Buses 2
E550 Rare - Why?
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 842
Likes: 64
From: Northern NJ
2015 E550 Coupe
I'd like to see some real statistics on the Airmatic issues that people keep complaining about. I have had two Airmatic MB cars now and have had minimal issues with the system. One rear shock on my E500 and nothing on my E550. I only hear about serious failures with the system that costs $$$ and have no real world information as to how rampant this is among all Airmatic equipped cars. It is probably the number 1 "potential" problem brought up when discussing the 550 series cars as if every one of them has a failure.
So Airmatic may be one or at least a potential one. Thanks. Something good to be aware of and try to inspect those parts on a more frequent basis. What else has a supposedly chronic high rate of premature failure on the E models?
Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 110
Likes: 3
From: USA
11' E350 PP SP
Airmatic Issue
Airmatic is a S and E 500-600 series problem, mostly coupes according to a longtime MB owner and close friend - Carousel Dealer, high end vehicles. He says the majority of his clients say they think they have a flat tire, but when they check, the tire is fine, so he automatically checks Airmatic out, as a dealer he wants to nip it in the bud fast, since it is a expensive repair that he sucks up, not the client. He ALSO advised me to purchase the 5 Year/50K Extended Warranty to make MB fix any issues that occur because it was his personal car (only owner) that I bought with 30 days left on the MB warranty with only 18K miles on it-yes he is a little old man. I went with Assurant Solutions Extended MB Warranty for 2.3K, this is what the insurance on 4 family cell phones cost, so WTH not. As previously mentioned, a reasonable extended warranty is always the least expensive road to take unless you have the time and skills to DIY. I finally have clean nails, and callous free non-threaded fingers, I just drive now, grease is for kids, warranties are for adults.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
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2019 E300
Please enlighten us, how is China destroying the world economy? If anything, they are a major player in the world economy as they are now the second biggest automotive market in the world.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 297
Likes: 26
'11 E550 Cpe/'04 GT3
In the past, China has been a huge consumer of raw. They have been so successful making stuff cheaply, they have a bigger middle class that has buying projects from around the world and increasing the demand for oil based products. Now, with their economy going down the ****ter, their demand for world products (and oil) is dropping. World production of oil had increased to meet demand which is now going down decrease the price.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 598
Likes: 71
From: Lake Las Vegas, NV
AMG GTS, Ford Raptor and Tesla Model 3 dual motor
I just purchased a 2012 E550 loaded for my wife to replace her 2014 E350 and it is so much nicer than the E350 in everyway. Drives like a completely different car, engine and ride are so much smoother and the leather over MX Tex is night and day in comfort. In fact I hated the drivers seat on the E350, it was so uncomfortable. Enoying the E550.
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Banned
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Dealer maintenance
A competent independent repair shop specializing in MB (not easy to find) reduces maintenance costs drastically. At the dealer you mostly pay for the cost of maintaining a showroom and for the service rep's commission. Plus the rigid list of often unnecessary items on the the "A" and "B" service lists that they try to force on you regardless of where you live and how you drive your car. Sometimes you have to wonder who actually owns the car. Whoever came up with the "A & B mandatory maintenance system" is a marketing genius. The "free" loaner is nice except in reality it is the most expensive rental car you ever rented.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 293
2019 E300
In the past, China has been a huge consumer of raw. They have been so successful making stuff cheaply, they have a bigger middle class that has buying projects from around the world and increasing the demand for oil based products. Now, with their economy going down the ****ter, their demand for world products (and oil) is dropping. World production of oil had increased to meet demand which is now going down decrease the price.
Enough of this political talk, this is a car forum after all, we don't want to bored everybody in here with our political views.
I just purchased a 2012 E550 loaded for my wife to replace her 2014 E350 and it is so much nicer than the E350 in everyway. Drives like a completely different car, engine and ride are so much smoother and the leather over MX Tex is night and day in comfort. In fact I hated the drivers seat on the E350, it was so uncomfortable. Enoying the E550.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 598
Likes: 71
From: Lake Las Vegas, NV
AMG GTS, Ford Raptor and Tesla Model 3 dual motor
And I suppose the United States' involvement in the middle east has nothing to do with the lower price of oil. Sometimes, I think the only reason we lost all those lives in the middle east is because we want to control the cost and the supply of oil.
Enough of this political talk, this is a car forum after all, we don't want to bored everybody in here with our political views.
Do you have the multi-contour seats in the E550?
Enough of this political talk, this is a car forum after all, we don't want to bored everybody in here with our political views.
Do you have the multi-contour seats in the E550?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 160
From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Will still use dealership
A competent independent repair shop specializing in MB (not easy to find) reduces maintenance costs drastically. At the dealer you mostly pay for the cost of maintaining a showroom and for the service rep's commission. Plus the rigid list of often unnecessary items on the the "A" and "B" service lists that they try to force on you regardless of where you live and how you drive your car. Sometimes you have to wonder who actually owns the car. Whoever came up with the "A & B mandatory maintenance system" is a marketing genius. The "free" loaner is nice except in reality it is the most expensive rental car you ever rented.
As for China, it is not destroying the world economy. The world economy relying so heavily on one nation's purchasing ability leads to serious repercussions when that nation has economic problems.
