General Comments:
I didn't enter a rating for dealer, because quite frankly, the dealer doesn't make the car, so just because of good or horrible service, doesn't make a car bad, and in this topic of a car posting, it's irrelevant.
One thing that might remotely bug me about this car, as far as running costs, is the insurance is bit high. Twice as high as my 420SEL and BMW 733i combined. No biggy.
The ride is nice almost like a W210 MBZ (one of the main reasons I bought the car). The front suspension is based off the W220, but more simple though (the W220 still has the superior ride, but is nil just about in El Paso, outside shady dealers that rather hide problems and rip you off. (wish they didn't make it so obvious as if they deal with total idiots every day) ).
The interior is OK. The dash seems more plastic. Too many plastic bits for my taste, but better done than most other makes with that much plastic.
The carbon fiber print like center console is not to my taste, but I will change it.
The V-6 engine is a bit tepid, but not underpowered. It's no speed demon, but gets the job done OK. For the gas mileage you get, it's a nice balance overall between performance and economy.
It's pretty quiet; the engine noise comes alive at full throttle, but it still decently refined compared to other American/entry-mid Japanese V-6s out there, that sound like they are going to kick the bucket at any moment.
The styling is nice, and don't see it going out of style anytime soon. It's not gaudy, or looks like it was designed to last 2 years and then be outdated. It has nice classic classy look that is very very very hard to find in cars of this price bracket.
Now I bought this car because it was closest to the type of car I wanted in the hell hole of car selection called El Paso and the surrounding areas. It was nice sized, comfortable ride, comfortable seats, not cheap looking, and good price. Now that I can get around, I'm not sure if I want to sell it for the Jag, another BMW or another MBZ that I want that fit my need for ride comfort even better. This car has done nothing wrong yet.
Would I recommend this car for someone else? Sure.
It can make a good beginner car. They don't go for much, less than a new junk off the assembly line Focus, and it does everything everything ten times better. They can be easily customized or they look just as good stock. If you are a speed demon get the Hemi. SRT is good for speed if you can live with the stiff ride (I cannot. It makes my back ache, and I wouldn't survive in it in the yearly 21 hour or so trip I make once a year. That's the reason comfort is one top priority.)
Running costs besides insurance have been nil. I do not include regular maintenance stuff because between the various cars (not exotics) that came through my fingers, the maintenance has not been much different for routine maintenance stuff. Oil change in the W126, E23, Caddy Fleetwood etc has been about the same price. The variable is the type of oil. Tires, about the same. Hoses, and stuff seems about the same and so on. Of course it don't require the valve adjustment as often as the E23, but the adjustment is so simple on the E23 that I can do it myself, and it not expensive to get some one else to do it. The book does not make any mention of valve adjustment like it does in E23. The MBZ book doesn't mention it either, but general knowledge of MBZ is eye it around 100k-150k (about the same time you check the timing).
Will this car last as long as my W126? I don't expect it to, or any car after 1995 to. And I won't hold it against it if the car doesn't see 150,000 or 20 years.
They don't make cars like that anymore.
23rd Dec 2010, 01:25
I have the exact same car, and have had the exact same problems.