C350e owners club

[wrighty senior]

Interesting post from @raspy. Either I didn’t see it first time around, or I’ve forgotten it.

I’ve only test-driven a Model 3 for 15 minutes, but I have a very different comparison of the Tesla and the MB than the one @raspy shared.

On comfort, the MB is good except for one thing - the driving position. My left leg is against a hard corner of the centre console and the pedals are offset from the seat. The Tesla is better. The MB driving seat is good, but unexpectedly, I prefer the Tesla.

The MB suspension IS extremely comfortable, but it’s pretty average at dealing with corners.

I’m not clear why you’d need to navigate the screens to go from Eco to Sport+ in the Tesla. It’s eco all the time, then you put your foot to the floor and it delivers acceleration the MB can’t match. Yes - you can set personal preferences for the steering and acceleration settings, but you don’t need to while driving.

It’ll be interesting to see whether these first impressions last when or arrived in June. My main concern is that my sons (currently 6’2” and 5’10”) will be too big for it, but they claim not...

I know I'm a bit of a fraud now that I no longer have a C350e (I have a C300d because the replacement for the C350e wasn't available) but I still like to watch this forum.
I have said many times before; you must take account of the design philosophy of the C350e. It was always intended to be a tax fiddle. It is not an economic car (unless you only do short journeys and can charge the car at the end of every journey). It is a very fast, very comfortable car that took advantage of the way CO2 ratings were calculated. I selected it because it provided almost 300bhp, provided amazing acceleration (using the ICE and electric power simultaneously), came with a Government grant and was more efficient in terms of Company car BIK than anything equivalent. I did 80,000 miles; averaged 42mpg and really enjoyed the car.
When looking for its replacement I looked at Tesla's. Of course a lot of issues are down to personal taste; I hated the huge screen in the middle of the dash, the build quality was inferior to Merc., I found the seats unsupportive and the way the costs build up are ridiculous (I wanted to select a specific colour, have the 4 wheel drive plus the extended range and it increased the price by almost £20,000!!!!). But the main problem was still the range. There were journeys that I do about 4 times a month that would need a recharge en-route, and a journey I do almost every week would depend on me being able to find a charge point as soon as I arrived. The stress would be unbearable!

 

[Dodgy]

I know I'm a bit of a fraud now that I no longer have a C350e (I have a C300d because the replacement for the C350e wasn't available) but I still like to watch this forum.
I have said many times before; you must take account of the design philosophy of the C350e. It was always intended to be a tax fiddle. It is not an economic car (unless you only do short journeys and can charge the car at the end of every journey). It is a very fast, very comfortable car that took advantage of the way CO2 ratings were calculated. I selected it because it provided almost 300bhp, provided amazing acceleration (using the ICE and electric power simultaneously), came with a Government grant and was more efficient in terms of Company car BIK than anything equivalent. I did 80,000 miles; averaged 42mpg and really enjoyed the car.
When looking for its replacement I looked at Tesla's. Of course a lot of issues are down to personal taste; I hated the huge screen in the middle of the dash, the build quality was inferior to Merc., I found the seats unsupportive and the way the costs build up are ridiculous (I wanted to select a specific colour, have the 4 wheel drive plus the extended range and it increased the price by almost £20,000!!!!). But the main problem was still the range. There were journeys that I do about 4 times a month that would need a recharge en-route, and a journey I do almost every week would depend on me being able to find a charge point as soon as I arrived. The stress would be unbearable!

I agree with the build quality point, although I notice that Tesla have moved from using a lot of MB components to producing their own components that are remarkably similar.

The colour options are ridiculously limited and expensive, but that’s increasingly what I’ve found with every car I’ve looked at recently. When I ordered the C350e, it was available in black or white for no charge. The other colours were in the same ballpark as the Tesla options. Colour is the last thing I care about, so it’s not a big deal for me to have the white.

The long range variant is practically a different car. It’s like the difference between a C300de and a C200SE (27% extra). The long range Tesla is only 22% more than the standard range plus. The long-range is only 5% faster than the SR+ on long trips, due to slightly faster charging and slightly fewer charging stops.

