Yes, you can just pop it off with your fingers. That's in case the key battery dies, you can still start the car without a working key fob battery. The older W211 didn't have a cover like that, had a button on the shifter. Never tried pushing it. That button goes into the slot so I'd think you'd have to push into the slot somehow. I have the fold down seats on my W211, the seat cushions themselves fold up so the seat folds down pretty flat. Not sure how it works on the W212 as mine doesn't have it, only had P2, pano, parktronic, power trunk closer and dynamic seats,

You won't find a 2014 E550 for 20k, you'd be lucky to find one for 30k. They used to be more like 35-40k.

 

 

There's a 2011 E550 4Matic Sports Sedan with NA V8, AMG package, Pano roof, Navigation and Backup camera with 89k miles for $18k on eBay.
Beautiful looking rocket.






https://www.ebay.com/itm/E-Class-E-550-Sport-4MATIC-AMG/312102308581?hash=item48aabf4ae5:gjoAAOSwA1paw-Sg&vxp=mtr

 

This OP is whining about this and that manifesting maintenance and repair costs before even owning the car. Drives a ford, and a chevy yet is still looking for reasons not to buy the car.

 

This is a good find for the OP.

 

I don't think so I think he is just trying to make an informed decision.

 

Looks like it also has the Driver Assistance package, Satellite radio and Keyless Go.

 

Looks nice, though odd they had no pictures of the interior. It looks like it doesn't have option 287 though, so that would rule it out for me. Maybe it really will be easier to look for a wagon if that package is uncommon.
I'm only trying to ensure I buy what I'll be satisfied with. How many people do you think bought a Mercedes without doing any research and then had lots of issues later on that if they had known to check for first, now think of Mercedes as unreliable and overpriced? Had no problems out of my other cars, but I researched thoroughly before buying them. Every brand makes good and bad cars, so it's worthwhile to make sure you avoid the bad ones. I'd really rather not buy one of these and then decide later I should've bought a different one.

 

No driver assistance package. That would include distrontics, blind spot and lane keeping. It does have P2, pano, parktronic, power trunk closer, dynamic seats. No folding rear seat either. Has airmatic too which was standard for 2011. Pretty much all of them had P1 which was navigation, sat radio, rear camera. It's probably even harder to find a car without P1, dealers must have just ordered those as strippers to advertise a low price.

 

The Driver Assistance package is shown as an included option in the vehicle description listed below.
Also to Vistance, if you click on the "See full item description" there are a ton of photos, including many of the interior.

Vehicle Description
2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic AMG Silver on Black Two Owner Local Trade In 89,990 Miles Very Well-Serviced and Maintained This Mid-Size Luxury Sedan is equipped with 18-inch wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Tires, panoramic roof, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, power front seats with memory functions, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming mirrors, leather upholstery, the COMAND electronics interface, Bluetooth, an eight-speaker stereo with a six-CD changer and auxiliary audio jack, sport seats, and an air suspension. This Mercedes Benz E550 also a power rear sunshade, a hard-drive-based navigation system, voice controls, a rearview camera, heated / ventilated front seats, and a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with digital music storage, HD radio, satellite radio and an iPod/MP3 player interface. Other features such as All-Weather Mercedes Benz floor mats, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, adaptive high-beam assist and keyless ignition/entry with push button start. The Driver Assistance package adds a blind-spot warning system, adaptive cruise control and a lane-departure warning system. Please Call Todd Sutton @ 260.760.8633 or 260.665.3440 Monday through Saturday 9am to 6pm EST, thanks!

 

You have to run it through the vin decoder. Dealers lie all the time or basically have no clue about what they're selling. The most classic one is either assuming an E350 has real leather when it's just MB-Tex or that it has bixenons when they're just halogens. You can tell it doesn't have distronics just from the grill, there'd be a black square in the front grill. I never bother reading the description, I always just run it through the decoder.

 

Sadly true. I use to own a Mustang a few years ago, I traded it into a lot and when they listed it online they said it had GT500 mufflers, Boss 302 intake, bunch of other mods and stuff that the car absolutely did not have (it was bone stock). From their pics you could see it was all just as I had traded it in to them...awful that places lie so blatantly.

