Interesting thread.

Ever since 2017, my dealer has been supplying me with E300 sedan loan cars, when we bring one of our cars in for service. As much as I really TRIED to like those cars, I never did. They seemed too light, not substantial enough, the interiors seemed flimsy and the drone of the little 4-banger just didn’t cut it for me. Of course, these were base vehicles but still, they were E Class cars and I expected way better. We’ve owned four new E Class cars and as nice as these new models drove, compared to ours, they just FELT cheap.

Fast forward to now and I am just THRILLED with the 2019 E450 wagon I picked up a couple of weeks ago. This is about the exact opposite of a base car, with a Designo interior, Air Body Control and the Acoustic Comfort Pkg. The feeling of this wagon is day and night different compared to those E300’s. The wagon is just SO quiet, that it comes close to my S560 in that respect. The air suspension gives the car a very supple & luxurious ride and it handles just beautifully.

To conclude, I think the Acoustic Comfort Pkg. is worth every penny!

 

I too have a 2019 that is loaded with almost every option that was available.
The online two options I passed on were the exterior lighting package (which I regret) and the Air suspension
package which I don’t regret as we had that package on our 2015 E350. One of those babies died after the warranty
was over and the cost to replace it with a rebuilt unit was North of $2,000 at the dealer. Of course it’s that system is what gives the buyer the super smooth ride but having owned 38 different iterations of MB’s with at least a dozen E class cars and the current W213 variant isn’t as solid or as well built as the W212 that came before it, imo.
Hopefully the W214 will offer a standard 6 cylinder engine and a better ride right off the line, time will tell.

 

I agree on the W212 vs the W213. Our 2016 E350 sedan is built like a tank, very hefty and solid. A completely different car compared to the W213 E300.

 

I hear you on potential repair costs. The more complex MB suspensions can be very expensive to repair when out of warranty. That said, to me, it is these types of more exotic options that really sets MB apart from their competitors. Luxury costs money to buy and more money to maintain. Reminds me of a hand written sign that hung in the local speed shop when I was a teen. It said “Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?”

 

I don’t know how long you’ve been a fan of MB cars but I remember when they built the E class cars with insulated battery boxes to keep any acid that might have dispersed in an accident in the battery compartment.
I think the thing that is most disturbing is that if you want either an E or S class car with equipment that imo should be standard you have to add at least another $10k or $15k if it’s an S class car. I think the biggest disappointment for me regarding the current E class is that you’re buying what is billed as the finest production car made but if you look at the color choices, they are dreadful, what happened to the Moca Black or the ruby red, gone! Even heated seats are not standard nor is the Distronic system. The Distronic system is a $2,500 option, this is the most life saving system in the car but it’s not standard?! Every piece of aluminum and plastic piece of automotive garbage out of China (Volvo builds some of their cars there) not to mention South Korea has this option as standard on any model over $30k!
MB is imo completely out of touch with what the American car buyer wants.
So in the end you buy an E class sedan
with a 4 cylinder engine, grossly underpowered with 4 people in the car not to mention that there’s no room in the trunk for a toothbrush and the base price is about $55k and then you have to add another $10k to option the car to a model that someone would really want to buy. Lastly, they should have used the C class body design for the E and the E class design for the C class,
frankly, imo the E class isn’t a very refined or sporty look, it bear a strong resemblance to an old 1965 Chevy Impala, a sad observation but not untrue. So, you’ve spent roughly $65k less perhaps a 3-5% discount and you’ve bought yourself a MB E class that’s really nothing to write home about. If the next E class car coming in 2024 is as overall disappointing as the current model it may very well be off to the Audi dealer and an A6 for me. IMO
the current A8 and the current A6 are nicer looking cars than the MB S and E class cars plus they’re about $5k to $20k less. I saw an Audi 2019 A8L in Seville Red with a brown interior and if I had a bigger garage I would have bought it on the spot, that’s how beautiful it was. When MB deep sixed the Mocha Black color that used the be an option on the S class that left me with black as my only choice. And if you truly understand automobiles you are painfully aware that a 4matic option on an E class car is a $2,250 waste of money but MB will never build a RWD car for inventory at any dealer North of Atlanta. The point is quite simple, a 3800 pound car can hardly get up a good head of steam under normal driving conditions with a 4 cylinder engine, lay down an inch of snow and as the old Bob Dylan song said, “You ain’t goin’ no where”. It’s all too true, no MB sedan has enough torque to plow thru more than 2 inches of snow, sad but true. I have always ordered my cars for the simple reason I feel if I’m going to put out good money I want it the way I want it, not because it’s what the dealer has in stock. If I had my way Cadillac or Lincoln would build a sedan that can compete with an E class and I’d buy it tomorrow. MAGA please, make Detroit the powerhouse it once was.
A. Patriot

