2014-16 W213 E63 saloons - folding seats? Distronic?

[Londonscottish]

Hi all,

In a year I may well sell up and downsize free up a bit of cash. So I'll have something for my next car. My wife's not keen on getting a third car. And if I stick with two cars, the larger one needs to be reasonably practical. It occured to me that an E63 with folding rear seats might tick the box. Something like a 5.5tt from 2014-2016.

I read somewhere that fold rear seats were standard on some generations of E63 - is that true for the 213?

Also, is Distronic common? I like it a lot.

TIA

 

[AMGeed]

Both folding rear seats and distronic were options on the W212 E63 2014-16.
Didn't have either on my 64 plate E63.

Every photo I have seen of the W213 E63 saloon has folding rear seats as standard.

 

[TrueSpirit]

Yeah for 213 I think mercedes may have used their brains possibly. Youll be able to see the buttons from any boot picture . There's very few either 212 or 213s with distronic. It's the first option I ticked on the two AMGs I specced. Unfortunately my 212 e63s doesn't have folding seats which is the main reason I'm selling it . Otherwise it's a perfect car. Oh and it's not an estate so that's another issue lol t

 

[Fady]

Split folding 40:20:40 rear seats are standard on the W213.

Distronic came as part of the Driving assistance package which was a £1700 option and therefore not on many early cars though I believe was standard on facelift models (I do have it my car but have not used it even once).

The e-brochures for most model years are easily available with a quick Google search (though less easy to link to the pdf's in a post). Never a bad idea to download a few for future reference if you are likely to be considering the car sometime in the future as sheds more light on any VIN check.

 

[badgx]

Definitely got folding rear seats in my w212 E63. I thought they were standard features, guess I was wrong but also lucky that I have them in mine. In all honesty, it wouldn't have been something I would have ever thought to check but lucky it came equipt as you never know when you may need them.

One thing, I'm now having some flash memories. I don't remember my w202 1996 c-class saloon ever having folding seats to the rear. They were fixed

 

[Londonscottish]

Both folding rear seats and distronic were options on the W212 E63 2014-16.
Didn't have either on my 64 plate E63.

Every photo I have seen of the W213 E63 saloon has folding rear seats as standard.

I read somewhere that "folding seats were standard in E63's" but wasn't sure which version - thanks for clearing that up.

And I meant to write 212 not 213.

 

[Londonscottish]

Yeah for 213 I think mercedes may have used their brains possibly. Youll be able to see the buttons from any boot picture . There's very few either 212 or 213s with distronic. It's the first option I ticked on the two AMGs I specced. Unfortunately my 212 e63s doesn't have folding seats which is the main reason I'm selling it . Otherwise it's a perfect car. Oh and it's not an estate so that's another issue lol t

Seems like distronic is very unusual across the range. Shame, I think it's the best driver aid out there.

If I went for a saloon I'd have to have folding seats. I'll be moving house in a couple of years and will need them.

 

[Londonscottish]

Definitely got folding rear seats in my w212 E63. I thought they were standard features, guess I was wrong but also lucky that I have them in mine. In all honesty, it wouldn't have been something I would have ever thought to check but lucky it came equipt as you never know when you may need them.

One thing, I'm now having some flash memories. I don't remember my w202 1996 c-class saloon ever having folding seats to the rear. They were fixed

Yeah, they create a pretty big space.

I had them on my W202 C43. Can't remember if they were an option or not. And on my previous 2 x 200SX's. Part of the Touring Pack in them IIRC.

In fact just about every car I've had has had folding seats; two hatchbacks, two coupes, one saloon and two estates. And various Cavalier-type company cars in between. The on'y cars I've had without them were a couple of Minis and a Sud Sprint.

 

[Londonscottish]

This one ticks the boxes. Doesn't have a light interior but it does have a pano roof. And Distronic and lane assist.

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Or a saloon; maybe not this one as looks like the seats are fixed. And no Distronic. But that sort of thing.

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[st13phil]

but it does have a pano roof

For info, Pano Roof is standard on all W/S212 E63 cars.

 

[Londonscottish]

For info, Pano Roof is standard on all W/S212 E63 cars.

That's good news; it drove me nuts to lose the sunroof on my 212. Like folding seats, virtually every car I'd ever previously owned had had one. I spent the first three years reaching up to the roof lining on a sunny day to open the imaginary sun blind/sun roof :-(

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Cough.

