Test drove new s500
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From: Dallas TX
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
The CLS is a very nice car but MB must fix the structural problem. Can't be that difficult. I see no reason for the car to be "toast". If anything should be toast it would be the BMW 8 series. I had a 2020 840i GC for a few months. That car lacked suspension and was a pain on roads that were not perfectly smooth. On top of that, the seats were extremely uncomfortable, something you find out at a longer road trip. The functionality of some of the systems suggested that the designers had no driving experience. The turning diameter was too large for a car of that size. My first and last BMW and the worst car I've ever owned.
M
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From: Florida
Makes sense considering there are three 8-series variants, Coupe, Cab, Gran Coupe, and M models, although they had tons of leftover coupes and cabs that they had to cancel the MY21 models because of it. I remember before the supply chain issues you could easily get around $30,000 discount on an 8er coupe, that's how bad BMW could not move these cars. The coupe and cab are not planned to make it to another generation, the gran coupe however will likely survive as it is the biggest seller of the three variants.
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From: Land of 10,000 lakes
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
Makes sense considering there are three 8-series variants, Coupe, Cab, Gran Coupe, and M models, although they had tons of leftover coupes and cabs that they had to cancel the MY21 models because of it. I remember before the supply chain issues you could easily get around $30,000 discount on an 8er coupe, that's how bad BMW could not move these cars. The coupe and cab are not planned to make it to another generation, the gran coupe however will likely survive as it is the biggest seller of the three variants.
That said, it is very likely that most of these cars (CLS, 8 series) will go the way of the Dodo bird to make way for more SUV's and EV's...
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Volvo XC90
I test drove the new S580 today. Very quiet, smooth. As expected it drove like an S Class. For anyone that has recently bought the car, how easy and intuitive is the Mercedes touchscreen system with regards to playing music from your phone through Apple Car Play or whatever; how easy is the navigation system to use?
i have driven a 750 and a 760 for the past 5 years and I find the iDrive system awesome to use. I found the Mercedes touch screen very distracting today and the steering wheel buttons were not intuitive to me. This is my main concern with this Mercedes. Is it easy to operate these functions? IDrive is a cinch with muscle memory. If anyone has experience with this new Mercedes and past experiences with BMWs I would welcome thoughts. Thank you.
i have driven a 750 and a 760 for the past 5 years and I find the iDrive system awesome to use. I found the Mercedes touch screen very distracting today and the steering wheel buttons were not intuitive to me. This is my main concern with this Mercedes. Is it easy to operate these functions? IDrive is a cinch with muscle memory. If anyone has experience with this new Mercedes and past experiences with BMWs I would welcome thoughts. Thank you.
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 32,536
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I test drove the new S580 today. Very quiet, smooth. As expected it drove like an S Class. For anyone that has recently bought the car, how easy and intuitive is the Mercedes touchscreen system with regards to playing music from your phone through Apple Car Play or whatever; how easy is the navigation system to use?
i have driven a 750 and a 760 for the past 5 years and I find the iDrive system awesome to use. I found the Mercedes touch screen very distracting today and the steering wheel buttons were not intuitive to me. This is my main concern with this Mercedes. Is it easy to operate these functions? IDrive is a cinch with muscle memory. If anyone has experience with this new Mercedes and past experiences with BMWs I would welcome thoughts. Thank you.
i have driven a 750 and a 760 for the past 5 years and I find the iDrive system awesome to use. I found the Mercedes touch screen very distracting today and the steering wheel buttons were not intuitive to me. This is my main concern with this Mercedes. Is it easy to operate these functions? IDrive is a cinch with muscle memory. If anyone has experience with this new Mercedes and past experiences with BMWs I would welcome thoughts. Thank you.
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
Regarding Apple CarPlay, it works well (love the huge screen real estate it uses!) and can control practically all the features via the steering wheel right side buttons.
My only issue is if you are not in Apple CarPlay mode and want to invoke/return to it, you have to physically touch the central screen display upper left side CarPlay icon (next to the 3D icon). I haven’t found a way to start it using the steering wheel buttons or a “Hey, Mercedes” command. First world problems, huh?
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2019 S560, 2015 Honda Civic Hybrid
Test drove a low-spec S500 this afternoon ($119,450 sticker). Neither the salesman nor I could figure out the door handles, only by using the button on the fob would the handles extend to be able to open the doors. Closed fine using a finger touch on the handle. Not sure why they went to this design, I don't see any benefits.
Random impressions ... the new in-line six-cylinder engine is wonderful, energetic and silky smooth. 429 hp is almost as much as my 2016 S550. The ride was bumpy and even shaky at times - on 20 in wheels and presumably, runflat tires - overall, no better than my 2016 on 19s and Cinturato P7 tires. I like the center touchscreen and it looks intuitive to use, though I didn't use it much. The glove box seems to stick out into the passenger's knee space. The outbound A/C vents seem small, but appeared to put out enough air to get comfortable on a hot day.
I like the exterior style and proportions, it's a beautiful design. Build quality looked great wherever I looked. I like that Nappa leather on the W223 has a quilted sew pattern resembling Exclusive Nappa, that gives it more of a premium appearance IMO.
Will be interesting to see how well the 223's sell when the EQS comes out.
Random impressions ... the new in-line six-cylinder engine is wonderful, energetic and silky smooth. 429 hp is almost as much as my 2016 S550. The ride was bumpy and even shaky at times - on 20 in wheels and presumably, runflat tires - overall, no better than my 2016 on 19s and Cinturato P7 tires. I like the center touchscreen and it looks intuitive to use, though I didn't use it much. The glove box seems to stick out into the passenger's knee space. The outbound A/C vents seem small, but appeared to put out enough air to get comfortable on a hot day.