 

Man, I don’t know where to start, but I agree with much of what you have said. WHY Cadillac plays these games about being a “performance” brand, trying to out-BMW, BMW, is just nuts to me. If they put their minds to it, they could be building magnificent, luxurious cars that would compete head on with the best of MB, BMW, Audi, etc. They were once the “Standard of The World,” and could be again, if the bean counters would give the engineers & designers some room to move. Where the hell is Harley Earl when you need him? I guess there are just too many politics involved these days, so we get Tesla. What I would give to be able to walk into a Cadillac showroom and buy a modern version of a 1957 model like this one, built for Americans, by Americans!

 

I find it funny that people complain about paying for extras... it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that MB could have everything as standard - the price would just be that much higher. Making it an option makes everyone able to have what they want(if they order it and not buying it off the lot)

an argument could be placed if the prices are too high when all the good stuff is added to the total, but thats for another day

MB makes cars for the world, literally - Cadilliac really only caters to the North American crowd - 100 miles to work and gasoline cheaper than water.

only American car sold in my country with success is Tesla, and only because theres a huge tax-rebate on electric cars.

... I don’t count Ford as an american car per say, as they are completely different here compared to the North American market - might aswell be a different brand:-)

 

Wherever you live there’s an old financial term called “Economies of Scale” which boils down to for every option you make standard on an automobile it becomes less costly.
Where ever you reside there’s a season called Summer and if you’ve ever sat in the backseat on any car that doesn’t have a rear window shade, especially on a MB E class car that shade is a $450USD option, you know it gets hotter than hell in the backseat.
There is no financial way to justify a world class automobile with an average selling price here in the states of $63,000USD not to have a rear window shade being standard imo. Of course cars are viewed very differently depending on where they are bought and sold. In the USA we have the largest roadway system of any country in the world so it isn’t terribly surprising that Americans are more demanding of getting the best bang for their buck. If you look back over the past 100 years most of the basics of motoring came out of a US city by the name of Detroit.
These days South Korea has moved Japan aside and has or will shortly become the Detroit of the free world.
Again, I’m curious to know where you live.

 

Well, I agree and disagree. I believe that every new vehicle sold in the USA should have a full suite of safety equipment as standard equipment, to protect the occupants of the vehicle, but, more importantly, to protect those outside of the vehicle, most notably, those in other vehicles. As for virtually every other unnecessary item, I believe they should be optional. My favorite example of this is the Panorama Roof that—believe it or not—is standard on the S Class sedans since 2014. I truly hate these glass roofs, but if I want an S Class, MB shoves it down our throats. The roof is optional in Germany, in Mexico and in other countries, but in the USA, we get no choice. It’s stupid to make something like this standard equipment, IMO.

 

Both the E class and S class can be special ordered without sunroof openings. Collectively they are the "Guard" models, i.e., armored. Yes, they are significantly more expensive, but darn well worth it.

 

I guess if you are a billionaire, this might be an idea. For the rest of us, I do not believe these armored vehicles would be an option.

 

If one can afford a $150k S class, then another $100k for personal security doesn't require billionaire status. Before I retired, I routinely rented Guard models (with driver) when traveling in Brazil and Argentina. Otherwise a body shop can remove an unwanted pano roof for not much money.

 

I live in Denmark, Scandinavia - where summers are not so hot, cars are roughly 2-3 times more expensive than in the states and the same goes for petrol.

Because of the car prices, we are running the most worn down carpark in the western world and with old cars comes the safety standards of yester-year.

