Parents new Merc (not MY car :P)

[SL65]

After a long wait since ordering in November, we finally received our new E280 last Tuesday.

The weather has been shit this past week and only this morning was I given an appropriate opportunity take some pics of it looking all shiny and clean after I detailed it just yesterday.

Its a huge upgrade from the 2004 E240 we're coming from...









Here are some shit interior pics...will take some nice ones highlighting all the features later on...







Heres a pic of our E240 running on puny 16"ers

[bartboy9891]

Diesel?

[SL65]

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

Diesel?

No not the E280 CDI. Its the petrol version (with sport pack) which has a 3.0L V6 and a 0-100 time of 7.1 seconds. Very quiet and sophisticated compared to the 2.6L V6 it replaced (E240) but throaty and loud when you want it to thanks to the sports exhaust pipes.

[bartboy9891]

Originally Posted by SL65

No not the E280 CDI. Its the petrol version (with sport pack) which has a 3.0L V6 and a 0-100 time of 7.1 seconds.

Oh ok, I was only aware that the CDI existed. 7.1 0-60mph isn't too bad, its about what our Volvo S60 does. How much did you get it for?

[Dsemaj]

I'm sorry, but I really don't see the point of updating. The front bumper is newer and there's new taillights. Yeah.. It's got a bigger engine.. but what where you parents thinking?

They could have at least bought something different!

How much was did it cost, if you don't mind me asking?

[SL65]

Originally Posted by Dsemaj

I'm sorry, but I really don't see the point of updating. The front bumper is newer and there's new taillights. Yeah.. It's got a bigger engine.. but what where you parents thinking?

They could have at least bought something different!

How much was did it cost, if you don't mind me asking?

Despite what you might think, it is a big change for us (bar the minor exterior modifications). The E240 we had was VERY basic...hell it only had partially electric seats! Although its an E280, its specs read like that of an E500. In fact, the only thing that seperates this from an E500 (apart from the stoncking great V8 ) is folding mirrors and a Harmon Kardon surround sound system. And even an E500 doesn't get heated seats as standard WHICH WE GOT.

The changes are huge for us and you need to have gone from the E240 to the E280 like we have to truly understand the differences.

It cost approximately $155K on the road.

I tell you what though - the neighbours are mightily confused

[Dsemaj]

Big step up then! I think I understand the differences.. embarrassingly enough, I get to go around in a 1985 Bluebird until me and my father finally find a car to replace our Jag which we sold about 2 months ago. Big of an exaggerated example.. though I tell you, i'm tired of dealing with bogans who think their Monaros are worth 17 bajillion dollars. It's tiring.. And that bluebird is cramped..

..but my mouth is open so much in shock I think i've dislocated my jaw! It's only $99,500 RRP (Minus dealer charges etc). How did it get up all the way there?!

[SL65]

Originally Posted by Dsemaj

Big step up then! I think I understand the differences.. embarrassingly enough, I get to go around in a 1985 Bluebird until me and my father finally find a car to replace our Jag which we sold about 2 months ago. Big of an exaggerated example.. though I tell you, i'm tired of dealing with bogans who think their Monaros are worth 17 bajillion dollars. It's tiring.. And that bluebird is cramped..

..but my mouth is open so much in shock I think i've dislocated my jaw! It's only $99,500 RRP (Minus dealer charges etc). How did it get up all the way there?!

Yeah...I wasn't joking - its specs almost read like that of an E500! Merc options are very expensive and we got most of them. Air suspension, Panoramic glass roof, COMAND (incl. Nav, DVD, TV), 4-zone digital automatic climate control, sport pack...the list goes on...

The air suspension is an example of something that truly transforms this car...

[bartboy9891]

Originally Posted by SL65

Despite what you might think, it is a big change for us (bar the minor exterior modifications). The E240 we had was VERY basic...hell it only had partially electric seats! Although its an E280, its specs read like that of an E500. In fact, the only thing that seperates this from an E500 (apart from the stoncking great V8 ) is folding mirrors and a Harmon Kardon surround sound system. And even an E500 doesn't get heated seats as standard WHICH WE GOT.

The changes are huge for us and you need to have gone from the E240 to the E280 like we have to truly understand the differences.

It cost approximately $155K on the road.

I tell you what though - the neighbours are mightily confused

Is $155K AU a standard price? Converting that to US dollars gave me just under $127K!

[Dsemaj]

Originally Posted by SL65

Yeah...I wasn't joking - its specs almost read like that of an E500! Merc options are very expensive and we got most of them. Air suspension, Panoramic glass roof, COMAND (incl. Nav, DVD, TV), 4-zone digital automatic climate control, sport pack...the list goes on...

The air suspension is an example of something that truly transforms this car...

Panoramic glass roofs.. Sounds pretty awesome, then. 0-100 in 7.1 isn't too shabby, either. I looked at the options list.. it's pretty long!

