Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E 300 4Matic Sedan

[OliverD]

The Genesis hasn't changed people's demands and expectations in this class yet, unlike the original Lexus LS400. The E-class and 5-series sell just fine despite their high prices.

[Ex-airbalancer]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

But how many of these car are bought compared to leased
It the dollars per month that sell these cars

[johngenx]

Can't say this applies today, but back when I was still buying MB's, the owner of the dealership explained:

C-Class: High percentage cash buyers, with many cars purchased by existing MB owners as second cars.
E-Class: High percentage leased, mostly working people wanting a luxury car.
S-Class: High percentage cash buyers, mostly business owners and very high income professionals.
SL-Class: A real split.  Leasing buyers stretching for their dream car, the other half cash buyers adding an SL to a "fleet."

[sacrat]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

SHHHHH!!! If Northernridge reads this we've got a three page thread on real vs. perceived value 

[Northernridge]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

SHHHHH!!! If Northridge reads this we've got a three page thread on real vs. perceived value 

Too late! I'm on it like a fat kid on a Smarty. 

It's all relative...I'm baffled why anyone would spend $40k on an Escape.

I'm not taking the bait on the Genesis.

[Fobroader]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

SHHHHH!!! If Northridge reads this we've got a three page thread on real vs. perceived value 

Too late! I'm on it like a fat kid on a Smarty. 

It's all relative...I'm baffled why anyone would spend $40k on an Escape.

I'm not taking the bait on the Genesis.

Someone who is looking at a $70k+ Mercedes isnt even going to consider the Hyundai, as great as the Genesis is. If I had that kind of money and wanted to treat myself, Id spend the money on the rondel or the 3 pointed star. The E class and 5 series are really nice cars and there isnt a whole lot on the market that will touch them for build quality, handling, looks..... Where the Infinity, Lexus, Hyundai argument really comes in is the C class/3 series, where you can have a whole lot of options that are as good or better than the Germans. Not talking about the AMG/M cars, those are in special bottle, on the top shelf, where the Japanese and Koreans cant reach.

[whaddaiknow]

...It's all relative...I'm baffled why anyone would spend $40k on an Escape...

Well put, Sir, very well put 

[SaskSpecV]

...It's all relative...I'm baffled why anyone would spend $40k on an Escape...

Well put, Sir, very well put 

But does the trunk of an E-class pop open if you wave your foot under the bumper (like on the Escape...)

I think it would be a really interesting experiment to query the foremost reason WHY someone buys the car he/she does.  I predict the #1 response would be "I just liked it..."

[Soram6275]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

But how many of these car are bought compared to leased
It the dollars per month that sell these cars

I agree.  Most people lease these things anyway, even those that can afford to buy it with cash...the reason: no affluent person wants to be seen in and/or driving the same car more than 2 or 3 years maximum...also write it off as business expense...etc.  And the lease rates are very reasonable.  The higher the resale value, the lower the lease rate - typically.  And the Germans hold their value quite high as opposed to domestic brands.

[whaddaiknow]

I think it would be a really interesting experiment to query the foremost reason WHY someone buys the car he/she does.  I predict the #1 response would be "I just liked it..."

And if they were honest, the #1 response would probably be "I really wanted to buy the E550 but the Escape is all I could afford at the moment..."

[sacrat]

But does the trunk of an E-class pop open if you wave your foot under the bumper (like on the Escape...)

Additionally the E-class doesn't spontaneously catch fire like the Escape, making the excellent seat heaters a must...

[Snowman]

My business partner has a 2011 E350 and I have driven it a lot. For a middle-aged suit type like him (or me for that matter) the car is perfect. It is easy to drive and feels like a tank.

But $70,000 for one of these? No way this car is worth that kind of money. A Hyundai Geneses 3.8 retails at around $42,000. All the Acura Lexus and Infiniti cars are like $25k less than this and they are all darned good cars.

This is really big buck motoring, ladies and germs. The depreciation on the first year alone would be $20k. Ouch!

