Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Simply the best vehicle you could own, it was voted safest car in 2017 in the world, and I can see why, its semi autonomous driving ability, makes every other car feel out dated, its glass dashboard makes you feel you are the starship enterprise, its seats are simply sublime, the ride and power are excellent, it has a style and presence on the road that no other car comes close to replicating. Every panel fits perfect, every bit of material is of the highest quality. There is not one fault I can find with this vehicle. The only way to experience this is go drive one for a weekend, and indulge in the luxury that only german engineering can provide.

Superb option for long distances whisper quite comfortable ride effortlessly glides along quite good on fuel roomy for luggage very well built car
For a car that cost over $110,000 new so it should
Stylish looking car that still retains some respect.
It’s a big solid car that if it’s treated well and serviced correctly will reward

My car is used for shopping, outings - not every day of the week. Quite low mileage. The car has been serviced as required since new by a Mercedes dealer. The car is great except for the sporty tyres, which cause it to ride rough. I feel every bump on the road. This has now required three new tyres (very expensive $500+ each). One tyre has now to be replaced for the second time, caused by a damaged rim (in turn caused by the rough riding with these tyres). My electronic system (lane assist, adaptive high beam, etc) also needs replacing - I'm glad it's still under warranty. Lovely luxury car, but not a luxury ride.

This is an impressive high quality and solid vehicle. It is a pleasure to drive anytime anywhere. It looks beautiful inside out in every detail at day and night. The panoramic sunroof, the comand control system and surround sound is just a feast. There is no car like it anymore.

I had a rear tyre explosion while driving my E250 to the snow fields. When fitting the spare wheel I noticed excessive inner shoulder wear on both tyres. I replaced both and took pictures of damaged tyres. I showed the pictures to Berwick (Vic) Mercedes dealer and requested wheel alignment. To my shock, at the next service interval, it was reported rear tyres wearing badly on inside edges. I pointed to the dealer that last wheel alignment was done by their workshop and it was supposed to correct the wearing problem but instead made it worse. They simply refused to check if negative camber was out of specification but instead explained that Mercedes designed the car in such way and it was nothing they could have done better. Recommendation was to replace tyres every 25,000km which for me was every service interval. A set of Pirelli rear tyres costs $1,000.
I wrote to Mercedes head office asking to confirm the story but no reply was ever received which made me worried. The wear can not be easily detected, car sits very low, tyres are wide and from outside they look pretty healthy while inside is worn down to canvas. This makes the car unsafe.
Note that I get a minimum of 45,000 km of my front tyres. Unfortunately front and rear sizes are different and tyres cannot be rotated.

Ovidiu Marin

Bought a 2yr old W212 E250 from a dealer second hand and had about 25k in it. It came with additional factory approved pre-owned warranty for another 2 yr, which fortunately we did not have to claim anything for. I have owned it now close to 5yr, mostly inner city driving, and has been a real pleasure to drive and own. The interior is spacious, back seats are good for 3 adults. Boot space is also decent for daily groceries or the occasional airport trip / golf clubs. The 5-speed auto is getting old by current standard; however does the job just as well for city driving. The higher gear probably is less relevant (7th or 8th speed) given our speed limit of 110kmh. Panoramic sunroof is a must in my opinion. Sat on one without, it is a totally different feeling! A tad more confined.

Service-wise, i always take it to a Mercedes dealer. However my advise is to shop around as their rates are different. Some dealer charge a lot more for Service B, some just $150 more.

We also had a W211 E240 and W203 C200K previously and each generation gets more modern and less of the old merc feeling. I missed the old W124 solid thud door, but time has changed and so does consumers taste.

I probably would not buy anything else other than a Merc, although i enjoyed driving a bimmer (the bigger model usually one with longer chassis such as the X5, or the 5/7 series).

There's plenty of stuff written online about the new E-Class (W213). I'm going to try to put stuff out there that isn't already online, in particular for the E350e plug in electric hybrid.
Battery 6.2kWh
To test battery vs gasoline, I drove the car on an identical course at 1am in the morning so that traffic wouldn't be an issue.
The car ran in full electric mode for 22.9km (ie: almost 23km) from fully charged 100% to 11% at which point the petrol motor kicks in.
On exactly the same course with the car in E-save mode (ie: not using any net electrical energy) the car used 1.53L (at 6.7L/100km).
To charge the car from 11% to 100% from a standard wall power point with the supplied charger required 6.3kWh.
(NB: the same course driven by a Camry Hybrid used 6.0L/100km)
For reference, the aforementioned course was in a NSW regional area encompassing speed zones between 50km/h and 80km/h, two traffic lights and 21 (yes twenty-one!!) roundabouts.

Realistically, the battery alone can drive the car for between 16-20km, depending on the speed, amount of stop start traffic and whether or not air conditioning is required.

