I've been kicking the tires of a gorgeous, well-cared-for 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan for the past couple of weeks. Flawless condition, 27,150 miles, all service records at a M-B dealership, and a little over five months of remaining factory warranty. A trusted seller that we purchased my wife's two previous Lexus RX SUVs from. I love the E350's endless legroom and headroom (I'm 6-foot-7), the butter-smooth highway drive, and the comfortable, solid, well-engineered feel that the big sedan delivers. It's a 3.5-litre 270 hp V6 with a 7-speed transmission designed by Siemens and built by M-B. After serious build-quality issues with the E-Class from the 2006 to 2009 model years, M-B knew they had no choice but to fix the E-Class fast or lose their profit margins as well as their loyal E-Class customers. M-B did just that, and the 2010/2011 model years have been solid thus far other than the interior wood panels fading which M-B replaces under warranty by customer request....

I would love to have this car. But the fact remains that I cannot justify it from a financial perspective. Acquisition outlay, insurance, property taxes, operating costs, and maintenance costs would all jump significantly. My trusty 2005 S-Type remains the better bang-for-the-buck by far. And while the highway ride of that E350 is superb, my S-Type is still more fun to drive....

So I'm sticking with my S-Type. That is, unless the M-B fairy decides to be generous with me and just plops it down in our driveway overnight....

 

That is always the issue with cars. Why get something else when what you have is perfectly fine?

 

Last summer I drove an E350 back to back with the XF 3.0, Audi A6 3.2, and BMW 535xi on the track at an event hosted by the local Jag dealer. My impressions were quite favorable for the Jag, Audi and BMW, but much less so for the Merc. Driving the E350 around the track and how it handled being driven as such was much more akin to how my Buick handles the twistys than my S-Type: wallowly and imprecise.

That being said, I the Buick is an excellent long-trip car due to how comfortable it is and how it absorbs the road imperfections compared to the stiffer S-Type. I think you answer for yourself with your comment regarding the fun to drive factor.

Additionally, I concur with both your and Michael's comments regarding financial outlay, no need to spend more money when your current car is still useable and relatively inexpensive to operate. This is the same reason I still have the Buick even though I have my eye on possible replacements that are much funner to drive once it bites the dust.

 

The E350 is definitely not a track car. But man oh man, it is indeed a superb highway cruiser. That's always at the top of my list for my daily driver, along with adequate legroom/headroom/shoulder room which I never seem to be able to get enough of....

 

Have you ever watched Top Gear? Keep the Jaguar, the MB will start to fall apart. I test drove eight different Mercs that were five to ten years old and they all had something majorly wrong with them.

 

The cars you drove all fell into Mercedes-Benz' substandard build-quality years when they seemed to lose their way. Since 2010, their vehicles have improved and the build-quality issues have for the most part been resolved. But I'm still keeping my S-Type....

 

Hate to be the stick in the mud - I kept my S-type 2002, but bought a 2011 E350 after considering the XF. The depreciation on the Jags are legendary, seems like they are giving away used S-types for peanuts on ebay for a car that had a sticker of 50K +, including ones that have low miles. I am guessing the S-types will become a "classic" car in 20 years since there will be so few left by then.


Also did anyone see this less than flattering article on used cars -
Yahoo!


"7. Jaguar S-Type (Extensive transmission and engine issues on all V-6 and V-8 models. Along with Limited edition models with ungodly replacement costs.)"

 

Yikes! Hard to believe that the S Type is the #7 worst used car out there to buy.

All I know is I paid less for my S-Type than any car I've ever bought for personal use (over 30 years mind you), and it's the nicest ride I ever owned. Says something about value I think, but who knows what future maintenance may bring.

Are the transmission and engines issues really that bad? I never got that impression reading around this place.

As for the E350, nice car, I'd buy it and keep your S Type too It's hard to justify the financial outlay on any 3 year old car these days, I can relate to that. If I had my druthers I'd be riding in a new/near new Volvo S80.

 

Keep in mind that everything is relative. If you properly maintain your S-Type throughout its lifespan, chances are that your vehicle will not wind up adding to the reasons why the S-Type wound up on that particular list....

The well-known massive depreciation that Jaguars suffer from is one major reason why so many of us wound up with our cars for a fraction of what they originally sold for. I would consider myself a moron if I ever even thought about purchasing one brand-new. Thus far, employing this strategy has worked quite well for me. My S-Type is pushing nine years old and continues to serve me well. But if and when it becomes a money pit, rest assured that it will get kicked out of our stable pronto....

 

I am with you Jon, very well put!

 

Oh Jon....

You've gotten the bug haven't you. I see where this is going.

Call me when you're ready my friend.

Take care,

George

 

You know I will, George....

But I think we both have a long wait. My S-Type isn't leaving our stable anytime soon, and it's still more fun to drive than the E350....

 

Go drive an e550. .

There is no replacement for displacement.. lol.

Take care,

George

 

The 2010 E350 seller sent me an e-mail late yesterday offering to drop his price to me by another $1,200. We started at $32,900. Then $32,400. Then $31,900. Now $30,700....

I still cannot come close to justifying it from a cost/benefit standpoint. I'm keeping my trusty S-Type....

 

Jon still think you can get a better deal on the E350. A CPO car (MB certified with additional 12 month/up to 100K warrantee) with same mileage (below 30K) should be in that price. Also MB Financial if you finance thru them is paying the first two payments up to 1200. I would check Autotrader for Certified 2010/11 cars for similar pricing and use that as leverage in bargaining down the price (would say in 27-28K range). Also most cars come with P1 package which is all you need (nav/backup/sat etc), getting the other driving assistance package (Distronic) would be very nice. The P2 package is nice with the xenon headlights but not needed.

 

I know he can get a better deal . Jon has a lot of friends.

27-28 is what they are doing at the auctions. No retail dealer is gonna cut one loose for that. And I haven't seen a CPO one under 34k.

Take care,

George