raja777m

Hello guys,
I'm up here to say Hi and share my happiness with you all as I'm celebrating one year anniversary with My beautify Diamond Silver Metallic Elephant 350 4Matic.

First of all, a big thanks to Tresean1 for helping me out with information, moral support and actually finding this car when I was in market for a nice E350, in April 2017.

I'm enjoying every bit of this car. This model might not be a head turner in 2018, but definitely confuses and amazes people when they hear this is a Used - 2014 model with about 55k miles on it as it feels so solid.
I had put over 12k miles since purchase

Features I like and cannot live without in future car shopping:
1. Adaptive Headlights with interior LED Lightning package.
2. Distronic Plus with Adaptive Cruise Control.
3. Dynamic Seating with massage. Dynamic Seating feature is awesome, The seat becomes bucket style when needed. It feels like a cat massaging your back, but it is good to have.
4. That HOLD feature is awesome while ECO start/Stop sucks big time. They should do it in a way, ECO mode should turn on only when HOLD is used.

Things that I missed:
1. Split folding rear seat. (450$ option at the beginning of the car)
2. Wooden Steering wheel (500$ option at the beginning of the car) which costed me 900$+75$ to purchase and get it fitted in. Luckily I got the one that matches the interior.

While ELW saved me with hefty bills so far (Transmission rebuilt because of K1 Clutch pack needs replacement under factory warranty), I paid for the incompetent Front suspension Struts because of bad Charlotte roads.
Replaced all 4 Sway Bar brackets under ELW as they are broken.

I feel some occasional shuddering while shifting at cold starts, I'll worry about it in 2018 Fall

You can track the cost of ownership here, which includes the MPG, fuel costs, maintenance costs I put, any upgrades etc. Did not add ELW and original cost of the vehicle.
http://www.fuelly.com/car/mercedes-b...aja777m/614153

kajtek1

I am 1 of 2 guys on the forum who actually like ECO. But on my diesel it starts on 1st gear and it is instant.
Still trying to get more info how the restart works. When it uses starter, the main turn is due to ignition.
Your mpg sucks

raja777m

I like that feature too, I usually turn off my motorcycle engine and leave it in first gear. Clutch-Start and ride.
However, in a bumper to bumoer traffic or at yield signs, the ECO mode sucks to start and stop everytime.

Also, out of 6 cylinders, one cylinder will be in firing position, primed with fuel. It fires up when you release brake/hold and give acceleration or the car in front of you moves away (equipped with Distronic plus Adaptive Cruise control engaged).

kajtek1

I drive my diesel with monitoring system and noticed that with ECO stop the rail keeps 4000+psi rail pressure for instant injection. When I turn the ignition off, it goes to about 300 psi residual pressure.
Where I live, I have over 3 miles from freeway, where 6-lanes street has several stop lights. If I go in the afternoon, I drive the 4 miles/w 45mph about 7 minutes and spend 15-25 minutes "park" at the lights.
Was skeptic about ECO due to keeping AC on in 120F weather, but somehow the air blows cold for couple of minutes. Lower blower speed though.
What drives me crazy are guys in front who come to stop with 100' space on front, then jump 25 feet, then another 10 and another 5.
But I learned that keeping the car in minimal roll helps maintaining those issues without restarting ECO 5 times on 100 feet distance.
New toy, new things to learn

thefisch

Congrats on the one year anniversary. I know what you mean about can' live without features. It just raises the bar for the next car.

sakodik

With your dynamic seat, when you get into your car, do you brush against the side bolster and feel like you tearing it inward? I know it doesn't help that I set pretty close to the steering wheel (still a lot of leg room at 5'9) and have a duty belt on, but it happens with and without belt.

With my E63 seats I do not have this problem as the dynamic seat bolster is one piece with the seat.

cetialpha5

That happens with my dynamic seat too. What I've done is move the seat back a little more and I'm a little more careful in getting into the car so it doesn't really happen anymore.

MaschioneCazzuto

it's definitely a head turner, I rather have that then the new w213. It's nice to hear like myself proud ownership and not whining about their cars.

raja777m

If that is the case, I would call 311 and complain the signal/traffic lights are not in sync. I do that all the time in Charlotte, NC. Once to re calibrate the traffic signal tripper not picking up my motorcycle. And one of the intersection not in sync with others which is in a mile stretch.
Yes it turns off the A/C but leaves the fan ON.

raja777m

as cetialpha mentioned, I was cautious for the first few times and after that it became muscle memory. Also, my seat is a bit far from steering and I'm only 5'7" ish.

raja777m

if you compare that way, yes, I love my W212 than the W213's Small~Medium~Large version of a MB Sedan..