If you run your battery flat and then recharge it, you can think of it as adding 1.53L of petrol in terms of energy for use by the car.

Using the above figures, 1L 98ULP = 4.1kWh.

It's cheaper than petrol but how much cheaper depends on your own electricity tariff, whether you have time of use and whether you generate your own power with panels.

Hence if the car uses 10L/100km in petrol mode (E-save), it would need 41kWh/100km in pure electric mode.

A flaw in the system for reporting fuel consumption at present is the fact that hybrids don't have to report the amount of electricity used along side their unrealistic fuel consumption figures (which for this vehicle is 2.4L/100km - ridiculous and not real).

The extra "1.53L" of "petrol equivalent energy" you put into the car each day by plugging it into a wall socket may sound trivial but for many trips around town, its it more than adequate. Depending on your driving, it can easily stretch range between trips to the service station to over 100km

The haptic accelerator in ECO mode is pretty funky.

The acceleration in pure electric mode is quite brisk and more than enough for average around town daily commuting. Specifically 0-60km/hr in 8 sec (electric only). 0-20 feels quite brisk. It sounds pedestrian but for the daily grind, its more than enough and gets you out of the blocks faster than almost everyone else at the traffic lights if you really wanted to "floor it" in fully electric mode.

The car supplies a lot of data re: fuel consumption but minimal data on electricity consumption. I'd prefer it add references to kWh/100km in addition to L/100km when net electricity has been used.

The Multi-Beam LED headlights (84 individual LEDs each side) are absolutely FANTASTIC for driving on country roads at night. They are almost an essential feature for safe driving at night. They work really well and there has only been one occasion when they haven't switched off for an oncoming vehicle (a truck rising over a crest) in 6 months.

Autonomous tech is interesting... more a work in progress. Fun but don't actually let the car drive itself. Watch the car like a hawk. The tech is great... its great to see it (autonomous driving) evolving but it isn't quite there yet in this car.

In electric mode, the car is very quiet inside. It's quite a pleasant space to be in. The Camry Hybrid was pretty quiet but this thing takes it to a new level. Ride comfort is pretty good too however, unfortunately, you do feel the occasional pot hole with the low profile tyres regardless of the claims made about its air suspension. Small road imperfections are ok. Big potholes are still an issue. (A pot hole cause a bulge in the side wall of a tyre which required tyre replacement.)

The dual screen interface is nice but MB could still do more work to make the interface more user friendly.
There are heaps of different views and panels of information which can be configured on the twin 12.3 inch screens. Great for the tech head nerd! The touch pads on the steering wheel are nice to use. In summary 4/5 for the interface.

Voice recognition I'd only give 3/5. Good but not exceptional.

I haven't had any reliability issues with the car at this stage... only with the tyres but low profile tyres can be an issue with all makes and models.

Boot space is good and its much better than the Camry Hybrid in being able to fold down the rear seats for extra carry room if required.

The 360 degree camera system matted to the massive 12.3 inch screen is fantastic. Very useful for safety when maneuvering the car at slow speed around car parks and the like.

Apple Car Play works but is a bit fiddly and slightly glitchy. Not the greatest success there but usable.

I'm not a great fan of the air con interface. A bit fiddly but you get used to it.

Self parking - most of the time, I'd do a better job esp reverse perpendicular parking, but its useful for tight parallel parking situations.

The wall charger supplied with the car only charges at 8A max which is a shame. Its annoying that the Mercedes Wall Box costs so much. I can't see myself getting the wallbox for such minimal benefit.

The Multi-BEAM LEDs are the real highlights. The car (and almost all new cars now) have heaps of safety features but you only use them if you're unlucky enough to have an accident. However, you use the Multi-BEAM LEDs every night you drive an unlit country road. It is safety tech you use day in day out and it makes the driving at night easier, less stressful and safer.

I bought a new E220d coupe earlier this year on the basis of the clams by MB that it is the most'intelligent' car in the market. This may or may not be correct. What is clear is that ithe technology is very poorly delivered and highly confusing to use.

Starting with the users manual (500 pages) being almost unintelligible. The manual also describes instruments which don't actually exist in the car.

Functions can be manipulated by numeroously duplicated instruments spread over the control surfaces. In the central consol there is a touch pad sitting over the top of another instrument that does the same thing, but just gets in the way.

The GPS works occasionally, but not in certain regional areas. I have given up entirely on the voice activated GPS.

Even something as simple as the radio is made to be increadably complex, but fails to have a scan function.

I have this amazing car since 3 weeks ago and to be honest it is amazing car I’ve ever had. It is a high-tech and so comfortable car. I bought it from Mercedes Benz Melbourne and also many thanks to James at Mercedes Bens Melbourne. Has a 4 cylinder engine but it is so powerful compare to other 4 cylinders cars.

