Guys, you can't be serious. This is a no-brainer, the E-500 is awesome. I mean, we are comparing a 60k car to a 30k car. No comparison. The E 500 has way more modding potential, you can always turn it back to stock. THe E IMO, looks AWESOME, inside and out.

 

Nothing short of the E55AMG is worthy for my tastes j/k Those AMGs are nice though.

 

Your right! It was amazing...when I test drove it the salesman said take a u turn at the next corner as hard as you can, I was amazed by the turning radius, because I made a U-turn on the same corner with my CL-S and had to be much more careful not to hit the curb.

 

MB have been known to have a great turning radius. I've had 5 ol school benz's and they all could turn better than my TL

 

Ummm As far as I know, the 2003 E Class was NOT available with Navigation, it will be available for 2004.
Ed

 

It became available about four weeks ago on the 2003 models.

 

Must be a West Coast thing, because I sell no less than 20 E classes a month, and I've never seen an 03 with Nav.

Ed

 

Possibly a West Coast thing (I live in California).

Here's one on ebay with pictures:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2432481920

 

Well this is funny but it was not available and those bastards at Benz told people it was. They bought the cars and well, no NAV when they came. LMAO! GOtta love the 3 pointed star.

 

Your numbers look off. How can the monthly payment only increase by $100 when the MB will cost $20,000 more?

If not and the $100 is not a big deal for you, take the MB. There's no comparison.

 

If you are comparing TL and E320, I still could understand. But E500? It is two classes higher than TL.

 

Totally agree with other people's comments...
The E500 is in a totally different league than the TL.
I'll take E500 in a heartbeat over the TL any day.

Also, quite honestly, I think the E500 is a wolf in
a sheep skin while the TL is a sheep in a wolf
skin. For what both cars are trying to accomplish,
luxurious but high performance the E500 kick the
'04 TL's butt in my oppinion. I know some of you
thinks that it's cool Acura change the new TL to a
new sportier look but personally i think they made
a mistake... I know the TL is suppose to be high
performance but all in all it's still suppose to be a
luxury SEDAN for crying out loud. If you want a
sportier looking car, get the others in their line (RSX,
CLs, NSX)...

sigh... I love how classy and elegant the 2nd gen is
and I think it's unfortunate that they change the look.

 

He was talking about the lease price.

 

I realize those are lease numbers. But the most important input in calculating lease numbers is the selling price. That's what many people don't understand. When car shopping, don't get suckered into their game of what do you want to pay per month. You always have to negotiate the selling price.

So according to this logic, a $20,000 car could be leased for $100 per month? What am I missing here?

 

There are actually 3 different numbers that have a say in the lease price. Selling price, residual cost, and the money factor. Now I'm not discounting his price of the Benz lease. If he said that's the quote he got, I cant argue. Maybe he has to put more down, I dont know.

I leased by TL and I got quoted a price almost 50-100 less than a 626. The selling prices I used had the TL at 2-3g's higher.

With the leases, there are too many factors that can make 20, 30, 50 dollar differneces. Yeah the selling price is important, but so is the residual.

 

I agree with you on the residual value...but you'll have to concede that you'll really have to fudge residuals and money factor to account for the $20,000 difference in price. I don't believe that the residual and money factor difference is that significant between there two models.

 

Well, I AM assuming his quote is for real. I definitely believe his TL quote. It's a new car and I dont see dealers budging on msrp too much. Besides, they only have an idea to the residual right now.

 

In NY, a 2003 E500, basic car with E2 Package(Sunroof/HK radio), Leather, Heated Seats, CD Changer would run you about $640 per month plus tax(39 month lease/12,000 miles per year), and that's at dead cost, so I don't know how you can figure a car with so much more equipment to be only a little more than a TL.

The car he's talking about without navigation is $59,845 approximately, lets's add 2 grand for the Navigation that isn't available , so $61,845. Invoice for this car would be approsximately $57,965, and I can get it a couple grand under invoice. So I'll figure a lease using these numbers, and they are as follows:

39 month lease with 12,000 miles per year: 690 per month PLUS tax, or $760 per month tax included. Residual is $37,725(62%), money factor .00275. I dunno how a TL can possible cost this much...

Ed

 

I just wanted to thank everyone in the forum, for all their help. I decided to go with the E500 and have delivery to my house tomorrow morning at 10am. I will take pictures and post them tomorrow. I can't wait. I still have my CL-S, which I'll probably trade in at the end of the year for a TL for my wife.

