First-e320

In a few days, the lease for my 2012 e350 will be ending. I wanted to give a quick review of the car (see the next post) but before I do, I wanted to say that the e-class is a great car. Indeed, before I came over to the Mercedes camp, I never had a problem returning or trading in my car. That all changed with Mercedes. Those other cars were just appliances to me and I was happy to give up the old car to get the new shiny one. With my Mercedes, I still want the new shiny one but hate giving up the old car. I have been fortunate to get great lease deals with Mercedes. So great, that I just can’t get the numbers to justify a purchase. I like getting new cars, but I do not want (I think) a garage full of cars.

You will be gone, but not forgotten.

First-e320

Car – This is a Canadian market e350 with Premium and Launch edition packages with 18” AMG wheels and upgraded brakes. I generally drive mostly highway to work, doing 20 to 40 kilometers each workday.

Interior – Despite the very black interior (black leather seats, black ash wood) it is very luxurious. The stitched artico dashboard was unique at the time but is more common now. The standard leather seats are a somewhat of a disappointment though. They are the toughest, roughest leather seats I ever had and I was certain the factory made a mistake and installed artico seats until I was shown that indeed, this is Mercedes leather. Then again, 4 years later, the seats looks good as new, but next time, I will save the money and just buy artico.

Engine – This was the first year of the direct injected v6 and it turned out to be a great engine. More than sufficient power when necessary and great mileage to boot. At the time, the engine sounded like a diesel, but the loud fuel injectors are everywhere now so that is no longer an issue. The throttle tip-in is a bit steep even in comfort mode and is difficult to modulate.

4matic – Canadian cars come with standard 4matic and I was happy to have it on the car. The 4matic is more than a system to help in wet or snow conditions; it is part of the stability system of the car and works well in dry conditions as well. If I ended up pushing the handling envelope, the car’s system would gently pull me back or give me enough feedback to back off myself before I reached the point of no return.

Brakes – The upgraded brakes were well worth the money as this car feels like it can stop on a dime (especially if Brake Assist kicks in). Unfortunately, the brakes are very grabby and take skill to come to a smooth stop. After 68,000km, the brakes are still working well, although I am sure the pads must be getting close to replacement.

Handling – For a midsize car of this size and weight, it handled exceptionally well. The sport suspension was buttery smooth on smooth pavement. On rough pavement it was a little harsh but was not obnoxious and always stays in control. The car is very well balanced, taking fast curves with exceptional ease. I have two 90 degree hairpin turns on my route and this car carved them up like turkey dinner. After 68,000km, I can feel the suspension getting a little soft, but it still has many miles left in it.

Tires – Some of the ride harshness can be attributed to the 18” rims and ContiProContact runflat tires (245/40R18). The tires gave excellent grip on dry and wet and acceptable on snow. After 68,000km, the tires still 5/32” tread so they will need replacement soon.

So overall, after 4 years of Canadian winters, the car runs and works great. The only issue I had was with (I assume) the 4matic system. When it gets cold for winter, any low speed turns would cause the car to shudder (every time I park!). When spring comes, the problem goes away. The dealer was not able to create a permanent fix. It felt like a differential was locked and the front tires were rotating at the same speed (hence the low speed shudder). I was disappointed this issue was not resolved and may be a headache after the warranty runs out (next week). Otherwise, the car was reliable and a pleasure to drive.