170,000 K's still very tight.
Use it on long distance trips - have another car for the city.
People I bought the car off at 110,000 k's also used it for country driving.
Car is comfortable, quiet and solid.
No fancy electronics in the 1999 model but self installed high end audio and smart fone GPS make up a difference to the more modern cars.
These cars had safety products on then which were up to 10 years in advance of less safety conscious manufacturers.

W210's are now old cars. Either you work on them yourself and source cheap parts from the net overseas or don't buy one. Unfortunately in 2017 there are some faults which cost more than the car is worth to repair unless you DIY.

These cars will last well over 3 - 400,000km's with careful maintenance.

They certainly do not make them like this anymore!
Beautiful cars in the day and will not let go of mine.
Reliable and strong, built to last .
Solid as a rock and the driving experience feels as if I am floating .
It's a limousine and people are always surprised at economical it is to run.
Like all cars if you are not prepared to keep up your servicing /maintenance then this is not the car for you.
Parts can be expensive however you are maintaining a luxury car built for comfort not for speed and this model is now classed as a classic car and finding yourself a knowledgable ( ex mb mech) could save you a lot of money.
If you see one for sale now check for oil leaks and service history of oil changes as the head gasket in this model is notorious for leaking and hugely expensive to fix.
Great Cruiser and a very safe car especially for long road trips , will have you reaching your destination stress free .

This has to be the nicest and most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven. It is so smooth and has too many safety features to mention.
Very economical and just looks amazing. This car handles and turns beautifully. You will not find a better car. This is luxury at it's best.

Owned our 2012 e250 for nearly 2 years now, covered 24k. It has been very reliable, a pleasure to drive in most circumstances, though traction was an issue in the wet but after replacement of rubber the others had just gone off with age. We average around the 8/100kms around the town, our best run was driving to Melbourne from Sydney, the trip computer told us we still had 800km until empty, incredible result with 4 adults and luggage. Only problem we suffer is ground clearance, you need to be careful.

Have owned my W210 E240 2.8 litre V6, auto trannie wagon for last 5 years. The fold out rear seats are great, but only if you have no heavy baggage to load. As the W210 is no longer built, from a second hand perspective, bought mine with 103 000 Ks up, not much in Ks for this kind of car. Paid the equivalent of what a new H-Getz would have cost me. MB's are generally very affordable second hand, bargains really, you get a lot of car for the money. In terms of build quality and comfort, best car I've owned, by far, of the mix of vehicles I've owned. Reliability has been very good. Compared to later models, doesn't have quite as much bells and whistles but had more kit than anything else I had owned. When buying a MB second hand, check it has a complete service history. Not any old garage can maintain these cars properly. Probably true of most European cars. Yes can be expensive to maintain but if you can do basic maintenance, this will save you $$. I do oil changes, have replaced serpentine belt and one rear window regulater. Generally great to work on, if you do work on them, you realise the good engineering and build quality. Parts are actually plentiful online. The E class is famous for smooth cloud like ride and solid feel. My car is 16 years old but is still totally rattle free. Everything from sun roof to 6 disc CD stacker, aircon, cruise control etc, still all works. If you find a well looked after one, for sale, I think its a good buy. Remember, check for a good service history and make sure everything still works.

E250 diesel. Goes like a petrol car, very smooth and responsive. For a big vehicle it is very economical. Seven seats is handy for the kids and the occasional extra friend. Back seat flatten with a flick of a switch. Most things electric as one would expect. Very practical with the extra bonus of being in a Mercedes. It is the driving position that really does it for me. Being 6 ft 4 in is very spacious and leaves space behind my seat for the kids, unlike Japanese cars. The sound system and Nav is at my finger tips and you can change channels 3 different ways. Looks good as well. Like a Volvo it ages well.

Driving experience is amazing with the diesel, expecially on the highway
Can be noisy when speeding up but once your moving can't hear it!
The interior is immaculate, amazing style and looks very nice
Running costs are very low as I fill up 1 every fortnight for about $70
Leg room is very nice too!

Nice looking car.
I upgraded mine with 19" chrome wheels which looked great against a black car.
Sound system also upgraded.
Very smooth and quiet drive.
Economical. Better than expected for a large car.
Upsizing the wheels definitely worsened fuel consumption.
I had to replace the MAF. 5 minute job. $NZ250 for the part.
Brake pads $90 from repco. Straight forward fix.
Park light bulbs hard to source due to their offset prongs. $NZ25 each versus $NZ2.50 each for other vehicles.
Lost a key. Was going to be at least $500 through dealer. Instead I got a key cut for $60 and an alarm installed for $200. Cheaper option.

