Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S 350 Bluetec

[Autos_Editor]

Mercedes-Benz' S-Class lets you ride in absolute comfort, and enjoy the fruits of your labours, your talent, or your luck.

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[greengs]

This engine needs to be in the C class as well as GLK.  455ft-lbs 

[whaddaiknow]

Mercedes-Benz' S-Class lets you ride in absolute comfort, and enjoy the fruits of your labours, your talent, or your luck.

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Very good to-the-point review. The only question is whether I will ever 'succeed' in my profession enough to enjoy it

[canuckystan]

Great review as always.  In 5 years it will be worth the same as a top end Honda Accord, with low mileage and dealer servied, so if you can stomach the future repairs, you can drive this car.  I just saw a 2007 S-class loaded up on CL with 60k km for $37k. 

[Rupert]

I like the big speedo with very clear numerals. Don't doubt the finesse but would not know by looking if this was a new model or previous a few years. I think that with a few exceptions, styling is stuck in a groove pretty much. I am sure that riding in this would be wonderful though but find the mainstream 15k to 26k far more interesting.

[carcrazed]

$40 lotto max this friday... that's probably the only way I'll be able to afford one of these...

[johngenx]

$40 lotto max this friday... that's probably the only way I'll be able to afford one of these...

Lots of buyers see these things used for sale at prices not much more than a new Civic, and think "wow, I can have an C-Class!!"  What they don't think about is that MB engineers didn't give a crap about minimizing service costs for the life of this car.  MB forums are filled with remorseful buyers of used S-Class cars.

So, even if you buy a used one for $20K, having the backstop of the Lotto win is a good idea...

[Northernridge]

$40 lotto max this friday... that's probably the only way I'll be able to afford one of these...

Lots of buyers see these things used for sale at prices not much more than a new Civic, and think "wow, I can have an C-Class!!"  What they don't think about is that MB engineers didn't give a crap about minimizing service costs for the life of this car.  MB forums are filled with remorseful buyers of used S-Class cars.

So, even if you buy a used one for $20K, having the backstop of the Lotto win is a good idea...

Might be true...the MB owners I know don't keep their cars long enough to experience any problems and rarely possess them beyond the warranty expiration anyhow. For good or bad. BMW same...Audi same. The Germans have mastered the Certified Used thing by adding huge manufacturer warranty extensions to used cars giving buyers years of repair cost free driving. It's the dude after that who's screwed.

[Fobroader]

$40 lotto max this friday... that's probably the only way I'll be able to afford one of these...

Lots of buyers see these things used for sale at prices not much more than a new Civic, and think "wow, I can have an C-Class!!"  What they don't think about is that MB engineers didn't give a crap about minimizing service costs for the life of this car.  MB forums are filled with remorseful buyers of used S-Class cars.

So, even if you buy a used one for $20K, having the backstop of the Lotto win is a good idea...

Might be true...the MB owners I know don't keep their cars long enough to experience any problems and rarely possess them beyond the warranty expiration anyhow. For good or bad. BMW same...Audi same. The Germans have mastered the Certified Used thing by adding huge manufacturer warranty extensions to used cars giving buyers years of repair cost free driving. It's the dude after that who's screwed.

I talked my 23 year old buddy out of a 10 year old-ish BMW 328is. It had about 280K, the transmission was very farm truck like to shift, the rear suspension had collapsed, the engine had a very audible valvetrain tick at idle and the car had a weird clunk in the steering. His whole thought was "well its only $4500, I can put in a grand or two and have it on the road"......this man cannot turn a wrench, all work would have been done at the dealer  Luckily his brother and I, through many threats of violence, financial ruin and a few beer, were able to talk him out of that money pit. Used German cars are amazing if A: you can do your own work or B: you have the financial power to afford the absolute prison sex treatment that the dealer applies to its customers.

[dirtyjeffer]

yea, i remember someone saying there is a difference between being able to afford to buy a car like this, and being able to afford to drive a car like this...the purchase price is but the first step...maintenance and repairs may require a part time job to pay for them.

[lebowski]

This engine needs to be in the C class as well as GLK.  455ft-lbs 

I think I remember reading one reason these Bluetec diesel engines have not found their way into smaller cars like the C-class is because of the difficulty in finding the space needed in the car to house the AdBlue urea (sp?) injection system.

[...]Luckily his brother and I, through many threats of violence, financial ruin and a few beer, were able to talk him out of that money pit. Used German cars are amazing if A: you can do your own work or B: you have the financial power to afford the absolute prison sex treatment that the dealer applies to its customers.

