Hi everyone,

I've been lurking here for the past couple of weeks and digging up those old threads to get familiar with the e-class. Basically I am in the market looking for a wagon. I love everything more about the W213 than the W212, but my bank account begs to differ. So here I am in W212 section instead of W213. Anyway, I am currently comparing two potential choices. One is a 2014 E350 with 48k kilometres(or 30k miles) on the clock and the other one is a 2016 E400 with 14k kilometres(or 9k miles). Both have very similar options except the the cooled/perforated seats and rear entertainment system(which pretty much has no extra value to me as I think an iPad would work much better than that) on the 2014.

360-degree Camera, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active LED High Performance Lighting System, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive High beam Assist, Avantgarde Edition Package, BAS PLUS w/Cross-Traffic Assist, DISTRONIC PLUS w/Steering Assist, Drive-Dynamic Multicontour Driver's Seat, Heated Rear Seats, Intelligent Drive Package, KEYLESS GO, PRE-SAFE Brake, PRE-SAFE PLUS for Rear-End Collision, Parking Package, Roller Blinds for Rear Side Windows, Sun Protection Package

Does the 2016 model year has any other improvement other than the engine one the 2014? Is the new turbo-ed engine a huge plus? Is there any improvement on the DISTRONIC PLUS?

The 2014 has small chips and scratches here and there, I'd say the condition is fair at best. It is asking for 48,000 CAD(I'm pretty confident I can get it under 45k and the 2016 is listed for 69,000(room for negotiation is unknown). Both are being sold by dealer. Now the big question, which one do you think would be a better buy?
Thanks a lot for reading and appreciate very much for any input.

 

BAS PLUS w/Cross-Traffic Assist, PRE-SAFE Brake, PRE-SAFE PLUS were all standard as of 2014, I believe.

$33k USD for the 2014 sounds fair for a car optionally equipped as such, but when you mentioned it was in "fair" condition, I scratched my head. Small chips and scratches are to be expected for a car almost 4 years old. How bad are they? Extreme?

What color is the car? What is the production/in-service date of the car? Is it 4MATIC? Is it CPO?

As far as the 2016, the only improvement I can think of, other than the obvious engine upgrade, is the addition of the power folding side mirrors and CPA+ starting in 2015. I believe Distronic Plus was the same.

Hope this helps.

 

Those paint imperfections are minor, nothing extreme. But still more than what I like to see even considering its age. Let's put it this way, cosmetically it's in no better shape than my 2011 Q5(I'm very careful with my cars). I can't fault the interior as much though, no obvious damage spotted. It's not CPO and the factory warranty lasts till January of 2018. 4MATIC is standard on wagons sold in NA from what i've searched. It's in bright silver metallic versus deep blue on the 2016. Thanks for the reply. Yes, it helps!

 

Well it seems like it's a pretty good buy then. You say the imperfections are relatively minor. I know what you mean about people taking care of their car. I have had 10 year old cars that look better than some 3 year old cars, so it's all about individual pride and caretaking.

$10,000 questions: which one do YOU like better aesthetically/mechanically/emotionally? Which one does your wallet/bank account like better? You're the one who's going to have to live with this purchase.

Aside from the engine & above minor changes, the 2014 and 2016 are identical.
Drive both and make a decision based on your gut feeling.

Hope this helps.

 

If you are choosing between an E350 and an E400, you MUST drive them both to be able to make a decision. We have two 2015 MB's - a GLK350 and an E400. When it comes to the driving impression of the powertrains, there is NO comparison. If performance means anything to you, the E400 will put a huge smile on your face. If, like many members here, you are more into a luxurious ride with adequate performance, then the E350 will do just fine. Just drive them, then decide.

 

There's no doubt I'd go for the newer one all the way if money is not an issue. With that being said, the 2016 is not completely out of reach financially.I am more for a decision that is more sensible when it comes to enjoyment during the ownership and the resale value down the road.

 

I do love more powers. But since it's going to be a family car with a toddler on board most of the time, the performance gain will be less important this time for me. By the way, one weird finding with the two e350s I've test-driven, there were very noticeable hesitation and jerks between gear transition when I hammered it. By noticeable, I mean it's worse than all Audis, BMWs and other cars I've driven. It reminds me of the smart I tried like 10 years ago, the gear switch felt like riding waves....I am not exaggerating! Is this normal with Mercedes?

 

2016s get an updated COMAND system, NTG5.1 I think.

 

The 7G-Tronic transmission has been finicky from the get-go. Audi and BMW use the excellent ZF sourced 8-speed, which is superior to the 7G-tronic in almost every way, but is too new to see if it will be as durable over the long run.

in 2012+ models, the 7G-Tronic was updated to 7G-Tronic+, which supposedly brought improvements , but lots of owners ended up finding it more jerky. There may be firmware updates to address this (I had a firmware update in 2010 on my 2007 7G-Tronic equipped diesel E-Class that fixed an extremely hard downshift from 2-1).

 

I totally agree.
Well, you will enjoy both cosmetically and aesthetically. The real factor, it seems, is the powerplant--which you have just stated that the N/A V6 will be sufficient due to baby on board. Resale value will depend partly on how well you have maintained it, how many miles you have put on it; the majority of the resale value will be ambiguous because at that point (assuming you will keep the car for 5-7 years) the car will have been 8-10 years old anyway.

As far as the laggy acceleration and jerky gear changes, I know what you mean. Are you relatively heavy-footed, or soft footed? It could be partly due to the adaptive TCU, where it "learns" driving style: be it aggressive or relaxed. The previous owner(s) may have driven the car very differently than you and the car adapted to that, so now the delta in your input has it confused, lol. My last MB was a very torque and powerful V8, so I never really noticed or cared; but this recent E350 I bought had the same issue of being used to "soft" driving. I got the dealership to reset the TCU, so it's currently "learning" MY style.