August 11th 2018 Update: Pleasure to drive - but not as reliable as Japanese cars

Purchased a mint example of a 1996 MB E230 in 2012 with 100K on the clock.. Had a pre-purchase inspection. Even the mechanic was impressed with its condition.
It was a pleasure to drive. Well insulated. Comfortable. But no guts. Severely under-powered for something that size.
Had a few electrical issues (not unexpected with Euro cars) where the battery would go flat on its own. This stopped after a few months, without having to change the battery.
Lost a key. MB were going to charge $500-750 to replace, plus keep the car for a week. I got around this by getting a key cut for $60 and getting an alarm installed for $120.
MAF sensor went. Bought the part online for about $250. Took less than 10 minutes to replace.
Window regulator mechanism broke. Bought the part for $150. About 1 hour to replace.

I have the current model E Class E250 CDI built November/December,2013. Bought interstate as a demonstrator with 5,000 km. Paid $90,000 unregistered including an unregistered permit to bring it back to NSW. Cost less than $5,000 for rego. luxury car tax etc. Would cost approx. $115,000 if you ordered it brand new with all the options, sunroof etc etc. Demonstrator appears to way to go. Leather seats are great - for "Artico Leather" read vinyl
Car is fitted with 19" wheels that give a very hard ride, somewhat like driving a go-cart but it feels very safe. I am blown away by some of the safety features - the intelligent lighting is fascinating how it automatically drops from high beam for oncoming cars and does not blind cars you are following. The brakes are fantastic. The lane keeping assist is great, you may have it set on 110 km and if going around a tight corner, it will automatically drop to a safe speed and even apply brakes on one side to pull it around the bend.
The feature that allows it to automatically brake when coming up behind a slower vehicle is excellent especially on long trips - I set it at the maximum and "idiots" taking advantage of the "safe distance" are an ongoing problem.
The seats are firm but no back problems after driving for 10 hours.
I thought that the Attention Assist feature was just a glorified egg timer that went off every 2 hours but recently I was driving tired and I got the warning at about one hour 45 minutes - frightening what it knows about you.
The car has very good acceleration and picks up very well for safe overtaking - (sorry Mobile Taxation Dept)
The average consumption over the last 40,000 km is 6.1 litres/100 km but most of this is long distance driving.
Driven carefully at 110 km/h on a trip and avoiding overtaking, consumption can drop to 5.5 litres/100 km.
Tyres have very little profile and it is very easy to damage the tyres and rims on pot holes, roundabouts, driveways etc. Eventually, I will change to 18" wheels and it is a pity that MB do not make 18" standard.
It only has a space saver spare, not really suitable for long distances - if your boot is full, someone has to nurse the really huge flat tyre. Tyres can be expensive - MB dealer quoted $770/ tyre but much cheaper via Tyresales.
Very difficult to get new tyres, recently a tyre was not available in Bourke, Moree, Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and I found a dealer via Ebay in Brisbane. MB Roadside Assist is very poor, I have used them twice and next time they are getting excommunicated - I expected to speak to someone who cared. Rear vision mirrors and those distorted ones so you cannot judge distance. One one occasion trying to pull onto motor way near Brisbane at night, raining, tinted windows, idiot behind honking and I had to wind the window down and put my head out to safely enter the motorway. I bought an after market roof rack for about similar MB branded one.
The GPS is crappy. I have a portable Tom Tom which I rate as 6/10 but the Tom Tom in the car is about half as good as the portable 3/10. The portable when it gets you lost will suggest a safe way of getting back on track the MB version tells you to do a "U" turn in the middle of express ways. The Tom Tom maps are very outdated, even if you pay for updates.
A beautiful car to drive, you know you are going to be ripped off by dealers for an oil change (sorry "a service"), I would definitely buy another MB but safety comes at a cost.

I have the 5.litre V8 and passengers always use the same word "smoothe". E class is neither too big or small, and has achieved 12L/100 over the last 40,000km. Servicing can be expensive but worth it I think. Car has all bells and whistles, well put together. Always a pleasure to drive after all these years.
Smoothe to drive, handsome looks, full package included, safe and reliable, perfect size.
Servicing not cheap

Best car easily of the 16 I have owned. Seven seater for all the family (7 kids, luckily three have left the coope so we sold the Tarago). The ride is magnificent. The grunt is powerful. The 10 speaker Harmon Kardon with rear bass boost speaker even makes the teenagers smile. Wifey loves her one button seat memory that puts everything back in place after I drive it (seat up/down, back/forth, tilt/recline, headrest, mirrors, steering wheel in/out/up/down). Really, too many things you can't even imagine to go on about. Magnificent car.
Everything. Inclusions, ride, seating, grunt, navigation, cd/dvd, bluetooth