European E500 Driving Impressions

[need2speed]

One of the really nice things about having my web site is the contacts I make with other 500E/E500 owners across the globe. A Finnish journalist living in Germany recently sent me this note about driving his E500:

Merry Christmas and Happy 2003!
I have done 10 000 mls with the E500 and enjoy every minute. There has been no trouble. Recently I wne to report on the dismantling of the shut-down GDR nuclear power station near Greifswald, went up from Berlin towards the Stettin border and then took the newly-opened East-West Autobahn towards Hamburg for the first time. (It is not complete all the way yet.)
I could set the cruise control at indicated 260 km/h at 6 000 rpm and lope along for ten miles or so, as the road is well made and had almost no traffic - sadly rare in Germany these days. The old girl just whooshed on and there was not much need to raise voices with my photographer, though I forgot to test the necessary radio level.
The E500 felt more stable in the side wind we had than the current S500 was in the introduction drive in Southern Germany. The S500 tried to swing a bit too sharply in gusts. But this was just like a sweet dream, and I find I am trying to find reasons to drive that way again.
Another pleasing thing was that the previous owner Mr Moss phoned from Munich and wanted to know if I was happy with the car. Moss is a German film producer and a pleasant man. He said the Carrera he got instead feels boring and makes him miss the E500. It seems hard to recover from this affair.
I do not see many E500/500E´s around - have spotted perhaps half a dozen over the past year. One thing is running them is getting expensive - I pay 542 euros tax a year which is about the same number in USD and I read it is due to double or something in the next few years. The tax on my wife´s Smart is 30 euros, so I see some intent to punish the big-bore sinners in the official thinking. Sad to say, but Germany being big, this may be the way all EU is heading.
On the other hand, that should make for some nice pickings for US buyers over here.
Well, much success with your fine project and the rest.
Jukka Luoma

[need2speed]

Jukka sent a follow-up note I'd also like to share...he really has a wonderful way with words:

I share your viewpoints on the overall quality. I had a 280S manual of the W126 series for six years, most of which were spent as a correspondent in Moscow (from Brezhnev to Gorbachev) which I think perfect from this point of view. My 190E 2.6 auto in Bonn was almost equally fine. With these cars I learned to appreciate the no-nonsense house style.
The E500 is let down only by the Nokia mobile set which squeaks on broken-up roads. Finnish quality not at its best, I am sad to say. The car is the best of both the old and new worlds, I think. Old enough to be a driving machine, the character of which does not come from a computer program. New enough for me to stay put in while the car world goes on to change in ways I do not care for.
It is also a reaffirmation of faith in human dignity to drive a car the makers of which have had confidence in themselves and competence to back it up.
If I did a new story on the E500 I might argue it belongs to the long Western Aristotle-Leonardo-Enlightement project of reason and beauty based on measure.
It´s a beautiful Winter day in Berlin, so Marita and I will pile into the Smart and go eat some Wurst and Reibekuchen (potato and cream pancakes) at some Xmas Market. Not the Merc as it´s chilly and I have not yet invested in winter tyres.

[placo1]

Dean,

Thank you for taking the time to post that, it really is amazing the following this car has. I wish we had a place like the Autobahn to really open up our cars. Is your friend a member of this site as well?

I'm really glad you take the time to maintain your website, I send many friends there regularly when trying to explain the subtleties of this car. It's great reading as well with all your articles.

[run.exe]

= I5

[need2speed]

Hey Afshin: Thanks for the encouragement. I know that what I post at need2speed is information, but what I get from the wonderful people at mercedesshop.com is knowledge

Scott: I only have ONE thing to say to you....hwy 318 (be there) :p

[ESVIC]

That's right Extreme...I-5 SF to WA ....We just moved from the Bay Area to WA. Great drive!!! One of my friends said he met you at the last meet at BenzSport. Joel drives a stroked 190E - 2.3 16v. I'm flying him here to WA to install the 1st gear start.