Shetz

Leasing will not work for me (addicted to ownership), so I decided to buy. However, in the last week I am chasing my tail with this dilemma...Both certified are quite the same price with S550 on the high. In both I'm looking for mileage up to 35,000. I am a computer savvy and Nav voice control (not Nav spelling), bluetooth, and music streaming via my iPhone are important.
Live in SoCal and right now renting a car, until I fulfill my long time dream, buying MB car for the 1st time. I can do it today if I had the answer...

Need your help, pro

Thx

BenzV12

W212 is for me and my most fave MB model ever made . This is why I prefer W212 over any other cars but this is all personal choice
However, S550 being a present S Class and flagship to the model is an upscale model , better built quality ,craftsmanship and more room , gadgets

hyperion667

if money isn't a huge concern go for the S, you'll be blown away......but if money is an issue try out the E class......even though you mentioned they're the same.....seems S would be more money to own.......just a hunch......
and plus, where do you go from S?? hehe!

good luck, post up when it's done

ImInPA

Get the S if you can afford it.

RNBRAD

If you can swallow the look of an S and that halfway tickles your fancy then go for it. The 212 to me is a much better looking car though and the best looking car in the MB line-up.

newyorktoLA

S CLASS FOR THE WIN!!!! It looks way more stately and much larger than the E. Whenever I park them side by side, the S class is much longer, taller, and looks more luxurious. THe E looks more sporty especially with the hockey stick LED's though; NOTE: The 2008 S class requires you to spell out your destination for the voice control and is much older than the new voice control systems on the E; however, on the S class, you get a cool little button that allows you to swivel the screen so that the screen is angled at the driver, the center, or the passenger (The E class navi screen is stationary). The control knob is much bigger too

BM2BZ

it's really your call. e class still w/warranty but s class w/o. e class is smaller and slightly cheaper but doesn't mean it's not a good car. one other thing you have to consider is if this is your first mb, you might want to stick w/e class first. if you go w/s class, unless you can afford it, what would you change next? no matter what, you won't go wrong w/either.

T.H.Carrera

S class would be my pick. Go big or go home....

Shetz

First, I would like to thank you for the thoughts and insight. It was so helpful.

BTW, I just returned few hrs ago from the Arcadia (CA)'s MB dealership.
Well, I became part of your family with not only 2010 E350, but a brand new 2012 E350! I could not help myself in the dealership! What a joy!
The S is amazing by any aspect, but it will need to wait...at this stage. I will earn it one day!

Thank you so much for the input!

Shetz

WEBSRFR

That is so easy. Get the S class! You'll never look back and the only downside is I doubt you'd want to ever buy an E class again afterwards

BM2BZ

congrats and smart choice ! don't forget to post some pics later.

BenzV12

Ditto

K-A

I agree.

O/P, I was in the same position before I bought my E. I had my heart set on a W221 CPO, and didn't even want an E (or so I thought) again. I test drove both, and put them side by side.... to me, the E took the S's design language, refined it, made it much more dynamic, as it's still stately and classic yet far more modern and sharp/cunning, not to mention a lot more sportily aggressive. That sold me on the E instantly.

The drive showed the S being a much more refined and luxurious environment, but the isolation and HUGE size made me feel almost like a chauffeur, or a liitle too "mature" (and that's saying a lot as the E is very mature in itself). I liked the slightly more "connected" and "tighter" feel of the E in comparison. Fit me better.

When it came time to make a decision, I did the same as you. Got a brand new E when I was looking at only used models. The W212 is a very special car to me because not only is it my first Brand New M-B, but my first Brand New car ever (I'm now on my second Brand New one ). I even payed more for the New W212 over the CPO W221, so that should say something.

I love the S, but the E is usually more fit to me. Also, I feel they generally age better, if you look at the W210 VS W140, W220 VS W211, etc.

BudC

Smart move. You avoided the problems of a soft idler gear and AirMatic suspension on the S-Class and you probably avoided getting a 2010 E350 ex-lease car that the dealer bought at auction in Texas.

The new E350 has a 60 degree V6 that's inherently balanced and which gets much better fuel economy than the M272 V6 in the 2010.

Congratulations!

hyperion667

respect man

enjoy

BenzMan369

Wise and very well stated!

Best of luck with your new Benz.

Shetz

Thanks guys!! You are great!!
I'll post some pictures shortly.

I'm posting a question on extended warranty, Prepaid maintenance and LoJack, since I need to provide my decision to the dealer when I'll pick the E350 today.

RNBRAD

I think you made the best decision all around. I would just hate to step in a 4 y/o S series. Those things can become quite costly real quick out of warranty. Congrats and enjoy. Overall, I just don't think there is a better car on the market.

illmike

congrats man! you'll love the E...are you into hondas too? k20's, b18, hondatech

SoCalCLK

Great insights. Once the warranty is up, the new E-class starts looking a whole lot better.

That being said, Congrats on the choice of the E! I was looking at S-Classes myself, but didn't like the floaty handling. Also, the E550 had the same engine, and was a better balance of sport and luxury for me, personally. Great choice!

K-A

Just came across these pics on MBUSA. Pictures of cars in identical angles in identical settings at identical distances are great because you get to judge the designs purities against each other. This highlights how I feel the W212 takes the W221's design language, and adds some emphasis and dynamics into it (whilst losing some regality in the process, though purposefully done). That's a facelifted W221 btw.

BM2BZ

still like the four headlights more than the "normal" two headlights.

WEBSRFR

Congrats to the OP!

I found it striking that at first glance both models look almost alike. Prefer it when Mercedes had more distinction between their models. I think this is going to get even worse with the redesigned E class as I heard we might lose the quad lights and the design might be made to look more homogenous with the rest of the lineup. I prefer the time when the C, E, and S were all distinct cars with separate identities.

K-A

That's interesting because I feel the current Sedan lineup is about perfectly executed in terms of family likeness but individuality concepts, namely with the E, with its Ponton fender, quad lights, taillights, side creases, and originally hockey stock LED's, all exclusive to it for the most part. You can see the family resemblance, which is important in keeping the brand look tight and tied together (brands like Toyota, Ford, etc. all do cars that are drastically different from each other and it makes the product line look disjointed), but IMO they all have unique elements.

Now, Audi and BMW, they've homogenized their lineups to the greatest extent, and it bores me of their designs much faster, as you feel like you really see one car everywhere, as they can blend into each other.

Also, the W203/W211/W220 era was probably the most homogenized of all time by M-B, while the W210/W140 were very unique from each other, however before that, M-B's always looked very similar to each other, more-so than the current Sedan lineup.

But yeah I agree with you about the facelit. Not only have the 2012's with their straight LED's started to look more "normalized to the lineup", but it seems with the facelift, M-B will eliminate all the unique-to-W212 elements, and homogenize it with the lineup more-so.

WEBSRFR

My concern is that the C, E, and S designed are becoming Audised to a certain extent. There was a time when I had a really hard time differentiating an A6 from an A4 and I'm a car nut. Hopefully this will not come to that.

I have to say thought that more or less MB knows what they are doing with their designs. It's rare for them to screw up as badly as the bangled butt BMWs.

The biggest thing I would like to see with the E class is for the interior to look more organic, elegant and classy with some curves, like the S class.

I know I know about the whole Teutonic thing but this current design is not growing on me. Wish the interior experience was more upscale and closer towards the S than the C.

Having said that I LOVE what MB has done with the new C class -- both inside and out. That car is now a tremendous value for what you get.