C350e owners club

[mbboyracer]

Time to deal with this...

1. Never heard of someone struggling with Keyless Go before. You only ever have to press it once to start and then once to stop.

2. Most hidden switches are for things you never need, light the headlights etc.

3. I'm sure you'll get used to it in time.

Well, you've heard of it now! There's always a first time for everything.

1. Comment not entirely accurate, however. Yes, single press to start as long as foot is firmly on brake pedal. And Yes, as single press to stop the engine but the car stays "live" until you open door to leave. That is what was confusing me. Got back to using it for now.

2. Headlights I can do by feel; push on/push off switches do not give feedback of status of facility or service. You have to look at something or see something happening. "Things I never need are hidden"? Can't imagine what they are going to be. Maybe that's why I haven't yet found the starting handle or the hole where it goes.

3. Of course! System design is always a compromise and designers and manufacturers rely on the fact that we humans will always adapt to a product that is less than perfect (whatever that is!). And in the end, we often become fiercely loyal to a car/bike/aircraft because we have learned how to get the best out of it in spite of its idiosyncrasies.

Just because something is new doesn't make it better. Treat progress with circumspection. I bet we can all think of something ground-breaking that turned out to be a lemon.

Not this C350e, however. I think it is a step forward from the C320cdi Elegance that I enjoyed for eight years and I don't for one moment miss the canal-boat noise of the engine.

 

[wivenhoe]

Time to deal with this...



Well, you've heard of it now! There's always a first time for everything.

1. Comment not entirely accurate, however. Yes, single press to start as long as foot is firmly on brake pedal. And Yes, as single press to stop the engine but the car stays "live" until you open door to leave. That is what was confusing me. Got back to using it for now.

2. Headlights I can do by feel; push on/push off switches do not give feedback of status of facility or service. You have to look at something or see something happening. "Things I never need are hidden"? Can't imagine what they are going to be. Maybe that's why I haven't yet found the starting handle or the hole where it goes.

3. Of course! System design is always a compromise and designers and manufacturers rely on the fact that we humans will always adapt to a product that is less than perfect (whatever that is!). And in the end, we often become fiercely loyal to a car/bike/aircraft because we have learned how to get the best out of it in spite of its idiosyncrasies.

Just because something is new doesn't make it better. Treat progress with circumspection. I bet we can all think of something ground-breaking that turned out to be a lemon.

Not this C350e, however. I think it is a step forward from the C320cdi Elegance that I enjoyed for eight years and I don't for one moment miss the canal-boat noise of the engine.

I think that they put the driving aids out of direct sight to encourage you to leave them on - the 'hidden' console has the steer assist, 360 camera, lane departure, hud which are all options which also means there are no 'blanks' on the centre console on cars without the options. I have yet to find a reason to turn them off.

 

[derekthetree]

Wow this warm weather seems to be good for EV range. Got home at 99.9mpg on 61% battery which hasn't happened before

 

[ryeltep]

I think that they put the driving aids out of direct sight to encourage you to leave them on - the 'hidden' console has the steer assist, 360 camera, lane departure, hud which are all options which also means there are no 'blanks' on the centre console on cars without the options. I have yet to find a reason to turn them off.

Agreed - hardly touch the light controls (set to auto) and the auxiliary switches on the right. Head up always on, likewise camera and others.

Played with the ride height at the weekend - very good for going over massive speed bumps in local shopping centre!

Only thing that I don't like button wise are shortcuts for Comand. I used to have a navigate home button stored on the X3 and a Radio 4 one too (showing my age!). The favourites system is not so helpful.

 

[mbboyracer]

I think that they put the driving aids out of direct sight to encourage you to leave them on - the 'hidden' console has the steer assist, 360 camera, lane departure, hud which are all options which also means there are no 'blanks' on the centre console on cars without the options. I have yet to find a reason to turn them off.

Agreed - hardly touch the light controls (set to auto) and the auxiliary switches on the right. Head up always on, likewise camera and others.

Played with the ride height at the weekend - very good for going over massive speed bumps in local shopping centre!

Only thing that I don't like button wise are shortcuts for Comand. I used to have a navigate home button stored on the X3 and a Radio 4 one too (showing my age!). The favourites system is not so helpful.

....plus Parktronic and one spare (in my case; wonder what that's for?)

These replies illustrate the compromise I mentioned. You are putting aesthetics before functionality.

Seriously, no designer would put controls deliberately out of sight so that you would not see them easily and therefore leave them on! What difference would it make to Herr Benz? A bizarre idea. And what would be wrong with having another row of switches on the centre console? BTW I agree that we could do away with the COMAND shortcuts. They're on the screen anyway.

And Ok about the ride height going over the speed bumps around my stable.

There are several things I have not made my mind up yet including steering assist and lane-keeping. So I use them sparingly. And I frequently select the 360° Camera in situations where it does not switch on automatically like going forward to get out of my very tight parking space

And what about multiple drivers? Mrs Racer dislikes gadgets but likes the HUD. Which I like too but don't want it on all the time.

