Used 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Pricing

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Prodigious thrust from the big V8, luxurious ride, firm yet comfy seats, bank-vault build quality, classy presence.

Handling not as athletic as engine performance, somewhat numb steering, manual lumbar adjustment.

Mention Mercedes-Benz and a number of images could come to mind: stately sedans, dashing drop tops, self-absorbed celebrities and their tiny dogs, a bank vault. The latter has been used so many times in analogy to describe a Benz's solid construction that it wouldn't be surprising to see an S-Class door guarding the gold at Fort Knox. Give a Mercedes the old door-shut test, and you'll see what we mean. The hefty, precise and vibration-less manner in which it closes gives the feeling that the whole car is carved out of a block of solid titanium.

Of course, there are other traditional characteristics of this venerable German marque that have endeared it to the masses, such as style, luxury and effortless performance. And they're all in plentiful supply in the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550. For many, the E550 represents the perfect middle ground in terms of performance between the six-cylinder E350 and the tire-smoking E63 AMG. And with last year's midcycle tweaks including a more powerful engine for the mainstream V8-powered E-Class (80 more horsepower versus the outgoing E500), the E550's straight-line sizzle is much closer to the AMG version than the E350.

Wielding a 382-hp V8 (whose performance is maximized through no fewer than seven speeds from the automatic transmission) the E550 has no problem pinning its occupants to their seats. Lean into the gas, and it feels as if this Benz is being whisked forth on a giant wave, so insistent and uninterrupted is the power delivery. The surf is definitely up here — 391 pound-feet of torque is available from 2,800-4,800 rpm.

A muted growl under full throttle gives the strong and otherwise silent V8 some personality. With a 0-60-mph time of 5.2 seconds, the stunning acceleration is more full-on sports car than luxury sedan. Yet the sensation is muted, a product of the car's broad power band, smooth powertrain, effective noise isolation and aforementioned monolithic build quality. At speed, it's the same unflustered sensation; you may find yourself running down the freeway 10-15 mph faster than you realize. A radar detector is not included.

The automatic offers three modes: Comfort, Sport and Manual. In Comfort, it starts out in 2nd gear (which makes for a gentler step-off) and changes gears sooner than when in Sport mode. Those two actions also optimize fuel economy and grip on slippery roads. Sport mode was our choice, as it starts out in 1st gear, which provides snappier response off the line; shifts at higher rpm; and also downshifts more eagerly. In essence, it keeps the E550 "up on its toes," ready to blow past cell phone-focused dawdlers going below the speed limit in the passing lane. Less satisfying was Manual mode, which is enacted by flicking the console's shift lever left and right to change gears. Typical of most automanuals, it downshifts promptly when the lever is flicked, but upshifts are slow on the, well, uptake.

Surprisingly, given our leadfoot tendencies, we averaged 18.4 mpg in mixed driving against the EPA's estimates of 15 city/22 highway/17 combined. Drive like you don't have a company gas card and you'll probably do a few mpg better than we did.

Braking performance is about average for this class, as we recorded a 120-foot effort during a simulated panic stop from 60 mph. Pedal feel is firm, though travel is longer than expected.

Although the Benz E550 is, without question, a track star during acceleration runs, super-athletic moves on a twisty road are not the car's forte. It's certainly composed — press S1 to firm up the Airmatic suspension's electronic dampers and the 4,002-pound Merc feels capable enough — it's just not as involving as its countryman and competitor, the BMW 550i. Adding to that impression is the precise, well-weighted steering that's nonetheless numb — it lacks the road feel that a Bimmer's would provide.

With all that said, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550 has an affable nature that should please most luxury sedan intenders. It has the firm, reassuring feel that's the hallmark of a premium Euro-bred sedan, and a plush ride quality, as bumps and ruts are absorbed without any excess body motions. Wind noise is virtually nonexistent, as is road noise, except when running over grooved concrete freeways (common in Southern California), where the latter is noticeable but not intrusive.

In typical German fashion, the seats in the Mercedes E550 are firm but ideally shaped to provide proper support. On a long trip, you realize the purpose of this design, as even our staffers' most fickle lower backs had no complaints after a couple hours driving up the coast. Still, we were a bit miffed that the lumbar support adjustment is manual, not power as one would rightly expect in a luxury sedan costing $60 grand. With the power tilt-telescoping steering wheel adjustment and 10-way power seat, finding an agreeable driving position is easy.

In back, the seat has a high cushion so even taller folks have ample under-thigh support. Though the rear backrest looks flat, it's comfortable, while nearly 36 inches of rear legroom prove enough for a pair of 6-foot staffers riding front and rear.

On a particularly hot day, the ventilated seats keep legs from sticking to leather (not available for 2009 E550), while the four-zone climate control keeps both the guys (who typically want it cooler) and gals (who usually prefer warmer settings) happy on a day trip.

At first, the sight of the E550's abundance of buttons on the center stack is dizzying, but they're actually mostly user-friendly. Climate controls are straightforward, and the audio and navigation interfaces can be figured out without opening the manual ? but there are newer, more user-friendly systems offered on some competitor vehicles.

Though some staffers didn't care for the large analog clock located next to the speedo and tach, at least one preferred it to the typically small and harder-to-read digital units. Long a Mercedes feature, the power drop-down of the rear headrests made parallel parking less of a hassle, although it would be nice if Mercedes included parking assist as standard equipment. (It's optional.)

The ample E-Class trunk is capable of swallowing a large suitcase, plus at least two golf bags. The wide opening allows those bags to drop in without any fuss, while the free-moving hinges make opening and closing the trunk very easy. In fact, the lid opens itself completely at the push of the key fob's trunk button.

With its uncluttered lines, crouching stance and elegant thin-spoke 18-inch wheels, the E550 has a classy yet powerful presence. Some of us prefer the E550's cohesive look to Mercedes' new design language, with more angular lines and exaggerated wheelwell flares, as seen on the S-Class sedan.

Within the E550, materials and build quality fully befit the big-bucks price tag. Our test car's black bird's-eye maple wood trim is hard to notice, however ? against the black interior trim, it just looks like grayish plastic. The more traditional burled walnut offers more contrast and a warmer feel.

If you're a true driving enthusiast, the type for whom telepathic steering feel and strong cornering prowess are required characteristics, you'll probably want to drive a BMW 550i before making your decision. But the much larger majority in this segment typically wants a handsome, roomy sedan that coddles its occupants in a luxurious cabin while providing the driver with plenty of power and a confident feel on the open road. For them, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550 should be a perfect fit.

Others to Consider:
Audi A6 4.2, BMW 550i, Infiniti M45, Jaguar XF Supercharged, Lexus GS 460

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Overview
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Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2008 E-Class 4.7 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2008 E-Class.

Review
Best Safe Highway Car I ever owned. Recently in terrible accident with semi truck on I-10 just outside of Phoenix, I believe the E-350 2008 not only save our lives but we all walked away without series injury. Looking to buy same model and year again. Great highway gas mileage with power.

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Available Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2008 Submodel Types: Sedan, Coupe, Convertible, Wagon, Diesel, E63 AMG, E63 AMG 4MATIC S-Model, AMG E 63 S 4MATIC, E55 AMG, AMG E 43 4MATIC, Hybrid, E 63 AMG 4MATIC S-Model, AMG E 63 4MATIC S-Model

Available Trims: E350 4MATIC, E350, E350 Sport 4MATIC, E 300 Sport 4MATIC, E 350 Sport 4MATIC, E 400 4MATIC, E350 Luxury 4MATIC, E 350 Luxury 4MATIC, E320, E550, E320 4MATIC, E 400, E63 AMG, E 300 Luxury 4MATIC, E350 Sport, E550 4MATIC, E500, E550 Sport 4MATIC, E63 AMG 4MATIC S-Model, E500 4MATIC, E 300 Sport, AMG E 63 S 4MATIC, E 350 Sport, E 400 Sport 4MATIC, E55 AMG, AMG E 43 4MATIC, E 300 AMG Line 4MATIC, E320 BLUETEC, E320 CDI, E350 Luxury, E 350 Luxury, E 250 Sport BlueTEC 4MATIC, E300TD, E430, E250 Luxury BlueTEC 4MATIC, E250 Sport BlueTEC 4MATIC, E320 BlueTEC, E 250 Sport BlueTEC, E 63 AMG 4MATIC S-Model, E300D, E350 BlueTEC, E400 Sport Hybrid, E430 4MATIC, AMG E 63 4MATIC S-Model, E 300 Luxury, E 400 Luxury 4MATIC, E 400 Sport Hybrid, E 550, E350 Luxury BlueTEC, E350 Sport BlueTEC, E420

Exterior Colors: Black, Polar White, Iridium Silver Metallic, Steel Grey Metallic, Palladium Silver Metallic, Arctic White, Lunar Blue Metallic , Selenite Grey Metallic, Diamond White Metallic, designo Diamond White Metallic, Obsidian Black Metallic, Diamond Silver Metallic, Capri Blue Metallic, Desert Silver Metallic, Lunar Blue Metallic, designo Silver Metallic, Cardinal Red Metallic, Quartz Blue Metallic, Alabaster White, Indigo Blue Metallic, Indium Grey Metallic, Mars Red, designo Cardinal Red Metallic, Brilliant Silver, Piedmont Green Metallic, Brilliant Silver Metallic, Dolomite Brown Metallic, Flint Grey Metallic, Granite Grey Metallic, Pearl Beige Metallic, Tectite Grey Metallic, designo Mocha Black Metallic, Dune Silver Metallic , Glacier White, Midnight Blue, Pewter Metallic, Dakota Brown Metallic, Platinum Blue Metallic, Aspen Green, Barolo Red Metallic, Bordeaux Red, Bordeaux Red Metallic, Desert Silver, Obsidian Black, designo Mocha Black, Agate Green, Calypso Green Metallic, Cardinal Red Metallic (Late Availability), Cuprite Brown Metallic, Everest Green Metallic, Iridium Grey Metallic, Jade Green Metallic, Night Black Magno Matte, Pewter Silver Metallic, Sienna Black Metallic, Smoke Silver Metallic, Tectite Gray, designo Graphite, designo Mystic Brown, designo Selenite Grey Magno Matte

Interior Colors: Black leatherette, Black leather, Black leatherette, Silk Beige/Espresso Brown leatherette, Natural Beige/Black leather, Almond/Mocha leatherette, Silk Beige/Espresso Brown leather, Nut Brown/Black leather, Cashmere leather, Red/Black leather, Charcoal premium leather, Macchiato Beige/Black leather, Almond/Mocha leather, Black premium leather, Macchiato Beige/Black leatherette, Saddle Brown/Black leather, Black/Silver Nappa premium leather, Grey/Black leather, Almond/Black leatherette, Ash/Dark Grey leather, Almond Beige leather, Chestnut Brown/Black leather, Ash/Black leatherette, Black leather/suede, Charcoal, designo Sand Nappa, designo Stone premium leather, Almond Beige premium leather, Ash, Black Nappa premium leather, Macchiato Beige/Espresso Brown leather, Ash leatherette, Natural Beige premium leather, Espresso Brown/Silk Beige leather, Macchiato Beige/Espresso Brown premium leather, Porcelain/Black leather, Almond/Mocha premium leather, Ash premium leather, Black Exclusive Nappa premium leather, Cognac Brown/Black leather, Gray, Gray/Black MB-Tex leatherette, Grey/Dark Grey Luxury leatherette, Macchiato Beige/Blue leather, Nut Brown/Black leatherette, Ash leather, Cashmere leatherette, Crystal Grey/Black leather, Crystal Grey/Black leatherette, Crystal Grey/Seashell Grey leatherette, Macchiato Beige/Espresso leatherette, Ash/Black leatherette, Ash/Dark Grey leatherette, Black/Gray, Deep Sea Blue/Silk Beige leather, Grey/Black Nappa premium leather, Grey/Dark Grey Luxury leather, Grey/Dark Grey Nappa premium leather, Light Brown, Stone premium leather, designo Black/Titanium Grey Pearl premium leather, designo Sand premium leather, Almond/Black premium leather, Ash/Black leather, Ash/Dark Grey premium leather, Black, Black Nappa w/Red stitching premium leather, Black Nappa w/Silver Stitching premium leather, Black Sport Premium (SPC) premium leather, Black w/Yellow Topstitching premium leather, Charcoal/Merlot Red premium leather, Crystal Grey/Black Nappa (SPC) premium leather, Crystal Grey/Seashell Grey Nappa premium leather, Deep Sea Blue/Silk Beige Nappa premium leather, Espresso Brown/Silk Beige Nappa premium leather, Gray/Black MB-Tex Sport (SPC) leatherette, Grey/Black Leather leather, Grey/Dark Grey Sport (SPC) leather, Macchiato Beige/Black Exclusive Nappa premium leather, Nut Brown/Black Exclusive Nappa premium leather, Nut Brown/Black Nappa premium leather, Nut Brown/Espresso Brown leatherette, Nut Brown/Espresso leatherette, Pacific Blue, Red/Black Nappa premium leather

Popular Features: Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Auto Climate Control, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Driver Seat, Stability Control, Trip Computer, Rear Bench Seats, Tire Pressure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Sunroof/Moonroof, Bluetooth, AWD/4WD, Aux Audio Inputs, Navigation, Automatic Emergency Braking, Back-up camera, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Heated seats, Upgraded Headlights, Upgraded Stereo, Post-collision safety system, USB Inputs, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Leather Seats, Blind Spot Monitoring, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Remote Start, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Parking sensors, Lane Departure Warning, 2nd Row Bucket Seats, Keyless Entry/Start, 3500lb Towing Capacity, Cooled Seats, Third-row seating, Soft Top, Adaptive Cruise Control, 360-degree camera, Mobile Internet, Heads up display, Rear Entertainment System, Upgraded Engine

Engine/Mechanics: 6, 4, 8 cylinders

Transmission: AUTOMATIC

Fuel Types: premium unleaded (required), diesel, regular unleaded

Drivetrains: all wheel drive, rear wheel drive