2011 Mercedes E350 4Matic - Superb long distance cruiser.

[pezzy669]

I bought my gently used (78k mile) '11 E350 4Matic back in August and just last weekend was finally able to take it on its first long journey, until then it was just used to rattle around town and for my daily 3 mile each way commute to work (and no its not a bike friendly or public transit easy commute).

Piled on ~800 miles (~400 miles each way) and I do have to say I was incredibly impressed with the long distance cruiser aspect of my newest MB. My C300 was a great long distance car but the E350 is much more relaxed.

Fuel Economy:

Fuel economy was far better than expected via the OBC, the '11 4Matic is rated at 24 MPG hwy and based on my '09 C300 experiences I was anticipating ~25 MPG. The more relaxed cruise down to Florida where I kept the cruise ~78 MPH the OBC was reporting 26.9 MPG and we had a notch above 1/4 tank left after ~380 miles, the return we were just ready to get back so were cruising closer to ~85 MPH most of the way the OBC was reporting 25 MPG and I was a notch under 1/4 tank. I didn't do any hand calculations as there were so many variables to take into account and I was honestly too lazy, we were in a rush to leave Atlanta on the way down and just ready to get home on the return. CostCo tank on the way down was ~$43 ($2.49/gal), Shell on the way back was $56 ($3.09/gal) - lets drop lets say 5 gallons @ $2.75 off for leftover fuel and it was $85 in gas to take two people ~800 miles round trip. Delta non-stop would have been $400 at best for ~3.5 hours travel time savings each way, MegaBus would have been $160 round trip at best for an extra hour each way travel time.

Comfort:

This is definitely a long distance cruiser. My C300 was hyper in comparison and required constant watch of its trajectory, the E350 you just keep a pinky finger on the wheel to make slight adjustments here and there and you are golden. Just as a test I let go of the wheel on a very long straight stretch of road (yes no cars around) and it was a good 15 seconds before I had to make any corrections to avoid leaving my lane. Overall riding comfort was great, I did experience some back pain while I was on vacation and after I returned home but I can't quite pin that down whether it was the car or the guest bed I was sleeping in. Driving though neither one of us were uncomfortable in the seats.

Performance:

Not much to be said here. Despite the lowish power #'s (268 HP) vs its competitors and the extra weight and drag of 4Matic there is never a wanting of more power in my opinion. Just like my old C300 - its 'just right'.

Anyhow just wanted to give my quick opinion on a medium haul in an E350. This was a quick test of a 17 hour each way jaunt I am taking in it come xmas to Minnesota so I knew what to expect. It has calmed some fears of taking it on that road trip.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Egg_Head]

What size tyres are on your Benz? I "inherited" a 2011 E350 4matic Estate (wagon). it has the AMG sport package with 245/40/18 wheels, I'm lucky to get 24 MPG and probably average 22-23 MPG.

 

[Astro14]

That's great! Glad you like your car.

My wife and I bought a 1992 300E on eBay as a 21st birthday present for our son. It was about 8 years ago. The car had 78,000 miles on it.

Picked it up in Hollywood FL, and it took two days to drive back up to Virginia Beach.

We both loved it as a highway cruiser. Smooth power from the M103 straight six. Great torque. Nice ride. Perfectly weighted, precise steering. Supportive seats.

I would buy another E class, including that old W124 body, in a heartbeat.

 

[pezzy669]

Originally Posted by Egg_Head
What size tyres are on your Benz? I "inherited" a 2011 E350 4matic Estate (wagon). it has the AMG sport package with 245/40/18 wheels, I'm lucky to get 24 MPG and probably average 22-23 MPG.


Same size tire as I have the Sport version - going to be honest I bought it with brand new Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval AS tires on it that are complete garbage. As much as I hate to dump nearly new tires into a waste dump the noise on these ones are horrific and I can't recommend them at all.

The wagon IIRC is 1 mpg less on the freeway than the sedan due to the weight and probably aero factors, only rated at 23 MPG hwy vs the sedan.

 

[pezzy669]

Originally Posted by Astro14
That's great! Glad you like your car.

My wife and I bought a 1992 300E on eBay as a 21st birthday present for our son. It was about 8 years ago. The car had 78,000 miles on it.

Picked it up in Hollywood FL, and it took two days to drive back up to Virginia Beach.

