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2019 E450W4

badali
Sat, 28 Dec 2019 01:17:48 GMT

I'm going to look at a 2019 E450. This car has the air ride. Has anyone owned one with air ride? Are there any special maintenance concerns with the suspension? I plan to buy the extended warranty. The car has 7000 miles and was an executive car. I have a 2014 E350 and it has been a great car and plan to keep it for my work commute since I put about 20,000 miles a year on it. The E450 will be my pleasure car and a keeper when I retire in a few years.

Alex
Mon, 30 Dec 2019 21:52:11 GMT

If waiting a year is unacceptable there is the Tesla.

syracusea
Mon, 30 Dec 2019 23:04:07 GMT

Alex, considering Tesla has been having issues and their bad customer service, I would look at another EV. I see plenty of Tesla's (Model S) on the side of the road and sometimes I see them on the back of a flatbed truck because of a flat tire. I test drove a Model S and I did a panic stop and I was told by the the salesperson not to do that because there is a chance you can pop the tires. For some reason Tesla doesn't use runflats. To be honest, i am not entirely convinced EV's are the next big thing. We were all told that hydrogen fueled cars were going to be the next big thing in the 2000s and that never happened. The W213 has significant advantages over the W212. Badali, this is something i consider my self if I want it or not. The conclusion I always come to is that if it comes with the car as a standard feature, then fine. If not, then I may have to flip a coin. They are a pain to fix from what I am told, however I am also told that you can convert to a standard suspension if it becomes a problem.

Alex
Tue, 31 Dec 2019 00:04:43 GMT

It may be unfair to judge a car harshly by seeing a couple at the side of the road, or based on reports from strangers. Don’t know what really happened. Both sons have Teslas and say that it’s the best car they ever had. Years with no trouble. And they had some really nice cars before. A friend's son had a black Tesla Model S for a while and didn't like it. Replaced with a white AMG S-class convertible. Tastes change. My experience in driving the Model S, and Model 3 with two motors, as well as the Model 3 with one motor, more than once, has been thrilling, though the styling doesn’t grab me. Can’t have everything at the same time. The 2019 E450 is a beautiful car. Looking forward to 2021.

syracusea
Tue, 31 Dec 2019 00:35:25 GMT

So, you do not take into account user experience when looking to buy a new car, phone or TV or any other consumable? I do a lot of driving and I have seen plenty of Tesla's on the side of the road because of flat tires. Considering how bad our road network has become over the past few years, having a spare tire or a run-flat is crucial. Like I said from the salesperson, that if you jam on the brakes in a panic stop, there is a chance you can blow the tires. I was told this during a test drive. That is a no sale to me. Yes you can use the can of Fix a Flat, but that is only useful if the rim is not damaged and as I said for some reason the car doesn't have run flats. Again no sale. Yes you can fit a full size spare tire in the back of the car, but the car is too heavy to lift up. Based on internet research and user reviews, I will pass on a Tesla. Maybe EVs in general. For most of the US, having an EV is not really practical and also is expensive. If I were going to get an EV it would be from any other company other than Tesla. Right now I have my eye on the Audi etron. They were able to do something Tesla is not able to do. That is a space saver in the truck. Why Audi can do this and not Tesla is beyond me. However, people have been complaining that they cant remove the charging plug from the car. Even the manual release is not working. This is on the Audi etron. Speaking about chargers, there are two different types of chargers in use. I am not talking about level 1-3 chargers. I am talking the plugs. Audi, VW, Mercedes, Honda and Toyota use one type of plug and Tesla uses another type of plug. That is another strike when it comes to being practical. My only complaints with the W213 E-Class and I would guess this extends to other Mercs and maybe other cars would be the Car-To-X Communication, the automated driving and how it perceives toll booths. I was in a 2019 E300 on cruise control and all of the sudden the car dropped from 55 to a slower speed. No car directly in front of me, just adjacent and it slowed down. Thankfully i was not rear ended. Actually my eye doctor knows someone who is suing Mercedes because of the Car to X communication. The car took over and was rear ended. Another example while driving was over the summer on the Mass Pike and one time heading south from Mass where the car was on cruse control and i was doing the speed limit. The car said I was approaching a toll plaza and this was an automated toll plaza, not manned and the car thought it was a manned plaza and car dropped from 55 mph to 20 mph. Lastly, when the W213 came out, I was in the mid town tunnel and i was in a S bend and my car clamped on the brakes. Badali, if keep this in mid when considering your E-Class. What features does it have other than the airmatic suspension?

