which options to avoid on 2016 E350?
 

Please don't hate me! I basically don't like cars. I still miss my old '77 mbz 240d with hand crancked windows. I'm now looking for a used, low mileage, dealer certified 2016 E350. This will be my 11th Mercedes. I was just reading about the LED lights and I guess they rotate when you turn the wheel? Sounds like an expensive repair item. I would like to stay fairly low-tech if possible. Any other options I should avoid if I am not option hungry? I keep my cars 10+ years and I'm 68 now, so who knows? Just sold my wife's 1997 sl320 with 107k original miles, so I guess we are a low mileage family now that we are retired. Thanks for listening to my story :-). Any expensive, repair-prone options to avoid?

Yeah, you came to an enthusiast forum and you're not an enthusiast. I have the active cornering illumination on both my cars, it's very cool. When driving on the road in a curve, it lights up the roads, not the guard rails. While it may be expensive to fix, both of mine are still working and I haven't spent anything on repairs on those options. Certain options are pretty reliable. The problem you're going to run into like motor mounts happen regardless of what options you have as all cars have them. But no worries, there are a lot more base model cars out there than ones out there loaded with options and the more basic models are a little cheaper than the loaded ones, pricing is more driven by mileage than options. Which is why if you like options, it's really not that much more money to get one loaded with options.

Thanks guys. I'm beginning to find that out. Lots of options for only a little more money.

Being a bit harsh, aren't we? One does NOT have to own a fully loaded car to be an enthusiast.

For example...
If one lives in an arid, southern climate, one may find little use for 4-wheel drive... or may already have a favorite Jeep Cherokee for when 4WD is needed/desired.
If one does not drive much at night, then they may find the optional light package unnecessary.
If one is sensitive to sunlight, then the Pano roof may not be desirable. Several threads here about creaking, or broken Pano roofs
Given the heavy maintenance required, one may opt not to buy a car with air suspension. Lots of threads here concerning failed air suspension.
Since OP has considerable experience with MBs (and the ironclad durability of MB-Tex that I have observed for 18 years) then full leather seats may not be desired. Seat "design" may be another issue.

W212s are used cars... Brand new ones are not available any more. So, buying a fully loaded one for resale value (as you might with a New car) is not necessary.

People buy these cars equipped as they want for a variety of reasons related to personal needs, rather than fitting in with the crowd.

I agree on the MBtex vs. leather. MBtex wears like iron. I've always had cracks in leather after a few years. i'd be happy with MBtex and don't see leather as an advantage. WTR sunroofs: I've had sunroofs in all my MBZs except for two, one being an SL. Sunroof is nice for a few days but then I find myself going months (years?) without using it. I'll take it, since it's pretty much stock now, but not really necessary.

Stay away from airmatic.

I have the pano roof in both cars although I hardly ever use it. Mostly it's nice because it lets in lots of light and it's a different view. Passengers usually enjoy it in the rare instances when I have passengers. As for MB-Tex, it used to be great but early 2010-2013 and maybe even later had rips in the seats so QC has declined on them. On the other hand repairing Mb-tex is a lot cheaper than real leather although real leather might last longer in the case of the W212.

As for the enthusiast point, just saying that there's not a lot of enthusiasm for someone who doesn't want any options. But it's easy to achieve on the W212 because most of them didn't come with many options, basically most of them just had the P1 package and maybe one or two options but there are lots more with just the P1 and that's about it. As I said earlier, motor mounts, suspension, engine, transmission issues will affect all of them although those issues are basically maintenance issues, like spark plug changes, transmission fluid changes, brakes, springs/shocks etc. You'll have basically the same expense regardless of the options. The expensive options either rarely break or they're so rare that few people have them to report that they're breaking.

Thanks for your input. I know the air suspension was a big issue on the older SLs and one of the reasons we had a 1997 sl320. That car went like a bat out of hell anyway. I don't think my wife ever had it over 80. I'll stop obsessing over options and just get what I can get. By the way, I've never really liked cars, not even when I was 18 years old. I just inquire now since I am actively shopping for a used 2016 E car. My first was a 1997 240D which I had no business buying at the time but it worked out real well. The new MB Tex does not look as substantial as the old stuff, with the little dimples in it.

