- 140,515
- 2,611 below average
- 3,300 great
- Houston, TX
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,611 below average 140,515 automatic
2003 mercedes-benz e-class review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Moving toward the head of the class. introductionthe mercedes-benz e-class cars have been re-engineered from the axles up for the 2003 model year. The company's mid-line e-class luxury sedan is a fixture from burbank to berlin to baghdad. the e-class was knocked from the top of mercedes' u. Sales chart in 2001 for the first time ever, replaced by the compact c-class sedan and coupe. The switch, more than likely, is an anomaly. Since world war ii, the e-class has accounted for nearly half of mercedes' worldwide sales. By any measure, that's serious investment. Clearly, the company in stuttgart is flexing its muscles for a real show of force. For 2003, the v8's engine displacement has increased from 4. 3 liters to 5. 0 liters (hence the name change from e430 to e500), with a corresponding increase of 29 horsepower. It also had heated seats and steering wheel, a hands-free telephone package, the see-through, all-glass panorama sunroof and a 420-watt harmon kardon stereo upgrade with six-disc, in-dash cd changer. Popular choices include radar-managed distronic adaptive cruise control, which maintains a set distance from cars ahead, and the keyless go system, which can unlock the doors and start the car by touching the door handle and gear selector. Parktronic obstacle warning helps with parking and enhances safety by alerting the driver to objects behind the car. Also available: gps navigation, a dvd-capable in-dash information management system; voice operation for the phone, audio controls and navigation system; ventilated massaging seats; and solar-powered interior ventilation. This is a luxury car, so there's even a power trunk closer. by the first of the year, mercedes will launch the mighty e55, performance-tuned by subsidiary amg with a supercharged v8 producing 493 horsepower (and that's no typo). Expect a premium of at least $10,000 over the e500. the e320 wagon continues, though it will be built from the old e-class sedan at least through 2003. A wagon based on the new-generation e-class should arrive by 2004. walkaroundthe new mercedes e-class is slightly larger than its predecessor. It's nearly an inch longer in wheelbase and overall length and it's a half-inch taller in overall height. Mercedes' mid-size sedan is also 50-100 pounds heavier, depending on the model. Yet the weight increase is hardly significant, given more standard equipment and improved crash protection. Mercedes-benz has put a new emphasis on styling of late, and the e-class may be the best example yet. the e-class looks like a smaller s-class, only better. The new e's front end seems lower, and it's more steeply raked. Every line from one end of the car to the other flows and blends. The new e-class is more fluid and graceful than the old, which seems doughty in comparison. The design produces an impressive 0. 27 coefficient of drag (great for minimizing wind noise and maximizing fuel economy), but the look is the thing. The sport package is distinguished by its dark glass, aggressive-looking wheels and very low ride height for a standard sedan. Underneath are a redesigned multilink suspension, structural enhancements and new technology that delivers tangible benefits to both driver and passengers. Much of this is trickle-down from mercedes' engineering flagships: the full-size, $120,000 cl600 coupe and the $90,000 sl roadster. one such system is sensotronic brake control, which might be called brake-by-wire. The connection between the brake pedal and reservoir of brake fluid is electronic, not mechanical or hydraulic. The electronic system can apply brake force to each wheel independently, helping to keep the car traveling straight and true during panic stops, even on bumpy, uneven roads. It will also keep the brakes on full in an emergency situation, as measured by sensors, even if driver eases off, a common mistake. This computer-managed system adds more or less air pressure to the spring at each wheel, based on road conditions or driving style, to slightly soften or firm the ride and add or decrease body roll (the left or right lean when the car turns). In combination with electronically adjusted shock absorbers, the adc suspension can automatically improve ride quality or handling characteristics, or optimize the balance of the two, depending on where the car is traveling and whether the driver is dawdling or going quickly. The system works automatically, without switching suspension settings between sport and comfort. no new mercedes would be complete without safety advances. E-class cars come standard with eight airbags (dual front airbags, side bags for front and rear, and head-protection curtains that run the length of the cabin on both sides). The 2003 e-class also employs a new airbag management system with more impact sensors, designed to more precisely control the timing. interiorthe 2003 mercedes e-class is as attractive inside as it is outside. The dashboard applies what mercedes calls a double sweep cockpit theme, meaning that the lines sweep from each side and blend into the doors and center console. The wood trim (maple stained nearly black with the sport package) is complemented by splashes of chrome throughout. The plastic panels, quite rich in the old e-class, are even better thanks to a new soft-touch finishing process. There's a big speedometer in the middle, with a menu-operated display for diagnostics, feature selection, ambient temperature, date and other information at the speedo's center. To the left sits a large analog clock, to the right the tachometer. On either end of the cluster are neat bar gauges that resemble thermometers, displaying fuel level and coolant temperature. overhead, dual sun visors on both sides allow driver and passenger to swing one across the side window and still have full protection in front. Between the visors on the headliner sit a cluster of switches controlling cabin lighting and the telematic sos call button. Switches for the homelink package are located on the bottom of the rearview mirror. The new e-class has duplicate controls on the steering wheel hub to operate the phone, radio and information display. climate controls are set across a narrow strip below the center dash vents and above the radio controls. The e-class features set-and-forget automatic operation, but it also allows full manual override of heating or air conditioning, and full control of airflow for foot, dash or windshield vents. Moreover, besides the separate tem. Climate Control✔ Power Windows✔ Tachometer✔ Heated Seats✔ Cruise Control✔ CD Changer✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Sport Package✔ Air Conditioning✔ Navigation System
3,300 Houston, TXHouston, TX at autoshopper.com