We both loved it as a highway cruiser. Smooth power from the M103 straight six. Great torque. Nice ride. Perfectly weighted, precise steering. Supportive seats.
I would buy another E class, including that old W124 body, in a heartbeat.


I had an '86 300E as my first car, it was extremely rough due to severe neglect on the part of my stepmother abusing it for its first 12 years before I inherited it but despite that it was still a tank. That car started my love for Mercedes Benz because it could put up with so much and still keep moving along. I 1,000% agree with your assessment of the W124, if I could find a mint one and had a driveway to park it in I would jump in a heartbeat, if it was a wagon version that would be even better!

 

[Pelican]

I had a 2008 E350 4Matic that I loved I was TBoned last year and it was totalled with 55K km. I've always considered the C class as a MB wannabe (no offence to anyone) it was for those that wanted to drive the MB name and not the MB car as its qualities begin at the E class. Marvellous long distance cruiser and not a slouch either in the city. Having said that these new MBs nor as well built as those of yore.

 

[KrisZ]

Good report.
Generally speaking, longer wheel base vehicles perform a lot better a cruising speeds. The long wheel base makes the whole platform more stable and relaxed feeling. That is why minivans are better highway cruisers than SUVs with similar weight.

 

[Pelican]

Why can I not find the edit button for my post? Wanted to correct something auto-correct did and cannot do it?!

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by Egg_Head
What size tyres are on your Benz? I "inherited" a 2011 E350 4matic Estate (wagon). it has the AMG sport package with 245/40/18 wheels, I'm lucky to get 24 MPG and probably average 22-23 MPG.


I have the sedan with the 17" tires. They came with 245/45/17's. The original owner had the Continential PureContacts on them and based on his records he got about 60k out of them so I ended up putting another set of those on there. I end up with around 25-27 on the highway but with a mix of city and highway it can be down to 22-23. The 7 speed is definitely better than the 5 speed in the W211. My 2008 only gets around 16-18 in the city and about 20-22 on the highway.

The 2012 would have been better for power, they went to 302hp for that year.

Mileage was high on mine, slightly under 100k but it had the options like keyless go, bixenons, parktronic and pano roof. I contemplated a C class class as it's just a second car which I'm kinda using as a replacement for my old beater, but the C class didn't really have any options and wasn't really that much cheaper used. There might be a 10k difference when new, but when it gets down to used prices, the E was only 2-3k more and to me, if you look carefully, you can find ones with decent options. I also have the dynamic seats with the massage function, I only use that on long drives. After a while it stops so I have to remember to turn it back on when it shuts off. I miss not having folding rear seats though, a 62k+ car and folding rear seats are a $440 option.

 

[pezzy669]

Originally Posted by Pelican
I had a 2008 E350 4Matic that I loved I was TBoned last year and it was totalled with 55K km. I've always considered the C class as a MB wannabe (no offence to anyone) it was for those that wanted to drive the MB name and not the MB car as its qualities begin at the E class. Marvellous long distance cruiser and not a slouch either in the city. Having said that these new MBs nor as well built as those of yore.


Surprisingly the W212 E brought back the marvelous MB engineering and I will go out on a limb and say it will be up there with the W124 and W210 as one of the best E's that MB has made. I concur with you on the C, I loved my '09 but it just never had that vault like feel of my W124 and even in Luxury trim with softer suspension I didn't feel it handled bumps and road imperfections like a Mercedes should. Don't even get me started on the CLA250 loaners I have had which even the brand new ones I had for short periods felt like major penalty boxes, I would take a nicely optioned Jetta before a CLA.

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Good report.
Generally speaking, longer wheel base vehicles perform a lot better a cruising speeds. The long wheel base makes the whole platform more stable and relaxed feeling. That is why minivans are better highway cruisers than SUVs with similar weight.


When I traveled extensively for work I was angry the first time I had no option but to take a Grand Caravan for a rental (Orlando - surprise surprise), after that first time with a Grand Caravan I actually sought them out. That had to be the absolute best long distance cruiser I have driven to date. Accidentally lighting up the front wheels because the Pentastar is a beast made me laugh when it happened, I learned to be a bit more gentle from a standing start.
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Egg_Head
What size tyres are on your Benz? I "inherited" a 2011 E350 4matic Estate (wagon). it has the AMG sport package with 245/40/18 wheels, I'm lucky to get 24 MPG and probably average 22-23 MPG.