I can’t really comment on the stress level impact until I’ve driven it a bit more. I know my trips to Heathrow are going to need a charging stop - but only 5 minutes on each leg would be the quickest plan and I’d probably want a stop anyway, even though it’s only 130 miles. The charging speeds are getting better and they were always good in Teslas. The current v2 chargers take about 15 minutes to deliver 100 miles of range. The v3 that they’ve just started rolling out is twice as fast. I’m guessing that not needing to refuel and having a full battery every time I leave home will offset any occasional rapid charging stops. Fingers crossed!

 

[Dodgy]

I really hope the seats are OK. The first impression was excellent...

 

[CaptainChaos]

Do you need a special Tesla charger at home?

 

[Dodgy]

Do you need a special Tesla charger at home?

Not for the Model 3. It’s a CCS and type 2 charge port - 3.6kW and 7kW charging via the same connector as the C350e.

 

[Masterstein]

Does anyone find that the DAB is missing a load of channels? I've got audio 20 ([emoji22]) I get the main ones I think but there are some like heart XTRA (was heart Christmas last month), cap XTRA reloaded and there's probs more but because I don't get them I don't know what they are.

I just wondered if it's just mine and it needs a good retune or if the dab on the merc is just shit?

Cheers all,
Ryk


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[Dodgy]

Does anyone find that the DAB is missing a load of channels? I've got audio 20 ([emoji22]) I get the main ones I think but there are some like heart XTRA (was heart Christmas last month), cap XTRA reloaded and there's probs more but because I don't get them I don't know what they are.

I just wondered if it's just mine and it needs a good retune or if the dab on the merc is just shit?

Cheers all,
Ryk


Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

I find I have to scroll through hundreds of the bloody things and the ones I need aren’t always where I expect them to be. Also on Audio20.

 

[Masterstein]

I find I have to scroll through hundreds of the bloody things and the ones I need aren’t always where I expect them to be. Also on Audio20.

Can you take a look and see if you get heart XTRA or cap XTRA reloaded? I know they work in my area as my wife gets them in her 1 series. But my god isn't the scrolling slow, drives me insane.

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[raspy]

Interesting post from @raspy. Either I didn’t see it first time around, or I’ve forgotten it.

I’ve only test-driven a Model 3 for 15 minutes, but I have a very different comparison of the Tesla and the MB than the one @raspy shared.

On comfort, the MB is good except for one thing - the driving position. My left leg is against a hard corner of the centre console and the pedals are offset from the seat. The Tesla is better. The MB driving seat is good, but unexpectedly, I prefer the Tesla.

The MB suspension IS extremely comfortable, but it’s pretty average at dealing with corners.

I’m not clear why you’d need to navigate the screens to go from Eco to Sport+ in the Tesla. It’s eco all the time, then you put your foot to the floor and it delivers acceleration the MB can’t match. Yes - you can set personal preferences for the steering and acceleration settings, but you don’t need to while driving.

It’ll be interesting to see whether these first impressions last when or arrived in June. My main concern is that my sons (currently 6’2” and 5’10”) will be too big for it, but they claim not...

@Dodgy Good to hear different perspectives When it comes to seat comfort and driving position, everyone will have different experiences of the same car, as everyone's body structure is different. Yes, the C350e is a cruiser, the Model 3 is far superior if you enjoy going round bends, and the acceleration in the Performance version I had was truly insane. The Model 3 even with lowered suspension and 20 inch rims was way better at handling speed bumps than the C350e. What I meant by my comparison is that for me personally, I prefer buttons rather than everything being routed via a giant touchscreen. The Model 3's voice commands were awful when I bought mine, and judging by the comments on the recent software update, they are still not good. I spend a lot of time in my C350e calling clients using the MB bluetooth system, and I don't know if it's because I have the Burmester audio, but the quality of the audio on the calls is brilliant. Most of the time, clients can't even tell I'm in the car. Model 3 was not great by comparison. Everyone has different priorities for what they seek in a car.

