Anyone test drive the 2003 Mercedes E series?

[mtmnet]

What were your thoughs? Pros...Cons?

[MD2b]

Originally posted by mtmnet
What were your thoughs? Pros...Cons?

i drove the E500.

pros -- very elegant, typical benz, luxurious, panorama roof is interesting as is the adjustable suspension.

cons -- E55 not ready, typical benz, stuffy, lacks the flair of bmw.


i'd have to say that the E's are more of a family-hauler, similar to volvo. it looks nice and feels nice, but there's something lacking -- too heavy and clumsy perhaps? :dunno:


keep in mind, i currently drive a S4 and will be getting a M3 or M5 so the E500 is of interest but it just doesn't grab me. the E55 is plausible but no manual tranny. *AMG :violent:*

[mtmnet]

Thanks for your thoughs. I like the looks of both the E60 and the new E series (w211) and I'm trying to decide whether I should wait for the E60.

There is definitely something about how a BMW handles, however at age 41, luxury had become more of a priority.....

Undecided,
Mike

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Originally posted by mtmnet
Thanks for your thoughs. I like the looks of both the E60 and the new E series (w211) and I'm trying to decide whether I should wait for the E60.

There is definitely something about how a BMW handles, however at age 41, luxury had become more of a priority.....

Undecided,

Mike

IMHO, the question is slushie or stick?

If slushie, I'd probably get the Benz.

[bmw540i]

Get the new E60 545 if you want performance, if comfort then get the E500.

I raced a brand new E500 on the freeway with my 540i6. I have RD exhaust only we both flored it and the E500 was behind about a car so the morale is comfort E500 performance with a little bit of comfort BMW period.

[AK]

i drove one. i thought the brake feel really sucked (electronic brakes).

[JEM]

I did a M-B ride-and-drive event a couple months ago.

Pros: the E500 had good grunt, pretty decent grip as equipped (17-in wheels, don't remember what tires or whether it was any kind of 'sport' package) and nice steering feel. Better NVH isolation than the E39. The seats were very good - certainly better than the E39's non-sport offerings. The big moonroof was nice, though I'm sure it and all its hardware must weigh a lot.

Cons: the E320 with its eco-squealer tires and mushy suspension was pretty unpleasant. The brake feel in both was not good, though at least the E500 had enough tire grip to actually stop fairly quickly (once again, whatever junk the E320 had on it couldn't manage the stopping any better than it did the turning.) I didn't like the dash layout as much as I thought I would; the center-section/radio-heater controls was fine, but I found the display-inside-the-speedo (or was it in the tach?) in the gauge cluster to be distracting.