How is switching from an S212 E500 to an E63 a “downsize?”

What kind of downsize are you aiming for? Smaller physical size, smaller bhp, better fuel economy?

 

[Londonscottish]

Cough.

How is switching from an S212 E500 to an E63 a “downsize?”

What kind of downsize are you aiming for? Smaller physical size, smaller bhp, better fuel economy?

The downsize part is regarding the house. This then frees up some capital. In my head that meant keep a Fiat 500 or equivalent, go for a sensible estate like a Superb 280 and get a toy; I was looking at XK5.0s latterly.

But the FD objected to the concept of three cars. So that means blending the load lugger and the GT coupe. To be quite honest, I'd me more than happy with a more modern version of what I've got but I simply can't get past the red seatbelts and red stitching in the E43s and E53s so started looking at E63s.

I suppose the sensible choice might be an E400d but I can't get excited about a diesel. I just had a look at XF estates but every single one on AT is a 2.0 :-(

Cars seem to be binary these days; built for maximum blood and thunder or extreme economy. I quite like cars half way across the spectrum. Well, three quarters across I suppose, but you know what I mean.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The downsize part is regarding the house. This then frees up some capital. In my head that meant keep a Fiat 500 or equivalent, go for a sensible estate like a Superb 280 and get a toy; I was looking at XK5.0s latterly.

But the FD objected to the concept of three cars. So that means blending the load lugger and the GT coupe. To be quite honest, I'd me more than happy with a more modern version of what I've got but I simply can't get past the red seatbelts and red stitching in the E43s and E53s so started looking at E63s.

I suppose the sensible choice might be an E400d but I can't get excited about a diesel. I just had a look at XF estates but every single one on AT is a 2.0 :-(

Cars seem to be binary these days; built for maximum blood and thunder or extreme economy. I quite like cars half way across the spectrum. Well, three quarters across I suppose, but you know what I mean.

Do you need the length / width? Not tempted to go a tad smaller?

There are powerful luxury XF estates around. You just have to find them.

Not tempted by a silent Tesla S ?

 

[Londonscottish]

Do you need the length / width? Not tempted to go a tad smaller?

There are powerful luxury XF estates around. You just have to find them.

Not tempted by a silent Tesla S ?

I don't so much need the size as want the refinement. Maybe I need to look at S8s.

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[Londonscottish]

Do you need the length / width? Not tempted to go a tad smaller?

There are powerful luxury XF estates around. You just have to find them.

Not tempted by a silent Tesla S ?

The only Tesla I'd look at would be an S on air.

But The Cult of Tesla puts me off.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I don't so much need the size as want the refinement. Maybe I need to look at S8s.

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@Mactech has posted various threads on his S8 “joy of ownership”

The other reason to cool on the Tesla S is the simple width of the thing

 

[AMGeed]

This one ticks the boxes. Doesn't have a light interior but it does have a pano roof. And Distronic and lane assist.

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Or a saloon; maybe not this one as looks like the seats are fixed. And no Distronic. But that sort of thing.

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Shame that saloon doesn't have folding seats. Looks a nice car and love the colour.
The wagon isn't too shabby either and both look good buys for the asking price.
You'll find both are far more lively than your current E500 yet probably just as economical fuel wise.

 

[Londonscottish]

@Mactech has posted various threads on his S8 “joy of ownership”

The other reason to cool on the Tesla S is the simple width of the thing

I think Mactech's is an A8 diesel? But, yeah, sounds good.

S's do look wide. By far the coolest-looking Tesla in my eyes though. And the fact that you can get them on air is a massive bonus to me. I sometimes get in an Uber Tesla (usually a 3) and after 200yds I'm like "**** me the ride is appalling". Reminds of "sporty" Audis in the 00's. The ride was ****ing awful.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

S's do look wide. By far the coolest-looking Tesla in my eyes though. And the fact that you can get them on air is a massive bonus to me.

Might be wrong but I thought all post 2016 (i.e. Facelift) S's are all on air. (Just an option before that)

Agreed about the coolest and most spiffy Tesla. Musk's prototype S type was built on a W221 chassis.

The "size" issue is that they're 7'2" wide (219cm).

Nice in the States but an issue in the UK - I've got to be 6'6" to go the width restrictions to reach my car wash.