I wouldn't even test drive an E400

 

So. . . don't.

 

I would test drive one.

 

SteveE400: Any new comments on your E400 now that you've had it awhile?

 

All - I just traded in my 2014 e350 carbio for a 2016 E400 4M Steel Grey with distrionic and parktronic. The carboy was nice, but wanted something a bit more practical.

Love the 400. Actually, the ride is similar to my former 2011 E350 sedan. But, fit and finish is better...and I love the power. A big step up from the carbio's 302 HP! Not a V8, but more than enough to get me in power.

Highly recommend!

Jim

 

Rocky - The E400 has been a real delight for the past few months. As jreash said - it is not a V8, but in everyday driving you would never know it. The power is more than adequate for anyone but those who "need" the E63. (That "instant" torque is what makes it feel so satisfying.) The car has performed well, but I did bring it to the dealer asking them to check it to see why I seem to have uneven acceleration when pulling away from a stop at part-throttle. (e.g. not full-throttle, not "easy take-off"). Of course, since there were no codes posted by the ECU, there was nothing to fix, so I'm still working with it. Not a real problem, but the car had to go in for an unrelated issue and I asked them to check.


To date, the only issue I've had was a "Collision Prevention Assist Plus Inoperative" instrument cluster message. This, so far, has proven to be a software issue where one device ceased communication with the data bus in the car.


The car is tight, handles well for a mid-size sedan, accelerates like crazy and seems invisible in traffic. I will be keeping an eye on the drivability issue and if necessary will take it back to the dealer for another look. This probably won't be necessary, as most people who have been in my car don't notice the throttle variance - I do as driver.


My only concern so far is how the low front ground clearance will fare in Chicago's snow this winter. The E400 is seriously low in front - far lower than our GLK and even lower than my previous driver, a Lexus LS430.


jreach - Great choice of color. Steel Grey is close enough to black to convey the "Bad Boy" image yet it still has a flair of color to it.

 

I starting to feel like the E400 is a unicorn as well. I think I've only seen two on them in the wild over the past 3 months. As I said on the E550 rarity thread I work in a county that should be labeled Foreign Car land lol. I see easily 100-150 MBs a day and rarely see a E550 or E400. Of course the Gullwing and G are rare as well but I think I've seen more of those around here then the e550 or 400 though lol.

 

E550 > E400

 

Does your ">" indicate greater # of vehicles or better?

 

Better, rare. The 400 is a joke

 

Can I ask why, since I am sort of considering it?

 

The E400 makes absolutely no sense. It has 27 more hp than the E350, but it costs way more. It comes down to torque which it has over the E350 in spades and it produces it lower in the rev range than the E350. Still though at the very least it should have been an E450 with the more powerful 362hp version of the same 3.0L V6. This E400 in no way makes up for the loss of the V8 in the E550. I have no idea what Mercedes was thinking. Now with the Coupes/Cabriolet versions of the E-Class, they have the E400 and E550 and that makes perfect sense, as they ditched the old 3.5L naturally aspirated V6. Hopefully they get the sedan engines right next month when the new 2017 E-Class is revealed.

M

 

I did want to try a Mercedes this time around.

MY problem is I'm used to driving a V-8 and there is nothing in an E class sedan or GLE SUV without going to the AMG. So I wanted to like the engine in the 400s, but I can't say that I do. If I were to go for an AMG I'd rather spring for a BMW M-class.

BMW has had serious issues with the current TT V-8s - in the 5-series, 7-series, and X5.

 

Better off getting a certified e550 MY 2012-15. E 400 is a pussified vehicle

 

^^^ DAMN not sure I would have said that. I imagine it's got some *****.

I would have liked to MB to exchange to 400 for the 350 in the US, (or keep all three like they did in Cananda). The 550 is very different than the 63. Both have their positive attributes, but someone wanting a silky smooth V8 like a 550 might not like the hot rodded 63.

 

The E400 is somewhere between the E350 and E550 performance wise. There is about a one seconds difference from 0-60 MPH between each one of those trims. My guess as to why Mercedes got rid of the E550 in the US is that it is a marketing strategy trying to increase the sales of the E coupe and cabriolet as well as trying to meet the new CAFE regulations. I am sure the V8 will soon only be found in the AMG models. Audi has already gotten rid of their V8 in the A6 years ago, even BMW is thinking about doing the same in the next 5 series.

 

Well duh thoughts why i bought one but the e550 is better than any e400 ever. MB screwed up not making e550 sedans

 

Agree. I need the 4Matic. Now that you can get an E63 with 4Matic, I may just go that route next time. I cannot by an MB with a 6 banger.

 

It sure doesn't sound like MB screwed up if they can steer potential E550 buyer to the AMG model.

 

I was answering the gentleman's comment below mine above your's. Your reply posted for before I hit post.

 

That might just steer them back into the used car market or over to a competitor.

 

It makes no sense in the context that MBUSA should have killed the 350 and only offered the 400.

But that aside, doesn't the 400 have significantly more standard equipment vs the 350 to justify the price?

 

Yes, it does - I think that was covered earlier in this thread.


cocksaurus, I am trying very hard not to take offense at the tone of your posts, but you are pushing the line. . .


I purchased the E400 not as a replacement for the "lost" E550, but as a car that will perform much better than the E350. It does this, by a large margin. I believe that for cars that are driven in daily use, on US streets and highways, the superior performance of the V8 can rarely be used. For my driving (70% suburban main streets, 30% busy interstates), the E400 is fully adequate, even when compared with my prior car, which was a 4.3L V8. There just isn't enough room to get to the extreme speeds you need to really see the difference between the TT V6 and the V8. Car and Driver found the difference to be between 0.5 sec and 1.0 sec for 0-60 MPH and for the 1/4 mile. If you're down to a half-second difference, the driver's reflexes can make that much of a difference.


Yes, the V8 should be superior in an all-out performance contest, but most of us never get to enter one like that. The fact that the V8 is no longer available limits our choices, especially if we choose not to buy used. I, for one, won't buy a used high-performance car since all too often these cars are driven hard, then discarded when they are ready to start needing major maintenance. My car is a daily driver, not a hobby. I cannot be bothered with constant trips to the mechanic to fix all the things that will go wrong on a car that has been abused. Also, I do not see an AMG as a good daily driver in a city environment, as these cars are just too highly tuned and stressed to be dependable for high-mileage use.


This is all just my opinion. I will share it, but make no effort to convince anyone else to buy into it. That's just how it is.

 

^^ Based on what OP says.

Oooppss Steve got to it before I could hit send.

 

From a pricing and CAFE requirement point of view, it doesn't make any sense. I am not sure if anyone here have any sales numbers for the E550, but I am sure it takes up a very small percentage of the E class sales.