 

I was quoted almost $600 a month for the TL... with no money down. I wanted the navigation, which came to $525. Plus of the vicarous liability insurance law(adds $50), and because I wanted the A-spec which is almost another $45...($4500 in options)

On the E500 I got the sport package, pano, harmon kardon sound, cd change, navigation, heated seats, and few other things.

Some here posted a picture of a 2003 with navigation....rolling my eyes!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ayphotohosting

MADD

 

Please let us know if the Navigation system can be played with while the vehicle is in motion. (such as doing a yellow-pages lookup, etc...)

 

lol! if your wifes getting the Tl it doesnt matter youll practically have both cars.

 

So I dont get it?

Hows a 55k+ car only hundred more a month than a 35-40k car?

 

or in other words, how does a car that's at least 50% more expensive have a lease that's costs only about 15% more?

i'm thinking, that quote on the TL was too high or the quote on the E500 too low, or some combination of the two.

 

The Nav on the 2003 TL works while driving, although they recommend the driver not operate it while the vehicle is in motion.
Unless they change it for 2004, it should work all the time.

 

maintenance is more expensive, but lets get real here if u are even considering buying any benz u should never even question maintenance. that is not a mercedes buying question, that is a ford escort question. the benz does drive different. i like the way acuras drive better.

 

Please let us know if the Navigation system on the E500 can be played with while the vehicle is in motion. (such as doing a yellow-pages lookup, etc...)

 

What's up guys!

I got my E500 on Friday and have been enjoying it every minute. All my concerns are gone! I test drove the TL at the Ride and Drive @ Rye and there's not comparsion...this is one of the smoothest driving cars on the market!

I wanted to take some pictures but the weather has been raining here in NY, I'll wait 'til later.

I was most concerned about the navigation and it lived up to my every expectation. It is already pre wired for sat radio, and hands free telephone. Even though it's not as good as the Acura it's not far behind. You can access all the menu's while driving and it has a really cool feature that brings it up on the Trip computer at the center of the dash. I so usta having the tach on left side it's going to take some getting usta.

I didn't want to push the engine that hard the first couple of days, but a new maxima pulled up along side and I had to spank it....beat him by 4-5 car lengths.

I'll talk to you guys soon.

MADD

 

Hope you are happy now. I'm the guy waving at you while you are on your cell phone calling AAA. But have fun, seriously. I bet it's a cool ride.

 

Thanks for the info about the Nav. That's good to know. Did you by any chance get the Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control option?

 

Exactly which dealership in N.Y is offering a 2003 E500 lease for this price? Here in Ohio, I can't even get a CLK lease for less than $700 per month.

 

MB all the way

 

Ok, this is late reply but here goes...

Definitely go with E500... You will NOT regret about it.... As some already mentioned, you get 4 year free schedule maintenance...... Which includes parts AND labours.... And if my memory serves me right, wear-items like Wiper Blades, light bulbs are under warranty as well for the first year(or first 2 years... Can't remember exactly)......

Also, have/having had MBs/BMWs in my family, I can seriously tell you.... No one build decent, tight chassis/body like German car makers..... My 11 1/2 year old S-Class' body/chassis still feels tight..... TLS body flexes like no tomorrow in comparison..... It's so very apparent when I go up my driveway(inclined) at an angle...... Also, since the car is build for Autobahn, it runs just like that.... 160KM/H in my S-Class feels like 80KM/H in TLS......

As for Acura is much more reliable than MB.... MAYBE.... I have seen TL w/non-stop problems, and MB w/no problems what-so-ever...... Also, the service costs are not that much higher, assume you don't have major problem(s) and still under warranty..... Oil change for my TLS is about $70 CDN include tax/labour while MB charge me about $95 w/tax and labour for same service, including free courtesy car(ML350 or C320)..... And keeping the difference of 4.2L V8 and 3.2L V6 in mind, the price difference between the 2 isn't alot......

Oh, and having driven E500, TL/TLS is no match for E500, in any way...... So, I would say.... GO FOR IT!!!

P.S. E500 runs very consistant 6-flat or even high 5's doing 0-60.... 1/4 in low-mid 14's..... 2004 E500 w/7-Speed Auto is suppose to be approx 0.1 - 0.3 sec faster in acceleration.....