What I love, Is driving my MB. I love the boring, banal, routine rituals. Like checking fluids, pressures, and that everything under the hood and around the car is ready to go.
I love getting in, gently closing the door, buckling my seatbelt, holding the brake pedal, then reaching up to the start button with 2 fingers. I love pressing the start button, then once the car is idling, with my other finger, pressing the auto stop button to disable it. I love putting the car in gear as quickly as safety allows. I love clearing the garage door, then reaching up to the rear view mirror, and pressing the garage door remote button, to close the garage door. I love idling in gear for 2 minutes, with my trip 1 screen displayed to keep track. I love increasing the rpm to about 2,000, just enough for the transmission to begin upshifting. I love keeping the rpm’s right around that shift point, until the engine coolant level is normal. If I have to stop, I love to look as far as I can down the road, to glide as far as possible before braking. If rpm ever decreases below 2,000 rpm, during my glide to a stop, I love downshifting to slow even further. Each successive gear gets a downshift when rpm slows below 2,000. When engine oil temperature and transmission oil temperatures warm to normal, I love romping on the accelerator whenever possible. All this time, I am enjoying the top being down almost all year round. I love idling in gear for the last 2 minutes, before shifting into park, and pressing the start button, to stop the engine. Today, it was 25 degrees (F)(-4C). You wouldn’t believe the looks I got, with my top down in the arctic weather, but I loved it. I love all the little mundane, routine acts that add up to an enjoyable drive. I love the ritual.

Now that you know what I love, about my MB, what do you love about yours?

 

I love the gentleman and beast versions of my Benz. It can be a pedantic smooth drive to the store or it can rip through the gears and plant me in the seat barking each upshift. I love how tank like the doors are and how it screams when it starts up cold. What a roar - can't get enough of it. I love that it has been my whip through many versions of myself and my life. Good days and bad. It's seen all my kids as babies and now they are much older. It's been down a 1/4 and 1/2 mile strip or two a time or two. I love that I know all about its Achilles heels by now and how to keep her healthy for the most part. I love that it's one of the least regrettable purchases of my entire life. I love that a new one wouldn't do for me what this one does for me. I love the analogue dials and limited technology. It's a car designed for driving and not social media or dating or tinder or finding new sushi places and then having conversations with chatGPT. It's for driving and the visceral thrill of that act. There's nothing woke about it. It's cleverly offensive to most people with others cars but it's pure genius to me. It's a car, not an appliance or a tech gadget. It's a car, and what a car.


$0.02 (great topic)

 

PeterUbers. That was a brilliant and smashing post. Most excellent. As I read your post, I was transported into your car, in my imagination. Your prose put me there in your shoes, experiencing the excitement, and nostalgia. Superbly written, and well done, what it took to put those memories together in a tale that makes it easy to imagine going through all the emotions and feelings. I say again, well done sir.

 

Originally had a 2014 ML 350. Then got a 2020 GLE 450. I adore this car. That said, it's paid off and I'm about to graduate grad school. I'd like it to still be worth a good amount when I get the next one, for down payment and all. Any input on the 2025 model? I've noticed it now has Apple AirPlay which they didn't offer in 2020. Any other fun upgrades since then? I like getting her pretty loaded, so would love to hear about any/all features you love/hate, etc! Pics welcome too! I'm partial to the macchiato interior but love thinking about all the possibilities before making my decision. Anything new coming that I should be aware of for value - major body redesign or features coming soon and the like?
__________________
Ophelia Thomaston, ME USA
Shopping for my next GLE 450 (will be my 3rd)
2020 GLE 450 (DELIVERED 9/9/19) - Black w/ Macchiato Beige-Magma Grey Leather/Walnut Trim/Driver Assist + Pkg/Park Assist Surround View Pkg/Warmth & Comfort Pkg/Acoustic Comfort Pkg/Premium Pkg/Aug. Video for Nav/Heated & Ventilated Seats/Massage Seats/Comfort Headrests/Burmester Surround Sound...In love with this SASSY beauty!

 

so far with my new-to-me 2008 e350 i really enjoy seeing the hood ornament up front as i drive. i also imagine it to be crosshairs...i'm sure i'm not the only one!

with mine being wagon with rear 3rd row jump seats, my 4-year-old knows it and always wants to ride. when she is excited, that makes me excited!

 

@MB2timer your topic really made me think. Things like my iPhone or my laptop don't have any heritage to them; my story and the story of this device, the iPhone, the laptop, don't merge or have anything to do with one another emotionally or spiritually or existentially.

Modern vehicles seem to be entering a phase of disposability, appliance like utility, another vector of mind distraction to access a network of digital nodes that can connect our distracted minds to the next piece of information that our dopamine lacking limbic system needs to flourish for just a few more seconds.

My car, your car, ... these relics of internal combustion (lol), carry more value and connection with our personal stories in just one flat tire or another breakdown, than any electric vehicle can possibly provide me in an entire ownership. Certainly someone else's mileage may vary. As you perfectly put it in your initial post, your car made you feel a certain way and you loved how it made you feel; how many new devices or pieces of tech make you feel a certain way simply for what it actually does in its native state as the device itself?

The purchase of this Mercedes for me was sentimental at its roots, my poor father was unable to afford a Mercedes until later in his life, but always assigned a special meaning to the man who drove a Mercedes, dignified, sophisticated, successful, and admired. I make no universal statements about the world or owning a Mercedes, but simply a commentary on my father's fixed belief system, and how he base it around this vehicle. growing up with this core seed in my heart when I finally bought my first Mercedes and then ultimately this AMG, I perhaps bought it for the wrong reasons. Ultimately, years later, I found my true calling for why I own this vehicle and why it was meant to be in my garage and why I was meant to be in the driver seat of this vehicle. sometimes the driver finds the car and sometimes the car finds the driver.

I initially bought this Mercedes to bring happiness to the ghost of my father's younger self (my father is alive and well, but I'm speaking about a former version of him) but ultimately the car convinced me that it was meant to be in my garage and in my control for the future version of me - and it became part of my life story.

cheers.

 

There has been much that I have loved in all the MB products I’ve had the pleasure to use and abuse through the years.
My introduction to MB was as a tot when my parents purchased a well used 1960 180D. 1.8 liters of naturally aspirated diesel noise and smoke when it wasn’t at the community college being repaired for the umpteenth time. My father showed me how not to do a lot of things. I recall it not starting for my Mom in 1980. She kicked the grille. Not long thereafter they purchased a pair of Volvo 240s.
Fast forward to 1994. I work too much and can comfortably reach for the two year old 500E with 20,000 miles on it. Loved that car. Blistered fenders front and rear. Proper sport seats. I gave it 17” Monoblocks. Many wonderful road trips. Pride in ownership. The five liter would happily run to fuel cut in fourth. Get on the brakes hard at that speed and by 80 the car is not slowing. But the rotors are warped... and still doing 80. Drove this one to 150,000 miles. Traded it for a ‘96 S-600. Another with 20,000 miles. Some of Bruno Sacco’s better work. The magic of a naturally aspirated bent-12 in a big quiet comfy car that was warmed up in the two miles from the house down the country two lane to I-90. Every morning at the bottom of the freeway on-ramp she got WOT applied for the change in tone as she wound to 6000 and snapped off gears in the five speed. I was driving this car on the two lane the morning of 911. Turned around and went home to turn on the TV with my Bride as the towers fell. Many trips to Canada in the summer. This is the car that When on the way to a rally (gravel stage rally) traveling with my buddy’s bride we got to stop on the way into Canada. As soon as I made eye contact with the border agent I knew it wasn’t going to go well. I was right. Half an hour later the contents of the car are all removed and Becca (buddies wife) and I are in separate stainless steel rooms being interrogated. Seems under the CD changer in the trunk was an (empty) clip for one of my Glocks. They spun this into my being an arms dealer ect. I finally got them to tell me what the found. They produced it. Covered in dust. Me: “I’ve been wondering what happened to that.” More talk about where the guns are ect. Nope. Not an arms dealer. I know how nuts you Canadians are about guns. Wouldn’t ever risk bringing one up there. Ultimately they were ‘kind enough’ to allow me to walk back to the US side and mail it to myself. The S-600 also lacked sufficient brakes.
2004 found me itching for new car smell and the S-600 had covered close to 150,000 miles. Test drove a 211 E-55 that had seats that didn’t fit my then more rotund shape. A 211 E-500 followed me home. First new car. Quiet and comfy with the new seven speed box. It managed 26mpg for my 104 mile (one way) commute. More fond memories with my bride in this one. It was sensible shoes. Over the next several years I worked hard on the farm and dropped 40lbs. The E-500 went back to Mercedes at the end of the lease. Seven years pass until I take my first hit of AMG Crack. I flew to Florida to purchase an ‘06 E-55. Drove it from Hollywood Fl to very North of Washington state. I was hooked. Some savage (before me) had opened the rear mufflers and removed some of the fiberglass that mellows it out and welded the cans back up. Oh... NASCAR when a savage. LOL. Many miles and trips to Mt Baker. The road that goes to the ski area is an amazing one in a car. This one replaced with the 221 S-65. Ahhhh back in an S-Class and much improved over the 140 chassis. Loved it but wow! Suspension arms, brake rotors and engine mounts oh my! Every 30,000. Loved the diamond stitched hides. Then it spat a main bearing shell into the chains. Replacing that engine was a treat but the low miles engine out of a flood car (superstorm Sandy) with 25,000 miles on it burned no oil. The 221 car made the trip to Arizona. Much time at 155 during peak Covid with no traffic. 155,000 miles and It got replaced with the 222 S-550. MBC and Burmester sound. Ahhh. Until I found the 222 S-65. The rest as they say is history. The 222 car continues to please. Many trips to Sedona. Much less babysitting than the 221 car. I’ve loved them all. So many fond memories.

 

From regancc:

 

From btotten1:

Hi All,
Been a very long time since I’ve been on the forums. I have the 2007 CLK550 Coupe with about 80K miles on it because it was garaged for about 7 years when I was out of the country. I’ve absolutely loved the car!

My dream car has always been the Maserati GranTurismo Sport though, which I finally pulled the trigger on a 2018 model two weeks ago. I quickly rushed into all kinds of mods (Larini high flow cats, Larini x pipe, FD ECU chip, FD drive by wire enhancement module, big brake kits, sway bars, springs, spacers, BMC air filter, iridium spark plugs, amongst other things mostly from Formula Dynamics which has been great) and this has definitely met my needs for sound—the car screams in Sport mode. But admittedly, I’ve been a bit shocked how slow the car feels relative to my CLK550.

The only mods I’ve done to the CLK550 are the Renntech ECU chip, a copy of another users fantastic dual exhaust mod (Fatz don’t know if he’s still around), BMC air filter, Stoptech drilled rotors with Akebono pads, amongst other small things. Got some H&R sport springs purchased but just sitting in the garage for years.

I guess the difference I’m feeling in speed has to do with the relatively high torque on the clk550 combined with lower weight relative to the Maserati? Long story short is now I’ve got an itch that needs to be scratched. The CLK is just sitting in the garage waxed and waiting for more mods.

I’d love some headers but was always weary of the large capital outlay for the Renntech headers for the stated gains. Is it worth it for the combination of sound and power improvements? Any alternatives out there these days that are a little more economical? Any used ones for sale? I’m keen to get something that easily bolts on. Not opposed to the Renntech but I’d like to be convinced the sound and performance is worth it. Does this also mean I need some high flow cats as well if I buy some headers? Just installed some Larini high flow cats on the Maserati and the sound improvement was incredible. Any recommendation for high flow cats?

I was thinking of installing the H&R springs I’ve got in the garage. I love the look of the Maserati with spacers. Any recommendation for sizing of spacers (front and back) to accompany the springs?

I was hoping to reuse existing tires which are brand new but they’re on 17” AMG rims which have been completely repainted and look brand new. I really like the look of other owners using what appear to be CLS55 rims, which would mean another substantial outlay for rims and tires if I want to match the look. I’m wondering if there’s an alternative rim that looks really nice that’s affordable so I can reuse the brand new tires?