In principle, I would like to be able to make all control selections without taking my eyes off the road using individual switches etc that I can identify by feel. The car gets close in some respects but fails with the climate control and the six switches hidden behind the steering wheel. But I'll get used to it and live with it (I hope) and eventually defend it when I have covered 10,000 miles or so.

 

[IA c350e]

Hi Guys, hope someone can help or point me in the right direction:

My paring camera seems to have stopped working, when I first approach an object the camera pops up on my display the within a second closes again? Anyone have any ideas on this one please?

 

[jamesc350e]

Slightly off topic but just wondered what peoples opinions are on the likely residual values of the C350e after say 2 years. I will be leasing for 2 years and if the residual is decent might try to buy at the end of the lease term. I wonder how the £5k government grant will be factored in?

 

[mbboyracer]

Slightly off topic but just wondered what peoples opinions are on the likely residual values of the C350e after say 2 years. I will be leasing for 2 years and if the residual is decent might try to buy at the end of the lease term. I wonder how the £5k government grant will be factored in?

Interesting question and I look forward to the views of others who may change cars more often than I do.

BTW, the grant has been reduced to £2500 for this car. I believe that other, more eco-friendly cars may still attract a £4500 grant.

 

[kingofthehill]

Does anyone know a Greater London based dealer who has a C350e saloon available for test drive and who may offer an extended test drive? A friend of mine is interested in the car, but needs a longer drive to get comfortable with the purchase.

 

[mbboyracer]

My paring camera seems to have stopped working, when I first approach an object the camera pops up on my display the within a second closes again? Anyone have any ideas on this one please?

My first thought is that this is a warranty fix! Take it to the dealer.
My second is probably not going to make much difference. Check so see that the camera lenses are clean - including the ones at the top of the windscreen. This is dealt with in the manual. There are five (or is it six?) cameras altogether; nose, tail, door mirrors, windscreen.

Good luck.

 

[mardeman]

Any ideas how long it takes to charge the car using the normal 13amp socket

 

[ryeltep]

Any ideas how long it takes to charge the car using the normal 13amp socket

I use my 13amp lead at work. I have set to the medium current draw and it takes about 3hrs to charge from c10% to full.

Physics tells me the I x V = W (do people remember Ivy Watts?) current x voltage = power

So the battery has capacity of 6.6kWh

At say 8 amps the 13 amp socket will operate at 1.9Kw so about 3.5hrs to fully charge the battery.

On the 16amp charge point it is about an 1.5hrs

I love it when the maths and physics stack up!

 

[Dieseldrinker]

Any ideas how long it takes to charge the car using the normal 13amp socket

About 2 hours on the 13A on the maximum current setting, and about 1.5 hours on the 16A socket.

I'm now charging at home and at work and I'm making any short distance journeys in E-Mode around home, so I'm expecting to see my fuel economy between petrol refuelling rise dramatically.

 

[mardeman]

Since the weather changed, I have noticed an improvement in the mileage. I am now making my 12 mile journey on full electric, and today even though the miles were showing as 0 I got an extra couple

Just wish I had a temp showing now it is getting warmer. But still after 7 weeks in the garage they didn't manage to do it

 

[Goldngin]

Since the weather changed, I have noticed an improvement in the mileage. I am now making my 12 mile journey on full electric, and today even though the miles were showing as 0 I got an extra couple

Just wish I had a temp showing now it is getting warmer. But still after 7 weeks in the garage they didn't manage to do it

Hi, Have only had my car a couple of weeks, after charging it's settled down to saying it's got 14 miles range which seems to drop to 13 as soon as you switch it on. The ICE kicks in when in hybrid mode when the battery is 80% depleted, I.e. 20% remaining, however in Electric only mode it goes down 10%. I reckon I could just about eek out 12 miles, got to drive very steadily mind. Annoying about the outside temp, at least I have it although you have to toggle the multi function display to find it.

 

[Weller]

I will have a play tomorrow - possibly on the Assistance Graphic screen where Distronic etc appears?

On a slightly related subject - has anyone tried fooling the Eco system for return trips. For example I drive about 13 miles (each way) to Birmingham International station (mixed roads). Normally I am just about out of electric power by the time of my return journey. I am thinking of setting the round trip and seeing if I get better economy over all.

I think I am obsessed [emoji3]

Bump
Anyone had any luck with finding green...?!

 

[ryeltep]

Bump

Anyone had any luck with finding green...?!

Sorry yes - on the trip computer go to the energy flow screen if Eco and SatNav are coupled then there is a green shadow at the front of the car.

 

[Weller]

Sorry yes - on the trip computer go to the energy flow screen if Eco and SatNav are coupled then there is a green shadow at the front of the car.

Cheers buddy.

 

[vprada]

I ha e a C350e in Spain and Mine has the option to show the outside temperature. Here is the video showing how
https://youtu.be/7pscNEvbEhU


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

 

[Bewva]

I have tried above, bizarrely I don't believe its available on uk spec cars.