OWNER jlaa (500E & w210 E320)

[maw1124]

Great, now you can come do mine.

Jokes.

Well done!

maw

 

[RicardoD]

Great write and great job, your skills are growing! Saved some big $$$$ too

 

[gsxr]

@Jlaa, the bearing play on the old pump is insane. Sure don't make them like the old M119 pumps that last forever, eh?

 

[Jlaa]

With time, I think these aftermarket parts are getting less impressive. I last replaced the air filters in 2016 with Mann C33102. I replaced them again with another set of Mann filters in 2024. The filters looked to be constructed the same, but the printing on the pleats is different. The 2015 filters have a "Micro Top" logo as well as two different Mann logos on them. The 2024 filters don't have the "Micro Top" logo and the Mann branding looks more simple:



At the same time, I just did an oil change - Compare the Hengst filter I used in 2022 versus the filter I just used in 2024. Again, the construction looks exactly the same though.

Oh well, I just stocked up on 5 more Hengst filters at $8.37 per filter. The dealer filters are not much more - $9.99 for a made in Germany Knecht, but I am fine with the Polish Hengst filters because I like the swiveling handles (as opposed to the bendy handle on the MB-Knecht / aftermarket Mahle filters). Those 5 filters should last maybe 5-10 years.

 

[gerryvz]

Fortunately, Hengst is still making M156 oil filters in Germany ….

 

[Jlaa]

I got back the oil analysis report on my 500E. It turns out that I only drove this car 1,779 miles since October 2022 (two years), and I could have waited for more miles to accumulate before changing the oil. Changing my old Mobil-1 15W-50 oil with a TBN above 6 was a waste of time, money, and effort. I am hoping with some changes in life / spouse retirement that I will drive this car a bit more than 900 miles / year in the future.

 

[gsxr]

Interesting additive package on the M-1. But yeah, you could have pushed that out closer to 4-5k, ignoring the time (months) it's been in the sump. Numbers look great!

 

[Jlaa]

Well, time flies. @TerryA can be a good judge of this - I left the land of McMansions, Horses, G-wagens, Ferd Raptors, Cybertrucks, and political flags / American flags flying from nearly every other residence (north Orange County) and arrived back to the land of ticky-tacky boxes on the hillside, E-Bikes, Rivians, Waymos, and no flags whatsoever (San Francisco).... and.....

I realized that I hadn't driven the 500E since my last post --- the oil change in early October 2024. The car started right up (C-tek battery tender donchaknow) and gosh darnit it took 25 miles of driving at 75+ mph to convince the tires to stop identifying as squares and start identifying as the circles that they were assigned at time of manufacture.

That said, man this car is glorious. I love it so. I have been driving my w210 E320 for the past 4 months, and the 500E - WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It just grunts down the road, riding on a wave of torque --- super smooth (aside from the square tires that is.). What a difference from the E320 which is smooth because of syrupy transmission calibration and balance shafts in the M112 engine ...... not smooth because of just grunting down the road.

I hope never to sell this car. My favorite angle below:

 

[maw1124]

[Weird... somehow my Apple Display settings changed to a different setting didn't bring up emoji responses beyond Like the first time.... no matter.]

Yes, @Jlaa you know I know what you mean by getting back to this car and remembering how wonderful it is, and manifestly different from the "other Benzes." The AMGs are different and nice and special in their own right.

But this one is in a class all its own, as the owner of an air cooled Porsche (and others) would recognize.

Cheers,

maw

 

[TerryA]

Well, time flies. @TerryA can be a good judge of this - I left the land of McMansions, Horses, G-wagens, Ferd Raptors, Cybertrucks, and political flags / American flags flying from nearly every other residence (north Orange County) and arrived back to the land of ticky-tacky boxes on the hillside, E-Bikes, Rivians, Waymos, and no flags whatsoever (San Francisco).... and.....

I realized that I hadn't driven the 500E since my last post --- the oil change in early October 2024. The car started right up (C-tek battery tender donchaknow) and gosh darnit it took 25 miles of driving at 75+ mph to convince the tires to stop identifying as squares and start identifying as the circles that they were assigned at time of manufacture.

That said, man this car is glorious. I love it so. I have been driving my w210 E320 for the past 4 months, and the 500E - WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It just grunts down the road, riding on a wave of torque --- super smooth (aside from the square tires that is.). What a difference from the E320 which is smooth because of syrupy transmission calibration and balance shafts in the M112 engine ...... not smooth because of just grunting down the road.

I hope never to sell this car. My favorite angle below:

View attachment 208592

@Jlaa,
Sorry I missed you. I thought by now you would be moved in to your new pad but you have retreated back to “Yuppie Land”

You should bring that “Red Beauty” down here before May so you can attend the C&C at the Mercedes Classic Center in Long Beach.

 

[gerryvz]

That said, man this car is glorious. I love it so. I have been driving my w210 E320 for the past 4 months, and the 500E - WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It just grunts down the road, riding on a wave of torque --- super smooth (aside from the square tires that is.). What a difference from the E320 which is smooth because of syrupy transmission calibration and balance shafts in the M112 engine ...... not smooth because of just grunting down the road.

This prose sounds almost "Derfish" in its eloquence....

cc: @DerFuror

 

[Jlaa]

@Jlaa,
Sorry I missed you. I thought by now you would be moved in to your new pad but you have retreated back to “Yuppie Land”

You should bring that “Red Beauty” down here before May so you can attend the C&C at the Mercedes Classic Center in Long Beach.

Ha! I'm getting there! I moved in with an air mattress and sofa and a TV --- and then I decided that the place needed remodellin' and expandin' --- particularly a bigger garage --- so I started down that path and didn't move anything else in!

 

[JwashE]

Well, time flies. @TerryA can be a good judge of this - I left the land of McMansions, Horses, G-wagens, Ferd Raptors, Cybertrucks, and political flags / American flags flying from nearly every other residence (north Orange County) and arrived back to the land of ticky-tacky boxes on the hillside, E-Bikes, Rivians, Waymos, and no flags whatsoever (San Francisco).... and.....

I realized that I hadn't driven the 500E since my last post --- the oil change in early October 2024. The car started right up (C-tek battery tender donchaknow) and gosh darnit it took 25 miles of driving at 75+ mph to convince the tires to stop identifying as squares and start identifying as the circles that they were assigned at time of manufacture.

That said, man this car is glorious. I love it so. I have been driving my w210 E320 for the past 4 months, and the 500E - WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It just grunts down the road, riding on a wave of torque --- super smooth (aside from the square tires that is.). What a difference from the E320 which is smooth because of syrupy transmission calibration and balance shafts in the M112 engine ...... not smooth because of just grunting down the road.

I hope never to sell this car. My favorite angle below:

View attachment 208592

I SO relate to these sentiments. I've had some pretty complex life circumstances that I've needed to navigate the last few years, and as such the 500E hasn't gotten the use that I wish it had. But those gaps in time have made those times with it even more prescious, and my observations of its excellence even more acute. Glad you're getting the time back and relishing it, JLAA!