Given a choice between an 08 base for roughly $39K vs. an 06 E-350 4matic, CPO with roughly 14K miles for roughly $36K, which one would you folks choose? (OK, I know this is a RL forum so I know I will receive biased responses)

Any input from previous MB owners would be appreciated as well....

 

There is no competition... the RL is clearly superior. Why not go with an 06 or 07 CPO RL... the car did not change at all during that time and the price will be very good for you.

BTW... I sell MBs.

 

I love this forum.

 

CL6,

Thought about that, wrt to the CPO RL.. I'm considering demo's too. However, the prices for the CPO RLs are just too high, from what I can tell.. So for that difference of $2-3K, I'd go new..

However, the MB is roughly $16K less than the MSRP of the new car, hence the thought process...

Also, since you sell MB's and see it first hand, your comments are appreciated!

 

So I guess no contest for you as well?? RL hands down?

 

For the money, it seems that the RL would be the best value. You are getting a new vehicle as opposed to a used vehice (certified or not), and that alone is worth a lot to some people.

On the basis of the vehicles themselves, I think the RL has the upper hand. I have not driven the E350 4matic, but have checked one out pretty closely at the dealer--a 2007, I believe.

On the interior, the E-class does not really standout. The design is pleasant and congruent, but nothing outstanding. The COMAND system is rather primative and has nothing on the RL. There are some nice details, however, like the center display in the guages, along with all of the lighting. I'm a fan of the seat controls which are readily accessible and easy to use. All of the switchgear is fluid and feels substantial (but so is the RL). It's much more conservative in design than the RL, IMHO. I'd give the edge to the RL because of a nicer design and more tech. Both vehicles have much of the same features.

The exterior is a wash, in my opinion. The E-class is slightly more distinctive, and somewhat of an icon, but is aging and not much of a standout. This holds especially true in standard guise; the sport package really helps make the E more visually interesting. It's pleasing and iconic, but I would say just as inoffensive and conservative as the RL.

The E-class does have a solid drive (having riden in a friend's). It leans towards comfort, but so does the RL. But I still do not think the RL can provide for the same solid feel that a German sedan provides. Again, having not spent significant time in the driver's seat, I cannot comment much further. Again, I would say a wash.

The RL has the better AWD system. SH-AWD > all AWD systems. Period.

Powertrain is a tossup. The 3.5 V6 in the E is a pretty decent powerplant and provides for good numbers--and the 7-speed is incredible. But the RL's 3.5 is good as well, puts out more power on paper, but is mated to a lackluster 5-speed. I'd say it's a tossup here, as well.

The RL will prove to be more reliable. Guaranteed. The W211 E-class has been riddled with problems. Check out Ebay--in the past, here have been numerous MB buyback vehicles being resold. Historically, this E-class has been incredibly problematic. Be cautious; while the RL has had a few niggling problems, they pale in comparison to the W211.

IMO, the only reason to buy an E-class would be for the E550 and that sweet V8. The E350 does not have anything significant to bring to the table; it's a solid, conservative choice, but nothing to write home about.

 

Its simple for me, perhaps not for you. Do you want hyped up, overpriced, underdelivering mainstream luxury car ---- or do you want correctly priced, overdelivering nonmainstream luxury car.

There's a bias for you!

I drove the E series before buying the RL. Actually, I drove the C (what a joke), the E (better, but c'mon have you seen that navigation ) and the 3 and 5 series. The 5 series came the closest to the RL, but the RL still seemed to deliver more.

I think you might want to consider a used RL, CPO, then you'll save some money, to put away in the bank for your next sweet ride!

 

Nay, I've been pretty sure I want the RL. I've researched this to death and am convinced the RL is the car for me. Either I want to test myself, making sure that I'm making the right decision or I just like to torture myself.

I've been waiting to pull the trigger since 09/07..

 

Actually yes. The E is nice, but other than the MB cache, how is it better than the RL on most any front? The RL is boring because it is an Acura. I don't see the E being any more thrilling, styling or engineering, but because it is a MB it sells.

But my comment was more for the information and contributions made here.

There are owners, sellers, techs, admirers, critics and at the other end of the spectrum some jealousy and occaisional haters.

And I find it very respectable that a salesmen of the competing model makes a complimentary evaluation of the RL. That kind of information is priceless.

I am grateful this forum has these contributions. And considering much of the salvos directed at the salesreps in the forum, I for one, appreciate their opinions even when I do not agree.

Comments like those should be appreciated as much as others get hammered. I was simply expressing my appreciation.

 

You can buy used RLs in the low-30s.

A Benz will depreciate by 10-12% per year. The RL is more like 15-20%... MSRP to MSRP.

If you're gonna go with the E get the E500 or E550... that car has some balls under the hood. Otherwise, the RL is a better bet I think.

Say what you may about the C but the Multimedia package will do things an RL won't... of course, the two cars do not compete with one another.

