Edmunds Road Test Review: 2010 E550 vs. BMW 550i vs. Jaguar XF

The Mercedes-Benz E550 takes 1st Place!

"They're the right size, and when equipped with V8s, they've got the right amount of effortless performance. In relative terms, they provide a value commensurate with the asking price. Driving any one of these three announces that you know the price of quality and can justify paying for it. And clearly you're smart enough to resist overpaying for more than you require."

"We're glad the 2009 BMW 550i, 2010 Jaguar XF Premium and 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport exist. This ideal trio goes 90 percent of the way to the M5, E63 AMG and XFR super sedans, yet they're 100 percent easier to live with and rewarding in ways the thoroughbreds are not."

"The Mercedes-Benz E550 is the quickest to 60 mph with a run of 5.3 seconds and its quarter-mile run of 13.6 seconds at 103.5 mph is also the best of the group... the E550 returns the best observed fuel economy in this comparison with 19.3 mpg, compared to the BMW's 16.9 mpg and the Jaguar's 16 mpg."

"... we're not sold on the BMW's steering effort, which we found to be too heavy, especially compared to the lightly weighted Jaguar and buttery Mercedes-Benz system. So syrupy and out of character does the 550i's steering seem that more than a couple drivers thought there might be something wrong with the car."

"The E550 Sport is by far the most adaptable, rewarding and confident car on the widest variety of surfaces despite not being the outright best-handling car."

"It is the only car here that is universally regarded as comfortable and intuitive to operate from the moment you get behind the wheel. It manages to be warm and rich, well-equipped and well-planned, and high-tech and high-quality all at the same time."

"The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport amounts to more than the sum of its parts. It's hard to describe, but there's an overall sense of satisfaction, competence and experience that's somehow baked into the fiber of this car. It drives like it knows where it's going. It looks like it knows where it's been. And it's priced as if it knows where we're all headed."

See the full review at Edmunds.com.

2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid - New York Times Review

The New York Times recently reviewed the new ML450 Hybrid that will be arriving at Classic Mercedes-Benz this December.

"The gas-electric version of the popular ML-class S.U.V. easily beats the mileage of the regular 6- and 8-cylinder models: 21 miles a gallon in the city and 24 on the highway"

"Even in the barely crawling traffic, I returned to the New York auto show at the Javits Center showing 22 m.p.g. on the trip computer, convinced I could have done much better in a longer test."

"Mercedes is hoping that its luxury buyers are more receptive to a midsize S.U.V. hybrid, which officials said would be priced between current V-6 and V-8 models: Figure roughly $51,000 to start."

"Drivers can select an economy mode that maximizes mileage, or a sport mode that mimics having eight conventional gears, which can be operated by steering-wheel paddle shifters."

Read the full New York Times Review of the 2010 ML450

Call or email me to schedule your ML-Class demonstration drive today at 903.534.7060 or Michael@classictyler.com.

2009 S-Class, The Benchmark in Luxury

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been the benchmark for the luxury class automobile for many years. Just take a look at the following video and you'll see why.

SPLITVIEW display - fyi 7.9L/100Km = 29 mpg

Call or email me to schedule your S-Class demonstration drive today. 903.534.7060 or Michael@classictyler.com.

Chemo is Done!

I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers over the last nine months while I was going through chemo for my cancer. And I am glad to say that I am done with chemo! A chapter in my life that I am glad to see put behind me.

Now I should have more time to work on the iCarGuy blog and bring more information to you on a regular basis. And since I have moved to our Mercedes-Benz dealership in March, most of the new post's will be about the Mercedes-Benz line of cars.

Again, thank you for your prayers and emails. Without you this journey would have been much more difficult.

Myths About Leasing - Part 5 of 5

Myth 5: Leasing is a mistake if you put high mileage on a car.

Do you believe that racking up high mileage on a car you own carries no cost? The difference is that when you buy, you realize the loss as a lower trade-in value. With a lease, you pay out of pocket when you turn in the car.

If you expect to drive more than the 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year built into a typical lease contract, negotiate a higher mileage limit. That's likely to cost less than 10 cents per mile per year -- a less painful prospect than paying a penalty of 15 cents or 25 cents per mile over the contract ceiling.

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350

With the new Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 now available for delivery, I wanted to post some reviews for you to see.


"The transmission rocks. While the GLK's seven-speed auto allows for manual shifting by rocking the shift lever left to right, driver input really isn't necessary. Switch the vehicle from Comfort Mode to Sport mode and the seven-speed will hold gears longer, allowing quick bursts between turns without ever changing cogs." http://www.motortrend.com/

"Few Mercedes-Benz owners in the U.S. ever take their vehicles off-road, a reality the German automaker not only realizes but embraces. Thus, the GLK is targeted at affluent women -- and it appears Mercedes has hit its mark. This baby Benz has clearly been refined for the on-road market." http://www.emercedesbenz.com/

"Good vehicle safety integrates the prevention of accidents via quick response to driver input, electronic assistance (ABS, stability control, brake assist), progressive impact absorption, controlling the body movement of passengers due to impact, and quick emergency response to passengers in severe impacts. The 2010 GLK fulfills each of these five elements in this increasing scale of safety concerns: As such it's ideal for today's family, whether they're visiting relatives halfway across the country or running errands around town." http://www.sfgate.com/

The all new GLK is here and ready for you! Call or email me to schedule your personal demonstration of the latest Mercedes-Benz SUV.

Myths About Leasing - Part 4 of 5

Myth 4: Early-termination fees exact a far heavier penalty than if you change your mind when you buy a car.

It only seems that way. If you decide to bail out of a car purchase, you'll pay the piper, too. The car may be worth far less than you still owe on the loan. And because depreciation is spread evenly over the term of the lease, if you turn in the car early, you are sure to have "used up" more of the car than you've paid for, particularly if you made no down payment.

The early-termination fee is the way the dealer evens things up.

Moral: Plan to keep your car to the end of the lease. It doesn't make sense to stretch out the term to get lower payments if you're likely to break the lease early.