My car is 9 years old and the MB-Tex looks great. Have had cars with leather and they showed wear after less than 3 years and worse after 5 or 6.
One problem with M-B's in particular, but most makes is that the electronics deteriorate after the warranty expires. That is why M-B only has a 4 year (5?) warranty on its cars.
I got the premium 1 option with my car just for the navigation and the audio. Nothing in the premium 2 that interested me and several items that appeared high maintenance.
As for panoramic roofs, they do not insulate against heat gain if that might be a problem. Rather than having a solid, insulated panel they have a shade sort of like a window shade. Very thin as it has to roll up on a roller (basically).
Incidentally, you can be an enthusiast about cars, M-B, etc without having to buy every option they offer. it's about the car, not the toys on it.
ALL M-B options are expensive to maintain. It goes with owning an M-B. And this is whether you use an independent or an M-B dealer. The cars are overly complicated and parts are expensive no matter who does the work.

This will anger some people here, but if you are not a car guy and looking for a car with the least and lowest cost maintenance and highest reliability at age 68, you may want to consider some other makes. The Asians make some really reliable cars that cost a lot less than an M-B.
If you don't believe M-B's have a lot of problems, just peruse this forum or site. It is composed mostly of people seeking help with problems.
NOTE: People partially purchase an M-B, BMW, Lexus, etc. because of the badge.

I've owned several Hondas, Toyotas and Hyundais. Look at any Honda enthusiast website as I have, and you will find the same complaints and grousing that you see here. Regardless of brand, owners read the enthusiast forum specific to their auto for solutions to problems. You seldom hear from the vast majority of owners who never have problems.

I shudder to think if my E-350 had .005% of the problems discussed here.

Not my experience
 

I am on or recently have been on comparable websites for Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai and Genesis. No where near the number of complaints and problems.
Incidentally, the Consumer Reports reliability for the new E Class has dropped dramatically compared to the W212.

I'm not surprised about the number for Genesis as they didn't sell that many compared to the E-class. As for those other makes, not sure about which sites you're on. There's only a few for MB. The other one that used to be busy has been dead lately.

Rephrase
 

Let me rephrase that. No where near the percentage of complaints or problems for Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai or Genesis on the comparable websites.

I am a member at the following Websites...

Honda - https://hondaforum.com/forum/ I've owned 3 Hondas for 8-10 year periods. Still have a 2003 CRV at my home. I go here to learn things

Nissan - https://www.nissanclub.com/forums/ni...eneral-forums/ I've owned 2 Nissans, but not recently.

Hyundai - https://www.hyundai-forums.com/forum.php#hyundai-models
Genesis is Hyundai's spinoff... there is a subforum for the Genesis..

Featured today on the Sonata YF Forum: Door locks that don't work, car won't start (key won't turn, sound familiar) hissing gauges(?), car shaking at higher speeds, parasitic battery drain, brake light failures, yadda yadda yadda. I don't have any of those problems on my wife's 2014 Sonata.

In my experience, for the money, MB owners are much, much much pickier than others. Such as today's "Car blowing cold air on cold start up." Really? d'oh :rolleyes:

Stay away from:
- Airmatic
- Artico Imitation Leather
- Fully gray or fully beige Interior (hard to clean)

Gray is OK
 

My car is almost 10 years old and has a gray interior. No problem with keeping the interior clean. I will say the "matching" floor mats that M-B sells are too light, so I end up replacing them with a Lloyd dark gray custom fitted from Auto Anything. Have not had a car with anything other than a gray interior in last 20 years - no problems with any. I do have one 5 year old car with beige interior and no problem with it either, except for the mats soon to be replaced with ones from Auto Anything.
If you get MBTex (and it is good), use Vinylex to clean it once or twice per year.

my beige is easy to clean....

Beige interiors much cooler during the hot weather than those black ones....plus look so much better IMO.

Both of my Mercedes have the beige interiors. They do not show dust like black interiors do, and don't show dirt until you step into the car with muddy feet... then you know it's time to clean-up. It's not the interior's fault if it gets dirty (regardless of color).

Meanwhile, the lighter interior is infinitely cooler in the Summer months.

Agreed. Check out this thread. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ing-apart.html MB-tex is not like what it was before. I recommend leather. Lighting pkg (I have it) is super nice but you can skip. Also skip the Pano roof. They pop when the body flexes. Also skip the Sport version and go with the Luxury version, which comes with 17 inch wheels instead of 18's. You will thank me later with less number of wheel repair bills. Sport version also has a different grill design which was prone to wind noise. I think parktronic is worth it and I regret not getting it.

just my 2 cents. others may disagree.

I have black interior with gray seats; black floor & black plastics shows less dirt and much more easier to clean than light colors IMO. For exmple if you pour coffee or cherry juice then the beige or gray area will show it..

yeah same here. Easy to keep clean for me too:zoom: