Sell it and buy a 3 Series or some other marque...why torture yourself. If you are not satisfied with what you have or want then change it.

Regarding the JD Powers information. This is from the people who responded to "their" questions, not from the people they did not get input from or who were never asked. A failure to read the manual results in a problem for the buyer and it is reported as a "item" in the survey. As I said, I will base my survey on my experience.

I will say it again. JD Power is about as useless as an old condom.

Their so called surveys are heavily skewed and are collected with data that is incorrect IMO. Even Mercedes doesnt give a hoot about them. Lets face it if you believe JD Powers, like the other 250 million people in this country then you arent doing enough research. Mercedes was chosen as the best brand over in Europe. For one, I have a lot more faith in European surveys than in American surveys and opinions.

I'm going on personal experience.. Oh well once MB gets their act together, I'll be back..
Eric...

Good move Eric...you know what's best for you. I hope MB "gets their act together quickly" so you can enjoy the driving experience you are entitled to. I am sure that C55 AMG has some good days as well as bad ones...:-)

The new C due soon should be an indication if they are moving in the right direction. I personally think the new R and ML are positive moves and with the new boss, they can only get better. Although my 2006 S430 is an "old" design...it is really well put together with a ride I have not seen in any other car.

I had a 98 Accord I think (too foggy now hahaha) and it was flawless. Interior build quality was fantastic and was ahead of my TL IMO. Sadly the interior feels hard, cheap, and plasticy of all new Honda/Acura interiors these days. My wife is always complaining of a rattle or two from the Odyssey near the headliner. I even had teh dealer stuff the area with sound deadening automotive insulation and it still rattles. Lets face they have a good drivetrain thats economical however their build quality, and transmission problems have me put on notice.

Oh I did enjoy it and my wife has a C230, which she loves..
https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c55-amg-w203/123993-sold-c55.html

With all the seats in use, the Odyssey has 38.4 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row while the R has just 19.4. With the third row stowed, the Odyssey has 91.1 cubic feet while the R has 42.2.

The R seats 6 for sure, but there is no room for their luggage.

I agree that the R is faster, better looking and more comfortable, but it is impractical for anyone who needs to transport 6 to anywhere but the opera.

I had planned to use it only for the opera Jack before I bought the S instead...the S made a better opera car than the R...:-))))))

So what's an R for then? By the way your S-class ROCKS..
Eric...

I think the R would really work well with a family of 4 with the children age 6-17 or an older couple with a desire to travel on vacations in their cars or share a lot of activities with another couple. If you have a pack of kids then I think a minivan of any ilk would be better. I also feel the luxury SUV buyer who has settled for a truck the past several years may find this is something different. He (or she) can enjoy a big vehicle but in a totally different environment and one with some lines.

Thanks for the S430 kudos...I am not sorry I made the decision to go with the S. The R would have been fine for me but the S is kind of the culmination of all my MB cars put together. The ride is fantastic and it is a pleasure to drive. Here us another shot I took in the garage...

From the New York Times:

October 23, 2005


2005 Honda Odyssey: A Family Cocoon With Frills
By JOHN BRODER

WHEN Chili Palmer, the loan shark played by John Travolta in the 1995 film "Get Shorty," shows up at the rental counter to pick up his image-appropriate Cadillac, he is presented keys to the last car on the lot, an Oldsmobile Silhouette, a lamentable attempt at a minivan.

The rental clerk demonstrates the power sliding door and assures the skeptical Mr. Palmer, "It's the Cadillac of minivans."

Ten years on, it is Honda's third-generation Odyssey that can credibly claim that mantle. The paragon of its class, it is a van with features and passenger comfort comparable to what you'll find on all but the highest-end luxury cars.

The Odyssey, particularly in top-of-the-line Touring trim, rivals many luxury sedans in fit and finish; in entertainment options; in its interior quiet; and in long-distance comfort. The middle-row captain's chairs, which adjust fore and aft and side to side and offer a clear view of the nine-inch video screen, are as pleasant a place to spend a day on the road as almost anywhere short of, say, the back seat of a Maybach.

On a trip from Detroit to northern Michigan to drop off my teenage daughter and a friend at camp, those middle chairs were the scene of a marathon DVD viewing of the entire first season of "Sex in the City." All we heard for four hours from the girls, snug in their wireless headphones, was laughter and an occasional gasp at some risqué line. I think they wished their camp was farther away, perhaps in Duluth.

My wife and I played with the XM Satellite Radio, switching between public radio stations and the all-Motown channel. This is what the lifestyle gurus call cocooning; we did it at a cruise-controlled 72 m.p.h.

The Odyssey comes in three basic trim levels: the LX, starting around $25,000; the EX, beginning at $28,000; and the fully dressed Touring model like my test van, with sunroof, run-flat tires, DVD player, voice-activated navigation system, backup camera and satellite radio. The test car's sticker was just south of $40,000, which, incidentally, is what it costs to charter a seven-passenger Gulfstream jet for a trip from Miami to Los Angeles. (I learned this covering the Michael Jackson trial last spring.)

All Odysseys come with a five-speed automatic transmission and Honda's meticulous 3.5-liter V-6, which produces 255 horsepower. The engine in the higher-end models has what Honda calls variable cylinder management, which shuts down three cylinders at cruising speeds. Most drivers will know this has happened only from a green dashboard indicator. I was able to detect only a faint sigh when the engine rested.

The radio, even when off, compensates for the vibration of a three-cylinder engine with an inaudible out-of-phase sound. Vibration is further reduced by electrically activated engine mount dampers.

The Odyssey Touring is rated at 20 m.p.g. in town and 28 on the highway on regular gas. (Its highway rating exceeds that of the considerably smaller Mazda 5 van.) Driving relatively gently and with moderate loads, I achieved 17.0 and 23.1.

Honda equals or beats all competitors on standard safety features: second-generation air bags up front, front-seat side bags and side-curtain bags that cover all three seat rows. A rollover sensor deploys the curtains if the van is in danger of tipping, even if there has been no impact.

Every model comes with traction control, electronic stability control and four-wheel antilock brakes. The Odyssey earned five stars in federal front and side crash tests.

While the Odyssey is pleasant to drive, there is no denying it is a minivan. It leans noticeably in corners, a feeling that is more pronounced because there is little side bolstering in the driver's seat. Power is adequate off the line and up the entrance ramp, but lacks punch in the passing range of 50 to 70 m.p.h.

The dash layout is generally intuitive, although the navigation system requires a fair amount of study and fiddling. (You get extra points if you can find the tiny digital clock.)

The driver has an eight-way power seat, albeit one short on lumbar support. The front passenger's seat is manual on all models, the space underneath taken by black boxes for the DVD and navigation systems.

Honda has finally given middle-row passengers windows that go up and down. The third-row seat, split 60-40, folds flat into the floor even more easily than before. And while the middle seats move easily within the van, they do not fold into the floor like Chrysler's. They are removable, but heavy. A narrow seat for an eighth passenger emerges from the floor and fits between the second-row captain's chairs.

Honda has never been the minivan sales leader, a title Chrysler has held for more than 20 years. Toyota has the closest challenger, but its Sienna cannot match the Odyssey on power, quietness or interior finish.

Most Odysseys sell at close to sticker price. If you want a discount, some other automakers have bargain-bin vans and are ready to deal.

INSIDE TRACK: The Maybach of minivans.

If you can stand the look it may be a good buy. When I looked at and got involved with the R Class I did not look at any other products because there were none at the time. A square back, blunt nosed minivan was not my desire and never will be. I am glad I bought the S and will not be doing anything for some time. Had I not bought the S, I certainly would not be tempted to compare the R with a Honda or any other like vehicle.

The R class gave me no driving pleasure . It has a very neutral , bland neither good or bad " people mover " ride , handling , steering feel. Close your eyes and you'd no clue what your are driving by feel or sound other than it being a large vehicle slightly up high that will get you from point A to point B in comfort and safety . Interior is commensurate with a well appointed newer $30-40K Nissan product, but not same price Lexus .
For pushing $70K for a loaded R500, it was easy to laugh at the end product interior and walk away. We'd been burned by another Alabama / US supplier sourced product, the first ML 430 . This after following the gestation of the GST for several years and seeing what looked like minimum E-class quality in pre-release press photos and my wife and I very strongly intending to get one of the first ones .

I agree with you 100%.

I wanted to like this car so bad as I'm sick of SUV's but have three children. It does not feel like a $70k vehicle and storage space is really lacking. I'm afraid that Mercedes may have a flop on their hands but I've been wrong before.