I want this..
 

We're a year away from replacing the x5, but my wife and I started talking about what she'd want over the weekend so I've been obsessively car shopping ever since. For reference, the x5 is a 2011 and this weekend crossed 150k. It's been great and done exactly what we needed it to. My wife expects to keep it another 12-15 months and would love to hit 200k in it. She's right, of course, but it hasn't stopped me from FC'ing my future.

I found this today and *really* like it. I sent it to my wife and she said "a year too soon".... we'll just see about that... :
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

The selling dealer actually bought it on BAT for $56k in September.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...-e63s-wagon-8/
I would have liked it even more at that price and in Pawlings, where I could have driven up to check it out.

Anyway, that is a round about way of asking if anyone has any first hand/second hand knowledge of MB products, any good reference sites on E class wagons, the differences among generations, major issues, etc. What are the good MB message boards so I can learn some more about what to look for and what to avoid.

I'd love to get one last big v8 wagon before they're dead and gone.

Those crop up from time to time in ATL, which appears to be a decently strong wagon town.

There are about 14 RS6 Avants coming here to various Audi dealerships around town.

Edit: This one is still too young and pricey. But this is the dealer that seems to offer the best selection of used wagons:
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

Josh as long as it has a warranty why worry ... I would definitely try to talk to the dealer to bring down the price but you are right there are very few 8 cylinder choices out there and they are getting slimmer each year.

Edit: I thought that was a MB dealer at first and figured it was certified, just buy it with a warranty

:lol: :D

Don’t you guys need AWD? I thought they were exclusively RWD...

Edit; Never mind. I see it’s 4matic. I wonder why I thought that...

They were exclusivly RWD up to (I think) 2 generations ago. I think 4 matic started in 2012 and is the only way the newer cars come. RE the 14 Audis: For some reason the RS6 does nothing for me. I like the understated Q-Ship approach of the E63 wagon a lot more.

You know me, I need to research the shit out of a purchase before I do it. That's why I was hoping someone could point me towards E Class reference sites, and good MB boards. I want to know what I'm getting into and what I should be in the look out for.

:+1

Nice! I haven't driven them in ages, but I think I'd be looking at the E400/450'ish power levels and tuning for softer ride and less madness (but I drive in very constricted environments where too much power is frustrating).

I love the idea of the E63S wagon. But I cannot, at this point in my life, see how one makes sense. It would almost certainly require me to give up the M3 and with my current commute that makes very little sense.

To me, it falls in the bucket of a 911, Wrangler, etc. Vehicles I's love to have but they just don't work for me/us at this point or I rather have something else even more.

Needless to say, if they had a stick I would have one already instead of the M3.

Speaking of Wrangler and V8s. Now there's this:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/17/succe...392/index.html

They are so HUGE. I've actually thought passingly of them for my practical car. Slightly used, they're in the same range as the X3 M40. But the behemoth size puts me off.

However that size is perfect for schlepping to and from a second home and carrying a family/dogs, etc...

Very cool. Mostly unnecessary, but cool. If I ever bought one, I'd probably want that one, but again, it probably won't happen.

I wonder what the higher center of gravity does to handling. Can't imagine it improves it...

I'm sure it doesn't help, but I suspect it may not be worse. The article suggests that in packaging the V8 they took advantage of the higher ground clearance, which would imply that the bottom of the V8 may sit lower than the V6. So, probably worse, but perhaps not significantly so. But it was crappy handling vehicle to start, so meh.

A guy who reports to me at the new job has a brand new 2-door Rubicon. He took a fast-ish turn trying to beat a light and I was both freaked out by how it felt on the turn but also somewhat surprised that the vehicle had as much grip as it did.

I use to go to this board when we had Mercedes:

https://mbworld.org/forums/


Also I think I used to go to this one but I don't remember
https://www.benzforum.com/forums/

Thanks, I found MBWorld today and wasted way too much time on their learning about w212s and a bit on the w213 cars. Doesn't look like any major redflags for a car of that stature (ie, I'd expect the air suspension to need some maintenance love).

