pinipig523

Hey guys,

Glad I found this forum!

I am looking to join the MB club with a certified preowned car. I was looking at a 2010 E550 but unsure as to whether I should go for the sedan or the coupe. Maybe if I gave you guys some info about myself - I'm 29yoM, married without kids, my wife drives a Lexus RX (so that's our family car for now). I currently drive an Infiniti G37S Coupe which is a 6MT.

The reason why I want to move to an E550 is that I feel that it is a much more serious car and less "boy racer". The one thing I don't really want to give up is speed, quickness, and the feel of a manual/stick shift car.

I've tried out the new Lexus GS350 F sport - the paddle shifters are VERY cool and the shift times are great. Smooth and just about as quick as I'd like and feels very natural for me to drive around in pure manual mode.

Does the E550 2010 have a similar manual mode?

Btw, this is the car I'm looking at:
E550 Coupe
http://www.mercedeshoffman.com/certi...2020fcc5f0.htm

E550 Sedan
http://www.mercedeshoffman.com/certi...64b78f3d0c.htm

Help me out guys. Thanks!!

pinipig523

Plus, I wanted to run some things with you guys.

My wife is not really on board with this purchase, she thinks that I should just stick with the Infiniti G and not get the E550. She thinks it is a waste of money.

I am a graduating (in 2 months) resident with a contract to work at a hospital full time and another hospital part time as an attending physician. The pay is approximately $400,000/year. I've been a resident for 4 years and I've waited a long time to become an "adult".

She thinks that I am being callous with my money with the above E550s.

I even decided to go with a certified preowned because while the new E550 would cost me close to $75K with options - the 2010 E550 CPO is under $49K. Plus, the coupe above was built on 5/2010 and with the extra CPO warranty, we're looking at at least 4 years warranty up to 100,000 miles.

I think I'm being prudent with my money, but she thinks otherwise.

She asked me to post this on the forum to get some input... I think I'm being reasonable if you ask me.

She wants me to keep my 2008 G37 for another 4 years.... I still owe 22K on it and the dealer appraised it at 24K on a trade in.

I don't know - you guys think I'm being reasonable or not?

BenzV12

Nothing compares to MB to a Asian cars so I am biased but W212 is a real on looker and eye catching car in every aspect
Same goes for interior as well

Sedans vs Coupes

Being 4 doors and more room sedans are more useful than coupes , that's no brainer . Also , E Coupe is based on C Class despite using the E letter

BM2BZ

your pay is $400k/yr, you're trying to buy a 2 yr old car and your wife is questioning you ? she probably wants rest of the money go to her shoes/purses/jewelries fund then . you've been driving a coupe for four years, you might want to go w/sedan this time. and like benzv12 said, the e coupe is based on a c class.

tgame80

I agree with the previous posters and get the sedan. You will end up driving it more than the Lexus and the 4 doors allows more options. The other doctors will not want to climb in the back seat of a coupe if you go out after work.
black book retail
Black Book RetailExtra CleanCleanAverageRoughBase$53,600$51,900$48,850$43,025Options$0$0$0$0Mileage Adj.$0$325$525$0Total$53,600$52,225$49,375$43,025
Black Book Trade-InCleanAverageRoughBase$46,220$43,700$36,470Options$0$0$0Mileage Adj.$325$525$0Total$46,545$44,225$36,470

aeggroup

$400k/yr ...used car ? I hope you kidding..yes ?
Forget about both of those cars and buy/lease brand new in 2 months. Respect yourself, you deserve it.
There are many people on this forum who make much less and drive brand new S-Classes.

hyperion667

I'd go couple since there are not children involved,,,,,,,,,,yet!!

and why is your wife telling you not to??
she's not your mom, she's your wife.......
I think some wives get those two things confused........LOL......

I agree with the 550 not being all boy-racer.....

GO FOR IT MAIN!!!

pinipig523

Thanks all! Glad to know I'm not crazy... .

I love my wife - we've been married for 1.5 years and we've been together since high school (about 12.5 years now)... so she knows me to the core. I think we've been together for so long that she's worried that if I turn on the faucet, I may not be able to stop (so to speak). Also, I felt very dirty posting my salary on here but it was the only way to make my situation understandable.

But any more advice or tips would be great...

Also - about the triptronic - is it pretty quick upshifting and downshifting? And since one of the posters said the E550 coupe is based on the C class - is this a negative and is this a reason NOT to buy it?

Thanks fellas!

pinipig523

I hear you man... the problem with these CPO cars is that I can't spec it out myself. I really want white/pearl outside and red leather interior w/ dark/black wood inserts. But if I spec it out, then it's going to cost me lots of money and the dealer is probably less likely to deal for a good price since I spec'd it out of the factory.

Right?

I really don't want to pay $75K for an E550.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would end up with my dream car if I spec it out myself brand new, but I'd probably be 85-90% with a properly chosen certified preowned.

Whufc

You might be saving a lot of money getting a car you kinda want, but spending an extra $20k will get you the car you really want! Its a lot of money to spend on a car you kind of want? Where as its a bit more to get the one you really want?
And if you change your mind, and want to trade in the one you dont really want, for your own one, your gonna lose more.

pinipig523

Interesting way to put it... you're right too.

aeggroup

Sorry if I will sound like a mentor, but I'm a little older than you and may give you an advice. I went thru this road myself, buying today what I think I will be able to afford tomorrow and it always was wrong, because next day when you not only know, but you feel your income - you want it the way you like it and nothing else. Wait for 6 months, receive couple paychecks and get the car you really want.

K-A

I have no kids and don't "need" a Sedan either, but here's why I chose mine over the E-Coupe:

I like the size of the Sedan, it's a "true E-Class", a more elegant and "serious" size. The E-Coupe being based on the C chassis gives it two drawbacks *to me* (I'm tall): Looks too cutely-proportioned/compact for an E-Class, the interior isn't nearly as stately or luxurious appearing (aside from the seats) as the Sedan, nor does it have the same cool all-around ambient lighting. Also, maybe it's in my head, but I don't like being duped into buying a car with an "E" badge and price that is based on a C and is the EXACT chassis used on the (IMO ugly) new C-Coupe. I think the W212 is a more aggressive look than the Coupe, not as sporty, but still sporty, and more stately (i.e more all around dynamic design), and is more true to the core of representing the M-B that I love (big-ish stately, almost mean yet understatedly elegant looking Sedans).

As for the 550, that's all you, i.e, it's all preference. I'm more than content with my E350's power (driving a Mustang 300+ HP new V6 right now, and my E actually feels quicker and snappier), so the 550 would have been pointless and the extra power/money mostly unused by me. But if you require that feel, then you might as well go for it.

Arrie

The tiptronic (paddle shifters) seems to be important for you. This may just set the selection for you. I had 2011 E350 and now have a 2010 E550 (both sedans) and in both cars the paddle shifters just plain suck! They are absolutely way too slow in changing gears. Unless there is an update software package to fix this you need to buy a 2012 model or later, which I have heard has this issue fixed.

Others correct me if I'm wrong.

And don't buy the Coupe. You will get tired of it quickly and it is a much smaller car. Get the sedan and then change the front grille to the star grille with the badge if you want the couple front look.

merc1234

$400k/year and your wife said you can get a 2 year old car

I am sure if you buy her a nice big Louis Vuitton, you can get a nice brand new AMG lol

pinipig523

I drove the E550 coupe and E550 sedan today - I liked the sportiness of the coupe but it was definitely small and not as well appointed.

But - the biggest issue I had was the shifting system. In full manual - it felt, odd. Very unnatural because it was slow to upshift and even slower to downshift. The Lexus GS350F I tested the other day was so much better with regards to shifting, but the sheer power of the E550 is sick once you get it going.

But the shifting is a whole 'nother story.