I don't think your sons will be too big for the rear seats. Much more room than the C350e. The only issue is that due to the height of the floor due to the batteries, taller passengers in the rear will find a gap between their thigh bottoms and the seat cushion.

I do think Tesla will eventually iron out a lot of issues that early adopters are willing to tolerate but the average car purchaser would not. Quite a bit of wind and road noise when cruising along at higher speeds, and given mine cost 65k, I found it odd that other owners were resorting to experimenting with adding sound deadening and door seal kits in order to reduce wind and road noise. Tesla need 30% margins in order to satisfy investors, and they have had to make design decisions along the way in order to reach that goal. I think my biggest concern with long term ownership, here in the UK, is that whilst they have delivered a lot of Model 3s since last summer, their service centre, customer service infrastructure and supercharging network has not been upgraded to match, and problems can take a long time to be addressed after purchase. That bothers me given I'm a single car household. Again, whilst I recognise they are under pressure to deliver more and more cars each quarter, from a buyer's perspective, I don't like the approach of shipping the cars out with minimal or no quality control, and letting the service centres deal with correcting those issues post purchase. I noticed a few issues with my Model 3 when I picked it up, and I wasn't impressed with the staff's attitude when I reported the problems. It was almost like "You've got a shiny new car, just go enjoy it" - contrast this with my experience buying my almost 3 year old used C350e from a MB main dealer, who treated me like I was buying a brand new top of the range S class. However, I acknowledge, not every MB buyer has the same experience and not every MB is reliable or trouble free like my C350e has been. I'm not trying to dimiss what Tesla have achieved, the Model 3 really is a groundbreaking vehicle, and living with a Model 3 makes you realise that on many dimensions, the entire car industry has been caught with their pants down as Tesla have redefined what a car is and what it can do. Best of luck with your transition to the Tesla

 

[raspy]

Hi folks,

I hope I found the right thread, I'm considering buying a C350e and I'm looking for some actual feedback from people who've owned the car for more than just a test drive

What I'm looking at is 2017-2018 models with low mileage. Most of my commute is 25km each way, with a charging station at both ends. Once or twice a week I'll need to do 96km each way. The 96km commute each way will not have a charging station at the end, so it's down to the petrol engine most of the way.

I know that a diesel would make more sense, but the parking situation in Luxembourg is really abysmal, but all the garages have a disproportionate amount of chargers and parking reserved for PHEV/EV that having a plug-in basically guarantees me a parking spot. My other reason for C350e is that it offers a lot more for the price compared to the competition. I can basically get a C350e with air suspention, panoramic roof, burmester etc for the same amount of money as I'd have to spend for an Audi A3 e-tron! I'm also sure C350e would be a lot more comfortable to drive in than the A3.

What worries me though are the reviews I've read on sites like carbuyer:
Mercedes C350e hybrid (2017-2018) owner reviews: MPG, problems, reliability, performance | Carbuyer
Basically there's not a single positive review, they all have massive problems with the car, and that might explain why a 72k euro car is being sold for 31k mere 2.5 years later.

Can anyone tell me if these horrible reviews have any truth in them and what the ownership is like?

@crotach I can only share my experience. Bought my 2.5 year old C350e with 27k and have driven 20k miles. I don't charge the car very often, spend most of my time stuck in traffic in London, and over my last 10k miles, I'm getting 35mpg average. All I've done is fill up with petrol, charge now and then, and have one service with MB dealer. Now you have one positive review

I took looked at the A3 e-tron, and found it to be less luxurious and slower.

Before the C350e, I put 20k miles on a 2016 new shape Prius. 70mpg average in that time. I used to get 80-100mpg in the summer time driving into London. Far superior as a hybrid (way more efficient) with a much smoother drivetrain than the C350e. Drove surprisingly well too. You may want to consider a Prius PHEV. However, the combination of luxury, power and comfort (and the ability to grab all the best car parking spaces in London just like Luxembourg) of the C350e mean that I don't mind the poor fuel economy.