190Efan
Tue, 31 Dec 2019 04:46:56 GMT

Syracusea, hydrogen powered cars are coming. Mercedes-Benz is a leader in developing hydrogen powered cars. I suggest you go to www.media.daimler.com and type in hydrogen powered cars in the search bar. Right now you can buy a hydrogen powered GLC in Germany and drive it from northern Germany to southern Germany and buy hydrogen along the way just like you buy gasoline in this country. This country is way behind Germany on this. Thanks to my engineer father who understood when I was growing up that cars could no longer run on fossil fuels, hydrogen powered cars were part of my childhood. I eventually plan to own one. Getting back to the OP's original question, I think there might be other pleasure MBs badali might expand his list to include such as something with AMG in it's name? No doubt the 2019 E450 is a really nice car. Maybe compare the performance of the E450 to the performance of an AMG? Just my 2 cents. It's obviously his decision.

badali
Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:53:46 GMT

I bought the car today. The ride is as great as I expected. It has Premium Package, Night package, Parking assist, Drive assist, Designo Diamond white and more. I'll take some pictures tomorrow...

Alex
Wed, 01 Jan 2020 17:26:44 GMT

Terrific! You did the right thing. Enjoy.

Dolebludger
Wed, 01 Jan 2020 20:25:21 GMT

Concerning all EV cars, I could only use one locally as quick charge stations are too few and far between here, and not very quick either. I wish Mercedes offered a “performance hybrid” that those of us who live in remote areas could buy.

syracusea
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 10:31:42 GMT

Badali, Enjoy the new car and I want to know all about it. Take lots of pictures.

190Efan
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:50:34 GMT

Badali, congratulations on your new purchase. May you have many years of happy MB motoring.

190Efan
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:53:37 GMT

Dolebludger, you raise a big issue concerning evs. That's why my engineer father was an advocate of hydrogen powered cars. You can fill a car with hydrogen in minutes like you fill a car with gasoline in minutes.

Dolebludger
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:42:59 GMT

I have thought for many years that hydrogen fuel cell cars would be the future IF a way could be found to split hydrogen atoms away from other atoms to which they tightly bind, in sufficient volume. I hope engineers can work this out! Of course not all live in remote areas like we do, but I think all really want quicker fill-ups than EVs provide.

Dolebludger
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 22:08:23 GMT

Syracusia, I know I am getting off topic, and I apologize in advance. Your post above about tires on Tesla’s got my curiosity up. Why are they prone to tire failure from hard stops just because their tires aren’t run flat? I have never heard of this problem before. And I have a sports roadster that stops like it ran into a sand pile and tires aren’t run flat, and I never flattened or damaged one. To get back nearer to topic, I also have a 17 C 43 AMG sedan with OEM run flat tires, H rated, that I intend to change with higher rated non - run flats when the OEMs are worn out. Of course I’ll throw in a full sized spare and tire tools (which I do anyway as my run flats can go only 50 miles flat). So what gives with the Tesla tires?

badali
Thu, 02 Jan 2020 23:51:54 GMT

My 2016 C300 has run flats and no spare. I bought snow tires and wheels from Tire rack that were not run flats. I had to hunt for a jack and lug wrench at local salvage yards. I got a jack from a W204 that works. I use one of the OEM wheels for a spare. It takes up most of the trunk since it will not fit under the trunk floor.