Too bad this one is so old, this looks like the cleanest old W210 wagon I've seen...

 

Thanks, that's good to know.
On another note, I'm looking at replacing my 2003 E500 driver's seat back because of wear and discoloration.
On eBay most of the ones listed for sale for the 2003-2006 W211s are from E320s.
Do you know if all the 2003-2006 E320s were real leather, or was Mercedes using MB-Tex on them as well?
I know all E500s came standard with full leather.
Appreciate any input.

 

I believe all the E500/E550's had real leather and on the E320/E350, it was an option and MB-Tex was standard. You'd have to use EPC to see what the right part number is for your car. Or ask some helpful soul on here who can give you the right part number once he has your vin. But real leather is a lot more than MB-tex. You might be able to find it in a junkyard. There's sites like car-parts.com that will help you search nationally. The 2003-2005 was the E320 and 2006-2009 was the E350 unless you're talking station wagon, then it's different.

 

It's good that you're doing your research first. I think they've gotten better with the W212 over the W211. Not as many problems and at least the problems they do have isn't as expensive like the balance shaft or SBC problems that the W211 had. One key is to make sure you buy what you want and don't even think about doing any kind of retrofit afterwards. Trying to add any option afterwards like bixenons or keyless go is so expensive, you mind as well sell the car and buy one that has it. About the only thing that's easy to add on afterwards would be the comfort box, everything else is pretty much cheaper to buy a car that has that option. That's basically because the difference in price on a car that has it vs one that doesn't isn't much. I've noticed that cars that have a lot of options sell quick though, the ones just have have P1 sit around for a while. I like using cargurus because it tells you how long it's been listed. The ones that have been listed a long time and have options probably aren't there and you'll get the we just sold it line. The ones that are there for a week or two are probably still there.

 

Like this one for example.
Can you tell if this is real leather or MB-Tex?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-MERCE...19.m1438.l2649

 

Looks like MB-Tex to me.

 

Run the vin decoder on that VIN and it says Mb-Tex.

 

Thank you guys.
I would never have guessed that these eBay seats were made from MB-Tex.
To me they look exactly like the ash grey leather seats in my E500.

 

 

I learned with my earlier Mercedes purchase from new (2001), that MBs depreciate like mad (nearly half) during the first two years. I have an acquainance who became irate to find that his brand new CL55 AMG ($145K) was worth only $70K two years later. The depreciation rate slows after that... it's about the same for BMW, Audi, Lexus, Acura, especially Jaguar, etc.

Vowing to take my own advice never to pay megabucks on a new car again and watch it's value drop so quickly, I just recently bought my very first "used" car in 50 years... a 2016 E350 Sport. It is a well equipped, single owner lease return, with only 17,000 miles on the odo, and a full 2-years left on the factory warranty. Paid half its $64K new price, So for the price of a new Honda Accord, I have a new-to-me MB with plenty of time left on the warranty to discover any problems. Whether I'll seriously need the warranty remains to be seen, but as a first-time used car purchaser, the warranty dictated a 2016 model for me just for the peace of mind. If you can accept a 2 2 year-old one with normal miles (around 30K miles) you will find a 2016 in warranty for around $27-28K.

Like you, I drive only 4-5K miles a year now. I bought my first Mercedes 17 years ago (as new), fully expecting and accepting the prospect of more repairs than my previous Hondas. However, I have found over time that my C320 has presented nearly ZERO problems... a crankcase positioning sensor replacement at year 6, and front link replacements at year 14 and 90,000 miles (MB suggested mtce, actually). Expensive when they occur, but thankfully, the problems are few and far between, almost Accord-like. This car is still going strong (106,000 miles on it) -- and all the electronic gee-gaws still work -- so it has emboldened me to buy my new E-Class with confidence.

Like any auto forum, you will find lots of complaints from the few who experience the odd problems, because that is what these forums are for. But the vast majority of owners you never hear from, because they are completely contented with a reliable car.

 

Something to think about concerning MB-TEX versus Leather... The dealers I've worked with (on a commercial basis) tell me the vast majority of NEW Mercedes are leased automobiles...even the famous sports stars and other millionaires here in Dallas lease their MBs. I know a few. This means that no one really lives with the car long enough to evaluate a leather interior.