BTW, I am paying for a MB extended warranty. I would not keep this car without the MB warranty. Way too many (expensive) things that can go wrong with this car.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Can you take a look and see if you get heart XTRA or cap XTRA reloaded? I know they work in my area as my wife gets them in her 1 series. But my god isn't the scrolling slow, drives me insane.

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Can’t you set DAB favourites?

 

[Dodgy]

I have Heart EM (but no signal) Heart ex (the signal took a little while to kick in), Heart70s, Heart80s, Heart90s and HeartDnc.

Then there’s Cap UK, Cap XTRA, Capital and CapX Rld. All working where I am near Nottingham.

 

[Masterstein]

I have Heart EM (but no signal) Heart ex (the signal took a little while to kick in), Heart70s, Heart80s, Heart90s and HeartDnc.

Then there’s Cap UK, Cap XTRA, Capital and CapX Rld. All working where I am near Nottingham.

Ahh okay. Mine is missing pretty much all of those and I'm Leicester. Strange, might try a full reset

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[Dodgy]

Can’t you set DAB favourites?

Yes - I believe you can. Never done it myself, because I’m a creature of habit. But Talk Sport 2 has the cricket commentary, so I really should have checked it out rather than scroll to death to find it!

 

[Masterstein]

Can’t you set DAB favourites?

Yes I can set faves but I can't even see those channels

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[Masterstein]

Yes - I believe you can. Never done it myself, because I’m a creature of habit. But Talk Sport 2 has the cricket commentary, so I really should have checked it out rather than scroll to death to find it!

I find the scrolling works a lot better if you click first, then it lists them all. If i just scroll it loads up random channels which like you say don't even tune in

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[C350ezoom]

Tech questions: settings for remote boot opening and display of OAT
The car is going-in for a service soon and, before doing battle, it would be useful to know whether anyone has dealt with a couple of the things that pain me:

• There was lots of discussion about getting the KPH display to show the OAT (as it does on non-UK version) - has anyone made progress with this?
• From time-to-time I find that the tailgate has opened itself. Initially I though there was a gremlin in the works but MB couldn't find one so I suspect it's something pressing the key button in my pocket. Is there a setting to require the car to be unlocked before the tailgate will open?

The other things I moan about are the delay in selecting reverse in Hybrid mode and the real-world electric range, but I don't hold out any hope for those improving.

Despite the above, I like the car very much. It's just about to reach 3 years old but I'll probably keep it for a couple more years and then get another hybrid with lower performance, more electric range and more baggage space. Any suggestions?

 

[CaptainChaos]

We are stuck with the KPH display, but you can have the OAT displaying on the odometer screen only.

Not sure about the boot. There may be an option somewhere. Could you be activating the "foot waggler" (can't remember the proper name!) as you are walking away from the car? Or your pet cat is coming out to greet you when you get home?

In two year time there will be a much greater choice of EV and hybrid cars so I wouldn't make any decisions yet.

 

[C350ezoom]

I just found something that might be relevant here: Strange Behaviour after UK Mode deletion. "Right got onto STAR today via another forum member and got this sorted out. First thing was to go into the basic coding and set the country back to UK, and that sorted out the issue with the digital speedos. But obviously locked back down to just having Kph on the lower display. Then into developer mode and enabled the Display Line, outside temperature. There was no change of Country as such needed. So all in all its is working as it should now."
I don't know anything about STAR - what (apart from the obvious) is the "developer mode" that's mentioned?

Re the boot: I didn't opt for the foot waggler so pussy isn't a factor :-D

True, the rate of PHEV launches is certain to increase rapidly BUT, although I bought the C350e new, it's replacement will probably be a couple of years old ... so would be being hatched about now.

 

[CaptainChaos]

You won't get a main dealer "hacking" to that level. All they will do is a software upgrade that brings the OAT into use. The UK mode means the car is displaying in miles, and legislation says there has to be a kilometre display as well. Merc could easily have hidden this on a menu which you switch to when you need it, but instead they chose to have it on permanent display....