Hope this helps!

 

That is one piece of critical information. I'm absolutely into new these techs. After some research on the new COMMAND system. It's safe to say it seals the decision on a newer model for me. Can't imagine having to regret neglecting this if I did get the old model without knowing this. Thank you!

 

Good point on the adaptive TCU thing. I almost couldn't believe it when I experienced that in a modern car, let alone a Mercedes. I'd say I'm soft footed majority of the time. I heavy-footed the car I test drove just to find out what it's got Anyway, I know what I am after now. The updated command system has me swung towards the new model more than the new engine. I will keep you updated on I eventually got.

 

Just curious, what about the new COMAND is so extravagant and/or better?

 

From I've found out so far, the capability of integration with CarPlay and Android Auto, higher resolution. Well, it's nothing to the extent of being extravagant. It's more about what matters to one more I guess.

 

Beware that CarPlay and AndroidAuto may or may not work on NTG5.1, I think the jury is still out and depends on an elusive firmware update that most dealers either don't know exists or refuse to apply. There's another thread on this board about a member installing NTG5.1 and trying to get it to work.

Edit, here's an external link: http:// ******* .com/Thread-Apple-Carplay-Android-Auto-NTG5-1-5s1-firmware-and-configuration-required

 

OK, fair enough. I guess it's a matter of personal opinion. For me, Apple Car Play and Android Auto were not at all important to me. Also, the interface on the new COMAND doesn't make as much sense to me as the older one. I also like the raised buttons on the older COMAND unit's face, versus the flat buttons (hard to do things by 'feel') on the newer one.

 

Noted. Definitely to keep in mind if I'm getting the car the a dealer and will make sure they get that taken care of before handing over my cheque. Thanks for that!

 

No problem, looking forward to seeing how it turns out, as a 16' E400 will likely be on my radar next summer.

 

My 2014 e350 4matic have that jerkiness from either 2-3 or 3-4 and 4-3 or 3-2, lower speeds(less than 35mph); certain RPM range. I dropped off the car at the dealer and I explained him about it. Haven't heard back from the SA yet.
My COMAND and SAM are updated to the latest firmware anyway.

 

I might have missed the point, are you planning to keep the vehicle for good or want to upgrade in few years? considering the resale value.

If you don't mind telling, what is the difference in price between them? If it is less than 15k(your currency), please go with the more powerful(around 25 more hp and around 75lb extra torque), newer, lots of warranty, less mileage E400. Then, down the road, before the factory warranty expires, in 2020(may be), you can decide to buy ELW or trade the car..!
The 2014, which you need to spend ~$2500-3500(USD) for ELW will hit you by end of this year, itself. Please take that into consideration.

Did you got a chance to test drive both of them, yet?

 

update on jerkiness:
2014 E350 4matic, under fact warr. at 43k miles I noticed it(currently 46500).
Turns out, the K1 Clutch pack is worn out and they need to open up the tranny. It'll take 12+ man hours and will return the car sometime next week.

Luckily, it is completely covered under warranty, and they gave me a loaner vehicle.

Wood trim fading on the dash, compared to doors, they are still looking into it and working with MB. Will give me a quote on upgrading to wood steering wheel too.

Camera 360 image looks stitched, so, they are calibrating the cameras and upgraded the firmware again(?).

Sorry to hijack the thread.
1. There is some surface rust under the body (both the previous owners are from NYC, according to carfax). SA told, MB won't do anything about that.
2. Can't fix the music streaming skipping via bluetooth; iOS pssch.
3. Windows on driver side and passenger side (front), are dropping by 1/8th of an inch, for no reason: The floor man couldn't replicate the issue. (I need to look in the forum, on resetting the windows)
4. Vibrations in driver mirror and center R-V-Mirror with loud music: Can't be fixed, as there will be additional speakers in driver side door and they cause that issue (told my SA).
5. Will have to open a new case, for "Wheel center hub caps, color deterioration", as they can't add new warranty items in an open case. Probably for next time.
6. The 2nd keyfob's valet key is not working on doors or the glove box, they told it'l cost me 70USD. So, I said, I'll pass it on for now. Any take on that?

 

hello,
what did you decide on, finally?

 

Hey, sorry to hear about your issues above.
I think I am experiencing same issues.


What were some of the exact gripes/symptoms you experienced for the jerkiness?

 

While accelerating, (instead of race to 0-60, race to 0-35), and suddenly let the foot off gas. With that kind of RPM that just build up, the vehicle should shift up smoothly, instead of jerking to the next gear up.

I don't remember how to replicate while slowing down. But, I believe it is similar.

PS. I tested in fully automatic mode, actually E-mode.

 

Hey, Thanks for sharing your experience. Glad to hear warranty is taking care of the issues. Could've been a nightmare if it has to come out of your own pocket.

Thanks for the advice and I agree with you. The factor of warranty definitely shouldn't be underweighted. So CPOs have the up hands. I love trying out different cars, so hopefully I don't have to hang on to it for too long lol

I haven't got a chance to test a E400 but have been in talks with a couples of dealers on what they have. Negotiations haven't gone the way I like. I am giving it a bit of time. I'm in no rush to get one anyway. I am pretty much set on the newer model for the aforementioned pros of it(better engine, updated technology, longer warranty ext.) The 2016s I am looking at are in 60s(Canadian dollars). There's one loaded with options with only1000km on it is asking for $73000 from a non-Mecedes dealer. It seems to be quite a deal, but I'm not looking to spend that much. I've been trying to use it as a benchmark to talk to them.