I's been said on this forum that the 2003 E500 is a bit of a money-pit. I can see how that would be if you found yourself without warranty of any kind. However, so many of these cars have been brought up to date with guarantee work and service-bulletin work that a second user is getting the best part of the deal. Well, this is according to a Texas MB main dealer. I hope he's right.

Having had my for a few days now, I'm getting used to some of the strange ideas that MB have about their displays. I'm getting used to them, but I don't like them. They are plain @#$ tedious. The lack of dipsticks seems to me to be a mistake, and the statement that you don't have to check the gearbox oil "If the gears don't change properly take it to a MB agent" !!! What are they thinking?

I have always looked for a TREND in the level of oils. If it's creeping down, then it's going somewhere. Just when is the display going to let me know?

I don't know if I have a problem, but the manual gear selection is very slow to change up. It is gentle, but slow. Perhaps they are protecting the gearbox in this way, but if I want to shift manually, it's because I want it changed NOW.

In many ways my 25,000 mile car is a dream, but there are so many ****les that I'm not at all sure that it will be a keeper.

Anyone else out there that feels this way.

Rob

 

Hi Rob,

I'm with you. Where are they going with this new "technology"? It seems as if they taking more and more control away from the owner. It doesn't seem to bother my wife at all, but as a man, and the guy who performs the family repairs, they're taking away my job. And that means no more special banana pudding, kisses, and being the heroafter a routine tune-up. Now I have to take the car to the dealer, and Joe gets to be the hero.I'm simply more comfortablehaving some control and knowledge of the vehicle. I want to be able to do most repairs!

You can imagine how I feltwhen confronted with buying a new vehicle. It is not just MB, they are ALL like that now. But does any of this stuffreally benefit the consumer? We're certainly paying for it, in the price of the car. Does it make the car more reliable? It doesn't seem to. Does it make the car easier to repair? Not for me. Is it saving me any money? Certainly Not. So who is it for?... Us? Can I change the trend? No.

Is it a keeper? I bet each of us defines a "keeper" differently. For me, it means for life...so far. I mean once you have the tools, the contacts, the spares in the tool box, and the experience, that's a pretty strong position. Wouldn't you agree? For some, it may mean the full four-year pay-off. Honestly, I think the real issue here is...Do you like the car enough to keep it? even it breaks occasionally? If the answer is "yes", its definatley a "keeper". If you find yourself saying "no", even though ALL cars break, then maybe its not.

Maybe here's the test: When it breaks , do you ask yourself, "How can I get rid of it?...or How can I get it fixed?

Blue