 

Agreed on all counts. My wife would hurt me in a big way if we spent all that money and had problems with a car.. Hence, my itchy finger for the RL.. Only if the wife would let me pull the trigger.....

 

Believe me, I appreciate all that the active members as yourself, DWBoston, NeuronBob, CL6, Chuck091279, Touge, etc. have contributed to this forum. We all are car enthusiasts (or else we wouldn't be here!) with a passion for our vehicles.

It's great to have all the different points of views so anyone like myself looking for information about cars in order to buy a car, make an educated decision. I'm an engineer by training, so I like to beat a dead horse to be sure that I've made the right decision. So far I haven't made it yet but I'm "on the edge of going over".....

 

Absolutely agreed!

 

geronimomoe..... I say this with the utmost respect and admiration.

But I would like to award you for the most whipped guy on the forum.

Now go buy an 08 RL before they are gone.

And if your wife asks who told you to do so..... my name is Bob, and I live in Cleveland.

 

My wife said when we got married, her money was her money and my money was her money..

So, I'm spending her money.....

As some wise man said (still married at that too!), he who keeps wife in the loop, keeps wife somewhat happy, and makes wife think she has a say in decision of car, stays wealthy......

In NJ she gets half of what you have...

 

I wish we had a "man lessons" smilie.

You KNOW you want the RL. Just do it already. Don't take your wife with you to the dealer. And if your wife says anything after the purchase.....just say you'd rather switch cars than wives. (Billy Dee Williams' Colt 45 ad voice) Works every time!

 

I know I want the RL, so does she. She's pretty much resigned to that fact... My best friend of 27 years tells me the same thing. I know I want the car, just do it, as I over analyze things.....

As for "I'd rather switch cars than wives", she may not give me a choice, when I get served with divorce papers..

Tampa, oops I mean, Bob in Cleveland, can I have your number and address so I can send her your way??????

 

A Jersey girl??? With big hair & long nails!????

 

Ha!

 

What do you drive now? Have you ever owned Honda/Acura or Mercedes before?

I was a Honda/Acura driver exclusively for years. My first Acura was a 1987 Legend - amazing car at the time. Also had a 1990 Legend and countless Hondas over the years. They are great cars.

In 1995 I bought my first MB (E Class). I owned that car for 9 years and strayed to Lexus for 2 years (big mistake!). After that I drove a 2002 E430 until recently when I traded it for a 2006 RL - a huge decision for me.

I was also looking at the MB (2005 E500) and debating between it and the RL. Two other family members have 2005 RLs and love them.

IMO, both are great cars, but in different ways. In my situation, my commute changed and the 2002 E430 was lacking NAV, Satellite radio, MP3, and bluetooth. The RL solved all these issues and is a comfortable car to sit in for 3-4 hours a day. The pre-2007 Mercedes E has NAV, Satellite and MP3 as options, but doesn't always come that way. Adding these options can be very expensive and bluetooth is only available aftermarket.

The 2007 and later Mercedes E has all of this included (I'm fairly certain). For me the 2007-2008 E was over budget so I "settled" for the RL... I told myself (and had wife's agreement) that in 3 years when my daughter starts driving, we'll give her the RL and I'll get a used 2008 E550... That said, I've been driving the RL for 2 months now and love it - great car.

As far as my opinion of Mercedes in general, it's just an incredibly nice driving car that isn't easily matched. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Acura and Honda, but if you've never owned and driven a Mercedes, you just wouldn't understand. They are extremely solid, well built, stable and in my experience have a totally different feel on the road. MB had some quality issues in some of their cars that were sorted out for the most part by 2004-2005. That said, my 2002 E430 was a reliable car - I traded it with 75K miles on the clock.

I would also say that the Mercedes cars are somewhat antiquated in their instrumentation and function - not as slick and smooth or as well executed as Acura's. The first time I sat in an MB (father-in-law's), I thought "no way would I go for this - too confusing and clunky looking controls...". Five years later, I drove his new MB and bought my first. The newer MB cars are more with the times than they used to be, but the controls still don't compare to Acura's (IMO)...

The other knock on MB is the stigma of the 3-pointed star - I'm a contractor and got more flack from clients driving my 1995 Mercedes (valued at $6500 at the time) than I did when I sold it for my 2003 Lexus GX470 ($50K). I know there are some who buy into it, but for me it's been trouble. The RL has done wonders for this problem as it continued with my 2002 MB.

The other thing I would say is that so far, my Mercedes cars have been solid from the start and stay that way. My 1995 Mercedes at 125K miles, drove every bit as well as the day I bought it (as a factory rep car with 8K miles). I still have a 1996 S500 Mercedes that I drive on weekends and long trips because I can't bear to part with it - at 130K miles and 12 years old, it's still a pleasure to drive. I can't speak for the 2006 RL, but my 1980's through 2000's Acuras and Hondas felt increasingly tired as the miles piled on (rattles, squeeks, loss of responsiveness, etc.) With a few exceptions, they were very reliable, but they just didn't hold together as well as the Mercedes cars have. I spent a bit more on repairs for the MBs but not significantly more.