Ariesfamous

almost every post you make is complaining about the new car it's like you're jealous that you don't have it or something.
honestly it's like your life mission to come on this forum and ***** about people's new rides and how inferior they are to your old one....
Sad.

cetialpha5

I wouldn't mind the new one, but he does have a point about the look. It's hard to tell the difference between a C class and an E class. Been wrong a few times. The older styling it's pretty obvious that it's a C or E class. With an E, from one angle, it could be a C or it could be an S. Usually when it's an S, it's kinda clear it's an S but sometimes from the front, it could be an E til you see the length of it. I've seen a few C class cars that had the rear badges removed so that if you didn't know any better, it could almost be an E class.

kajtek1

You guys are aware that car has the option of automaticaly moving the seat with ignition on/off?
Also steering wheel. I think it is called "convenience enter" on cluster menu.
I turned it off as I had older MB where PO wear out the the seat the way you guys describe. I start paying attention and develop technique to enter the car by fist putting my butt in at about 90' angle and then turn pulling the legs in.

cetialpha5

I don't believe that option moves the seat back anymore. Also I didn't want to break the steering wheel. I think it still has the same problem where if you put your weight on the steering wheel while it's moving, it breaks a small gear that moves the steering wheel up and down.

kajtek1

I don't hear about such problems on MB.
I do tend to turn the automatic adjustments off, but I was paranoid having BMW years ago, where reverse mirror dip had common issue of breaking gears and being that BMW it was very costly fix.
Took me years to start using the option on MB.

sakodik

Yes, that option iirc was on my 2014, but not on 2015. Setting > convenience and the first option out of 3? to be selected. For my 2015, it only moves the steering wheel, other option includes seat belt and folding mirror under convenience. I think I like the w212 more cause it isn't a water down S-class in exterior appearance. Its really hard to tell the difference from the back, and I'm blind so the C and E badge looks the same until I am the car behind it. Not to say I would never be caught in a 213 model though, the new E63 engine is enough to get me to upgrade.

Kajtek, that is the same technique I use getting in and out of my ferrrai. Its awkward but it works lol.

raja777m

the front of the car can be distinguished by the LED light stips: 1 for C-class, 2 for E-class and 3 for S-class
Same for Tail lights too.Well that is how I differentiate, but really should that be the case? Anyway, not sure about rest of the world, but in USA, people are leaning more towards SUC and Compact-SUVs rather than Sedans these days.

kajtek1

Offer them 45 mpg MB wagon or Ford Focus wagon with cdi engine that the rest of the World can enjoy and see how the demand change?
10-15 years ago when Smart start making it to America, lot of people would say "you will never see me in 1 of those".
Few years passed, economy suffer and now Smart looks like luxury model comparing to Fiat 500 good number of Americans drive.

MaschioneCazzuto

I'm happy for you. Yes that iPad on the dashboard among other issues turned me off. Friend got the w213 E63S and he likes it but it's not for me. The color You got is stunning.

SteveE400

I've been driving a 2018 E300 loaner for the past week, and the styling does leave me cold. I much prefer the sharper, more aggressive styling of the W212.

That said, I do like the new 9-speed transmission. It makes the little turbo-4 feel quite competent in traffic - you only know it is a 4 cylinder when you're on the expressway and try to pass. I can only imagine what the new E400 feels like, with the 9-speed and the twin-turbo V-6.

Also, at first, I thought the Burmester sound system sounded better than my HK system, but on longer-term listening, the Burmester isn't (to me) as crisp sounding and the bass can tend to get "tubby."

raja - I'm glad you are still happy with your choice of the W212, and I am proud to join you in that opinion.

raja777m

Thanks for your kind words

kajtek1

Funny how our perception changes when we have opportunity to compare.
I bought W212 when our W211 blow the engine.
Now, after almost a year I have new engine in W211 and we drive it again. Coming back from W212, the W211 clearly does more fishtailing on 16" wheels.
I like 16" for better comfort on potholes, but crisp handling on W212 is hard to beat even the control arm on W212 shows bad bushing and is on my list.

MaschioneCazzuto

anusfamous, did you whine,cry, and complain to the moderators to remove my comment about your tiny inferior nerd azz..you're still amusing anusfamous. Well here i reposted somewhat what I directed at you before. Tough Internet little guy. Picking fights in almost every thread.