Buy a Mercedes to own for the long term, and you will come to value MB-TEX over leather. My 2001 C320 came with leather "inserts" (center seat panels) with MB-TEX bolsters. Visually can't tell the difference, as previously noted, and the materials side-by-side feel identical, too. So if you don't tell, no one will know it's not leather.

Although I worked like the dickens to keep the leather fresh with proper cleaning and conditioners, etc,, the heavily used leather in the driver's seat insert developed ugly cracks after 10 years, while the MB-TEX surrounding the blemishes looks brand new to this day (17 years on).

So... Like most Europeans, I didn't think twice about buying another Mercedes with MB-TEX. And I wouldn't expect to find pristine leather seats of any age in a junkyard, either. Long term, the leather just does not hold-up, IMO.

 

This analysis can pretty much go on forever.
Good to research to get owner opinions, general issues, and trends but at the end of the day it will depend on the individual vehicle. Sometimes it follows the trends and sometimes its a demon from the pits of hell.
Totally subjective - I like my 2011 E350 a lot and its been generally reliable. But no way as reliable as the rock solid 08 accord v6 it replaced. Zero issues at 120k miles, replaced simply because I wanted a change. I will say that I greatly enjoy driving this car, more so than the previous car.
Unless you're a DIY kind of person these are expensive cars to fix.
I think a lot of the common issues like failed engine mounts, faded wood, driver seat rip etc are ridiculous to have in cars of this cost. Mine has had all 3 replaced under warranty but it doesn't really make it ok.
I like being second owner and letting the first guy take the initial depreciation hit. So I buy low mileage still in warranty vehicles at a good price, which was a big factor in getting my current car. I don't have an interest in buying a 90 or 100k vehicle. I understand that I'll also see the impact of depreciation if I sell or trade. In my case I was also able to add the MB ELW. Whether I keep the car after warranty just depends on the amount of risk I want vs cost of getting into another vehicle. Right now I'm thinking to keep the car.
I think you mentioned driving a 4 cyl C class? I think they are a buzzy clattery mess and that MB can do a much better job of the engine. My son's 2011 Chevy Cruze with turbo 4 was significantly quieter than the C class (loaner) I parked next to it. I'd be upset at that given the price difference. My opinion is to at least get a v6 if not a v8.
I probably haven't added much to the overall perspectives the OP has gotten but figured I might as well chime in as an owner.
Good luck with your search.

 

It was a BMW 328i that had the turbo 4 that I mentioned being very buzzy. At idle it was not as smooth as I'd expect, I've been in Mazdas that idled much smoother but I have noticed 4 cylinders are just typically not that smooth of motors.

I really like the '14-'16 W212, but it feels as though a warranty is highly recommended and there's no way I want to jump up to that price point. I already spent more than I should have when I bought my truck, which started out as a $10-15k truck to just drive when the weather was bad instead of my Z06. I was disappointed with the safety, mileage, condition, and features of the ones in that range so I bumped it up to <$20k. Came close on one that was $18k but feared some issues with the motor in that year, to bump up to the newer ones with no issues it was $25k so started looking at those. Then talked myself into if I'm spending that much, why not go up to $30k and get a very late model one. And thus I ended up with the expensive late model, low mileage truck I have now. I'm trying hard not to do this again with this second car, though sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just sell off my Z06 and buy another one years down the road when I have a garage and it's more feasible.

My problem is, I like powerful cars that are somewhat fun to drive and I care about the way it looks. It's completely dissimilar to a Mercedes, but I have been thinking about a Golf R as a "One car to rule them all" for me. But it's a VW and a hatchback, sure I might know it's the top of the line R that screams but most are going to see it's a VW Golf and probably some college age kids car. The E-class has a great image in my eyes since I'm not old enough to reasonably be seen as the owner of the flagship luxury sedans. Truth be told, I am not opposed to an A6 or 5-series, but both have poor safety ratings in small overlap until '17 and that's way out of budget for me as a second car. And as an only car, I'm not sure I'd be happy with the level of performance - same with an E350. As a second car, it would be fine for me but I have times where I want that visceral acceleration feeling...the E350 is perfectly fine, I'm just power hungry.