2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC Sedan - Short Take Road Test

[Nicks]

This car has double fogs because is the elegance trim, on wich you have to pay for the Xenon-ILS.

Why would anyone buy e500 with amg pack and don't order Xenon headlights,

 

[bum-man]

^And that is what Mercedes is banking on.

 

[Nicks]

I can't judge them for that

 

[Untertürkheim]

This car has double fogs because is the elegance trim, on wich you have to pay for the Xenon-ILS. The avantgarde trim has them as standard, so no double fogs on it.

Actually, that is not entirely true. MBUSA specifically requested Avantgarde models, which this one is (two-tone interior and 3 bar grill), without the ILS for the cheap US customers who do not think driving aids are as important than having an extra 100hp.

Elegance has a 4-bar grill (except when paired with the driver-assistance package, then it gets the Avantgarde grill), and a single-color interior.

Sky, look back at that other thread where you were complaining about the interiors always being black, I put some info there: http://www.germancarforum.com/e-class/28068-official-mercedes-benz-e-class-w212-36.html#post438913

 

[Untertürkheim]

Why would anyone buy e500 with amg pack and don't order Xenon headlights,

With $67k (US), I could not imagine buying this poorly equipped E550 over an E350 with every single option.

 

[fortuner]

The E is a stunning car and has a brilliant brillantly built interior..

Those double fogs i dont like and the E should come standard in elegance and avantgarde with LED..

 

[klier]

^And that is what Mercedes is banking on.

And sadly it isn't quite working. People rather have a cheap E than no E, or they just don't care abou a LED strip.
I drove behind a beautiful E350 CGI coupé yesterday, and when I passed the man driving, I saw the double fogs and was like

 

[tennmb]

Our store owns a Jag and MB franchise.
I wouldn't say the Jags materials are better. They aren't. Their styling is more flamboyant. The E is very stated and conservative. The jag is more flashy inside and out. Two different buyers.

 

[K-A]

But Marcus, that is not what they said. They said the materials are top drawer along with excellent fit and finish.

"Let’s pass on the cloying interior superlatives—just eyeball a photo of the interior and shrivel with envy. The fit and finish are unsurpassed, most of the materials are top-drawer. It’s a Mercedes-Benz."

In short they thought it fabulous.

The interior is fine in the grand scheme of things. However, anyone who has a keen eye and doesn't automatically believe "whatever M-B releases is better in every which way than the model it replaced" without taking into account, technicalities and specifics, would notice how upsetting it is when the new E-Class has far more downgraded materials and areas, than the model it replaced, than it does upgraded (which are at a nicer Nappa steering wheel, more fancy and quality A/C unit, and bigger wood- which is a smoke-effect thing).

I can list a plethora of areas where the 212's interior upsets me VS the 211, I'll bet someone couldn't do the same arguing on the 212's side, besides basic "it's just better" umbrella statements.

I notice these things because I'm picky as sh**, and I when I look/ed at a 212 initially, I wanted to believe it would surpass *everything* I love about my car, so I can give M-Benz more of my moneys.

I agree with everything else though, solidity, and the strength of this car is unsurpassed (more high strength steel than any other Production Car), and they are a bargain really. I was looking at a brand new 212 E-350 with just 5K Miles on it for $45K, with the upgraded rims options, etc. In a year they'll dip in the $30's, hard to pass it up, now if I was just in love with the exterior and/or interior so much I couldn't resist....

 

[K-A]

Our store owns a Jag and MB franchise.
I wouldn't say the Jags materials are better. They aren't. Their styling is more flamboyant. The E is very stated and conservative. The jag is more flashy inside and out. Two different buyers.

True. What I like about the XF VS 212 in terms of interior, is the XF's attention to detail. I'd want the E's WAY more if I had kids, but the XF uses far softer, and plusher materials where the 212 uses questionable, "recycled" feeling plastic, and the XF uses very fancy fabric on the A/B/C Pillars and roof, where the 212 uses C-Class sandpaper gritty material. W211 also used a similar material as the XF in those areas, gives a richer feel.

