dougjgreen said:
I was looking at the E55 and people said that the computer runs the car too much. If you could do it over again would you get the E55 or something else?
E55
- Thread starter Ryanmcd2
- Start date
I was looking at the E55 and people said that the computer runs the car too much. If you could do it over again would you get the E55 or something else?
Ryanmcd2 wrote:
"If you could do it over again would you get the E55 or something else?"
Frankly, if I could do it over again, I'd have gotten a much more pedestrian Lexus GS430 or Infinity Q45 for my big 5 person sedan, and put the $30K I saved in the bank. Or else used it to get an old '91 NSX coupe for racing, to complement my '95 Targa.
The E55 is fast, but it is NOT fun to drive, and it communicates VERY little road feel or sensation of speed even when you are moving pretty fast, and even less sensation of control, even though you are not at the car's limits. The problem is, when you ARE near the car's limits, or when you AREN'T, the damn thing feels the same. I would describe the sensation as driving a rocket powered living room encased in a bank vault.
"If you could do it over again would you get the E55 or something else?"
Frankly, if I could do it over again, I'd have gotten a much more pedestrian Lexus GS430 or Infinity Q45 for my big 5 person sedan, and put the $30K I saved in the bank. Or else used it to get an old '91 NSX coupe for racing, to complement my '95 Targa.
The E55 is fast, but it is NOT fun to drive, and it communicates VERY little road feel or sensation of speed even when you are moving pretty fast, and even less sensation of control, even though you are not at the car's limits. The problem is, when you ARE near the car's limits, or when you AREN'T, the damn thing feels the same. I would describe the sensation as driving a rocket powered living room encased in a bank vault.
Doug, I'm on the list for an 04 E55 as well. Now you're talking me out of it! Just kidding, I need a 4 door so why not? I also want a car to compliment it and am seriously looking at the NSX, well, if I could find one to look at.
I think your combo is perfect, just need a Cayanne or Touereg to finish it out.
I think your combo is perfect, just need a Cayanne or Touereg to finish it out.
dougjgreen said:
hahaha, Ya pretty good review. That is what I have heard from a lot of the Benz people about no feel. I have had my NSX for over 5 years now and love it. looked at the 996tt and the 360 and I just don't want the problems that go with that car. I want something big as well like the Q45 or the GS430 and may have to look at them. What do you think about the old E55 with the KLEEMANN blower? Just a thought
Well the problem with the older ('99-03) E55 is certainly not a lack of power. It has plenty of that - and especially, gobs of torque at the low end coming off a stop, or accelerating from low speed. Frankly, I don't know what the newer E55 will do with the extra 140 hp and 125 ft/lbs. with just an automatic transmission now, it's already hard to keep from spinning the wheels off a standing start in the car - because there's so much torque to the rear wheels, but the car's weight is biased toward the front (at least when there's not passengers in the back seat and cargo in the trunk). The main problem with ANY E55 is a total lack of road feel and feedback when the wheels are starting to lose grip. When taken to the limit in a hard corner, it feels like the car is on rails, and then WHOOPS, all of a sudden it's not, and you're sliding or fishtailing. No warning, no sense of, I'd better back off now, just WHOOPS, and it's two tons of fast car come loose in the back.
Last edited:
Well the reason that I got the E55 over the M5 in the first place, was that I need that car to transport adults in the back seat - sometimes for multi-hour drives. Often this is my elderly parents & friends of theirs, or else business clients. The Benz E-class has a MUCH more comfortable rear seat for adults than the BMW 5-series.
The M5 is much more of a driver's car, with little consideration for the rear seat passengers. The E-class is much more comfortable for the passengers, but the driver is isolated from the feel of the road.
The M5 is much more of a driver's car, with little consideration for the rear seat passengers. The E-class is much more comfortable for the passengers, but the driver is isolated from the feel of the road.
