I'm debating on whether to trade my 2012 AMG Wagon for a 2016. I looked at '16 today, it is black with the red interior, not real crazy about black cars, kinda hot in the Florida heat when I'm there winters and I do kinda like the real light interior a little better on my current car. Also on the new ones no matter what color interior you get the dash is always black. My 2012 it is a nice light gray and much cooler when the sun hits it. I did not want to even test drive the '16 as it only had 22 miles on the clock and I did not have much time, I did put in a offer on the car though which I'm sure the dealer will try to walk me up on but I may just wait for something that I like even better. So here's my question, for those who have driven or owned both cars how do the driving dynamics vary? Does the AWD rendition ride a little better over bumpy roads? I'm thinking it might with a little more weight over the front end from the front Diff? How about handling? Looks like the AWD is a little faster, like about 4 tenths in the quarter mile from what I read. Best I can get out of my 2012 is a 12.14 and I'd think with the AWD under the same condition it might be around a 11.8 or so which would be nice, might mean the difference between winning and loosing like against a C7 Vette or a beefed up Camaro.


I did not notice all that much of a difference between the two cars with the interior, infact my 2012 has kinda a more solid feel to it, can't really explain. Of course the nose of the cars looks different, but the sides and back look about the same. I kinda like my nice trademark Benz Hood Ornament and think I'd miss that. I dunno, maybe the answer is keep my 2012 and do a tune on it soon. It does hook up pretty good with the Pole Position tires I have on the car, they really bite, no real complaints with the 2012 and never had any issues in 2.5 years. I still have 3 years and 60K miles of Warrantee left on the car as the car only has 39K miles on it now. If the car I looked at had been the Gray or the Blue or even the Red I might have been more interested.


One reason I've thought about a new one is because I heard there may not be a wagon for 2017, only a Sedan. Then 2018 the Wagon might come back. Anybody else heard this? I have thought about just waiting as the next gen is probably gonna be a lot more technologically advanced. Decisions/Decisions. The other answer might just to put in a order for the color combo and options I want. The one I looked at had some options I have no use for like heated rear seats, I woulda opted for the carbon fiber engine cover instead which it does not have. Not real crazy about the Piano Black Lacquer wood trim, I woulda saved the $850 on that and gone with just the wood grain. That Piano shows every little fingerprint and is just too dark.

 

I did find a car and driver first review of the 2014 that said it did infact ride better than the previous models. Hopefully that is correct because my 2012 rides like crap over the bumpy roads and cracks, you really get jarred around a lot. I really would like a car that rode better over the bumps, that is a big issue in the state I live in, they don't maintain the roads well at all. I had even thought about just trading in the amg for a E350 which I know would ride better over the bumps. I could probably do that for just about a even trade for my 2012.

 

To call that an even trade...man, the road surface must be killing you bad there.

 

I will see what the 2017 E350 Wagon is like and if it is improved a lot with better technology and a little better motor I'll think about trading in the AMG for it next spring. At least I'll have a new car then and will not have to lay out a real lot of cash to do so. They are talking about going back to a inline 6 instead of the V6 for the 2017 E350 Wagons. I'm just getting tired of feeling every little crack in the road with this AMG.

 

The awd "stuff" only adds about 150lbs if I'm not mistaken

 

Still though that extra 150 lbs over the front end could make the car ride better. So there is nobody who has driven both cars?

 

You may want to consider changing the springs and shocks to the Euro 12/13 E550 Wagon type. You'll give up a bit in handling however, ride quality will certainly improve.

 

Regarding the ride, I cannot speak for the 2012 AMG, but my '15 rides, even in Comfort, much, much harder than my E350 '11 wagon. In AMG mode it is like a Fred Flintstone version. Handles fantastically, though.

 

per car and driver ( http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...st-ride-review ) its 130 lbs for the 4matic hardware and more weight over the "front end" actually makes a car drive worse.. that's why most high performance cars shoot for a 50/50 weight distribution.... all the weight of the front causes oversteer and more over the rear gets you understeer.

also the weight distribution on the 2013 rwd vs 2014 awd is the same at 54/45 f/r so should handle pretty much the same other than the extra grip from awd

before i bought my awd, i test drove a rwd and felt same other than less grip and less composed then itook off WOT from a stoplight (i do this everytime i test drive a car.... sales people either love it or hate it lol)

 

the main part of 4matic is not over the front of the car, its at the back of the transmission (middle of car), hence why the weight distribution of RWD and AWD models is the same

here is the 4 matic

 

Thanks, I guess the thing I'll try for a little better ride is next time I need tires go with the DW continentals, probably won't hook up as good as good as the current Bridgestone pole position tires I have on the car right now but should ride a little better. I'm fine with it here in Florida, but you'll hear me complain again when I'm back up north in the spring, lol. Too bad the don't offer a super comfort mode

 

they do have a super comfort mode, its called s63/s65

 

Super comfort is call a e350 wagon.....

 

you and me both. i was told by other forum members it's the pole position's (which I believe you also ride on) fault. i kinda don't believe it... but FML going over stretch of roads outside an industrial park just sucks on a daily basis.

lmk how the new conti's go when you swap over. i'm overdue for that (wasteful) tire swap myself.

 

I notice as the Bridgestone Pole positions get more worn out, like after 10000 miles the ride gets really bad. I'm gonna try a different which I'll probably need this summer, been replacing tires once a year as I do around 14K miles a year and that's all the Bridgestone's last. I'm seriously thinking of trying the Conti Pro Contact DWS tires, I understand they ride pretty good and should hold up a lot better, might get 28K miles and a couple years out of them if I can restrain myself some from putting my right foot down too much. I know they won't hook up as good as the Michelins or the Bridgestone's but I am desperate for a better ride especially with the thought of going back up North in a couple of months. Going through the Bronx in NY on I95 with all the pot holes and ruts is a nightmare, I'm very tempted to take the Tappan Zee into Connecticut even though it is a little bit out of the way, either that or all the way down rt 84 through the Binghampton Mountains.

 

I think I do remember the car riding a little better on the Conti Pro Contact P5 tires the car came with when I bought it, but man, those things were getting worn and the car was all over the place getting off the line at full throttle. Almost no wheelspin since switching to the Bridgestones the past couple of years.

 

Consider LSD vs AWD. Don't know if your 2012 has LSD but surly you can test drive both.

I had opportunity to change from a preface to a facelift and I like my 2012 better. Can a facelift park itself, yes. How many guys and girls use that?

 

Yes, my car has P30 and LSD. I'll wait and see what comes out in the form of a new 213 Wagon at this point. I nearly pulled the trigger last summer on that Black 2016, just could not work a deal. Like usual the dealer was way too greedy and wanted to give me way too low for my 2012 and way too high for the car they had on the lot. Generally the way it goes, but think of all the sales they cost themselves just because they want to make 10 or 12 grand on the dealer instead of settling for a 3 grand profit.