 

[Untertürkheim]

True. What I like about the XF VS 212 in terms of interior, is the XF's attention to detail. I'd want the E's WAY more if I had kids, but the XF uses far softer, and plusher materials where the 212 uses questionable, "recycled" feeling plastic, and the XF uses very fancy fabric on the A/B/C Pillars and roof, where the 212 uses C-Class sandpaper gritty material. W211 also used a similar material as the XF in those areas, gives a richer feel.

Every single interior issue on the W212 is addressed with the designo interior. There is no plastic anywhere except buttons and AC vents, and any fabric above the doors is alcantara.

No car of this size, and very few larger, can come close to a W212 designo interior.

 

[K-A]

Every single interior issue on the W212 is addressed with the designo interior. There is no plastic anywhere except buttons and AC vents, and any fabric above the doors is alcantara.

No car of this size, and very few larger, can come close to a W212 designo interior.

That sounds very nice, haven't seen the designo. My main issue with the 212's interior, that just ruin the "expensive Luxury car" type of vibe are basically the legions of plastic everywhere, in some areas where the 211 had a more soothing carpet, as well some chancy plastics around the radio, and especially door area (very hard rubber "arm-rest", cheap gritty plasic at the bottom of the doors, etc.), and extremely crude and cheap C-Class sandpaper headliner, which is a stark contrast to the fancy material in the 211, etc.

I've heard the designo does fix this mostly, and even has a leather dash, which no 211 ever had if I'm not mistaken. Also, alcantra or any nice material on the roof and pillar linings make a WORLD of difference.

 

[Untertürkheim]

That sounds very nice, haven't seen the designo. My main issue with the 212's interior, that just ruin the "expensive Luxury car" type of vibe are basically the legions of plastic everywhere, in some areas where the 211 had a more soothing carpet, as well some chancy plastics around the radio, and especially door area (very hard rubber "arm-rest", cheap gritty plasic at the bottom of the doors, etc.), and extremely crude and cheap C-Class sandpaper headliner, which is a stark contrast to the fancy material in the 211, etc.

I've heard the designo does fix this mostly, and even has a leather dash, which no 211 ever had if I'm not mistaken. Also, alcantra or any nice material on the roof and pillar linings make a WORLD of difference.

The other, perhaps more important point is the leather grade. In the US, the W212 only comes with vinyl or regular leather, but in Europe, upgraded Nappa leather is available, but designo interiors have an even higher grade aneline leather.

 

[K-A]

The other, perhaps more important point is the leather grade. In the US, the W212 only comes with vinyl or regular leather, but in Europe, upgraded Nappa leather is available, but designo interiors have an even higher grade aneline leather.

Nice, aneline .

Yeah, when I found out even the E63 comes standard with the regular same grainy Leather as an E350 with optional Leather, i.e no more standard Nappa, I was shocked, not to mention no more standard alcantra headliner in the U.S for the AMG E-Class!

I understand in Europe those are still avail as options, and I'm still unclear as to whether they are in the U.S? Seems about all U.S E63's are sans them.

Also, it was a nice touch when before '07, E's with M-B Tex even had real leather for the front seat inserts, where you sit, makes for a world of difference, as sitting in any '07+ E, or C, to me, feels like sitting on rubber.

BTW is designo on the 212 avail in the U.S? If I were in the market for one I'd be all over that.

 

[Untertürkheim]

Nice, aneline .

Yeah, when I found out even the E63 comes standard with the regular same grainy Leather as an E350 with optional Leather, i.e no more standard Nappa, I was shocked, not to mention no more standard alcantra headliner in the U.S for the AMG E-Class!

I understand in Europe those are still avail as options, and I'm still unclear as to whether they are in the U.S? Seems about all U.S E63's are sans them.

Also, it was a nice touch when before '07, E's with M-B Tex even had real leather for the front seat inserts, where you sit, makes for a world of difference, as sitting in any '07+ E, or C, to me, feels like sitting on rubber.