I did try the 2012 and the manual mode was better in a sense that the downshifts were faster but the upshifts were still a little sluggish.

I asked them if the E63 had the same issue, because sluggish shifting in manual is a deal killer. I want to drive the car only in manual (paddle).

Interesting that you mentioned that... I just got an email from my part time gig and they wanted me to pick up some shifts so I picked one extra shift so I could get her a nice LV bag (or two). I'm sure she'll like it.

LOL!

You make a lot of sense, I may just do that.

pinipig523

Btw, is the manual shifting on the E63 noticeably quicker than on the E550?

BM2BZ

it's been 24 hours and you've gathered some useful info from the fellow members, so what did your wife say? stay w/your g37 or go w/the big boy e550? if she still wants you to stay w/the infiniti but you want something "better", why not try another approach, get a c63 or m3 sedan? if she still refuses, try something else til she's finally compromised .

alsyli

As someone who *is* an attending physician, I'm going to say that I sort of agree with your wife (and Arrie). I wouldn't necessarily want to wait 4 yrs for a new car, but maybe another 2-3 yrs? Pay off some of your med school loans? (or not, if you got a great interest rate) Or pay off your G and enjoy not having car payments for a few yrs? Or stash some $ away for a down payment on a home or save up for having a kid?

You already drive an RX and a G; what do you think "adults" (including other attendings) are driving?

BTW, the 8.9% interest rate is pretty horrific (MB was offering 1.9% for a short-term loan, and my local university credit union was offering 2.99% for a long-term loan). An estimated monthly payment of $1000 is potentially more than you'd spend on a lease for a similar (and brand-new new) MB....

hyperion667

not really, speaking for the 2011 NA engine.....
holds gears very long.....

pinipig523

Really... so e63 is slow to upshift/downshift in manual mode?? Wow...


You're right, I have no reason to complain - attending physicians drive everything from beat up accords to bentleys and ferraris. My G is right in the middle of the pack, methinks.

But that 8.9% apr, I have no idea where that's coming from... I don't know why that's the default on the calculator. CPO 66mo apr is 1.9%/yr. No way am I going to finance something at 8.9.

Hahaha... so I took a look at the e550 coupe CPO, e550 sedan CPO, and brand new e350 (they didn't have the 550 vert) convertible. I must say, the convertible reminded me of vacationing in Maui. Everytime we go to Maui, we rent a Mustang vert - and the e350 vert just gave me that feeling that I was on vacation.... it was awesome!

The e550 coupe - you guys are right, the appointments are meager at best and although it is a sick looking car from the outside, it's too small on the inside.

The e550 sedan - this particular CPO was beat up. I did not like it.

But the common denominator is that all 2010 e550s that I tried had a slow manual mode... the 2012 e350 convertible that I tried had quicker downshifts but still slow upshifts.

Right now, I'm not sure what to do.

alsyli

MBs hold their value well enough that good CPO values (from the little I've seen) don't start until 3 yrs out (unfortunately). And, by that time, they've usually accumulated quite a few miles. I'd honestly save up to buy brand new. ::shrug::

As for the manual mode, no mainstream MB has a true manual mode. And all mainstream MBs downshift slowly and unwillingly (accept in my C250, and that's only in sport mode). It's an MB trait, and the company shows no desire to change it....

Car drvr

Why not go to a dealer and try it yourself, instead of relying on someone's subjective opinion? As for numbers, MB claims (on their official site) that current model's transmission can shift in as quick as 100ms (in Sport+ and Manual mode transmission program selector), but all the numbers are really pointless when it comes to how it feels to YOU.

K-A

At this point, CPO's aren't much lower priced than brand new E's (V6 models at least).

Two reasons: The W212 is holding its value well enough for a luxury car, and M-B is putting out crazy incentives toward new cars.

pinipig523

That'd be easy if my dealer has an e63, but they don't.

And when you say 100ms, is this on the e63 or the entire E range?

100ms is blisteringly fast.