I have the sedan with the 17" tires. They came with 245/45/17's. The original owner had the Continential PureContacts on them and based on his records he got about 60k out of them so I ended up putting another set of those on there. I end up with around 25-27 on the highway but with a mix of city and highway it can be down to 22-23. The 7 speed is definitely better than the 5 speed in the W211. My 2008 only gets around 16-18 in the city and about 20-22 on the highway.

The 2012 would have been better for power, they went to 302hp for that year.

Mileage was high on mine, slightly under 100k but it had the options like keyless go, bixenons, parktronic and pano roof. I contemplated a C class class as it's just a second car which I'm kinda using as a replacement for my old beater, but the C class didn't really have any options and wasn't really that much cheaper used. There might be a 10k difference when new, but when it gets down to used prices, the E was only 2-3k more and to me, if you look carefully, you can find ones with decent options. I also have the dynamic seats with the massage function, I only use that on long drives. After a while it stops so I have to remember to turn it back on when it shuts off. I miss not having folding rear seats though, a 62k+ car and folding rear seats are a $440 option.


I wanted to avoid the M276 cousin of the Pentastar, I'm still not much of a believer in direct injection so I was ok with the lesser HP of the M272 that in earlier year had its own issues but by '09 had most of the kinks ironed out, my '09 C300 with the smaller 3.0 M272 was a great engine and only had the common hot start rod knock that afflicted many M272 in both 3.0 and 3.5 guise (per MB they said it does not affect engine life.....yeah BS). Fortunately my '11 3.5 does not seem to have the issue (knock on wood). I will say the 3.5 is not as refined as the 3.0 at higher engine speeds.

The used prices on the E are spectacular, the depreciation on the E has to be up there with the S for % loss. Like you said there were similar year C350's going for similar pricing as the E350 and the C is definitely not up to the caliber of the E. I only have Package 1 (Nav, Harmon Kardon, heated seats) but it is plenty for me, although the dynamic seats sound amazing on their own. Doesn't Package 2 and above come with AirMatic? That suspension would scare the crap out of me out of warranty.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by pezzy669
I wanted to avoid the M276 cousin of the Pentastar, I'm still not much of a believer in direct injection so I was ok with the lesser HP of the M272 that in earlier year had its own issues but by '09 had most of the kinks ironed out, my '09 C300 with the smaller 3.0 M272 was a great engine and only had the common hot start rod knock that afflicted many M272 in both 3.0 and 3.5 guise (per MB they said it does not affect engine life.....yeah BS). Fortunately my '11 3.5 does not seem to have the issue (knock on wood). I will say the 3.5 is not as refined as the 3.0 at higher engine speeds.

The used prices on the E are spectacular, the depreciation on the E has to be up there with the S for % loss. Like you said there were similar year C350's going for similar pricing as the E350 and the C is definitely not up to the caliber of the E. I only have Package 1 (Nav, Harmon Kardon, heated seats) but it is plenty for me, although the dynamic seats sound amazing on their own. Doesn't Package 2 and above come with AirMatic? That suspension would scare the crap out of me out of warranty.


On mbworld.org, there doesn't seem to be too many complaints about the M276, only issue is having to take the intake manifold off to do the spark plugs. But then again the M272 engine has the Pierburg intake which has a two stage intake runners and the flaps can get gummed up or break so that you have a rough high or low speed engine depending on where it breaks.

I looked at some of the other options which could have pushed the car up to 70k or higher, there's the driver assistance package, leather steering wheel, rear entertainment package, wheel package, real leather and the night view assist display. Those would add another 9k to the list price.

Airmatic isn't that bad in the W212, but it was only on the E550/E63 and it became an option in certain years. The only thing scary about it is the sudden failure, one day the suspension is too low and it won't go up due to a leak or a blown compressor. I already did the rear suspension, the fronts are still pricey as the springs are over $120, the struts are over $120, then there's the mount and a few other parts so probably at least $300+ in parts per side. The airmatics for the front are around $800 and the rears are about $250 from Arnott per corner. The rear steel springs cost me a little over $100 for the pair. P2 is just the bixenons with active curve illumination and keyless go. They're also fun, but you have to pay attention to notice the beams swivel from side to side.