I like the exterior style and proportions, it's a beautiful design. Build quality looked great wherever I looked. I like that Nappa leather on the W223 has a quilted sew pattern resembling Exclusive Nappa, that gives it more of a premium appearance IMO.
Will be interesting to see how well the 223's sell when the EQS comes out.
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
If it doesn’t for some reason, just swipe hand across the handle and it will pop out. FYI this will gesture will also work if the car is unlocked and the door handles have recessed and the key fob not with you. Before I got the car I wondered what would happen if I left car unlocked in garage, as I normally would do; would the door handles remain in extended position or would recess? But was pleasantly surprised to find they recess and would extend without having the key fob when I swiped my hand across.
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They probably went with the flush door handles because of "aerodynamic reasons" they bragged about the drag coefficient on the S-Class and especially on the EQS.
I remember there was a car company that advertised the flush door handles and how much time and money was spent to make sure they don't freeze during winter. I mean, if they kept it simple, they wouldn't have to spend so much time figuring out how to stop the handles from freezing.
I remember there was a car company that advertised the flush door handles and how much time and money was spent to make sure they don't freeze during winter. I mean, if they kept it simple, they wouldn't have to spend so much time figuring out how to stop the handles from freezing.
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
”Keep it simple?” The whole friggin’ car is a piece of high tech wonder!
Last edited by Sonic Boom; Aug 10, 2021 at 04:26 AM.
Super Member
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
Last edited by Sonic Boom; Aug 10, 2021 at 07:30 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
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2015 S-550
Went to a Benz dealer to look at the 2021 S-Class. The door could not be opened unless one had the key. So if I get the S-Class I would not be able to have the car "unlocked" in the garage and would always have to carry the key in my pocket to open the door???
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
or
Are you saying the door was Locked and and could open door without key?
In the first case, you should be able to open/pop out door handle without key; just swipe your hand across handle and it will pop out. If that doesn’t work, then you have a defect.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
They probably went with the flush door handles because of "aerodynamic reasons" they bragged about the drag coefficient on the S-Class and especially on the EQS.
I remember there was a car company that advertised the flush door handles and how much time and money was spent to make sure they don't freeze during winter. I mean, if they kept it simple, they wouldn't have to spend so much time figuring out how to stop the handles from freezing.
I remember there was a car company that advertised the flush door handles and how much time and money was spent to make sure they don't freeze during winter. I mean, if they kept it simple, they wouldn't have to spend so much time figuring out how to stop the handles from freezing.
Super Member
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2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
I am sure the poster who had issues is because of user error, not the cars fault. Too bad the salesperson wasn’t smart enough to figure this out.
Many times I feel the general public ( with the help of these forums, car reviews and YouTube reviews ) are smarter than the average salesperson. Not just in a car dealership setting, in most brick and mortar retail settings. Hard to find knowledgeable retail sales people these days, they are more like clerks.
Many times I feel the general public ( with the help of these forums, car reviews and YouTube reviews ) are smarter than the average salesperson. Not just in a car dealership setting, in most brick and mortar retail settings. Hard to find knowledgeable retail sales people these days, they are more like clerks.
However, on the second point, the expert buyer is focused, most of the time, on one specific product and have researched it thoroughly, whereas the salesperson has to be aware of many products and would not be reasonable to assume he/she is an expert in all.
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Joined: Jan 2017
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From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
Totally agree on both points!
However, on the second point, the expert buyer is focused, most of the time, on one specific product and have researched it thoroughly, whereas the salesperson has to be aware of many products and would not be reasonable to assume he/she is an expert in all.
However, on the second point, the expert buyer is focused, most of the time, on one specific product and have researched it thoroughly, whereas the salesperson has to be aware of many products and would not be reasonable to assume he/she is an expert in all.
If I wasn’t happily retired and wanted to get back into retail sales, I’d find a line or genre that I was passionate about, learn it inside out and kick a$$ in sales. There is no excuse not knowing your product.
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I find this sad that a salesperson for a certain brand or genre of products does not know their lines inside and out. Many moons ago, before I had my career set for me, I worked in retail selling car stereos, car alarms and , at the time, car phones ( yes, it was a long time ago ). I spent most of my free time learning the product lines through paper brochures. This was before the World Wide Web. I knew the lines I sold inside and out. In 1988, I was the number one salesperson in a company of 5 stores.
If I wasn’t happily retired and wanted to get back into retail sales, I’d find a line or genre that I was passionate about, learn it inside out and kick a$$ in sales. There is no excuse not knowing your product.
If I wasn’t happily retired and wanted to get back into retail sales, I’d find a line or genre that I was passionate about, learn it inside out and kick a$$ in sales. There is no excuse not knowing your product.
It blows my mind every time I talk to technicians (on problems they actually are able to duplicate) and unable to figure out the problem. Most of the forum members here on mbworld.org are enthusiast and engineers that knows our cars and the brand much more than these people that are trained to work on the brand and products, ironically. Many times I have to spoon feed these MB technicians the information like service bulletins, point out what component is causing such common issues which replacing/repairing that component or components worked for other people on the forum.
As for a salesperson, the turnover rate is rather high so I am not sure if these "inexperienced" salespeople that you talked to are from other car brands and didn't spend much time to study the product portfolio from the brand they are currently working for.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Aug 10, 2021 at 09:39 PM.