SHHHHH!!! If Northridge reads this we've got a three page thread on real vs. perceived value 

Too late! I'm on it like a fat kid on a Smarty. 

It's all relative...I'm baffled why anyone would spend $40k on an Escape.

I'm not taking the bait on the Genesis.

  Well said.

[teflon]

The E300 has a de-tuned DIRECT INJECTION 3.5 liter engine from the E350, not an old port injection engine. This engine is also used on C300. Unfortunately, the Canadian MB website doesn't specify the type of injection used on this model. It can be checked on the US webiste though for the C300 model.

[sailor723]

I'd still argue that there is a very different "feel" between the German cars and their Asian competitors. You can argue endlessly which is better or which offer better value but in the end it comes down to personal preference between different "types" of cars. When my wife bought her 328 last year it came down to a C class or the BMW. She drove Infiniti, Lexus and Acura but preferred the interiors and driving characteristics of the Germans.

[Mike]

The E300 has a de-tuned DIRECT INJECTION 3.5 liter engine from the E350, not an old port injection engine. This engine is also used on C300. Unfortunately, the Canadian MB website doesn't specify the type of injection used on this model. It can be checked on the US webiste though for the C300 model.

You are correct.  I'll have to fix that up

[sacrat]

The E300 has a de-tuned DIRECT INJECTION 3.5 liter engine from the E350, not an old port injection engine. This engine is also used on C300. Unfortunately, the Canadian MB website doesn't specify the type of injection used on this model. It can be checked on the US webiste though for the C300 model.

You are correct.  I'll have to fix that up

Being a detuned version of the same DI engine makes me ask "Why?". Do they really cut costs detuning an existing powerplant for a base model ? Seems pointless...

[Mike]

The E300 has a de-tuned DIRECT INJECTION 3.5 liter engine from the E350, not an old port injection engine. This engine is also used on C300. Unfortunately, the Canadian MB website doesn't specify the type of injection used on this model. It can be checked on the US webiste though for the C300 model.

You are correct.  I'll have to fix that up

Being a detuned version of the same DI engine makes me ask "Why?". Do they really cut costs detuning an existing powerplant for a base model ? Seems pointless...

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

And the Germans hold their value quite high as opposed to domestic brands.

The some of the cars with the highest depreciation rates are German. The S-class, BMW 7 series and especially the A8 have absolutely dismal resale.

Additionally the E-class doesn't spontaneously catch fire like the Escape, making the excellent seat heaters a must...

Other models are particularly hot:

[mmret]

The E300 has a de-tuned DIRECT INJECTION 3.5 liter engine from the E350, not an old port injection engine. This engine is also used on C300. Unfortunately, the Canadian MB website doesn't specify the type of injection used on this model. It can be checked on the US webiste though for the C300 model.

You are correct.  I'll have to fix that up

Being a detuned version of the same DI engine makes me ask "Why?". Do they really cut costs detuning an existing powerplant for a base model ? Seems pointless...

This has nothing to do with cost cutting. This is just to ensure that there is enough daylight between an E300 and E350 so that both have their place.

Lets say the E300 had the old 350 (268hp). Now the ~300hp DI 350 doesn't look like a big enough step up (although it does have better fuel econ, which is good, but that's a really weird selling point for engine upgrades).

So then you have to squeeze more power out of the DI 3.5 which perhaps they don't wish to do for various reasons:
-technical limitations
-keep some in reserve for late model cycle upgrade
-have to keep distance between this and the E550 (old M273 5.5L, updated from the one in my CLK, but still old and port injected)


So for the above reasons, plus the fact that the 528 is around 240hp IIRC, means that a detuned 250hp engine makes perfect sense.

[whaddaiknow]

The some of the cars with the highest depreciation rates are German. The S-class, BMW 7 series and especially the A8 have absolutely dismal resale.

You might as well add Lexus LS460 to that too. A fully loaded '08 LS460 with under 100k can be had to $30k.
All flagship models of ALL manufacturers have dismal resale values for apparent reasons - rich people don't buy 'used', 'poor' people can't afford to keep them on the road. Nothing to do with quality