Features
Aside from dressing up to drive them, I like how German luxury cars have a plethora of options and toys to play with. Our E350 was no exception, starting with the upgraded Harman Kardon stereo. I tested it with some classical music off my iPod, because classical music asks a stereo to deal with the widest variety of soft, gentle melodies and strong, booming notes. It performed well.
I was also a fan of using Mercedes' Comand system to control my iPod. I'd heard horror stories that these systems can be hard to use, but it was as easy as falling off a log.
The other thing I noticed immediately — and liked — was the optional panoramic sunroof that covers both rows of seats. It was very important for me — but then, I work in an area of my office building that's so devoid of light I feel like I'm in a submarine. That's parked inside a cave. At midnight.
Another nice touch was the standard ambient lighting in the cabin. It shines on cupholders, door panels and various other parts of the cabin. It's soft enough that I don't think it would bother people who prefer a perfectly dark cabin when they drive at night. I drove on a pitch-black night down country lanes and found the amount of light to be fine. It dresses up the cabin and shows off the premium materials with a soft, golden glow. A lot of cars these days have some form of ambient lighting — and many change color or have some other whiz-bang feature — but the subtle glow of this system is exactly what you'd expect in a refined luxury car.
We also had a blind spot assist that lit up a section of the side mirrors and set off an alarm if you tried to move into a lane when a car was already there. This helped on the driver's side mirror, but I didn't need it for the passenger side, probably because of how I had my mirrors set. But a word about those mirrors: They have a chopped, angular shape that looks great, but I don't think they show as much of the road as they should. I'm not sure I'd feel confident driving the E-Class without some form of blind spot help. They also don't fold completely in, leaving you more exposed to sideswipes when you're parked in urban areas.
See also:
Tire pressure of at least 180 kPa
(1.8 bar/26 psi) is not reached
If, after five minutes, a pressure of 180 kPa
(1.8 bar/26 psi) has not been achieved:
– Switch off the tire inflation compressor.
– Unscrew the filler hose from the valve of
the faulty tire.
– ...
PRE-SAFE® (preventative occupant
protection)
WARNING
The PRE-SAFE® system reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRESAF ...
Transmission positions
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P unless the vehicle is
stationary. The parking lock should
not be used as a brake when
parking. In addition to engaging the
parki ...