The Western powers, first Great Britain and France and later US, have tried to control the petroleum industry in the Middle East, Africa and South America since the early 1900's.
Last edited by El Cid; Oct 22, 2015 at 09:25 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 293
2019 E300
The multi-contour seats in the E-class is a bargain compare to what BMW charge for the comfort seat in the 5 series. $660 vs. $2400. Both seats are about the same with the major difference being Mercedes has the active side bolster and BMW has the upper seat back adjustment.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 85
From: New Jersey
2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
I'm starting to believe that I even see the S550 at a 10-1 ratio compared to the E550. I see an S nearly once a day and I may go a few weeks before I see another E.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: on my way
2012 CLS63
The multi-contour seats in the E-class is a bargain compare to what BMW charge for the comfort seat in the 5 series. $660 vs. $2400. Both seats are about the same with the major difference being Mercedes has the active side bolster and BMW has the upper seat back adjustment.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 326
Likes: 3
2011 E550
E350s are everywhere but i'm always on the lookout for another E550... I see coupes now and again but almost never a sedan.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 394
From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
Without sales volume information from MB, it's hard to know for sure how the E class sales breakdown. But it seems from shopping used that the E class seems split 95% E350 and 5% E550. CLS is about 10% of the total E class volume IIRC. S class sells more than CLS and seems to be about 30-40% of E class volume based on this. Therefore, you should see about 6-8 S class and 2 CLS for every E550. Obviously, part of the problem is spotting the E550 from a distance.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 85
From: New Jersey
2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
Without sales volume information from MB, it's hard to know for sure how the E class sales breakdown. But it seems from shopping used that the E class seems split 95% E350 and 5% E550. CLS is about 10% of the total E class volume IIRC. S class sells more than CLS and seems to be about 30-40% of E class volume based on this. Therefore, you should see about 6-8 S class and 2 CLS for every E550. Obviously, part of the problem is spotting the E550 from a distance.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 394
From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
+1 on that. I think only the badge sets the E550 apart from the E350 sport.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
E350
I think many people here understand and expect operational regular maintenance type things to cost more with an MB. I just don't see why it's not acceptable to not want to blow additional money just for the hell of it because we purchased a luxury vehicle. A large part of paying more upfront is for the quality to not pay more during the process of enjoying your vehicle.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 129
From: Orlando, FL
2015 GL550 4matic
I didn't read the whole 8 pages, where the quibbling over oil wars and such seems to get deep.
I was searching for an E550, and I can say yes, they are rare. I did narrow my search to a 2012-2013 model specifically because 1) more powerful engine, easily capible of more power from the turbos via ecu tune. 2) NO airmatic suspension. I see some opinions flying, but I think the people who say it's great are also the people all over this for saying they would never own a MB without warranty. For me, I see many complaints of failures in this system, and I'd rather avoid repairs instantly costing me thousands by avoiding the airmatic completely. I can say this was almost a deal breaker until I figured out that the new engine models did NOT have airmatic, and they all come with 4matic to put the power and handling down.
It would be fun to have the RWD only to disable the traction control and do a burnout once in a while, but in 4 years of owning mh CLK430, I've only done that a handful of times.
These are so rare that I could not find one anywhere near me in FL, so I'm picking up my 2012 E550 next Saturday about 1000mi away, in Texas. It's so awesome that depreciation is so bad on these that I'm getting a $70k MSRP car for less than $25k. The only thing I don't love is that there are tons of E350 around, and 99% of anyone on the road can't tell the difference from an E350 sport to an E550. Until you mash the gas pedal!
I was searching for an E550, and I can say yes, they are rare. I did narrow my search to a 2012-2013 model specifically because 1) more powerful engine, easily capible of more power from the turbos via ecu tune. 2) NO airmatic suspension. I see some opinions flying, but I think the people who say it's great are also the people all over this for saying they would never own a MB without warranty. For me, I see many complaints of failures in this system, and I'd rather avoid repairs instantly costing me thousands by avoiding the airmatic completely. I can say this was almost a deal breaker until I figured out that the new engine models did NOT have airmatic, and they all come with 4matic to put the power and handling down.
It would be fun to have the RWD only to disable the traction control and do a burnout once in a while, but in 4 years of owning mh CLK430, I've only done that a handful of times.
These are so rare that I could not find one anywhere near me in FL, so I'm picking up my 2012 E550 next Saturday about 1000mi away, in Texas. It's so awesome that depreciation is so bad on these that I'm getting a $70k MSRP car for less than $25k. The only thing I don't love is that there are tons of E350 around, and 99% of anyone on the road can't tell the difference from an E350 sport to an E550. Until you mash the gas pedal!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 85
From: New Jersey
2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
I've seen a few 2013 E550 in the low 30k range all with around 50k in miles on them. These things are losing so much value it's shocking almost.
On a side note did anyone see the new Forbes article on the 15 worst new cars? The had the 7 series BMW as the worst car and a lot of it was depreciation and reliability issues. I was surprised that the E or S 550 didn't make the list just based on it's depreciation.
On a side note did anyone see the new Forbes article on the 15 worst new cars? The had the 7 series BMW as the worst car and a lot of it was depreciation and reliability issues. I was surprised that the E or S 550 didn't make the list just based on it's depreciation.
