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    Re: Talking about traction

    If there is one failing of the E55, its the standard tires. I know that you need some load rated rear tires for the E55 because its so heavy, but manufacturers will fill the void soon.

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    W211,

    No I have not gotten the E55 yet. I could have taken a Feb delivery, but I figured i did not want to start in such a cold season (this is supposed to be a brutal winter, and I am in the NYC area) as I doubt I would drive the car at all until it warmed up. I see there are now winter tires for the E55, but I can wait an extra month or so. Still can't decide what color I like though (between Silver, Tectite and White. Thinking of a set of aftermarket wheels though). My C4Cab is already getting a bit slippery as the temps have started dropping around here - time for snow tires to be lugged up from the basement again!

    I did put myself on the list for an Elise though as well - thinking of Chrome Orange.

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    W211,

    No I have not gotten the E55 yet. I could have taken a Feb delivery, but I figured i did not want to start in such a cold season (this is supposed to be a brutal winter, and I am in the NYC area) as I doubt I would drive the car at all until it warmed up. I see there are now winter tires for the E55, but I can wait an extra month or so. Still can't decide what color I like though (between Silver, Tectite and White. Thinking of a set of aftermarket wheels though). My C4Cab is already getting a bit slippery as the temps have started dropping around here - time for snow tires to be lugged up from the basement again!

    I did put myself on the list for an Elise though as well - thinking of Chrome Orange.

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    Quote:

    I did put myself on the list for an Elise though as well - thinking of Chrome Orange.



    You're not alone. A lot of people are springing for this color it seems.

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    Quote:

    I did put myself on the list for an Elise though as well - thinking of Chrome Orange.



    You're not alone. A lot of people are springing for this color it seems.

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    Joe,

    I like big contrasts between the exterior and interior colours so I went for silver/charcoal. Easy to maintain, I once had the capri blue (dark blue) with stone interior, quite a nightmare looking at the swirl marks and carpet stains growing.

    Here in the Pacific Northwest, I'm still on the factory Continentals and I'm always curious what will perform best in the rain around 5C. Summer or winter tires??

    Elise will be nice, best track car money can buy?

    Re: E55 as an everyday car

    Joe,

    I like big contrasts between the exterior and interior colours so I went for silver/charcoal. Easy to maintain, I once had the capri blue (dark blue) with stone interior, quite a nightmare looking at the swirl marks and carpet stains growing.

    Here in the Pacific Northwest, I'm still on the factory Continentals and I'm always curious what will perform best in the rain around 5C. Summer or winter tires??

    Elise will be nice, best track car money can buy?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    In my test drive, the traction light was coming on all the time -- even when I was not flooring the accelerator. It was disconcerting but I suppose one could get used to it.



    The problem isn't only that the light goes on. The ESP systems shuts down power, sometimes surprisingly brutal and sometimes very unexpected even on dry pavement, leading to some pretty dangerous situations.
    Even with the 30% limited slip differential on my car, the ESP comes on all the time, especially since the outside temperatures dropped below 15*C. But at least power isn't shut off completely.
    My personal conclusion: the E55 badly needs a limited slip differential as a standard option and there is a strong rumor that all AMG cars get a LSD from the factory starting with MY 2005. An even better solution would be AWD but I guess this would make the E55 even more heavy.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    In my test drive, the traction light was coming on all the time -- even when I was not flooring the accelerator. It was disconcerting but I suppose one could get used to it.



    The problem isn't only that the light goes on. The ESP systems shuts down power, sometimes surprisingly brutal and sometimes very unexpected even on dry pavement, leading to some pretty dangerous situations.
    Even with the 30% limited slip differential on my car, the ESP comes on all the time, especially since the outside temperatures dropped below 15*C. But at least power isn't shut off completely.
    My personal conclusion: the E55 badly needs a limited slip differential as a standard option and there is a strong rumor that all AMG cars get a LSD from the factory starting with MY 2005. An even better solution would be AWD but I guess this would make the E55 even more heavy.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Isn't LSD only for improving traction around corners?

    PS, AMG cars should have 4wd as standard!!! Look what it did for the Diablo, and Murcie, and for the RS6. The only way to go is 4WD, you can't deploy 700NM+ through skinny tires and expect good 0-60runs, plus when ESPs steals the power and you're flooring on a wet UK road, let alone a curvy one, you're just asking for trouble...

    Now AMG has a new boss, I bet we won't see a 4wd system for years...


    Where are the quattro boys when you need them...

