the E300de

[jameswright77]

I recently bought a brand new Mercedes, an E300de s213. A Viano, two Vito dual liners, an R350, a C230kompressor S202 model, and an R350 are all boats I've had in the past. Aside from the bodywork issues, we drove the C for eight years and over 200,000 miles, and it still drove tight. It had two ball joints, one spring, and a rear lower suspension bearing. I had always wanted a Mercedes when they were more special, which was more than 22 years ago.
There is now very little space between an E and a C, suggesting that the E class has shrunk. I was concerned about the technical aspects, and the R didn't alleviate my concerns; the sat nav is challenging to use, and the 213 is slightly more complicated than necessary. Having access to the internet might be helpful, and the ability to send destinations through the app would be fantastic, provided I can get it connected (the car is already registered, so I need to visit the MB dealer). Even so, I've scheduled a "free" diagnostic to look at a few issues, including an off-center steering wheel, a little clanking while parking, buzzing or vibrations transmitted through the wheel, and what I take to be problems with wheel alignment and feathered tires after a suspension arm replacement.

Just got my hands on a plugin to take advantage of the cheap night tariff and charge my house batteries. Octopus insisted I get an EV or plugin hybrid. First impressions: it's fast and comfortable, but the suspension is usually too firm. Why are all cars so stiff these days? Even with fancy adjustable damping, my old Ford Transit Connect had a better ride. The Jaguar XJ x351 was the same. Inside, I adore the quality feel of the switches and things like the door handles, which have a lovely light feel. The doors shut beautifully. There are plenty of options to customise the display, and it seems relatively intuitive in an MB way. I couldn't figure out which button to push when a phone call came through; I needed to pick "answer." According to the manual, choose the correct answer! Okay, but how does one choose it? I am still confused. Its electric-only range of 22 miles is plenty for my needs; I won't have to worry about short trips or the diesel engine, and I can charge it using solar power, so I can perform local chores for free! If I start off with a full charge and stay to normal speeds in hybrid and comfort mode, I can get approximately 65mpg on a 100-mile round trip twice or three times a week. The sport mode is more gratifying, but it's too stiff. Why can't I have a sporty engine and transmission with comfort suspension? Although it's heavier than the larger, all-aluminum Jaguar, this car is far more pleasant to drive than the R class, which I sold due to its terrible handling.
The vehicle is a 2020 model year pre-facelift example with a respectable 155,000 miles on the odometer. It has been meticulously maintained during its use as a private hire vehicle for the past several years; the only damage is a few stone chips on the front bumper, which I intend to remove and have painted if I decide I like the vehicle. While the wheels have been "repainted" in a terrible way and are beginning to come off, I was able to get it for a reasonable price and will not feel guilty about overspending.

[KARlosfuentes]

There has been no diminution in size in the current E Class. In fact, both the current 214 and the prior 213 are larger than any previous E Class. In fact, every iteration of the E has been larger than the last, with the exception of the 212 and the first 213, which were not much different in size. The C, like almost all other automobiles, has grown in size, not the E, which has shrunk.
Nonetheless, the present-day C Class remains eight inches shorter than the present-day E Class.
Check out carsized.com if you haven't already. It's a fantastic little tool for comparing the proportions of different automobiles.

[KARlosfuentes]

https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compar ... 023-sedan/

[MercedesMan98]

That link is fantastic; I appreciate you providing it.

[Bluewhaleeee]

The three S212s I had made me assume that, from the outside, they are about the same size as a contemporary C class.

As far as riding quality is concerned, these awful batteries are on par with you. Naturally, this isn't exclusive to Mercedes. Nationwide, we've shifted toward a harsher ride "quality," partly as a result of larger wheels.

[n1mrod]

Very nice automobile. Finding out about a diesel hybrid that hasn't experienced any issues is rather intriguing... This makes it difficult to determine, but I'm assuming the majority don't.
Regarding suspension, I couldn't agree more. However, I believe that the typical consumer now perceives a solid ride as usual, while a soft ride can make them feel uneasy. I hold automotive journalists responsible. Reviewers in the 1970s and 1980s rated vehicles according on how comfortable they were to drive. They have been evaluated based on handling for the last two decades.

[godisgreat]

Thanks to that carsize website, I learned that my SL is just around 1 kilogram lighter than my extremely hefty Tesla EV!

[MercedesMan98]

The fact that your hefty SL is about equivalent to my 212 E350CDI proves that everything is relative.The German abbreviation "SL" stands for "Sport Leicht," which translates to "Sport Lightweight" in the context of Mercedes-Benz. Yes, I agree!
Even in its SL500 configuration, the R107 was more than 200 kg less than your 231, albeit it was far from lightweight.

[godisgreat]

Who knew my SL weighed more than a hundred kilograms less than your E class?