The S class is also fun, but the 2014 models are still holding their value, I haven't seen too many below 40k. A friend of mine picked up a 2006 model a few years ago for under 10k and I think he has over 140k miles on it. Nothing too crazy on the repairs so far, but he has a pretty basic S430. I guess when they drop down to the 20-30k range I might consider it.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by pezzy669
Originally Posted by Pelican
I had a 2008 E350 4Matic that I loved I was TBoned last year and it was totalled with 55K km. I've always considered the C class as a MB wannabe (no offence to anyone) it was for those that wanted to drive the MB name and not the MB car as its qualities begin at the E class. Marvellous long distance cruiser and not a slouch either in the city. Having said that these new MBs nor as well built as those of yore.


Surprisingly the W212 E brought back the marvelous MB engineering and I will go out on a limb and say it will be up there with the W124 and W210 as one of the best E's that MB has made. I concur with you on the C, I loved my '09 but it just never had that vault like feel of my W124 and even in Luxury trim with softer suspension I didn't feel it handled bumps and road imperfections like a Mercedes should. Don't even get me started on the CLA250 loaners I have had which even the brand new ones I had for short periods felt like major penalty boxes, I would take a nicely optioned Jetta before a CLA.


Ah 2009 W211 maybe the last of the good ones! In 2010 the W212 was cheapened by $10K to make it more affordable, but though I liked he design very much, I couldn't get myself to consider it as hey changed the turn signal from amber to red and I've never nor will I ever buy a car that doesn't have an amber turn signal, just a personal preference. Those W212 look very sexy, though in the eyes of my wife not as sexy as the 2008-9. In retrospect maybe i should have tried a W212

 

[Wolf359]

I have both. I kinda prefer driving the W211 over the W212. I just like the steering wheel better. The W212 might have a more modern looking one, but you have to take your eyes off the road to use it. The W211 had them right at your thumbs so it was easy to play with the volume without taking your eyes off the road. Plus I like the thinner steering wheel vs the thicker one on the W212. Mechanically the W212 is probably a bit more reliable, they redesigned the keyless go door handles and the steering angle sensor failing on the w211 doesn't seem to be there on the w212. Some things they did cheap out on, got rid of the business card holder next to the glove box and they also got rid of the door assist open on the w212. Didn't really notice it too much on the w211, just that the doors would pop open a little when you unlocked them, nothing on the w212, just makes a little noise for the unlock function. Same engine so I did thermostat pulleys and tensioners on both cars. Fewer oil leaks and bad sensors on the W212 also. But it's fun how people think they're money pits, keeps the price low.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
I have both. I kinda prefer driving the W211 over the W212. I just like the steering wheel better. The W212 might have a more modern looking one, but you have to take your eyes off the road to use it. The W211 had them right at your thumbs so it was easy to play with the volume without taking your eyes off the road. Plus I like the thinner steering wheel vs the thicker one on the W212. Mechanically the W212 is probably a bit more reliable, they redesigned the keyless go door handles and the steering angle sensor failing on the w211 doesn't seem to be there on the w212. Some things they did cheap out on, got rid of the business card holder next to the glove box and they also got rid of the door assist open on the w212. Didn't really notice it too much on the w211, just that the doors would pop open a little when you unlocked them, nothing on the w212, just makes a little noise for the unlock function. Same engine so I did thermostat pulleys and tensioners on both cars. Fewer oil leaks and bad sensors on the W212 also. But it's fun how people think they're money pits, keeps the price low.


Vey good summation!

I too do not understand how they see them as money pits. Let me rephrase that, they can be money pits if you neglect them, all euro cars have a much stricter maintenance than Northamerican & japanese vehicles, it stems from a different philosophy which is not to get you over the warranty period only, but to make the vehicle function at its best throughout its life, this may not be practical, but that's what it is nevertheless. I drive a 2017 Lexus and I must say that I do not enjoy it mainly because it's a computer on wheels. This technology, in the long run, will kill the car as we know it. It used to be hat we bought a car for comfort or speed or roadholding etc now instead people are worried about how many USB outlets or cup holders there are.

 

[pezzy669]

Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by pezzy669
Originally Posted by Pelican
I had a 2008 E350 4Matic that I loved I was TBoned last year and it was totalled with 55K km. I've always considered the C class as a MB wannabe (no offence to anyone) it was for those that wanted to drive the MB name and not the MB car as its qualities begin at the E class. Marvellous long distance cruiser and not a slouch either in the city. Having said that these new MBs nor as well built as those of yore.