Trying to figure out if the pre- 2021 facelift w213 cars are a big step up from the 2015-2016 w212 cars, which seem to be a nice package.

Not wanting to hijack Alan's oil change thread, I figured I'd put our recent thoughts in here.

Since my last post, I've been watching the 2015 - 2020 E63 wagon market closely and it's not a pretty sight. 2015 -2016 (w212s)are in the $55 - $75k range based on miles, 2018+ are $80k+. Its hard to justify that kind of money for an out of warranty car that we'll be putting 20k+ miles year on.

So we've changed our focus to x3s and x5s again. The x5 4.5e seems like a great fit to our use case, but so far has been ridiculously buggy and seems pretty archaic in EV technology (slow charging rate primarily).

The x3 with the b58 seems like our sweetspot. Looks like a new one optioned as we want is in the $58k range out the door (about $10k cheaper than the x5 option). There will be an LCI in July that will add a few more minor improvements to the interior tech.

Our plan, assuming our 2013 x5 w/ 150k miles survives this long, is to custom order an x3 to our specs around this time next year and do a delivery at the Spartansburg Performance Center. If the stars align, my wife and I will drive down the Blue Ridge into the smokys, spend a weekend in Nashville then go to Spartansburg and pick it up. Timing would be earlier, but I really want to see the smoky's in the spring time with all the wildflower blooms, etc.

We'll see, obviously lots can change in that timeline, but that's our plan for now. The x series gives the side benefit of adding a hitch and being able to move my boat around on occasion.

Sounds like a great plan.

The X3 is a great SUV, my brother has one with the 6 Cylinder engine and is very happy with it. They really took that truck up a level.

somewhere I saw that you could spend over $83,000 on an X3

:speechle:

https://www.bmwofaustin.com/inventor...ts0c08m9f39531

:eek:

That is the "real" M version, not the b58 "m4.0" version. Everything I've read suggests it is a miserable real world auto. Super stiff & rough riding. It's not what i want for our highway hauler.

Interestingly the e63 wagon you started with the thread with 2 months ago is still for sale, the linky still worky.

It's pretty awful. There are hopes that BMW will improve it with the LCI.

even if they do, the difference between $55k for 380hp vs $80k for 470hp is hard math to justify. Plus you can't put a hitch on the M.

Indeed. I really see no reason for an M-level SUV. I only drove one because, for awhile, they weren’t selling and there were demos for the same price as an X3 M40i—at a time when those were hard to find.

Driving the X3M and the Macan S disabused me of the notion that an SUV could be enough fun to replace a truly fun car. They have varying levels of competence and fit and finish—and certainly lots of utility. But they are not fun to drive.

I am super happy with the CX-5....and the 2.

Completely agree, 380 hp is beyond enough power ... still ridiculously fast.

I have driven one and I totally concur with those sentiments. Better off with the M40i for daily use.

Fingers crossed. Centers do not seem to be optimistic that will happen though.

I'd 100% do a couple year old e63 before I'd do the X3M. They both have the same issue of being too much / too harsh for the primary use case and too nice to be a hauler / winter vehicle. I have a huge aspirational desire for the e63 where I could convince myself to get one because I've always REALLY wanted one even if it wasn't smart. On the other hand, over wrought SUVs do nothing for me so the x3M is not even interesting.

85% of the miles will be going back and forth to Western NY, and the goal for that is to have a car that can cruise comfortably at 85mph with 3 people a dog and a bunch of stuff for 4 hours with enough additional power to get quickly around left lane sitters, tractor trailers and other annoyances while surviving the road hazzards of 4 seasons.

Add to that desire to tow and all the normal outdoorsy family hauler duties and this just seems like the way to go.

And maybe it will be nice to have a new car with a warranty for a change? :)