Ah bugger i think ive cocked up.

[DSLiverpool]

Never assume never assume never assume. I assumed the E500 would be a big car, it's not its bloody tiny like a 3 series, not only that its a mass of cheap hard plastic and tiny tiny little wheels. Bugger, not love at first sight!

Best thing? The engine is great, also nice and burbly, gearbox sublime, comand is the best nav I've had and the HK sound also good. DAB has great interface much better than the jag or BMW.

Look at the pic from the rear, wheels look ridiculous - I'm going to need some convincing this is a 2 year car. Took roof off and you sit under the windscreen, nothing like the SL, your sat forward and admittedly I'm a stumpy 5'6" but still it feels a bit odd. Between the rear seats is a wind diffuser that is fixed blotting out rear view, press a button and it gets higher up making it worse. With the roof up 2 speakers fire into the rear window, roof down they are open on the rear deck firing up and out, my Kylie show tunes can be heard by all and sundry.

I feel a bit sick .... Tell me I'm wrong (!)

 

[Ierton]

Surely you drove one before you bought it? Can't really compare an E with an SL of any kind - they're average cars in terms of build hence the price.

 

[Dieselman]

The E coupe and Cabriolet are based on the C-Class, hence are smaller.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Yep, it replaced the CLK, its meant to be the size of a 3 series.

As above surely you test drove it!?!?

 

[Dieselman]

I sat in a new E-Coupe today. I could fit in, but you would need to cut anyone's legs off before they could sit behind me.

 

[Spin_bowler]

I appreciate the honesty from the get go. So many people come on here spouting a load of rubbish about how mundane cars are the 'best in the world' etc it's refreshing to hear an objective appraisal and admission of a **** up.

Mind you, against some of the exotica you've run I guess the E is a bit low-rent despite the price tag. What'll be interesting is to see if it's a 'grower.'

I wish you well with it and FWIW I think it looks cracking.

 

[Spin_bowler]

Ha! Swear filter says you can say "c0cked" in a title but not "c0ck" in a post.

 

[moonloops]

Now that I have looked, there is something very odd (ridiculous) about the rear quarter and rear wheel size: ???

 

[Dieselman]

That photo makes it look odd. In reality the car looks good, much better than the pre-facelift version.

 

[Spin_bowler]

I much preferred the photos of the facellift on all three variants but saw my first estate in the metal the other day and thought that the new front actually looks worse. The new lights make it look like it has bulbous 'eyes.'

A bit like a bubble eyed goldfish.

 

[bpsorrel]

It doesn't look as bad as you think!
But, the size surprised me too (as Boss will testify as he was with me when I gave up on the car! - my issue was the A pillar hitting me in the head!) Oddly, not a problem I suffer in the technically smaller SLK...

Have to say though, I'm surprised you didn't try one first...

 

[DSLiverpool]

My CLS55 had 18's but smaller arches, these look tiny from any angle, I will take more pics when I next use it. It needs a machine polish which Chris will do next week before the PH cottage loaf meeting on Thursday.

No I didn't recently drive one, I tested one when they first came out but that was before I got used to leather dashboards, every extra and no plastic anywhere. I went to work in the 760 today and even the door bins are leather!

I need a proper familiarisation drive in it, I was knackered on collection day and it has a feature where a red light comes on if I thinks your tailgating - drove me nuts but now turned off as is attention assist.

Will stop disrespecting it now until the weekend shake down.

 

[developer]

Mr Carlsson can help you - Autosport this year:

 

[npuk]

After the **** up with the BMW one would have thought this time you would go and see it in the flesh before buying.

 

[MD5]

With the roof up 2 speakers fire into the rear window, roof down they are open on the rear deck firing up and out, my Kylie show tunes can be heard by all and sundry.

I feel a bit sick .... Tell me I'm wrong (!)

No, I'd feel sick if people knew I was listening to Kylie too!

The car looks good, and it's a means to an end iirc. What are the alternatives, financially? If you are locked in for a couple of years, just focus on the positives; there are several you have mentioned. If you try to see it as being different rather than odd, and forget trying to compare it with an SL, you should be able to start enjoying something that you negotiated for successfully that isn't too shabby!

 

[DSLiverpool]

After the **** up with the BMW one would have thought this time you would go and see it in the flesh before buying.

Actually I love buying blind but I checked this over very carefully before signing. Apart from having this new e service booklet thing and needing a polish it was perfect and at 13000 miles it should be.

Funnily enough the only fault was the DAB repeatedly said no reception which I thought was the area but it did this from Newcastle to Tebay services no reception. Damn this will be hard to fix I thought and checked the cables to the boot aerial (I know the aerial is in the windscreen now) however the unit needed initialising and now works better and more logically than any dab I've had. I can spin from absolute 80,90 and normal in seconds not s e co n d s like the BMW.

 

[Matt's Dad]

I think it looks good - I'm sure the wheels can be changed easy enough!

FWIW, I've bought a few vehicles without driving/testing, some expensive, some not - I kind of like it, and saves a shed load of time looking at stuff lol

I had that 'sick feeling' last time I bought a brand new American camper..............paid for it, shipped it over here, took one look inside it at the Port, and already knew I needed a better spec one! Worked out alright in the end!

 

[LTD]

Dave

I went from a 2003 S500 to a new E220 CDi Coupe this year.

I know exactly about the luxury that you are missing. The E coupe does not have the space or the opulence that the S Class had in abundance.

However, I made my decision based on finances and the future lifespan of the S. I accepted that I could not afford a new S and didn't want to spend my budget on a used S class.

Accept what you haven't got on the basis of downsizing due to cost and appreciate the sumptuous drivertrain that you have.

Stick the bugger into S mode and drive it like you stole it - you'll appreciate how good it can be when pushed.

You'll be back into an uberbarge when the time comes around and you will appreciate it more.

Sometimes, you need to look around you and appreciate what you currently have. A great car that many aspire to.

 

[sinewave]

You'd be better off with a BMW 760 IMHO!

 

[DSLiverpool]

You'd be better off with a BMW 760 IMHO!

Not sold it yet, I can't bear to sell it for £12k it's (in my eyes) worth so much more.