Does anyone have experience with the braking system on the new E-Class? I think I could probably adapt to it's differences but doubt that my wife could.

I've heard that if you lift your foot off the throttle quickly going into a curve that the car will overbrake. I've also heard that it's difficult to stop smoothly.

Any feedback would be appreciated because I've got my eye on a new E320.

The word is that the E350 will be imported into the US in the 2004 model year. I'm glad I didn't buy an E320.

BTW, it's about time Mercedes increased the power in this model since even Accords and Camrys have more power than the E320 and cost half the price.

If you release the throttle pedal abruptly, the pads will be taken out to the rotor, but the brake will NOT apply, it is just making sure the brake pads are as close as possible to the rotor (this part of the system I believe is called "Pre-charging"). If the brake pedal is then abruptly pushed, it will apply the maximum amount of braking (without skidding of course), which is more or less imitating what was being done on the non-SBC brakes with the BAS (brake assist system).

As far as being jerky, there is an integrated system called Softstop which is supposed to make the last few feet of the stop smoother than without this system.

Gilly

I have had my 211 E320 for 8 months and find the brakes superb.
They are very direct and apply instantly but not savagely.
When you first start driving the car they seem a little too quick to come into play but after a week you will wonder why every other car you drive has soggy imprecise brakes - particularly in the initial phase of applying the brakes.
My wife has an ML 270CDI and I know the brakes are good but the initial pedal feel seems sloppy after the E320 brakes.

WGB

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Mead

Thanks for the replies. I wonder how long it will take Toyota to copy this on their Lexus

When this was introduced to us in MB school, they told us that a pretty well respected auto reporter (for the NY Times or some other big newspaper) said that it will be probably 10 years before another manufacturer will have anything like SBC. Maybe that means MB holds alot of patents on SBC, and can't the holder of a patent keep others from using it for 10 years? I think that's why SAAB was the only one using that ionic process for knock/misfire detection up until a couple years ago. MB now finally is using it on the new V12 engine (M137).

Gilly

If you switch cars frequently, it takes some practice to brake the new E smoothly the last 15- 25 feet when the cars in front of you gradually stopping for the light. But if you drive it all the time, then it is not difficult to get the hang of it. I do encounter some minor issue of modulating the brake to a smooth stop when I switch car, but after driving for a while, you will get used to it

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Flash Gordon

2003 E500 BlackOpal/Charcoal

2004 Infiniti G35X

I wonder what happens with Valet parking