About a month ago, I purchased a used 2003 Mercedez Benz E500 and all I have to say about this car is that it is truley amazing.

Exterior: The appearance of this car is one of the many features that makes this car stand out among the rest. Optional Chrome trim and Sport package body moulding, side skirts and wheels make this car look just as fast as it is.

Interior: Leather seats with power driver and passenger controls are one among the plethora of features that make this car so appealing. The dashboard represents a spaceship like ammount of buttons that control the cars every feature. Four zone automatic climate control and a 12 speaker Harmon Kardon Surround Sound System make this car easy and enjoyable to drive every single day. The dash is also accented (with sport package) with birds eye black berle wood trim which is truely pleasing to the eye when complimented with the available black leather interior. Everywhere your body makes contact, there is a soft, and pleasant feel.

The seats provide support without being rediculously firm. The rear seats are comfortable, even by my standards, as I am about 6'+ and about 200 lbs. Knee room is ample, as there are cutouts in the rear of the front seats to house my large knees. When taking corners at speed, these seats have no problem hugging on to their passengers.

Suspension: My particular vehicle is Equipped with the sport package which gives you a nifty air suspension with three presets and the option of raising or lowering the vehicle to overcome steep driveways. The three suspension presets for this car are Sport I, Sport II and Comfort. The comfort mode, as I am sure you are able to guess, provides the most comfortable ride by softening the shock absorbers and softens the overall ride. This setting is great for freeway and city cruising. The Sport I and Sport II settings will lower the car a few clicks (15mm each time) and will firm up the ride a bit. This creates a harsher ride but dramatically improves the handling capabilities of the car. I find this setting most helpful when traversing mountain roads or speeding around the city.

Engine: The engine in this car is perhaps my most favorite part about the car. The E500 comes equipped with a 5.0L V8 Engine producing 302 horsepower. And thanks to the suspension and the ESP, the car makes use of every single inch of displacement. At a standstill with the ESP engaged, I can get about a half second of wheelspin before it engages and sends the car lurching forward with the upmost energy and enthusiasm. With the ESP off, the car has the ability to spin tires for as long as you wish. If you decided to paint the road bridgestone black, you most certainly could. Average 0-60 times for this car range from 5.6-5.8 seconds based on weight in the car, tire inflation pressure etc... Nevertheless, this motor is quite capable of handling whatever challenges you can throw at it. The best part of the motor, however, is its amazing efficiency. On an tank of gas I can average 23 mpg which is amazing for all of that V8 power, which I frequently make use of.

Safety: The Mercedes Benz E500 is riddled with safety features which include: Dual front airbags, Front and rear side airbags and head curtain airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Seatbelt Pretensioners, and a cool feature that will measure the time it takes for your foot to transfer from the gas to the brake and if it detects an emergency situation, it will apply the full brake force, regardless of pedal position. This last feature has saved me from a costly accident where a car had suddenly turned in front of me. I believe that, had it not been for the brake emergency system, I would have hit the other vehicle, causing severe damage to both of our vehicles.

The Bottom Line: The 2003 Mercedes Benz E500 is truley a joy to own and is a vehicle that I am proud to have in my garage.



Amount Paid (US$): 32000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: E 500, Sport Package, Harmon Kardon Surround Sound System, Sunroof