Drop-Top To 4-Door

It had to happen sooner or later. The time had come to trade in my beloved SAAB convertible for a "grown-up" car. Job and family responsibilities made it necessary to switch. I had owned pickup trucks, jeeps, sports cars and the like and they all had the same thing in common: two doors. My SAAB convertible was a compromise of sorts. It had a nice back seat and could readily handle the occasional outings with friends and family. But as my parents got older they found it very difficult to get in and out of the back seat of the SAAB and it soon became an issue. And since they live 3,000 miles from me, using their car wasn't an option. I needed a car that would carry four adults in comfort and still do battle safely and surely on the freeways of southern California.

What to do? Where to start?


I began by talking to friends and co-workers to get some ideas. (I didn't know epinions.com existed at that point!). And as a result, I test drove quite a few cars over a number of months. I drove Volvos, SAAB's, BMW's, Lexus', Audi's and Cadillacs. And I even piloted a few "land yacht" sport utility vehicles such as the Jeep Cherokee and the Ford Bronco. But nothing was clicking. No one vehicle seemed to appeal to my need for superior performance, safety, a connection with the road, and luxury.

Until I drove the Mercedes E320.

Now that I look back, I'm surprised that I didn't include Mercedes-Benz in my early research and test drives. I guess I felt that a Mercedes would be out of bounds for me economically, and that it might not be well received by my co-workers (and my boss!) when parked in the parking lot at work.

What I can tell you, 18-months into the "experience" is that I'm glad I finally made the leap. I've never been as pleased with a car as I have been with the E320. Here are the highlights:

Dealer Experience

This will vary. I was referred to a great sales person at Beverly Hills Mercedes and he was able to put together a deal quickly and practically. No nonsense. It helped that I bought near the end of the 1999 model year as there were incentives to help make room for the 2000 models. I was tempted to wait for the 2000 models to arrive...as they feature updated exterior lines and appointments. However, from what I've read and reviewed the car is virtually the same, mechanically, as the 1999.

Ride and Handling

I live "in-town". At least my friends tell me I do. I'm from the east coast. Big city living. Tall buildings and grid-lock. I have learned though, that living "in town" in Los Angeles is defined as anywhere not at the beach. I live in West Hollywood near Sunset Boulevard. And we do have traffic here in West Hollywood. Lots of traffic. But we also have freeways. So driving here can produce some pretty interesting, if not paradoxical situations. People often travel at 50 mph on the "surface streets" (non-freeway), and crawl along at 15 mph on the highways. And vice versa. You just never know.

Is this really important? Yes. I knew from the start that I would need to have a car that could get me through the unpredictability of Los Angeles traffic. I know, I know...we don't have snowy winter weather to contend with. But we do have seasonal rain...and it can be heavy. And when that first rain hits the road's surface...11 months worth of grit, grime and oil produce a nasty mix of slippery muck that makes driving very hazardous.

The E320 has and adaptive transmission (automatic, of course) that tunes itself to your driving style. I have really enjoyed the fact that this car handles so well in city traffic and can still get out on the highway and cruise. Its geared accordingly. I can't say that about many of the other cars I test drove. (The Lexus GS300, in particular seemed to have quite a bit of torque and was touchy. This produced a horrible driving experience in heavy stop-and-go traffic. It was great on the highway).

The handling of the E320 is superb. It has a tight turning radius, and you feel a real connection with the road. This may be a matter of personal preference since I have been driving sports cars etc. for so long. I didn't like the lack of road feel in some of the other cars I test drove however. The E320 seems to get it right.

Luxury And Safety

I like the simplicity of the E320's interior. It is understated luxury. Not quite classic, and maybe a bit dated. I understand the 2000 and 2001 E320 models have made some minor tweaks to the interior that have boosted the luxury factor a bit...such as placing control buttons for the radio on the steering wheel. And I also purchased my car with the Bose sound system (vs the standard sound system). While this system is adequate, I've had better. Unfortunately, it is the top of the line. (The Nakamichi system in the Lexus GS 300 was superb).

As for safety, I can only comment based on what I've read in the manuals that come with the car. Front and side air bags are standard, and the car has a great safety record. Seat belts fit comfortably, and head rests are power activated. This car is purported to be one of the safest built. And it comes equipped with an electronic stability function that controls skids and slides in inclement weather.

Reliability

Zero, repeat, zero trips to the dealership for even a minor problem. I have had the car serviced at the specified intervals. The first service cost me $135.00. And Mercedes even replaced the entire front seat console storage container free of charge, even though I accidently broke it when closing it on a free-floating stylus from a Palm Pilot that had become lodged in the hinge. Not your everyday problem but I got no resistance from the service staff and no resistance or comment. They just fixed it and that was that. Am I happy? You bet! And if you buy a new E320 today...all of your service visits are included in the price of the vehicle.

Snob Appeal

This is Los Angeles. Mercedes-Benz' are everywhere. There is a certain snob appeal about owning a Mercedes. And my co-workers have noted it. And so has the boss. I'm being promoted this month. Now, I'm not saying that you'll have the same luck. Or that the car had anything to do with it. But its a common saying in business - and in Hollywood, that one should dress the for the role one wants to play. So my E320 gets points for the "shallowness" factor. But I can honestly say, its is the ONLY car I've ever owned that I actually look forward to driving each and every time I get the chance.