So, today was the day.
I had a salesman at a local dealer stay on the look out for an e500 for me. One came in today. He called. I went.
It was a 1994 dark grey with 17" AMg monoblocks and 245/40 Michelins all around.
It ambient temp was about 28, so pretty hot.
I do not mean to sound disapointed, but I think I was. Other E500 owners, please do not take my comments in a bad way.
My impression is this:
I do not like the interior. Wood looks too fake, archaic climate controls. I guess maybe this is because the only real experience I have with M-B is with my 99 CLK.
I could not find a way to turn off the traction control.
The interior fan noise (from the A/C fan) was deafening.
The car would start in 2nd gear unless you manually selected 1st. Off the line at part throttle actually seemed sluggish.
Full throttle acceleration was pretty good, especially as speeds increased. Maybe it was the hot weather, but this car did not have neck snapping acceleration (don't get me wrong, it could really move on the freeway).
The on center feel of the steering was quite loose. There seemed to be play in the linkage somehow. Other than that, the steering was fine.
Nice exhaust rumble.
Maybe I was just expecting to much, or maybe there was something wrong with the car, but I was not blown away with my test drive. A friend of mine was along as well, and said the same.
The delear wants $48k (cdn) for the car. It has 100,000k and the trunk and hood have been repainted (good job). Is this too much $ ?
Any comments ? Did a drive a dud ?
I like the look of the car from the ouside (nice fenders)and it was rock solid at speed.

I can't understand why the real wood in the car you drove looks fake...mine's beautiful, as is the wood in the others I've driven. Pain in the butt to maintain, but truly pretty if a bit austere.

There simply is no way to disable traction control in a stock 500, so don't bother looking. Requires that you buy the ASR-disable harness from the aftermarket.

Steering sounds goofy; perhaps an alignment was called for? These cars are noted for their steering feel and accuracy; Porsche at its finest in terms of dialing in accuracy. The period articles from the car magazines bear this out consistently.

Also, 245/40-17s are the wrong size; the car calls for 245/45.

The A/C fan was shot; it's normally pretty quiet in a W124. But admittedly the A/C system is kinda archaic in its operation compared to the newer stuff.

Yeah, in second gear, at low speed they do feel sluggish; however, they're meant to be smooth when you don't have your boot into it and can be driven as docilely as a 600 Pullman on demand. IMHO, that's half the allure of these cars; they epitomize the velvet hammer theme.

Be advised that the 500E (likewise the E55 and Jag XJR) is a deceptively fast car; basically, the proverbial "butt dyno" equates accelerative force with good 'ole NVH (noise, vibration & harshness), all of which have been quite thoroughly engineered out of these cars. Even the adaptive damping kicks in with up to 3,200 lbs. of pressure to the rear struts to reduce squat on launch My wife to this day contends that my old 5.0 'stang felt faster; on its best day it was a mid-15 sec. car in the 1/4, and the 500 will run high 13s all day long. But it does so in a tremendously sophisticated fashion, which hardly describes the vast majority of cars that can keep up with a 500E.

Yeah, I'm biased, but tough crap They're not everyone's cup of tea, but mine suits me just fine...no offense taken.

Good luck with your purchase!




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Best regards, Michael
'92 500E
'88 300TE

[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 08-26-2000).]

Hey Trent...you're absolutely right with all of your comments except the loose steering. Get that fixed 'cause she should be stable all the way to the speed limiter. Everything else is typical of the E500.

But think about it...the car was designed for the autobahn, not stoplight racing. If you want an effortless trip to Whistler, or see downtown Banff in 45 min., you have the right car. If you intend to drive through the winter, the 2nd gear start and ASR will make is possible and safe.

As far as the interior appointments, the W124 chassis E500 is styled from another era - where "coachbuilt" had meaning. If you want modern, buy a new car. If you want quality, you cannot find a finer ride than your E500.

Say, join up with the Alberta section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (mailto: sirens@v-wave.com) and we can talk in person on Sept. 24th, when they have their AGM at Chestermere Lake. See you there!


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Dean Albrecht
94 E500
99 ML320

www.need2speed.web.com

Trent,

If you want a car that's fun to drive in the city, get a 2.3-16 or a C36. If you want a car that hauls on the highway without FEELING like it's trying, get a 500.

That was the whole point and appeal of the 500. The Greman brochure for the 500E intro was titled "Feuer und Seide" Fire and Silk. This is a true dual purpose car.

About the interior...personally I like the 500E interior compared to the E55's. I think that the 500E's interior is warmer and more inviting. But that's just me.

The thing to remember is that you can't fairly judge a 500E by today's standards. It's similar to comparing a 6.3 to the 500E and saying the 500E is a "better" car. It may be so in many ways, but it's all subjective.

Personally, I have more fun driving my 16V than the 500, but for long trips, I'd rather have the 500.

Just my 2 cents (that's Canadian currency)

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Cheers!

Yen-Hsen Liem
'93 500E black pearl/black leather; 89,000km; 245/45-ZR17 Michelin Pilot SX; 17x8.25 factory EvoII
'93 500E bornit(blackberry)/black leather; 69,000km; european delivery; 245/45-ZR17 Michelin Pilot SX; 17x8.25 factory EvoII
'88 560SL desert taupe/dark brown leather; 89,000km; Euro headlights
'87 190E 2.3-16 black pearl/black leather; 55,000mi
'70 280SL white/red; 135,000mi (original); factory alloys; Euro headlights

[This message has been edited by yhliem (edited 09-01-2000).]

Trent,
As noted above the 245/40/17 tires were the wrong size. 225/55/16 was OEM, the 17" non-staggered plus fittment is 245/45/17.

