First drive on CA mountain roads :)
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 605
From: Southern California
2018 E63S AMG
First drive on CA mountain roads :)
Made my inaugural trip to Palomar mountain and then on to Idyllwild and back home. A bit over 200 miles and averaged 17.4 mpg.
Very impressed with the handling of the car. Had the family in the car and was taking it easy heading up Palomar, both because they were with me and because it was the first time taking the car up the mountain. It's a road that I know well from my motorcycling days, so able to push it a bit and still leave something on reserve for the odd unexpected thing - like a motorcycle coming around the corner with half the bike and rider over the double yellow into our lane.
The car felt totally planted at all times. No body roll, and seemed well balanced. I was being fairly easy on picking up throttle out of the corners so not pushing that end of the car. On corner entry it was sticking well and I didn't feel any pushing on turn in, or really at any point.
On the way off the mountain via East Grade Rd, we were following a sport bike and staying with him without any effort. He was going OK, but wasn't moving fast enough that I got any real use out of the brakes even though we were going down hill, so no impression on how the CCBs were holding up under heavy use.
I'll head out there again soon without the family and step up the pace a bit and see how it feels. Hopefully get some video as well.
BTW, I have the Pirellis. I imagine if I had the Michelins I'd be even more impressed.
All in all a good day's drive and everyone is really happy with the car.
Very impressed with the handling of the car. Had the family in the car and was taking it easy heading up Palomar, both because they were with me and because it was the first time taking the car up the mountain. It's a road that I know well from my motorcycling days, so able to push it a bit and still leave something on reserve for the odd unexpected thing - like a motorcycle coming around the corner with half the bike and rider over the double yellow into our lane.
The car felt totally planted at all times. No body roll, and seemed well balanced. I was being fairly easy on picking up throttle out of the corners so not pushing that end of the car. On corner entry it was sticking well and I didn't feel any pushing on turn in, or really at any point.
On the way off the mountain via East Grade Rd, we were following a sport bike and staying with him without any effort. He was going OK, but wasn't moving fast enough that I got any real use out of the brakes even though we were going down hill, so no impression on how the CCBs were holding up under heavy use.
I'll head out there again soon without the family and step up the pace a bit and see how it feels. Hopefully get some video as well.
BTW, I have the Pirellis. I imagine if I had the Michelins I'd be even more impressed.
All in all a good day's drive and everyone is really happy with the car.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 551
Likes: 160
From: NYC area
2019 E63S wagon; 2016 Landrover Landmark
Made my inaugural trip to Palomar mountain and then on to Idyllwild and back home. A bit over 200 miles and averaged 17.4 mpg.
Very impressed with the handling of the car. Had the family in the car and was taking it easy heading up Palomar, both because they were with me and because it was the first time taking the car up the mountain. It's a road that I know well from my motorcycling days, so able to push it a bit and still leave something on reserve for the odd unexpected thing - like a motorcycle coming around the corner with half the bike and rider over the double yellow into our lane.
The car felt totally planted at all times. No body roll, and seemed well balanced. I was being fairly easy on picking up throttle out of the corners so not pushing that end of the car. On corner entry it was sticking well and I didn't feel any pushing on turn in, or really at any point.
On the way off the mountain via East Grade Rd, we were following a sport bike and staying with him without any effort. He was going OK, but wasn't moving fast enough that I got any real use out of the brakes even though we were going down hill, so no impression on how the CCBs were holding up under heavy use.
I'll head out there again soon without the family and step up the pace a bit and see how it feels. Hopefully get some video as well.
BTW, I have the Pirellis. I imagine if I had the Michelins I'd be even more impressed.
All in all a good day's drive and everyone is really happy with the car.
Very impressed with the handling of the car. Had the family in the car and was taking it easy heading up Palomar, both because they were with me and because it was the first time taking the car up the mountain. It's a road that I know well from my motorcycling days, so able to push it a bit and still leave something on reserve for the odd unexpected thing - like a motorcycle coming around the corner with half the bike and rider over the double yellow into our lane.
The car felt totally planted at all times. No body roll, and seemed well balanced. I was being fairly easy on picking up throttle out of the corners so not pushing that end of the car. On corner entry it was sticking well and I didn't feel any pushing on turn in, or really at any point.
On the way off the mountain via East Grade Rd, we were following a sport bike and staying with him without any effort. He was going OK, but wasn't moving fast enough that I got any real use out of the brakes even though we were going down hill, so no impression on how the CCBs were holding up under heavy use.
I'll head out there again soon without the family and step up the pace a bit and see how it feels. Hopefully get some video as well.
BTW, I have the Pirellis. I imagine if I had the Michelins I'd be even more impressed.
All in all a good day's drive and everyone is really happy with the car.
Cheers
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 605
From: Southern California
2018 E63S AMG
I've been on both sides of the equation. I used to bicycle several days a week at lunch, enjoying the nice bicycle lanes they have here all over San Diego. However, the advent of the cell phone and texting, plus the high percentage of uninsured motorists here lead to a lot of hit and run accidents. I finally called it quits on the street after watching a woman in a SUV driving half in and out of the bike lane while yakking on her cell phone, while at the same time they were announcing the 3rd fatal hit and run in San Diego that week. Figured I stand a chance against what's going on in front of me, but would never see it coming from idiots like that woman. With two small kids at home it was time to switch to mountain biking.
There were quite a large number of bicyclists climbing Palomar Sunday. Thankfully these folks were all staying reasonably well to the side of the road. But there have been times when I've come around a corner and had someone who's out of steam doing a serpentine move across the width of the lane trying to catch their breath. Eek!
I have massive respect for the folks that can bicycle up Palomar though, that's quite a climb.