LOL well said. Yet even though I know that, like an idiot I still peruse Autotrader every other week for used A8's, CL- mercedes', and 8 year-old Range Rovers. What could possibly go wrong with a $22k CL 500?

[lebowski]

 [EDIT - accidental re-post]

[Fobroader]

This engine needs to be in the C class as well as GLK.  455ft-lbs 

I think I remember reading one reason these Bluetec diesel engines have not found their way into smaller cars like the C-class is because of the difficulty in finding the space needed in the car to house the AdBlue urea (sp?) injection system.

[...]Luckily his brother and I, through many threats of violence, financial ruin and a few beer, were able to talk him out of that money pit. Used German cars are amazing if A: you can do your own work or B: you have the financial power to afford the absolute prison sex treatment that the dealer applies to its customers.

LOL well said. Yet even though I know that, like an idiot I still peruse Autotrader every other week for used A8's, CL- mercedes', and 8 year-old Range Rovers. What could possibly go wrong?

  Oh man, do it.....Range rovers are bulletproof.....and A8's are cheap to repair.

[lebowski]

Oh man, do it.....Range rovers are bulletproof.....and A8's are cheap to repair.

Totally - as soon as my money comes through from my Nigerian pyramid scheme investment, i'm all over it

[Fobroader]

Oh man, do it.....Range rovers are bulletproof.....and A8's are cheap to repair.

Totally - as soon as my money comes through from my Nigerian pyramid scheme investment, i'm all over it

Did you make sure to send them your credit card number, SIN and your mother maiden name?? I sent them all that and am anxiously awaiting my return on investment 

[tpl]

This engine needs to be in the C class as well as GLK.  455ft-lbs 

I think I remember reading one reason these Bluetec diesel engines have not found their way into smaller cars like the C-class is because of the difficulty in finding the space needed in the car to house the AdBlue urea (sp?) injection system.

[...]Luckily his brother and I, through many threats of violence, financial ruin and a few beer, were able to talk him out of that money pit. Used German cars are amazing if A: you can do your own work or B: you have the financial power to afford the absolute prison sex treatment that the dealer applies to its customers.

LOL well said. Yet even though I know that, like an idiot I still peruse Autotrader every other week for used A8's, CL- mercedes', and 8 year-old Range Rovers. What could possibly go wrong?

  Oh man, do it.....Range rovers are bulletproof.....and A8's are cheap to repair.

You forgot the super reliable Jaguars...the ones that have more red dots in CR than a Toyota.

[mixmanmash]

I like the big speedo with very clear numerals. Don't doubt the finesse but would not know by looking if this was a new model or previous a few years. I think that with a few exceptions, styling is stuck in a groove pretty much. I am sure that riding in this would be wonderful though but find the mainstream 15k to 26k far more interesting.

Do you have a fixation with speedometers?  I've seen so many of your threads lately commenting on something with speedometers or tachometers.

Changing topic, Mercedes is bringing the 2.2L Turbo-Diesel to the GLK for 2013MY and later in the next generation C-Class.  Something around 190 HP and 355 lb-ft.

During my recent visit to Europe, I drove a C Class with the lower powered 2.2 L (130HP and 255 lb-ft).  It moved pretty damn good.  The higher powered version would be sick!

[Northernridge]

Hopefully we'll see the Bluetec in the E350 4-Matic now that it's in the S AWD.

[Rupert]

   Well since the speedo is the main instrument in a vehicle, you would have to think that it would be of decent size. Certainly larger than a seldom used tachometer. Many drivers wear bi-focal glasses and it would be nice if the designers bear this in mind since the speedo is out of optimum focus range for both parts of the lenz. This is a safety feature worth commenting upon. I am pretty sure that auto designers and engineers and executives read this type of forum also, so giving these things a mention might catch their eye and who knows. Both the Mini and the 500 have a very nice display. About 8" dia would be about right. IMO. and perhaps just to the right of the drivers right hand when holding the stearing wheel 2 o.clock. Since stearing wheels are smaller diameter than years ago it's not possible to put a large round speedo that can be seen through the smaller open space available...especially so if a tachometer has to be allowed for.
   

[Fobroader]

Used German cars are amazing if A: you can do your own work or B: you have the financial power to afford the absolute prison sex treatment that the dealer applies to its customers.

First time I have heard financial power and prison sex correlated.  But, hey, I don't just learn about cars on this forum.

Paying $120/hour on something you can do at home......thats prison sex.......youre getting f%^ked