" on finisher instead of integrating it in to the actual pipe like on the AMG models or a W211. Has anyone else noticed this cheapness?? You can clearly see a very small exhaust pipe rubbing up against a tacked on finisher. Tired of these tricks the manufactures are doing to keep the price down.

 

The black plastic against the white paint looks cheap. Might look better on a darker color but would be best if that section were also painted.