Wowza - The new MB E350 is pretty schweet

[Klackamas]

I looked at them online today, both the coupe and the sedan. Then I took a look at the BMW 528. For the price, I think BMW has really slipped up. The lowest powered 5 series clocks in at 50 grand and can't match the redesigned E class, which is right at 50K. Then I took a look at the Infiniti M35 and Audi A6 as an alternative. They're both right at 46K.   Although I do have a softspot for the A5 coupe.

My mother is in the market for a new car to replace her '99 MB C230. But it looks like MB is making a heck of a comeback in value compared to the others. I'll have to take a test drive next week of several of these. But I was suprised how Mercedes has held the cost on the E-class while the others have risen.

[CALL_911]

 

The 528i's base price is $45,800. Obviously, no one every buys a 528i specced out like that, but I'm sure most don't buy stripper E-Classes either. The 535i starts at $51,100.

[68_427]

Wait for the new M.

[hotrodalex]

Wait for the new M.

Sorry, there will be no M model for the 5 series. BMW decided that the GT model was a better choice.

[cawimmer430]

My mother is in the market for a new car to replace her '99 MB C230. But it looks like MB is making a heck of a comeback in value compared to the others. I'll have to take a test drive next week of several of these. But I was suprised how Mercedes has held the cost on the E-class while the others have risen.

I think the E-Class will suit your mom just fine if she's into comfort, refinement and safety. And the good news is the price has remained virtually the same as the previous W211. Value is something that MB isn't know for but then again when you're shopping for an MB that really isn't much of an issue. Besides, the new W212 comes well equipped with features that most people will find useful.

Keep us updated. 

[ifcar]

I think the E-Class will suit your mom just fine if she's into comfort, refinement and safety. And the good news is the price has remained virtually the same as the previous W211. Value is something that MB isn't know for but then again when you're shopping for an MB that really isn't much of an issue. Besides, the new W212 comes well equipped with features that most people will find useful.

Keep us updated. 

Which is good, because the old one would not suit her if she's into safety.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=703

That's worse than many subcompacts.

[CALL_911]

Which is good, because the old one would not suit her if she's into safety.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=703

That's worse than many subcompacts.

What does that have to do with anything?

We're not talking about the old one.

[cawimmer430]

Which is good, because the old one would not suit her if she's into safety.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=703

That's worse than many subcompacts.

How much did Lexus pay the IIHS? 

[ifcar]

What does that have to do with anything?

We're not talking about the old one.

The new one hasn't been tested. My point is that MB certainly doesn't have a recent history (or heritage) of top safety to fall back on until it has.

[CALL_911]

How much did Lexus pay the IIHS? 

Since MB has history and heritage and whatnot, shouldn't they be at least rich enough to pay off the IIHS in a similar manner?

The new one hasn't been tested. My point is that MB certainly doesn't have a recent history (or heritage) of top safety to fall back on until it has.

That car doesn't really look "unsafe" to me, it's got "good" ratings all over the score sheet. I'm not sure how they arrived at a cumulative "average."

[ifcar]

Since MB has history and heritage and whatnot, shouldn't they be at least rich enough to pay off the IIHS in a similar manner?

That car doesn't really look "unsafe" to me, it's got "good" ratings all over the score sheet. I'm not sure how they arrived at a cumulative "average."

I'd say it had something to do with the fractured ribs and internal injuries.

A car that's Good -- like, for example, a Toyota Yaris -- gets top ratings in at least all but one or two categories.

[cawimmer430]

There's an article in the latest AMS about the differences of European and American safety testing. I'll scan it tonight.

In Europe the W211 has gotten great ratings for safety. I suppose in the US the scores are different because you test with "more weight' (given the abundance of so many overweight SUVs in your market).

[ifcar]

There's an article in the latest AMS about the differences of European and American safety testing. I'll scan it tonight.

In Europe the W211 has gotten great ratings for safety. I suppose in the US the scores are different because you test with "more weight' (given the abundance of so many overweight SUVs in your market).

So Mercedeses are fine if you hit them with a Polo, but Lord help them if you get into an accident with something bigger.

[cawimmer430]

So Mercedeses are fine if you hit them with a Polo, but Lord help them if you get into an accident with something bigger.

Obviously not. The W211 is a safe car according to many sources. It will be interesting to see why the results in the IIHS were so different.

[sportyaccordy]

2011 Infiniti M.

[Submariner]

At first, the car looks nice, but after a while, the lines look more and more overdramatic...In other words, they need to tone it down before it can be called a really good looking car.

[hotrodalex]

For all the crap Bangle gets for his designs, other companies seem to follow his design philosophies a lot..

[Raza]

For all the crap Bangle gets for his designs, other companies seem to follow his design philosophies a lot..

They're lemmings.  They all did the same thing with iDrive-like control knob systems. 

[ifcar]

For all the crap Bangle gets for his designs, other companies seem to follow his design philosophies a lot..

Yeah, but their starting points aren't BMWs.

[Morris Minor]

At first, the car looks nice, but after a while, the lines look more and more overdramatic...In other words, they need to tone it down before it can be called a really good looking car.

I would characterize it as "overwrought," but the basic lines aren't too bad. (For sheer, deal-breaking, irredeemable hideousness you cannot beat Acura).

[SVT32V]

I'd say it had something to do with the fractured ribs and internal injuries.

A car that's Good -- like, for example, a Toyota Yaris -- gets top ratings in at least all but one or two categories.

The side impact rating is interesting from many points of view, a smaller car does have an advantage in such cases as we have discussed before.

Since side impact ratings are carried out with a 3000 lb sled pretend SUV (not many SUVs weigh so little but that is another point), why not have this sled used for front and rear impacts.

This would allow the consumer to directly compare cars across the board unlike hitting a barrier that only takes the weight of the car into account.

[ifcar]

The side impact rating is interesting from many points of view, a smaller car does have an advantage in such cases as we have discussed before.

Since side impact ratings are carried out with a 3000 lb sled pretend SUV (not many SUVs weigh so little but that is another point), why not have this sled used for front and rear impacts.

This would allow the consumer to directly compare cars across the board unlike hitting a barrier that only takes the weight of the car into account.

It would certainly be an interesting way to do the frontal crash test -- that or driving the test car into a barrier that's just sitting there like another car rather than being mounted in place.

I cite the Yaris for its price and for the "it's unsafe!" notion given to small cars. There are also plenty of vehicles as heavy as the E-Class and less expensive that have aced the test, too.

[Klackamas]

Which is good, because the old one would not suit her if she's into safety.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=703

That's worse than many subcompacts.

That's important. She did manage to smash her 1999 c230 into a cop car (with the cop parked and in it) a couple of years ago. 

Both the cop and the ins co. found her not at fault for trying to avoid road hazard, but still...it's one for the books. The whole damn thing cost more to fix than it was worth, but State Farm laid out the money to repair it. Took 3 months to repair. I'm very surprised at the way the whole thing went down.