Sorry to ramble on for so long, but the short of it is, it really depends on what's important to you. Both are great cars, but in very different ways.

Good luck with your decision - you can't go wrong either way.

 

Boy, I just logged on since yesterday and completely missed this thread. I would have had a few things to say about MB's, girl's from NJ (I married one), and marriage , but looks like all the bases have been covered.

This was an enjoyable read over my morning cup of coffee. Thanks Tampa, you crack me up!

 

This may help your decision.... Skid pad test

The two competitors that Acura brought to compare against the RL sedan were the Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic and the Lexus GS 350 AWD.

Of these three vehicles, the Mercedes was the least manageable in the slick conditions. The 4matic system felt crude and car felt very heavy—I was surprised to learn that the Acura actually weighed more. Driving was very unpredictable, with power being cut to stop the wheels from spinning, then returning when unexpected. Even with AWD and ESP, we almost spun the car twice. In conditions such as these, the E-Class would be handful to control.

Based on our experience, the Acura was the best of the three vehicles on the skid pad with Lexus a very close second

 

You tell people you are successful and would they rather have you driving a beat up Dodge Maverick?

 

A Maverick was a Ford. The Comet was the rebadged Mercury version.

Perhaps you thinking of a Dodge Matador circa 1960, which replaced the Coronet.

The Matador badge was transferred to the AMC brand in the 70s.

Sometimes it helps being an old fart. When memory serves.

 

How is it that you're a younger fart than me and know of the Dodge Matador?

I'd never even heard of the Dodge Matador until now. Cool.

I'd say the Matador name was picked up by AMC, rather than transferred, as the AMC-Chrysler merger didn't take place until the mid-to-late 1980s. Maybe AMC and Dodge arm-wrestled for it back then.

Remember the "Eagle brand" - a combination of badge-engineered AMC, Chrylser, Mitsubishi, and Renaults?

Today the Dodge Sprinter is a badge-engineered Mercedes van.

Rob144

 

Matador was dropped by Dodge after 1961 as Dart was a more popular badge.

AMC negotiated the Matador name in 1971 after it was unused 10 years by Dodge.

Chysler then purchased AMC in 1987. Odd the Matordor name did not make it to MB in the Daimler Benz ownership of Chrysler!

Yes I remember Eagle. My RL is not my 1st AWD. I had a 1991 Eagle Talon TSi AWD....LOVED it! It was a Diamond Star production (joint Mitsu / Chrylser) that produced the Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser and Mitsu Elcipse - along with later variants Avenger, Sebring). The other Eagles started off as Renaults (ie Eagle Premier) and later Chrysler rebadges (Eagle Vision / Chrysler Concorde / Dodge Intrepid - and later variants LHS, 300C).

Now that is branding spaghetti!

 

My brother had an Eagle Talon (badge engineered Mitsubishi Eclipse). What a POS that car was. He took a bath on that (and the Jeep Wrangler he traded in to get it 6 months after buying the Jeep), and wised up and got a Civic.

 

I remember the Rambler!!!!

If memory serves wasn't Eagle supposed to be more of a upscale performance division for Dodge? Kinda like Buick and Olds were for GM.

 

Kind of. Eagle became the parking lot for AMC cars that the merged Chrysler-AMC wanted to keep in their portfolio. The Eagle Premier and Vision were the upmarket offerings.

Rob144

 

This has turned into quiet the fart fest!

Back on topic, the E is due for a redesign as well. I wonder if it will look like an Acura copying a MB? Can you imagine MB nodding to Acura styling with the current direction?

 

Do i get partial credit?



http://www.modelcars.com/modelcar5073.php

 

The vision was nothing more than a rebadged Intrepid though.

 

That is a Dodge 330 SuperSport for Maverick Racing Team (1964?).

Awww....someone should give you a nice parting gift.

 

How about some silk boxer shorts?

 

are you from jersey? and if you are were you shopping Elite Acura?

 

I'm from Jersey but haven't shopped Elite. I've contacted dealers in FL, CT, Virginia, PA, NY, and dealers in NJ north of Rt. 78. No particular reason I haven't gone south of Rt. 78 in NJ but I might.. Never know.....

 

alright because i work at Elite Acura and i had a customer who came in the other day and we let him walk at $39k on a RL with $46,995 MSRp with all season mats. customer is also comparing E class benz with the RL

 

Funny, but not surprising. Given the number of off-lease E350's and the fact that the RL and E-class are in the same price range, they're natural competitors.....

 

When the RL came out that's what we were told but, at least on the West Coast, it never really happened to me. Maybe the 5-Series, but that was it. On paper though, I agree. When we had an 06 RL I showed it to every customer shopping an E Class but I never got too much reaction. Car finally sold for like 32k.

 

I suspect the lack of reaction is due to the RLs lack of cache. On paper, they are definitely competitors.