    Re: Talking about traction

    Isn't LSD only for improving traction around corners?

    PS, AMG cars should have 4wd as standard!!! Look what it did for the Diablo, and Murcie, and for the RS6. The only way to go is 4WD, you can't deploy 700NM+ through skinny tires and expect good 0-60runs, plus when ESPs steals the power and you're flooring on a wet UK road, let alone a curvy one, you're just asking for trouble...

    Now AMG has a new boss, I bet we won't see a 4wd system for years...


    Where are the quattro boys when you need them...

    Re: Talking about traction

    I myself turn ESP off when turning onto a fast moving road as a safety measure. You have two choices in this situation
    1) leave ESP on: Merge onto the road and be very judicious with the throttle. A little too much and the car will literally not going anywhere. I have heard stories of people almost getting hit from the side because of this
    2) turn ESP off: You can use more throttle with no danger of the computer cutting all throttle. But of course the attentive driver is always careful of applying too much throttle while turning, whether or not ESP is on, and is ready to catch oversteer or excessive wheel spin.

    I suspect that the ESP program for the E55 may be the same as that on the E500? I don't have the miles on an E55 to say for sure, but this seems true of the C32/C320.

    Re: Talking about traction

    I myself turn ESP off when turning onto a fast moving road as a safety measure. You have two choices in this situation
    1) leave ESP on: Merge onto the road and be very judicious with the throttle. A little too much and the car will literally not going anywhere. I have heard stories of people almost getting hit from the side because of this
    2) turn ESP off: You can use more throttle with no danger of the computer cutting all throttle. But of course the attentive driver is always careful of applying too much throttle while turning, whether or not ESP is on, and is ready to catch oversteer or excessive wheel spin.

    I suspect that the ESP program for the E55 may be the same as that on the E500? I don't have the miles on an E55 to say for sure, but this seems true of the C32/C320.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Unfortunately you can't turn ESP completely off and this is another problem. If you're an experienced or even a pro driver, it is no problem to cope with the ESP turned off. The problems starts when the safety feature of the ESP jumps in and activates the ESP again when it "senses" an extreme situation. The problem? Well, you're expecting to have serious oversteer (and you have it at the beginning) and suddenly after the rear brakes out, the ESP safety feature jumps in and tries to correct. Now you can imagine what happens if you adapt to the strong oversteer and the ESP jumps in again.
    I have to emphasize however that the ESP safety feature jumps in only at extreme driving conditions.
    To make it short: you can't shut the ESP completely off but the optional LSD helps a lot of avoid the safety feature to come on.

    To Bilal: the LSD helps also when driving straight, not only in curves. It actually works like a 50% AWD.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Unfortunately you can't turn ESP completely off and this is another problem. If you're an experienced or even a pro driver, it is no problem to cope with the ESP turned off. The problems starts when the safety feature of the ESP jumps in and activates the ESP again when it "senses" an extreme situation. The problem? Well, you're expecting to have serious oversteer (and you have it at the beginning) and suddenly after the rear brakes out, the ESP safety feature jumps in and tries to correct. Now you can imagine what happens if you adapt to the strong oversteer and the ESP jumps in again.
    I have to emphasize however that the ESP safety feature jumps in only at extreme driving conditions.
    To make it short: you can't shut the ESP completely off but the optional LSD helps a lot of avoid the safety feature to come on.

    To Bilal: the LSD helps also when driving straight, not only in curves. It actually works like a 50% AWD.

    Re: Talking about traction

    LSD works in a straight line too - very important to transfer lots of torque (can you imagine a drag racer that spins just one wheel).

    Re: Talking about traction

    LSD works in a straight line too - very important to transfer lots of torque (can you imagine a drag racer that spins just one wheel).

    Re: Talking about traction

    I read in Mercedes Enthusiast that AMG Tobias Moer said AMG experimented with an LSD around Hockenheim and there was no real advantage? And 4matic is not designed for the levels of torque of mercedes's standard V12, let alone AMG versions...

    50% AWD? Then it must come standard!!! Say RC, any improvement in your E55's 0-60mph runs? Does the exhaust sound become deeper with mileage? And lastly, if you floor your car at 80mph in dry/wet weather, do you spin tires.?

    Re: Talking about traction

    I read in Mercedes Enthusiast that AMG Tobias Moer said AMG experimented with an LSD around Hockenheim and there was no real advantage? And 4matic is not designed for the levels of torque of mercedes's standard V12, let alone AMG versions...