Oh and I’ve always been partial to the Vis carbon fiber rear diffuser for the dual exhaust but I’ve stopped short of purchasing it. Any other quality alternatives that look similar and are of similar quality? Otherwise I’ll go with the Vis offering.

While I’m at it, I guess sway bars should be considered. Any recommendation for some pretty good sway bars front and back?

Dont hate me for this but would like to hear some thoughts on painting the existing calipers. The bright red Maserati calipers look so nice. I wouldn’t do that on the CLK but I would consider painting them something like gunmetal so they look nice and blend in. Probably would stop short of putting decals but open to the idea. Anyone else done this? Right now they just look grey and old.

Lastly, have I missed anything? Any other mods to improve performance/appearance internally or externally that I’ve completely overlooked? This is not my daily driver and I will likely never track it. Just want it to look its best and sound great.

Sorry for all the questions. Happy to send pics upon request.

Thanks!

 

From BocaQT, aka Diane:

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by khoeysr
I just purchased a 2022 SL 63. Has 1900 miles, was an owner demo. I love the car. It's not my daily and is one of 7 in the fleet, so we will see if any issues develop.

Very cool tech and awesome performance. Much better tech than the 24 Gwagon I traded for it.

 

I love starting her up and immediately clicking that exhaust button to open the valves. It's become second nature for me to push that button

 

Courtesy California John:

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...port-sl63.html

 

2014 E350 here with 130k miles. Superb car. Long distance touring, daily errands, hauling g-kids (lay a towel at the back seat, of course ), all the above it's a stellar car.

1. Reliability. So far so good. I may change my tune if that changes, but I hope not. I am an avid DIYer and maintain em to keep em for a long time, and have had greeeat experience with all except a Honda. (yeah, screw Honda, will never own one ever again!)

2. The above is boring if not accompanied with style and grace. Yeah, this 350 has that! Beautiful lines, soaks up the road, interior feels substantial (got ivory leather ...way nicer to me than the MB Tex).

3. Driving is sport-lux and right on! It is not my 911, it is not my Suburban; this E350 is everything a luxury sport sedan should be in how it drives. Sporty not floaty; composed not dull; passengers/cargo fit in comfort; mash the go pedal in S mode and screams to redline, then turns and stops the way a sport sedan should. Engaging! Yeah, all the right moves for me.

Edward

 

2023 EQE SUV 500 w/ Airmatic
The silence.
The hyperscreen.
The massage seats.

 

From Rocketman1980…


Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocketman1980
LTBM - I had the whole car wrapped in clear Paint Protective Film (ceramic in the film too) but had the body colored roof section wrapped in glossy black PPF. I think it looks much better black between the the sunroof and rear window. Highly recommended. BTW - I will be visiting SLO in October for a 50-year reunion with my college roommates. Haven’t been in that area for over 40-years.

MB2timer - I liked the look of CLE AMG 53 the first time I saw it in the showroom. However, the dealer lot cars were all Starling Blue or Alpine Grey (neither I liked). I have always liked yellow if it fit the car. I took a gamble (not seeing any cars in yellow) with the Sun Yellow with AMG Night Package Plus and I really love the look. The Y-Design Spoked wheels with black accents finishes the look I was seeking. I do not like all black wheels but the accented wheels have just the right amount of black.

And as for performance - I was even more pleased with my purchase after driving the car 2,500-miles over the last eight days. One stint had me in the seat for 13.5-hours. Zero cramps or fatigue. Also, the audio system, augmented with a 12-inch subwoofer in the trunk, also presented zero listening fatigue. The car was quiet enough to listen to my classical music files.

And the speed/acceleration performance had me grinning quite a lot. The 30+ MPG was icing on the cake.

I have another 2,000-mile trip next week and another in October.

Absolutely love this car.
Can I quote you for the thread “What do you love about your MB” ?

 

What do I love about my Mercedes?

Well im fortunate enough to have owned three different models in the past couple years and one of them was an E 55 which was my entry into Mercedes and AMG. This is where I really learned about the value of early 2000’s AMG‘s and the fact that they were extremely reliable. I didn’t have anything happen that I would call out of the ordinary with my ownership and the car offered very luxurious interior. Who would complain about a 500 hp car that cost me under 20 grand at the time.

