62% are sold to women so yes it's a feminine thing.
I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a man man driving one.
Most seem to be the bogo gutless 200 auto in silver zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The arse looks big, foreshortened & dumpy. Ditto some of the drivers
The nose is a desperate faux F1 cliche design.
Boot space seriously compromised when roof folded - but this does not matter if you're only going to the health club, doing the school run, or lunching with chums.

BUT I guess the bigger engined and AMG versions have some manliness about them, usually in black this time.
The need to stir the S2000 gearbox to get the thing to go does get tedious sometimes.
And I would love the luxury of cruuse control (I have a back problem and cannot drive for more than an hour in the Honda without a break).
The new model is claimed to be more 'sporty' and in my view there is just a tad less of a class stigma driving a Merc. than a Porsche or BMW.

Yep I could be tempted - maybe a 350 auto/cruise in blue or if ever available, a nice metallic red as the curent sold red makes the car look a bit down market.

 

If I HAD to drive one car only then the 350 would be on my 'list'.

As im knocking on it would suit.


Russ.

 

Remember the TG JD Power surveys? How many years on the bounce did M-B (and VAG for that matter) come near last and yet somehow maintain a reputation for reliability.

IIRC, the TG team were guilty too. One week panning the Krauts for their performance in the survey, and then the next extolling the virtues of German build quality whilst they flogged a Golf or summat round their track ...

 

I've got a 350, (manual gearbox) it replaced my S about 2.5 years ago. Personally, I prefer it to the S, its quick in straight line and whilst not as quick through the twisties, it isn't too bad (I've got sports suspension). The sound of a 3.5l V6 is glorious. The boot space isn't bad, in fact little space is compromised with the roof down, although access to the boot space is. Its a great cruiser, manual gearbox took some getting used to after the S. The traction control is a bit too sensitive for my liking, brakes are better than the S.

In my opinion from some angles it looks better than the S, front and side

In my 2.5 years MB customer service has been brilliant, replacing small things I broke under warrantee, no spotty youths who know nothing about your car working in dealerships. Reliability has been good, apart from a few electrical problems soon after the car was delivered. Servicing is more expensive than the Honda, but insurance is cheaper

My view is its horses for courses, depends on your driving style and what you are looking in a car - I do still look at S2k with a sense of fondness in fact I was parked next to one at work yesterday and it made me grin - not as much as my V6 at full chat !

My lease is up at xmas and I will be getting another, am still debating a new 350 or a lightly used 55 AMG :-)

 

Thanks for that

an interesting read and certainly food for thought

 

Go and test one to see what you think, manual 350s are hard to come by
and I think (not sure) that the manual is no longer available as an option on a new 350.

 

Around here, a 'merc' is something of a C2 cliche and is about as embarrassing as a Gucci handbag. Especially with the curly-letters strained-word numberplate. Mind you, the dealers are even more charmless nerks.

I do wish M-B would get Bruno Sacco back or dig up Paul Bracq or something. I preferred the understated look of the old one (W198-I forget?)

 

Ditto SHIPLEY ie thanks.

At the risk of being accused or loitering with intent I took a long hard look at one parked at the roadside today. The interior certainly looks lush, the silver highlights relieving all the balckness. But a bit cramped ( no worse than the S2000 ). It must be frustrating having that large flat area that cannot be used behind the seats when the roof is up.
Might be able to live with the dumpy backside and up close the metallic black looked great.
Yes I too have reservations about quality so maybe it's time to check out the supposed iconic 'aspirational' MB brand of service & a test drive.

Would be curious as to the trade-in against a pre-facelifted auto 350, but I might just as well see if I can get cruise fitted to the Honda. A specialist in Southampton tell me they need it for an hour or so before they know whether it can be done.

 

[QUOTE=B B,May 2 2008, 06:25 PM] Ditto SHIPLEY ie thanks.

At the risk of being accused or loitering with intent I took a long hard look at one parked at the roadside today.