2008 Mercedes-Benz E Class Bluetec

[Tomko]

I'm not sure what's wrong with me, maybe I'm having a mid-life crisis, but I've been looking at a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E Class Bluetec diesel.

Ever since getting my driver's license in 1981 I've always driven GM. I come from a GM family (father and brother both Cadillac) I am a GM advocate and partisan, yet I wanted to see something different.

Based on my tire kicking and test drive this 2008 E Class seems alright. It's fuel economy rating is awesome and it doesn't seem to lack for power.

There are of course a lot of foreign things about it, including a strange location for the cruise control, hard seats, steering that doesn't seem to self-center, rougher than Hydra-Matic shifting transmission, excessive price, unknown service costs, etc. I have been considering a Northstar powered SRX, an Atlas powered 9-7x, or perhaps a Northstar STS or even more remotely a sport DTS, and am looking towards purchasing a 2009 model. Nevertheless, I still find something strangely compelling by this E Class...

It's size just seems right to me. When I drive it, it feels like I'm putting on one of my made-to-measure suits. It doesn't look overly ostentatious, nor is its styling in your face. If you were to strip the M-B emblems off of this car it would look thoroughly middle-class, which is the kind of blend-into-the-background look on the road that I cultivate.

On the road it drives very similarly to my 1988 Caprice 9C1, which is the best all around car that I've driven.

Okay, so its over to you all. What do you think of the E Class and Bluetec diesel power?

Thanks,

[DuSpinnst]

The 2008 is a nice model, but it on its way out, in 2009 Mercedes will unveil the new E-class.

[Tomko]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

The 2008 is a nice model, but it on its way out, in 2009 Mercedes will unveil the new E-class.

I'm not sure if I got it right, but I understood that the current E-class would continue for the 2009 MY and be replaced in the 2010 MY.

My preference is to buy the last model year, as I did with my Impala SS and Tahoe. In that way I can hope to avoid the teething problems common to earlier production years.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by Tomko

I'm not sure if I got it right, but I understood that the current E-class would continue for the 2009 MY and be replaced in the 2010 MY.

My preference is to buy the last model year, as I did with my Impala SS and Tahoe. In that way I can hope to avoid the teething problems common to earlier production years.

Then jump on the 2008, Bluetec is a wonderful diesel technology and it powers all the CRD Chryslers in Europe (and the Grand Cherokee here in the US).

[mkaresh]

Funny that you think it handles like an old Caprice. This isn't usually considered a compliment.

The diesel does handle much differently than the gas E-Class, I suspect because of the extra weight over the front axle. When a friend of mine and I drove it, he likened the experience to his late grandmother's Town Car: light steering, vague handling, and tons of torque just off idle.

[Tomko]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

Funny that you think it handles like an old Caprice. This isn't usually considered a compliment.

The diesel does handle much differently than the gas E-Class, I suspect because of the extra weight over the front axle. When a friend of mine and I drove it, he likened the experience to his late grandmother's Town Car: light steering, vague handling, and tons of torque just off idle.

I take your point on the Caprice comparison. Back in the day I drove stock, F40, F41 and 9C1 versions of the Caprice, and the 9C1 drove as though it was a completely different car. Nevertheless, I sure liked the way this E-Class felt.

Anyone have a sense of how much grief it is to own a M-B, especially when compared to my decades of positive GM experience?

[Ach]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

Funny that you think it handles like an old Caprice. This isn't usually considered a compliment.

The diesel does handle much differently than the gas E-Class, I suspect because of the extra weight over the front axle. When a friend of mine and I drove it, he likened the experience to his late grandmother's Town Car: light steering, vague handling, and tons of torque just off idle.

I think your description pretty much sums up the E-Class driving experience for all models (excepting AMG). I drove an E350 4 Matic for a couple of days when my bro got it as a loaner when his SL500 was in the shop (he didn't like it so he let me use it) and my impressions mirrored yours, absent the torque. Non-AMG E-Class models aren't all that engaging to drive.

[genjy]

I don't find the MBZ E-Class to be particularly attractive or compelling. If I were in the market for a diesel car, then I would likely be patient and wait a year or two for the new wave of U.S. diesel cars...

[Bravada]

Since I've been personally invited to post in this thread, here are my $0.02:

I am not sold on the W211, although the newer models from Stuttgart are even less appealing both inside and out, so getting it while it lasts might a good choice if you want to own the last Mercedes ever that didn't induce involuntary throw-ups and such.

Bluetec is surely a great technology, but I believe diesel got a bit foot-in-mouth at present - building an efficient, enviromentally friendly and driver-satisfying diesel engine is very intricate and expensive, while the rise in diesel fuel prices in Europe due to the "diesel rush" has cancelled most of the economic benefit (if there is any unless you drive a taxi or run a hauling business) - not sure how it is in the US, but I suspect the "clean" diesel needed for the modern common-rails won't come as cheap as it might seem.

Of course, you get the "performance" benefit of a more balanced torque curve, and generally more torque in most cases, but diesel is inherently dirty, so it's by no means "green" to drive it. If you prefer the driving experience of the diesel and feel it's worth the premium (both @ the dealer AND later during servicing - modern diesels are not cheap to maintain and even dearer to fix, which you might have to do sooner than you might think as they are pretty fragile and don't tolerate any fuel imperfections), get one. Otherwise, get a petroleum model and spend the money you saved on planting trees, healthy food and a bus pass

Now, to get the diesel, you have to get the Mercedes - which is not a bad car, but if it really handles like a 1980s B-body, it certainly isn't worth the premium. FWIK, current USDM Buicks also come with optional lack of steering and cornering, and can be had much cheaper (and are only marginally uglier). I am not surprised to see that comparison either due to Mercedes persistence with recirculating ball steering, which does have certain qualities (though I am not sure if the W221 is not rack and pinion)

And do remember that the days of solid enginering and bulletproof quality from Stuttgart are long gone. I didn't want to believe it, but I've seen it with my very eyes (ask yourself how dire the situation must be if I could SEE it...), so you might be in for some serious friendship with the guys @ your local garage - DuSpinnst can perhaps tell you more about the present-day situation, while Tom Price, if he's still around, can scare you with his E-Klasse's horrid story...

Anyway, for this kind of money, you can have heaps and heaps of appealing sedans (and even more for less!), and I don't think the Bluetec gimmick is alone worth forgoing them all. Do look around (though not @ GM, they don't have much to offer in this department) and compare - if you still feel like the W221 after that, go have one.

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by Tomko

I take your point on the Caprice comparison. Back in the day I drove stock, F40, F41 and 9C1 versions of the Caprice, and the 9C1 drove as though it was a completely different car. Nevertheless, I sure liked the way this E-Class felt.

Anyone have a sense of how much grief it is to own a M-B, especially when compared to my decades of positive GM experience?

I missed the "9C1" bit earlier. I'm not familiar with that suspension code. What was it?

F41 was the sport suspension, hard as a brick, right?

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by Ach

I think your description pretty much sums up the E-Class driving experience for all models (excepting AMG). I drove an E350 4 Matic for a couple of days when my bro got it as a loaner when his SL500 was in the shop (he didn't like it so he let me use it) and my impressions mirrored yours, absent the torque. Non-AMG E-Class models aren't all that engaging to drive.

The gas E's I've driven recently might have all been sport package cars, which isn't available with the diesel.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

I missed the "9C1" bit earlier. I'm not familiar with that suspension code. What was it?

F41 was the sport suspension, hard as a brick, right?

9C1 is the Cop Car. If I remember right.

[mkaresh]

Tomko-I see you had an STE. Back in 1983 I convinced my father to buy the STE. It was so hot at first that he had to pay MSRP. That might be the last time a GM sedan commanded MSRP.

[Tomko]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

I missed the "9C1" bit earlier. I'm not familiar with that suspension code. What was it?

F41 was the sport suspension, hard as a brick, right?

Yes, as DuSpinnst has already mentioned, 9C1 is the Special Equipment Option (SEO) code for a police car. The police pursuit suspension was given the SEO code of 7B3. It was the hardest of all Caprice suspensions, but was far more compliant than say a modern day Acura RL. The F41 was actually very smooth and comfortable. The F40 a little less so, with more body lean, and the stock set up was just that.

[Tomko]

Originally Posted by Bravada

And do remember that the days of solid enginering and bulletproof quality from Stuttgart are long gone. I didn't want to believe it, but I've seen it with my very eyes (ask yourself how dire the situation must be if I could SEE it...), so you might be in for some serious friendship with the guys @ your local garage - DuSpinnst can perhaps tell you more about the present-day situation, while Tom Price, if he's still around, can scare you with his E-Klasse's horrid story...

Thank you Bravada for weighing in on this one, as well as for suggesting Tom Price. I will PM him with an invitation to contribute.