Next, I happened upon my 2013 E 63 wagon which I bought during my 40th year on this earth in early 2019 right before my bday. I had lusted after wagons for about 20 years (Audi avants and the RS models in Europe) and this one popped up in my backyard. I made a deposit site unseen, and showed up the next day to make a purchase. I had no idea that it was so rare with only 59 of them being made. It adds to the excitement of driving around and having something that nobody else really has and is shockingly fast to the casual observer that doesn’t know what they are looking at. This car has also been pretty bulletproof for me during my ownership. Being the last of the Rear Wheel Drive hootin and hollerin wagons, I find this model to be a true view of what AMG was. I don’t imagine getting rid of it anytime soon.

The third experience was finding a very low mileage S 55 last year and doing a little bit of rehab on it and driving around for a few months before I sold it on. Even though the W 220 doesn’t get much love, I absolutely thought it was a very nice car, very comfortable and exactly what I would have expected from a 21 year-old like new vehicle.
I owned a couple Audi’s and a BMW prior to my Mercedes experiences and Mercedes in these model years was absolutely top-notch quality compared to the competition. Those other brands had constant issues and BMW corporate lost me as a customer.

So I really love my Mercedes AMG‘s because they have been rock solid performance vehicles that fill my need for speed and sound with the added benefit of reliability and stealth.

 

The Mercedes exhaust note is what I love and tells the complete story of German V8 engineering in five distinct chapters.

Cold Start: Dragon Mode Activated
That morning cold start isn’t just loud—it’s a 5.5-liter wake-up call that sounds like a NASCAR grid warming up. Pure, unfiltered aggression that announces your presence three blocks away. Just raw displacement doing what displacement does best—making mornings dramatic.

Idle: The Loping Giant
At idle, you get that perfect V8 lope—deep, rhythmic, and full-bodied like a well-tuned American muscle car but with Teutonic precision. It’s not the frantic buzz of a stressed four-banger; it’s the confident rumble of torque waiting to be unleashed.

Cruising: Jekyll’s Disguise
Hit cruise mode and the Mercedes transforms into a refined gentleman—suddenly you’re driving luxury, not a barely-contained missile. The exhaust settles into that sweet spot where power meets sophistication, proving that German engineers understand both brutality and elegance.

Wide Open: Unleash Hell
Full throttle unleashes the beast—all pretense drops as your Mercedes howls like a banshee. It’s not just loud; it’s violent, tearing through the rev range with the fury of a naturally aspirated V8 doing what God intended.

Deceleration: War Zone
But the real party starts on deceleration—those pops and crackles sound like a proper artillery barrage. Each backfire is a celebration, a mechanical applause that turns every coast-down into an acoustic assault. It’s not just noise; it’s automotive percussion that would leave M3 owners wondering where their inline-six’s character went.

Mercedes proves that the best exhaust notes aren’t just about volume—they’re about character across the entire rev range. From refined cruiser to absolute weapon, all controlled by your right foot.

Turn up the volume and wait for it.

 

btotten1, I thought your forum name looked familiar.
I quoted a post from you in reply #9 this thread.
Both of your posts are well organized and well written.
Thanks to you and everyone on the thread who bring their love alive about their MB.

 

To everyone in the thread who have contributed their sentiments, memories, impressions of what you love about your MB, I really appreciate your authorship.
Another experience recently reminded me why I love my MB.
I was backing out of a driveway, on a quiet road, and when I took the car out of reverse gear, and put it in drive, I missed Drive.
I didn’t notice I missed drive, and actually had selected Neutral.
When I took my foot off the brake pedal, and tapped the gas pedal, all I got in return was a full, throaty roar from the exhaust.
I was a little surprised, that the car didn’t move forward, or at all, but at the same time I was a bit pleased.
That exhaust note brought a smile to my face, as one of the little things that I love about my MB.
It brought quite a sense of satisfaction, contentment and pride, as I finally got the car into the proper gear, and completed the rest of my ride.
Precious and priceless.