LOL E Classy. Thanks for the great read. I needed that today. It was getting boring at my office and day was going slow.

 

nah, leave 'em on. they will eventually become cool. i've seen worse out there already. pink and purple neon crap.


i love that thread. and all the BMW "cool story bro" kill tales. "yo, i toasted a maxima coming home from work today. sickness" blah blah blah

 

Very true. No comparison there. The CLS forums are full of more spam than anything, the 6 Series forums even being for a low volume car are active and enthusiastic. IMO forum activity and passion is simply a reflection of what the subject cars themselves inspire and evoke from people.

Respect for admitting it. Though these days both companies are aggressive with the retaining gimmicks (gifts, free this or that, etc.).

 

We have one on order, which may arrive in November or December. It is fun to get a new car. Any new car, usually, but more so if it is one of the higher regarded cars. As for complaints, with regard to cars, perhaps Mercedes-Benz owners expect more of their cars than many other car buyers? I note that Consumer Reports assigns good overall quality ratings to MB E-Class cars.

 

ive never heard a girl mention my car as being an old man car, and im in my lates 20s, i just got it in june and have taken out 6 different girls in it and theyve all told me i had a nice car without me asking. of course something like a boxster or a cayman would get a more thrilling reaction but the E is still pretty well liked, at least amongst the asian girl crowd.

 

The E-class is seen by many as a luxury sedan. Opt for an E550, with the sport package, and one could even say, a sporty luxury sedan. Many people view an E-Class as a symbol of success, particularly if they see someone in their 30's driving it, it potentially creates a perception that the 30-something has achieved some financial success and grown beyond a C-Class.

In 2013, the old stigmas of "Mercedes-Benz are for Old People" or "BMW's are for classless Yuppies" are no longer valid. Both automakers have gravitated towards each other (BMW has become more luxurious, Mercedes has offered more sporty and aggressive models, such as the CLS and even the CLA).

In Orange County, a 3-Series BMW (which looks a lot like the new 5-Series) is commonplace. And the driver is usually a kid or some adult punk.

 

well put SoCal

 

Out of the dealer lot in stock form, I like the way the BMW 5 series look better than the E. But once both cars are dropped on some wheels, the E looks better to me.

 

I'm 36 and have an E-wagon on order. Man, I really feel out of place now...

Coming from VWs, Audis and an E90 I really couldn't care less about what badge is on my car. I have zero brand loyalty. I got the E90 because I loved the way it drove and it won me over from an Audi A4. I didn't get it for the roundel. I actually hate that the roundel comes with the "yuppy a-hole" image. But I was willing to put up with it because I love the way the car drives. My wife prefers the more plush less connected feel of the A4 so she drives an A4 Avant.

Both of us are from Europe and hate SUVs and we wouldn't get caught dead in one. We're also what you'd call "dash strokers" and there is simply nothing that can match the refinement and detail of German interiors. Nothing. The E-wagon stands alone in its segment which means there was really no choice for us if you put our requirements and preferences in the equation.

The E-wagon will be my second automatic vehicle and I'm hating the fact that I will no longer be able to row my own. I feel like I'm giving up something and chances are I will never get it back. The way cars are going manual transmissions are leaving the market at an alarming rate.

At any rate, different people get different cars for different reasons. I think the simple fact that an E-class will set you back $60K+ immediately eliminates the younger crowd, I really don't know a whole lot of 20 or 30 somethings who are making enough to afford comfortably a $800-$1,300 car payment. Most of those folks live in an apartment and their rent is less than that.

Anyone who's not 40 and drives an e-class is the exception, not the rule even if self selected e-class owners in an on-line message board try to argue the contrary.

The only way MBZ, or any other luxury maker can capture the younger generation is by offering cheaper alternatives to their flagship models. Whether we feel like it's cheapening of the brand only matters if you drive the MBZ for the start on the hood and not for the performance, interior and/or the perceived and real quality of German engineering.

Do I care that some younger guy will be able to get into a CLA for less than half of what I paid for my e-wagon? Nope. Just as the guy driving an SLS doesn't care that our E-class cost a fraction of his/her vehicle.

 

^ good input. i'm coming off an MT wagon myself, and will probably never go back to stick shift. here's my old girl:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774355235/http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774355235/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774160221/http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774160221/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774160911/http://www.flickr.com/photos/101887197@N08/9774160911/

 

In the US, people who purchase MB, BMW, Lexus, Audi, Porsche, etc. do so to a large extent because of the badge. You could say the same thing for many cars in the past-Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chrysler, etc. Nothing wrong with that as a lot of products are sold by brand identity.
Most people (95%+) in US can't tell the difference between a CLS and a C, much less an E and an S or an SL and SLK. They just recognize that MB means you are successful or willing to go into debt for a car. Most have no idea how low the cost of some MB's are compared to even US cars.
Of course, with the CLA and B coming to US, perception of MB as an expensive car will change. A "cheap" car lessens the brand. Same will happen because of the BMW 1 series.
It has been perceived as an old man's car because in the past, only old men could afford them. Especially the maintenance, insurance, property taxes, etc. BMW, Audi, etc. started off as lower cost cars and BMW especially did a great job of marketing cars to young people and building an image. Had a great car to do it with too.
Personally I think Jaquar makes the best looking cars and has for years. But who wants the unreliability and high cost of maintenance?

 

The BMW 3-series has been one of the top 20 cars sold by volume in the US for a while. I would hardly consider them luxury or upper echelon when there are only twice as many Ford Focus on the road as there are 3ers. The 1 series was actually a flop in the US, they have sold a whopping 628 of them last month. BMW sells more 7 series than 1 series, I don't think the 1 series does much if anything to their brand. Now putting FWD in the "Ultimate Driving Machine" will be a different story.

I think most brands are more concerned with hooking younger drivers and increasing overall market share via broader price offerings than perceived brand value or luxury.

I sat in an Acura MDX before decided on the E-wagon and it felt cheap. It had nothing to do with the badge but everything to do with the materials and how it drove.

 

This link shows that it is not only MB owners that are grumpy old men. We are just better at it.

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoram...163648995.html

 

LOL, I posted that same nut on a different thread

 

Finally! A picture of K-A

 

After looking at the responses to this thread I am pleasantly surprised. There is quite a bit of humor still to be had here and that is a good thing thing. Thanks guys!

 

There is truth to what you say, but the brands you name have to compete to maintain their reputation. The M-B allure for me had nothing to do with the brand and much to do with a torque-rich V8 that does not have to be revved to 6500 RPM to achieve peak power. I agree on the Jaguar. Lovely car, though. Their V8 engines always seem to have an expensive purr.