BTW is designo on the 212 avail in the U.S? If I were in the market for one I'd be all over that.

I can not stand sitting in plastic seats, the stripped C loaner is the worst part of getting my car serviced.

The designo situation at MBUSA is a complete disaster. They discontinued the designo interiors for the W211 MY09, so I cancelled the order I had for a Bluetec. Now that I have been waiting so long for a diesel, I keep trying to find out what is happening with designo on the W212, and nobody can give me an answer except giving me dates of when they will know, and those dates have so far only been pushed back. They say there may be a diesel S, so I would opt for that, if it is true.

The most absurd part of the leather question is that the C207, which is cheaper than the W212, comes with leather standard, and the premium leather is the 8xx Nappa, with upgraded interior trim (not to mention that ventilated seats and suspension upgrades are also available on 6-cyl C207 while not on 6-cyl W212, only 8).

Bottom line, nearly everyone at MBUSA needs a flogging.

 

[Mr. M]

The car looks a bit odd with Elegance trim and the AMG Package.

 

[SKY]

The other, perhaps more important point is the leather grade. In the US, the W212 only comes with vinyl or regular leather, but in Europe, upgraded Nappa leather is available, but designo interiors have an even higher grade aneline leather.

Could you please post some pics of the Designo interior of thew W212?.

 

[K-A]

I can not stand sitting in plastic seats, the stripped C loaner is the worst part of getting my car serviced.

The designo situation at MBUSA is a complete disaster. They discontinued the designo interiors for the W211 MY09, so I cancelled the order I had for a Bluetec. Now that I have been waiting so long for a diesel, I keep trying to find out what is happening with designo on the W212, and nobody can give me an answer except giving me dates of when they will know, and those dates have so far only been pushed back. They say there may be a diesel S, so I would opt for that, if it is true.

The most absurd part of the leather question is that the C207, which is cheaper than the W212, comes with leather standard, and the premium leather is the 8xx Nappa, with upgraded interior trim (not to mention that ventilated seats and suspension upgrades are also available on 6-cyl C207 while not on 6-cyl W212, only 8).

Bottom line, nearly everyone at MBUSA needs a flogging.

Jeez. MBUSA has goofed with the 212, very sloppy. Thank the American public, for they don't give a DAMN about true interior quality in a Benz, i.e as long as it has the badge, they believe it's the "best", hence they're sitting their butts on PLASTIC, lol. Same reason average buyers don't complain when M-B obviously decontents materials in areas where the previous model was okay, especially the E63 (no more alcantra, Nappa, in U.S).

THAANK YOU. I always thought I was some spoiled brat (which I'm not, worked for every penny I have and bought each car in full, used to drive beaters, etc.) when I want to vomit while sitting in the rubber/plastic interior of a 204. I love getting a free Loaner, but I always cringe when it's a 204. I demand more from "Mercedes-Benz". At the very least they could use genuine leather inserts, my car has them, and when you're driving, your whole backside thanks you.

 

[K-A]

The car looks a bit odd with Elegance trim and the AMG Package.

Actually, that's the standard look of them (in the U.S at least). It's simply the now "normal fare" for the 212 (another annoying thing by MBUSA IMO), i.e Sport package. No elegance trim. If you're speaking of the burl wood inside, I don't think they use black wood and white guages anymore for Sport models, seems they're all individual options inside (no more white guages option though I don't think), unlike the W211 which had a different interior code for Sport and Elegance coded models.

 

[SKY]

Actually, that's the standard look of them (in the U.S at least). It's simply the now "normal fare" for the 212 (another annoying thing by MBUSA IMO), i.e Sport package. No elegance trim. If you're speaking of the burl wood inside, I don't think they use black wood and white guages anymore for Sport models, seems they're all individual options inside (no more white guages option though I don't think), unlike the W211 which had a different interior code for Sport and Elegance coded models.

The Elegance gauges are different form the Avantgarde ones, much more different than the ones on the W211.

I respect you dislike some thing MB does, but honestly, every post I read form you is always about the same: complainning about something MB does.