Dolebludger
Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:30:12 GMT

badali, Same thing with my C 43 AMG — run flat OEM tires and no spare. At least that is how it came. There is no “doughnut” spare available. The spare tire compartment is largely taken up by some electronic stuff, but might hold an inflatable doughnut like in our SLK. I read the material on the OEM tires and learned they could be run flat for only 50 miles and can’t be repaired! Where we live, I could easily get more than 50 miles away, have a flat, and not be in range of a tire store that carried a compatible tire. In fact, if I had a flat in town, no tire store stocks a compatible tire. So I contacted Tire Rack and bought a full size front wheel and tire, which can be used on the rear as well. I also bought a jack and tire tools. The spare does take up too much of the trunk space, but I put it in the trunk when we take much of a road trip. And I joined AAA in case we have a flat nearby, where I could be taken home to get my spare. This is the single thing I don’t like about this car. Even BMW offers a spare that fits in their trunk well as an option. Problem is, I d on’t like BMWs! I wish MB would offer an inflatable spare that would fit in the trunk well, like in our older SLK. But more back on topic, I don’t like the OEM H rated run flats. They don’t ride like H rated tires — more like X or Y rated performance tires. When the OEM tires wear out, I’ll replace them with higher speed rated non - run flats and do what I do now. Leave the spare in my garage when driving locally and put it in the trunk for road trips. And back to my Tesla question. Do Tesla’s come with no spare and non - run flats? I went to their site and no info on tires. And why are the non - run flats on Tesla’s so fragile on hard braking?

badali
Fri, 03 Jan 2020 01:48:23 GMT

My local dealer looked up the spare for the C300 and it starts with 205 part number and there is a cover for it to tie it to the trunk floor. I think everything for this was over $600. I did not feel it was worth the money.

Dolebludger
Fri, 03 Jan 2020 02:17:05 GMT

badali, My dealer couldn’t come up with any doughnut spare to to fit my C 43 AMG at any price. But my full sized spare from Tire Rack was under $200. I cannot conceive how any car maker thought that run flat tires that were good for 50 miles flat, and then you throw them away, would appeal to the up - market car buyer. Not me! But again, I am curious as to why a Tesla S with regular tires can not withstand hard braking without risking the tires. Does Tesla put under - rated OEM tires in their cars? Wouldn’t put it past them! Our 2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV came OEM with Bridgestone Dueler tires of a certain model, which were bald after about 12,00O miles. The alignment check came out perfect. My research online revealed that they were the ONLY tires of that brand with NO tread wear warranty. I raised Hades with Toyota and got a “service credit” which I used. I got some Firestone replacements from a local tire store and the thread looks like new 22K miles later. The point of this tale is the question: is Tesla putting crappy tires on their cars?

190Efan
Sat, 04 Jan 2020 04:25:40 GMT

Sorry this is off track but I happened to be at my local mall today so I stopped by the Tesla store to see what type of tires are being used. I saw Continentals on a Model 3 and Pirellis on a Model X. These are very good tires. I have Pirellis on my MB and Continentals on my daily driver. I've never had any such trouble on either of my cars. I've made numerous hard stops and never had a problem with the tires. I keep my tires properly inflated and rotated.

Alex
Sun, 05 Jan 2020 13:15:54 GMT

It's fair to say that no manufacturer these days puts crappy tires on its cars. Not in this competitive climate. Tales are too far from the evidence.

syracusea
Fri, 17 Jan 2020 02:22:36 GMT

If you are talking about luxury cars then you are right. Look up Roadshow and they talk about up fitting a car with better tires. They talked about a person who sent in an E-Mail saying that he was having trouble with his tires on a 2018 (i think) Ford Explorer and said he had issues with the tires that came with the car. He bought the car new from the dealership. The Google search term is "Take offs."

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