Surprisingly the W212 E brought back the marvelous MB engineering and I will go out on a limb and say it will be up there with the W124 and W210 as one of the best E's that MB has made. I concur with you on the C, I loved my '09 but it just never had that vault like feel of my W124 and even in Luxury trim with softer suspension I didn't feel it handled bumps and road imperfections like a Mercedes should. Don't even get me started on the CLA250 loaners I have had which even the brand new ones I had for short periods felt like major penalty boxes, I would take a nicely optioned Jetta before a CLA.


Ah 2009 W211 maybe the last of the good ones! In 2010 the W212 was cheapened by $10K to make it more affordable, but though I liked he design very much, I couldn't get myself to consider it as hey changed the turn signal from amber to red and I've never nor will I ever buy a car that doesn't have an amber turn signal, just a personal preference. Those W212 look very sexy, though in the eyes of my wife not as sexy as the 2008-9. In retrospect maybe i should have tried a W212



Yes the last couple years of the W211 were probably some of my favorites as far as looks, the W211 is one of the most handsome cars on the road today. Unfortunately Mercedes decided to equip the M272 E350 and M273 E550 with play-doh balance shaft and idler gears for many years up until 2008 so there are a ton of W211 E's that went to the junk yard early because their engines were shot. This was the definite low of Mercedes along with the W203 C Class - yeah its a great looking car but with rubbish underneath its just not worth it. The W211 and W203 are the highlights of what the Chrysler marriage produced.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by pezzy669

Yes the last couple years of the W211 were probably some of my favorites as far as looks, the W211 is one of the most handsome cars on the road today. Unfortunately Mercedes decided to equip the M272 E350 and M273 E550 with play-doh balance shaft and idler gears for many years up until 2008 so there are a ton of W211 E's that went to the junk yard early because their engines were shot. This was the definite low of Mercedes along with the W203 C Class - yeah its a great looking car but with rubbish underneath its just not worth it. The W211 and W203 are the highlights of what the Chrysler marriage produced.


Absolutely! My W211 wasn't one of those affected by the soft metal o/h cam morb, lucky me, but it was such a let down in my mind on the part of MB that I could never forgive them. I grew up thinking that MB epitomized the excellence of engineering, but as you rightly said, the marriage with Chrysler put the kibosh on that philosophy. That and the switch to a non amber turn signal is why I drive a Lexus today.

 

[Wolf359]

I didn't even know about the amber controversy. Somehow the gear was made with a softer metal and not all engines had the problem but probably a good percentage did. Basically affected all 2006 models and about 1/3 of the 2007 models. The 2008 models were fine. SBC was the other issue with 2003-2006 W211, they used to cost about 2-3k to replace the pump, but MB just decided to extended the warranty on the SBC brakes to 25 years so those 2003 models are still good for several more years. The balance shafts were 5-8k to replace as you had to remove the engine in order to replace the balance shaft although the parts were only around $300. That's why you have to do your research, the 2008/2009 models were fine. Even early 2003 had bad radiators and they would leak causing contamination with the transmission and you'd need a new transmission. A lot of those were covered under warranty though. Even now you still hear of some old 2003 which still had the original radiator and transmission, not all of them went bad, but a good percentage did.

 

[Pelican]

I miss the days o' yore when cars ere built to last and be trouble free, that's how they competed with each other as well as creating a market foe 2nd hand vehicles.
Now it's only look at what I can afford (or not) for a few years as they fall apart with all this craptronic stuff

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
I didn't even know about the amber controversy. Somehow the gear was made with a softer metal and not all engines had the problem but probably a good percentage did. Basically affected all 2006 models and about 1/3 of the 2007 models. The 2008 models were fine. SBC was the other issue with 2003-2006 W211, they used to cost about 2-3k to replace the pump, but MB just decided to extended the warranty on the SBC brakes to 25 years so those 2003 models are still good for several more years. The balance shafts were 5-8k to replace as you had to remove the engine in order to replace the balance shaft although the parts were only around $300. That's why you have to do your research, the 2008/2009 models were fine. Even early 2003 had bad radiators and they would leak causing contamination with the transmission and you'd need a new transmission. A lot of those were covered under warranty though. Even now you still hear of some old 2003 which still had the original radiator and transmission, not all of them went bad, but a good percentage did.

When they moved to V6 I was thinking that is ridiculous mistake.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by edyvw
When they moved to V6 I was thinking that is ridiculous mistake.


They're going back to an I6, should be popping up in the next few years.