If memory serves 28 C is approx 75 F so that really isn't that hot. When the temp is in that range they usually are pretty stout. Nothing like when it gets down around 40 F or so...

The interior is largely subjective but the fan shouldn't be very loud. The wood is quite real and actually of higher quality than anything you'll find in a CLK. The climate controls are dated but they still work. You have to do without a few features on the newer cars (dual zone, rest mode, etc) but it does work well. (even if a bit utilitarian) The build quality of the interior is something you will not be able to get today but the style is also very different. This is where the subjectivity comes in....

The 2nd gear start is normal. When it was produced MB was trying to preserve a much more conservative image. The 2nd gear start was part of this. However, the car should give you first gear off the line if you give it more than 40% throttle. (without shifting) If the car didn't, check the tranny and switches.... There is an aftermarket "fix" for the 2nd gear start.

As far as acceleration goes...those cars are VERY deceptive. I've had people in mine who asked me why we were going so slow until they looked at the speedo and saw we were going 20mph over already. They go faster with less fuss than anything else out there. There are faster cars, but none of them go as fast with as little fuss. Super sleeper.... Actual measured acceleration of these cars when the temp is low (with G-Tech and dragstrip timeslips) puts 0-60 in the low 5's with the 1/4 being in the low-mid 13's. As temps rise so does the times. Even at 100+F ambient temps you should still hit 60mph at 6 seconds with the 1/4 right around 14 secs. The freaky thing about these cars is that they can put up numbers like that all the while making you feel like its slow (or at least could use more power). I had someone used to driving an E420 drive mine once. She kicked it down just as she was getting on the highway at about 60-70mph. She was only on the gas a second or two until she "felt" like she was up to merging speed. She then looks down and realizes she is traveling 120mph. This is from someone who is used to driving the 500E's "little brother" E420. On stock tires these cars have been known to spin the tires loose (trip ASR) both off the line and again after they have hooked up when the engine gets between its torque and HP curves. About the time they hook up again its time to change gears and another ASR trip. With properly sized performance type 245 tires it is far less of a problem. Yet another example of their deceptive power is a little test I noticed. There is this stoplight before a bridge near where I live. I can launch in the C36 or a E420 and be at approx 60-70mph by the time I get to the bridge. In the 500E I'm almost in triple digits by the same point yet it "feels" the same.

Have your dealer do something about the steering. These cars are super precise 100% of the time. If that one wasn't, there is a reason...

The 500E's forte is not 0-60 or even 1/4 mile. There are certainly faster (feeling and actual) cars there. The 500's are designed to be autobahn battlecruisers of the highest order. Stand on the gas at 80mph and hang on! There is almost nothing that will stay with one from 80mph to 155mph that is even close to being a daily driver type car.

If you are looking for something that feels faster 0-60 and has a more modern interior I would recommend a C36 or C43. They feel faster (though the best run I've had with the C36 on a cool night is almost as quick as the worst run on a hot day in the 500E) run cooler, and have a much more modern look/feel. The C-AMG's are more nimble than the 500E but do not feel as stable at speed. I would advise you to drive an example of those before settling on the E500. Its not "which car is best" its "which car is best for you".

Hope this helps...Lee

I agree the e500 is a very fine automobile. I guess it just isn't my cup of tea.
However, I have found a car that is.
The E55.
My good gawd, this is an awesum machine. To my taste, the interior is beautiful and extremely comfortable. Those seats are great (even better than my ortho seats)
The power is simply breathtaking. The phrase that fits this car is "If you plant your right foot, you had better know where it is that you are going, because you will be there very quickly"

I envy those that have one of these. My first drive was of a 2000 model, and I was blown away by the entire package (power, looks, braking, handling etc)
My new goal is to obtain one ASAP.
Hmm, must sell something to come up with cash.
Anyone know the going rate for a soul ??

I opted for the "second mortgage" option after my E55 test drive. The car provides me with speed, handling and braking ability far beyond those of mortal cars. And, my wife can take it grocery shopping and drive the kids to school, then take it for a blast at Pocono Raceway. The 500E and E55 are designed as family sedans that perform. I enjoy the ability to pass Corvettes and Porsches and other sport cars with passengers as witness The E55 is my first European car. It's the BEST all around car I ever owned in every respect. However, if you are looking for neck-snapping, glued to the seat back feeling, you need to look at the CLK 55 or a less refined sports car.
Just my $.02
Gary

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http://clubs.snap.com/mercedesbenze55registry/index.lhtml
00 AMG E55
96 DCM Impala SS
94 ZR-1
81 Corvette Cpe

Nice to know you have an E55.

I have driven E55 and 500E with 17's. I do like the E55, but the 500E appeals more to me. The handling seems to be a bit better, maybe it was just the specimen I drove. Engine also had a much better noise even if it was not quite as fast. My personal favorite though is W126 AMG 500. 310 hp, not that fast, but feels it. On that, handling could use a little work though as with all W126's.

1985 Euro Spec 500SEL 120k
1988 300E manual 117k
looking for 190E 2.3-16 near the philly area if u know of any. I have seen a few around

hawkpfc2,

I'm pretty sure a 500E will keep up with an E55; at least I'm sure some of the early ones will Just yesterday I recorded 3 sub-5.2 second 0-60 times (per G-Tech): 5.12, 5.18, 5.16. so they go pretty good.

I bought a 500E because it always appealed to me. I have since driven an E55 and prefer the 500; both very nice cars, but the 500 feels just a bit more involved. and the way the flared fenders sorta pour over the big tires looks neat too IMHO.

To each his own: buy what suits you because you can't go wrong.


[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 10-15-2000).]

Geez, Michael, you're going to have that puppy under 5 seconds before it's over, aren't you? For a 3800-plus pound car, that's strolling!