But $5 bucks says you know what I'd buy two of for the same price!

@bartboy9891 $99,500 is the Recommended retail for the base of the E280, minus dealer charges and stuff.

[Shawn]

That's what I'm wondering too, cuz it's crazy!

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

Is $155K AU a standard price? Converting that to US dollars gave me just under $127K!

[Salar]

Nice car! Congrats.

[andyhui01]

very nice car SL65... about time the car came... ... honestly, I still like the Avantgarde version for the E-class, the other ones look so base for some reason... I thought you guys traded in the E240?

[SL65]

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

@bartboy9891 $99,500 is the Recommended retail for the base of the E280, minus dealer charges and stuff.

Yep and that $99K doesn't get you much because its only an E280. Leather and sat nav are options for example. Luckily however, because its a Mercedes, you can get all the features the top of the range E500 gets by ticking the boxes.

Originally Posted by bartboy9891

Is $155K AU a standard price? Converting that to US dollars gave me just under $127K!

Originally Posted by Shawn

That's what I'm wondering too, cuz it's crazy!

Yeah those wonderful Aussie import duties...

An E63 retails at $85K in the states apparently. I just did a "Build Your Own..." using the MBUSA site and with the options our E280 has, it would still only cost $93K (before on roads...). Oh well...nothing we can do about those taxes!

[SL65]

Originally Posted by andyhui01

very nice car SL65... about time the car came... ... honestly, I still like the Avantgarde version for the E-class, the other ones look so base for some reason... I thought you guys traded in the E240?

Yeh it was a bloody long wait! The car would have been built late December however we asked if we could get the earliest January build possible so it would have an '07 plate on it, which could prove beneficial when the time comes to sell it.

As for the E240 - we're looking to sell it to a friend of ours. The dealer gave us an offer we immediately rejected. It wasn't very high because we have higher than average kms traveled and at that price, we'd be giving it away!

Selling it privately makes more sense as it'll get us more and shouldn't be too hard to sell (because its specced up quite well also). The dealers are merely middlemen and they need to make profit off what they paid for it off us, so its not surprise their offer is rubbish, in our view.

[Brother Michael]

One of my favourite cars ever this current E-series. Fantastic car, but one big, no make that HUGE drawback.

The color. It's black. I mean come on, a black Mercedes Benz. It just screams "Watch out, a diplomat on board! ". If/when I'll buy a merc of my own I'll make damn sure it isn't a black one. Any other color would do. But black....blaaaaah.

Other than that, great choise, although I would've had the 3,2 V6 petrol engine.

[Shawn]

But black looks great... it's super common (especially on Mercs/BMWs) and it's hard to keep clean, but black is the best colour on a lot of cars.

[SL65]

Originally Posted by Brother Michael

One of my favourite cars ever this current E-series. Fantastic car, but one big, no make that HUGE drawback.

The color. It's black. I mean come on, a black Mercedes Benz. It just screams "Watch out, a diplomat on board! ". If/when I'll buy a merc of my own I'll make damn sure it isn't a black one. Any other color would do. But black....blaaaaah

Fair enough but my parents don't view it in that way. They see black to be the nicest colour for this car so they got it. It looks especially good in real life with those chrome pipes hanging out the back and the darkest legal tinting we had installed on delivery.

Black might be one of the hardest colours to keep clean, but its the most rewarding, IMO.

Originally Posted by Brother Michael

Other than that, great choise, although I would've had the 3,2 V6 petrol engine.

Actually, the 3.2L V6 was replaced by the 3.5 found in the E350. Funnily enough, the 3.0L V6 in the E280 is actually more powerful than the old 3.2, not to mention more quieter and economical. Its a great engine - very responsive and coupled with that brilliant gearbox makes for a brilliant package.

[Shawn]

Agreed SL... Mercs look especially good in black I think. In fact I find most light coloured Mercs to be gross. I mean white and silver are good but most of the other light ones suck. I hate the E-Class in that pewter colour... or the light blue on the SLs.

Did your parents get the phone installed? I see the signal bar but it looks empty. Well at least your COMAND gives you radio station titles, my dad's is missing so many features, and it's so hard and fiddly to use. We actually had to get the manual out for it a few times.

[andyhui01]

Originally Posted by SL65

Fair enough but my parents don't view it in that way. They see black to be the nicest colour for this car so they got it. It looks especially good in real life with those chrome pipes hanging out the back and the darkest legal tinting we had installed on delivery.

Black might be one of the hardest colours to keep clean, but its the most rewarding, IMO.

so true... it doesn't feel as nice after I wash a silver car even though all my sponges turn black from all the dust, but the car still looks the same ... with my parents Dark Blue Lexus, when I had time in Hong Kong and I really detailed the car from top to bottom, it looks amazing

and SL65... are you sure that's the darkest available in NSW? How dark is that?