What I meant is that Mercedes and Volvo have traditionally excelled in that area. A number of the modern safety features we have in new vehicles today can be traced to one of those two makes.

Macs are often used up front on FWD sedans because they are compact, save space, and are easily compatible with transverse FWD setups. In the back, of course, the engineers usually have more leeway....where Macs can be a sign of cost-cutting.

 

Totally agree. The latest GS is much more competitive with the E-Class since it is RWD. It drives better and has a great interior. I owned a '13 GS350 F-Sport for 3 years and absolutely loved it. And they are rock-solid reliable.

 

You pretty much answered your own question. If you want a nice, comfortable, trouble-free ownership experience, you can't beat the ES. I'd go for that immediately. The GS is all of that, plus more room and style. Both great choices that will last the duration.

 

The GS has a tighter back seat. I find it plenty roomy and comfy, great head room, and yes the back seat is closer to my knees than in most cars this size, but I'm 5'6" and 160lbs and fit just fine in the back seat of a GS. But the ES has a MUCH bigger back seat, ie comfortable for people 6' tall, people of that stature would be cramped in the back of a GS IMO. Plus the trunk is a bit bigger in the ES as well, switching to the Avalon wheelbase/platform made a huge difference in interior room/trunk space for the current ES.

 

Yea if you wanna drive it for 10yrs, def go with ES350. The E would give you more problem in half of that time. But should also consider GS350, its nice to drive and interior is better than ES350.

 

Yes, because the OP wants to keep 10 years with few problems, he must go front wheel drive and single lower link MacPherson strut entry level suspension ES350.
However, a GS350 will offer similar overall quality but different character to E Class Benz, yet still maintain, if not even better the ES350's reliability.
E Class smoother riding, while GS sharper handling.

 

Something my cousin told me 10 years ago, and there is a lot of truth in it, don't compare German cars to Japanese when it comes to reliability, because if that's what you focus upon, you'll be disappointed with a BMW etc.

My BMW 335i was bulletproof, so much so that I got nothing out of an extended warranty. As soon as the warranty was up, about 26 mos. beyond the extended warranty, the ABS failed. That's a $4,200 job. That is something that should last the life of the vehicle, so I had no choice but to DIY (cost under $500 but I needed specialized software, a Motive 109, and time). I think what one will find, is that when driving a German car, to say you need a $5-$20k repair, not many will empathize, so it goes with the territory....I love used 2008 750Li's (man those 275's on the back are nice) with 50k miles that cost $16k all day long--but it's not likely I can afford to maintain it unless it's all DIY....my .02

 

Don't go for the E class. My buddy bought a CPO E63 AMG wagon, same bodystyle/generation you are considering. He began having problems with everything except the powertrain and got rid of that car before the warranty expired. These were parts shared with all normal E classes like the seat belts, window switches, infotainment, bluetooth, interior trim pieces, electrical system. Using your words, your likelihood of taking out a second mortgage for repairs and maintenance will be very likely. A 3 year old used E class will have another year of factory warranty, then 2 years of CPO warranty. Good luck after those 3 years.

 

Thank you for all the replies! Only got one reply so far on the MB forum.
Sounds like Toyota/Lexus is the way to go for long term reliability and lower repair/maintenance costs.

 

You've got a home in this forum anytime you want. We love to talk cars here.


Somewhat less so than in the past, as some other manufacturers (i.e. Audi, Buick, Porsche, Kia) are catching up to Toyota in reliability, though Toyota and Lexus are still generally at the top of the Consumer Reports and J.D. Power reliability charts.

 

You're going to have to drive both and really do some research on maintenance costs and things of that nature. I can tell your heart wants the Merc but your brain says Lexus. I have a Bimmer 3er that is somehow 9 yrs old now (time flies) which I've had since it was new. It has been bulletproof from a reliability standpoint, but routine maintenance still costs a pretty penny. My point is that even if the Merc is a solid car it'll be expensive when it needs routine service.

As other have already recommended, the Lexus GS may be a good compromise. While it's no E-class, it's certainly much better than the ES. The GS is better looking, more fun to drive, more luxurious, more modern, etc. I'd pick it 10/10 times over an ES.

 

And "it being no E Class" is relative. I think the GS is nicer inside, better looking outside. More comfortable, the only plus the E Class has is it rides nicer if that's what you want.

 

Agree, especially when we are comparing interiors against what I assume to be a 2014-2015 E class (W212, since OP said 3 year old)) , and not the sexy new thing (W213) that just came out. The W212 will feel a tad more dated given the array of buttons in the older styled interior.

 

I owned both of these cars, and they are not in same league at all,
you can try to close the doors, driving at high speed, drive over spot hole, bumper, btw, I think mercedes E is extremely reliable.