bicyclista

Hi, I'm a newcomer. A very subjective question, but any help would be appreciated.

My wife drives a 2005 E320 CDI inline-6 diesel that we bought new. It has 102k miles on it. She is happy with it and is not itching for a new car. However, I'd really like to get her a new one as a gift. Twelve years in this one is long enough, and I could let me son have the E320.

I drive it sometimes and I'd personally like a little more driving excitement in a new one.

I would like to stick with Mercedes because the other German cars just don't have the comparable luxury feel, IMHO. The S-series is way too big, the C-series is not big enough. Mid-size is just right.

A new E300 with a 4-cylinder engine is underpowered. If it had a quick 6-cylinder, it would probably be just right.

So, the E43 might be just the ticket. I have not driven it yet, and it may be perfect. But it is very expensive for a "sort of" AMG, so I somehow feel like I would be getting scammed at that price. I am fearful it will be "hot" for a while, then not so much. But, we can test drive it.

I personally might go for the E63, but the stiff ride would NOT work for my wife.........gotta remember: her car, not mine. Not an option.

So, I thought about a used Mercedes. A low mileage 2014 E550 (4.6L V8, 402hp) is locally available. This would let me get an "almost new" car that would bridge for a few years (or more) until Mercedes provides an inline-6 E-series to the USA market. It wouldn't cost much more than half of the E43 cost.

Or, I can keep quiet and do nothing until Mercedes gets the new inline-6 to the USA market.

What are your thoughts?
Is the 2014 E550 a good luxury car with solid power for several years?
Will it feel like a clear upgrade over the 2005 E320 diesel?
A sensible interim step?

Thanks for any help.

Airmousam

I think the 14 E550 is a great idea for your needs...get it CPO from a Benz dealer and it'll have an unlimited mile warr...good luck

IgorE350

Yes E-550 sounds good. I think if you would wait for straight 6 it would be a long wait and im sure it will be pricy, plus first production years will be with lots of recalls.

davidjohnbamber

If you were to go that route extensive retraining of your right foot would be necessary! Going from a E320d to a E550 will give you less MPG, but many more Smiles per Gallon. X2 on going CPO.

cetialpha5

How much horsepower did the E320 have? Even the regular 2012+ E350 has plenty of power, they went with direction injection and horsepower went up to 302hp from 268hp in the previous engine. If you want new, some dealers still have new 2016 E350's on their lot.

bicyclista

cetialpha5, the E320 diesel specs are:
3,222cc DOHC 24-valve inline-6
201hp @ 4,200rpm
369 lb-ft @ 1,800-2,2600rpm
compression ratio - 18.0:1
5-speed transmission.

The E320 is no slouch. It takes a second to get going when you hit it but it can then dig in and come up on speed pretty quickly. We would not sell the E320, but would give it to our son. They are pretty hard to find.

Today we test drove (1) the 2014 E550 and (2) a new E43. We can tell that we are becoming old codgers because we did not like the "sports car tight, wrap-around fit" that MB has instituted the last few years. A few knee pains will do that to you.

The 2014 E550 was very different. It feels roomy, the top grade seats were very comfortable, there was less tire noise, and the V8 power was great on the Interstate. Not the quick darting E43, but still did fine on back roads. And the engine sounds like a V8.

We sat in a new S550 and the cabin roominess of the E550 felt much closer to the S550 than the E43.

So, we will again test drive the E550 tomorrow. Right now I expect we'll get it. But my wife could say "The E320 is fine, I'll just keep driving it and we can get our son a used Volvo" (he is an old Volvo guy).

Decision tomorrow AM.

PaulE550

Get the 2014 E550. It sounds like it would be a better fit for you. Don't over-pay for a E43 that will see its value drop once the E50 comes out. Just my view.

The G Man

You say your E320 is no slouch, then why get a 400+ HP E550? It doesnt sound to me that your wife is into fast cars or sporty cars. From 0-60 MPH, the 2017 E300 is the mid 6 seconds, just like your E320. If roomiest is what you are look for, I would look at SUVs instead of sedans.

bicyclista

A prescient comment.
My wife and I decided last night that we'd test drive the Audi Q7 this morning. We now see why so many families are choosing crossovers over sedans......a little tough to stuff kids into "sedans" that have really become sports cars. Families and old folks are all relegated to the crossover/SUV world.

Things change pretty quickly when you don't pay attention to the market for a few years.

I am eager to see how the test goes.

eLs13

2014 e250 blutec is comparable to your e320 diesel and new 2014 e look as the e550.

eLs13

Forget above responded late enjoy the SUV... my wife has the SUV covered in our family ...

The G Man

The new Q7 has an amazing interior, right up there with Mercedes. Style is subjective, but I find it too boxy and the grille a bit too pronounced. I hated the retractable information screen, I had one of those in my A6 and a couple of time when it was very cold out, it took a few tries for it to come up from its rest position, its just another potential headache I don't need. I actually like the exterior styling of the pre-2016 Q7 better, its a bitter more rounded. Having owned vehicles from the German big three, in my opinion, the pecking order goes from Mercedes, BMW, then Audi. All three are pretty close in quality and material, none the less, it can still be differentiated.

bicyclista

The Q7 was just too much vehicle. Solid ride, steady, handled well, but just more than we need. Drove the Q5, a lot to like.

I agree with your pecking order, that is why I look at Mercedes first and have never bought an Audi. I do have a 1984 BMW 533i that has over 200k on it and it is still a great car, but I still lean to MB 1st.

However, we drove a GLE today and the engine noise was a big problem for us. Outside noise was well controlled. The sales guy claimed MB piped in the engine sound for the "wow factor"; maybe he was right (makes no sense to me on an SUV where quiet is a good thing), but whatever the reason, it literally made it hard to talk while driving. Otherwise, a lot to like.

We will probably drive the GLC tomorrow. I am just not a 4-cylinder guy, but it really depends on what my wife likes. I gotta keep my mouth closed.

fallen

I can't recommend 2014 E550 highly enough, and my wife loves it as well.
Excellent balance between luxury and performance for the reasonable $$.

Engine can be a bit noisy when cold or during acceleration, but it's a REAL sound, unlike BMW's artificial

Good luck with your search!

bicyclista

FYI, today we went to a different dealer and demo'ed a different GLE350.
It was very quiet, quieter than the GLC300 we also demo'ed.
So, the first GLE we demo'ed had some kind of noise problem unique too it.

We ordered a new GLE350 4Matic.
Very happy with the decision.

Thanks for the help.

The G Man

Congratulations on your wife's new SUV, my wife owns a 2014 ML350 and it is one of the most solid SUV I have ever driven. The loaner GLE350 we had also had a noise issue, it sounded like a drone coming from the new 9 speed transmission.