Despite the general low NCAP rating - we don’t have more accidents than other western countries

I for one does not need the distronic safety system as I drive with my eyes open and am happy and content with driving an w213 which has gotten top marks in what is called Euro NCAP(safety rating system - you probably have something similar)

regarding shades for the rear windows, besides them being completely tinted to the darkest option - I have gotten this for my son(they are $3)

 

Obviously, most anything can be done to a vehicle, but that’s not the point. The point is, that true luxury is having something the way YOU want it, not the way some bean counter decides you SHOULD have it. I routinely lease my daily drivers for three years, turn them in and get a new one. I’m not going to be chopping the roof off of a leased car. If the folks in Mexico can have their S Class without a glass roof, so should customers in the USA and without being forced to buy an armored car.

 

You wish to bypass national standards. You can. It is easy enough to bypass MBUSA and order what you want from the factory. Of course it comes at a cost. MB power windows and seats used to be an option, but most people wanted them and they became standard.

I'd love remote parking, but it is only available with my European MB account, not my MBUSA account.

 

Lives in Sweden and our car has ALL safety options. It has (likely) saved us once = well invested money. Your'e not alone on the road so you can't control other drivers actions.

Regarding shades, we have the Acoustic Comfort package så the car keeps quite cool despite being in the direct sunlight for hours. GREAT feature and a MUST next time we trade the car. And we both love the silent ride so we can turn up the volume on the Burmester stereo and enjoy in peace.
I was sceptical but the she wanted sunroof so we got a car with it. Also a must on next car to get a sun tan while driving.

 

Yes, an E-class with nice options is key obtaining the correct MB feeling. Enjoy!

 

As much as I complain about the little stuff on my E450 wagon, it likely saved me from a big bill yesterday. As I was driving through a small neighboring town, I glanced to the left to check on the gas price I'd gotten the day before. I thought the price was for "charge", but they charged me more, so I took a quick look. Seconds of time, at the max. Next thing I knew, my car tightened my seat belt (oof! did it ever!), slammed on its brakes, and swerved left into the middle turning lane, then just kept going. What the hell!!?? Did I hit something? I looked to my right behind me, and a van had pulled out onto the road, entering half of my lane in the process. The MB took the appropriate action quicker than I could, had I even noticed it. That IS one reason I got this car (and with all the automated options possible). Thanks, MB. ;-)

 

As they say in Germany - Spitzenklasse!

 

I guess it's just my opinion, having driven Asian cars mostly excepting my last three cars. C350, E350, E400c. MB makes a fine car, so does KIA. I buy MB for the cachet and design. I also buy MB because in SoCal I want RWD, not FWD or 4WD. And Lexus grilles are ugly

 

You cant compare MB with a Kia.
Agree on the Lexus. I was interested in Lexus, mainly for their Mark Levinson sound system but the design inside and outside made it a NO GO. Only Porsche can compete with MB imho. I love the interior in my E-class. Pure elegance,.

 

I bought a new 2020 E450 Wagon two days ago and have driven at least 500 miles on the interstate. Yes, it is quiet.......but I've owned two Cl550's and have now one '15 S550 Coupe all with acoustic laminated glass, and I guarantee the acoustic laminated glass makes those cars quieter on the interstate. Hands down.
Saying a car is quiet when just piddling around in town does not cut the mustard. I should have Built the E Wagon to be delivered, instead of buying off the dealers lot. My bad.

Not saying the Wagon has unacceptable road noise, just that it is not as good as one with acoustic laminated glass. By the way, that glass is almost bugular proof. He/it tried to break in when I was out in Northern CA, but all they did was make the glass look like a spider web. Though stuff that glass.

 

I agree on acoustic glass 100%. When I was considering an X5 I drove one with and one without acoustic glass. Huge difference especially when cruising at interstate speeds. I ordered mine with acoustic glass and am very pleased. It was well worth the few hundred $ it cost.

 

A bit more on my 2020 E450 Wagon: $1,100 plus $250 special order feel, but it also included special cabin insulation and insulated heat-absorbing side windows

 

The window sticker from my 2019: