Hes 19 he will prolly buy the e320, and then have it break down on him in about a year then hell go trade it in for an acura. 35k for new>35k for used. Or just get an is250 manual rwd+manual=better then the tl and e320

 

I am leasing 2006 E350 (w/ AMG sport package, handles AWESOME!!!)... so far, I only had one problem, it was the cd player, so they replace the unit, which also included the Navigation system as well... overall my E350 w/ 28k has been extremely realiable thus far... and working for MB (and Lexus and Infiniti), the E-Class always seemed very realiable, the MB to aviod is obivously the older ML's...

How ever I prefer New TL type-S, I'm a big fan of this car... offers ton of tech, power and style... If you can buy a really nice E320 with AMG package, navigation, certified (with extra warranty), etc, @ 35K then it might be a harder choice, but I doubt you will find a car like that, I don't ever recall seeing a E320 w/ AMG package, only the E350 which really makes the car look great...

 

Yeah, I think this is the case.

 

Acura. It's new. But if they were both new, I would recommand E-class. My dad drove 99 model for 6 years and it was awesome!

 

New E-Classes today are more unreliable than they were in 1999.

 

Avoid the earlier 03-05 W211 model years. Go for the 06+ 350 ones instead.

 

Now that's sad. Yeah, I remember the car becoming problematic after driving it for 4 years. Dad spent so much money on maintaining the car. The air conditioning broke once in every 3 months. I hope my Lexus won't do that to me!

 

Can you verify that blanket statement? Not saying I don't believe you, but the assertion of continuously declining MB quality is subject to such frequent repetition that its almost an article of faith here. Given MB's recent refocus on their quality issues (especially since the mid-model cycle makeover) would a w211 E-Class I bought today really be (statistically) less reliable than a 1999 E-Class?

1999 was approaching the end of the w210 model-cycle when many bugs had been worked out. Likewise new E-Classes today are at the end of the current model-cycle and (anecdotally at least) appear a lot more solid than the early w211 around 2003-2004's or the previous w210. Is there any up to date data comparing 2008 models with 1999?

Chris

 

2002 was the last model year for the W210. I wouldn't touch a '99 with a ten foot pole. If I had to choose between an '03 or '04 E-Class over an '02, I'd go for the '02. '05 and up I personally wouldn't have a problem with. I can't say for the majority of the new E-Classes, but as far as forums go there's definitely less threads regarding problems with the brand new W211s than the W210s. Almost every '07+ owner that used to own '03-'06 says the '07+ is an improvement in every way.

It also depends on if mmarshall meant '99 compared to '08 now, or to the '99 when it was new then.

 

I meant the general reliability of a '99, as it aged, compared to the probable reliability of an '08 as it ages. Sorry if that was unclear.

Mercedes products, in general, showed a gradual decline in reliability through the mid-late 1990's, which intensified after 2000. There are some signs, though, that it may have hit bottom and is starting a slow rise.

 

I meant the general reliability of a '99, as it aged, compared to the probable reliability of an '08 as it ages. Sorry if that was unclear.

Mercedes products, in general, showed a gradual decline in reliability through the mid-late 1990's, which intensified after 2000. There are some signs, though, that it may have hit bottom and is starting a slow rise.

 

Well, I myself don't write or publish the results. That is done by Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and other organizations that get their data and survey results from...............what else?.......actual owners.

 

But don't let CR reports be the end of everything, right? Right?

I've had an '02 ML for quite some time now and it's been one of the best vehicles I have ever owned.

 

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Got it... I do not believe anyone can make that call about a current 08 Model however... And next year with the new E-Class, MB will have radically changed/updated models for the core S,C, and E sedans at least... These are in effect totally new cars. It is tempting to let the past be a guide to the present... but all signs (both corporate statements and recent owner feedback) indicates that MB is really serious about addressing this issue... Based on statements from Zetsche downwards, I think they fully realize what damage the recent bad quality PR has done to the brand and are addressing it...

All I am arguing is that blanket statements like "Vehicle X is more unreliable than it was in 1999" are subjective. Unfortunately the (multi-year) scoring processes of survey organizations often does not properly account for the impact of incremental and mid-cycle or major model changes. Consumer feedback based on (by default older) sampling of vehicles of varying ages and mileage may not necessarily be reflective of the actual quality of a vehicle you would buy today.

BTW: I am not arguing for MB here alone. Frankly much of the reporting and assessment criteria I see in Consumer Reports and others is lazy - especially on the less popular/newsworthy models. It is not unusual to see the same review applied to what are new vehicles. The product life-cycle and quality equation is always more complex.

Chris

 

Well just reading the internet and what owners say, it seems WORSE than the surveys

I still feel its a hit or miss with quality. I still love Benzes though.