    50% AWD? Then it must come standard!!! Say RC, any improvement in your E55's 0-60mph runs? Does the exhaust sound become deeper with mileage? And lastly, if you floor your car at 80mph in dry/wet weather, do you spin tires.?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    I read in Mercedes Enthusiast that AMG Tobias Moer said AMG experimented with an LSD around Hockenheim and there was no real advantage? And 4matic is not designed for the levels of torque of mercedes's standard V12, let alone AMG versions...

    50% AWD? Then it must come standard!!! Say RC, any improvement in your E55's 0-60mph runs? Does the exhaust sound become deeper with mileage? And lastly, if you floor your car at 80mph in dry/wet weather, do you spin tires.?




    The LSD cleary gives an advantage but don't expect wonders from it. At least the ESP doesn't cut off power too soon (and too harsh) as it did before but the ESP light still comes on from time to time. Yes, it shoud come standard and there is a rumor that all MY 2005 AMG models get it as a standard option. Did the LSD improve my 0-60 runs? I'd say yes because the ESP doesn't cut off power when flooring the car.
    Yes, on wet pavement, the ESP light flashes even at speeds over 100 mph. On dry pavement, the LSD allows even a tire screetching noise at speeds below 60 mph but not always.
    The exhaust sound seems to have become less loud than it was before, this is very strange (should be the other way). Maybe I just got used to it.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    I read in Mercedes Enthusiast that AMG Tobias Moer said AMG experimented with an LSD around Hockenheim and there was no real advantage? And 4matic is not designed for the levels of torque of mercedes's standard V12, let alone AMG versions...

    50% AWD? Then it must come standard!!! Say RC, any improvement in your E55's 0-60mph runs? Does the exhaust sound become deeper with mileage? And lastly, if you floor your car at 80mph in dry/wet weather, do you spin tires.?




    The LSD cleary gives an advantage but don't expect wonders from it. At least the ESP doesn't cut off power too soon (and too harsh) as it did before but the ESP light still comes on from time to time. Yes, it shoud come standard and there is a rumor that all MY 2005 AMG models get it as a standard option. Did the LSD improve my 0-60 runs? I'd say yes because the ESP doesn't cut off power when flooring the car.
    Yes, on wet pavement, the ESP light flashes even at speeds over 100 mph. On dry pavement, the LSD allows even a tire screetching noise at speeds below 60 mph but not always.
    The exhaust sound seems to have become less loud than it was before, this is very strange (should be the other way). Maybe I just got used to it.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Let's hope it does be come standard, a the ESP is the main problem, since it cuts too much, power and then gives too much all of a sudden, very jerky, and sometimes dangerous. Can be a good thing combined with that noise for passengers who have never been in an AMG Mercedes before!!

    RC, if someone wants to come down and buy a car directly from AMG in Affalterbach, does AMG allow test drives of its cars de-limited to 186mph? Roads permitting? Are there any roads around AMG headquarters that permit this? Sorta like your E55 300km/hr vid?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Let's hope it does be come standard, a the ESP is the main problem, since it cuts too much, power and then gives too much all of a sudden, very jerky, and sometimes dangerous. Can be a good thing combined with that noise for passengers who have never been in an AMG Mercedes before!!

    RC, if someone wants to come down and buy a car directly from AMG in Affalterbach, does AMG allow test drives of its cars de-limited to 186mph? Roads permitting? Are there any roads around AMG headquarters that permit this? Sorta like your E55 300km/hr vid?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    RC, if someone wants to come down and buy a car directly from AMG in Affalterbach, does AMG allow test drives of its cars de-limited to 186mph? Roads permitting? Are there any roads around AMG headquarters that permit this? Sorta like your E55 300km/hr vid?



    As far as I heard, it depends on the customer. They have test cars available, they also sell cars directly in Affalterbach as far as I know. But not everybody gets the chance to drive such a car, they need some sort of assurance that the driver is really interested in buying one, that he can drive and that he comes back with the car.
    I can give you a phone number at the AMG factory, maybe you (or the person who wants to come) should talk to them directly.
    There are various Autobahns nearby which permit speeds of 300 kph but most Autobahns around Stuttgart are somehow speed limited. You need a test car at least for a couple of hours to be able to really testdrive it.

    To understand why it is a problem with testdrives: last time we got a 911 Turbo with powerkit and sport suspension from Porsche, the Porsche employee kindly asked us to return the car in one piece (he knows us ) because it is the only testcar they have with both options together (powerkit and sport suspension).

    Re: Talking about traction

    Quote:
    RC, if someone wants to come down and buy a car directly from AMG in Affalterbach, does AMG allow test drives of its cars de-limited to 186mph? Roads permitting? Are there any roads around AMG headquarters that permit this? Sorta like your E55 300km/hr vid?



    As far as I heard, it depends on the customer. They have test cars available, they also sell cars directly in Affalterbach as far as I know. But not everybody gets the chance to drive such a car, they need some sort of assurance that the driver is really interested in buying one, that he can drive and that he comes back with the car.
    I can give you a phone number at the AMG factory, maybe you (or the person who wants to come) should talk to them directly.
    There are various Autobahns nearby which permit speeds of 300 kph but most Autobahns around Stuttgart are somehow speed limited. You need a test car at least for a couple of hours to be able to really testdrive it.

    To understand why it is a problem with testdrives: last time we got a 911 Turbo with powerkit and sport suspension from Porsche, the Porsche employee kindly asked us to return the car in one piece (he knows us ) because it is the only testcar they have with both options together (powerkit and sport suspension).

    Re: Talking about traction

    Always full of info, thanks RC!

    Will they trust a guarantee of passport and wallet!?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Always full of info, thanks RC!

    Will they trust a guarantee of passport and wallet!?

    Re: Talking about traction

    Test drove another E55 this morning. i have one scheduled for march delivery, but wanted to drive it when the temps were a bit lower like today (about 40 deg. F).

    Anyways, the car had to be jump started as it was on the dealer floor and I guess the juice ran out. Much of the power functions were not available expect those related to driving (e.g. passenger power seats, etc.). The car was not nearly as fast as I remembered it, and the only full throttle wheelspin i could muster was just a bit off takeoff from a deadstop...nothing remotely approaching slipping at anything over 15 mph).

    After about 20 minutes of driving, I stopped the vehicle and put it into park. A red warning light came on the dash indicated reduced available braking power. I noticed while I was driving a chirping sound whenever I depressed the brakes (only initially...subsequent modulation after the initial pressing of the brake pedal produced no such chirping sound).

    I guess this is due to the battery not being completely powered up? Dealer had no idea. Plus, why would the car allow you to drive it if full braking power was not available? Upon trying the restart the car after turning it off to drive it back into the showroom, the car simply would not turn over and had to be rejumped.

    I'm wondering if the low battery power had anything to do with the reduced performance, or if it was because all the settings were reduced to default and the car needed to be driven aggressively to be set at more aggressive settings? I drove it pretty hard for almost 20 minutes but it never seemed to have that ridiculous acceleration (it was still fast, but not hyper fast...like I said, could not break the tires loose aftrer speeds past a standstill).

    I had originally ordered capri blue with the blue seats, but now an rethinking of getting tectite with graphite.

    Re: Talking about traction

    Test drove another E55 this morning. i have one scheduled for march delivery, but wanted to drive it when the temps were a bit lower like today (about 40 deg. F).

    Anyways, the car had to be jump started as it was on the dealer floor and I guess the juice ran out. Much of the power functions were not available expect those related to driving (e.g. passenger power seats, etc.). The car was not nearly as fast as I remembered it, and the only full throttle wheelspin i could muster was just a bit off takeoff from a deadstop...nothing remotely approaching slipping at anything over 15 mph).

    After about 20 minutes of driving, I stopped the vehicle and put it into park. A red warning light came on the dash indicated reduced available braking power. I noticed while I was driving a chirping sound whenever I depressed the brakes (only initially...subsequent modulation after the initial pressing of the brake pedal produced no such chirping sound).

    I guess this is due to the battery not being completely powered up? Dealer had no idea. Plus, why would the car allow you to drive it if full braking power was not available? Upon trying the restart the car after turning it off to drive it back into the showroom, the car simply would not turn over and had to be rejumped.

    I'm wondering if the low battery power had anything to do with the reduced performance, or if it was because all the settings were reduced to default and the car needed to be driven aggressively to be set at more aggressive settings? I drove it pretty hard for almost 20 minutes but it never seemed to have that ridiculous acceleration (it was still fast, but not hyper fast...like I said, could not break the tires loose aftrer speeds past a standstill).

    I had originally ordered capri blue with the blue seats, but now an rethinking of getting tectite with graphite.

    Colour choices

    Quote:

    I had originally ordered capri blue with the blue seats, but now an rethinking of getting tectite with graphite.



    Tectite with graphite will look very sharp!

    I find capri blue a nightmare to maintain, and I'm not sure how capri blue will look with the very dark interior?

     
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