2012 S5 Cab or 2012 E350 Cab?

I owned a S5 from 2008 thru October 2011. It was a wonderful car, always nice to look at and fun to drive. I enjoyed the Quattro and the 6 speed and the V8 always felt good. No problems and a very predictable car.
On 1 November, 2011, I went over to the dark side--I bot a 2012 C63 amg coupe. The car is a MONSTER, performance wise. I am happy with the way it drives but you have to behave in a gentelmanly manner--no stomping on the gas, especially in S or S+. The car handles well but it does not have all wheel drive--care must be taken in weather or, better yet, a second car. I also miss the 6 speed but the MB 7 speed auto is a wonderful transmission and I can drive it like a stick shift if I choose.
It is a gas hog--moderate in-town driving yields about 19 mpg. This goes down drastically if you floor it. However, I can cruise at 75 mph at about 2000 rpm in 7th.
I realize this is up a price point but you should not compare the S5 with the 350--one is basically an economy engine vs a highly tuned turbo-charged engine.
The amg's are a totally different car then the regular mb's and they are built on a different line.
My opinion--don't get a 350--the s5 and 550 are a toss up. If you really want to go crazy, look at the C63 amg coupe!!

Similar decision here . . .

After my last P car repair, we traded our 911 on a new Audi S5 Cab.

We drove a few Mercedes, I checked out the forums a little, etc. . . . We were close to a SL (either std or AMG), but there was just so little usable space. I mean,it's nice to have a place to toss your jacket if you don't want to wear it . . . Also, I could not afford a new SL, so we were in the CPO range. This means some time without warrenty, and the $10,000 suspension repairs kind of scared me off.

We also looked at the E series, and liked it but it felt "big." Technically, I realize that the S5 Cab is heavy, but it really does not feel like it when driving. And, after having a 6 speed manual for years, I am still a little in awe of the S Tronic in the Cab. Also fun to have an engine that revs this fast (altought I am being a good boy and keeping the revs down for break in.)

Anyway, you have a couple great choices going.

Glad you chose the S5

I compared both of those cars as well. I was considering the European Delivery for the E550 Benz which includes a 6% discount, but opted for the S5 for the following reasons:

1. Even though it looks bigger, the Benz's rear seats and legroom feel no roomier or better than the S5. My 5'11" 230lb body can fit in the back of the S5 even for a 2-3 hour long trip.

2. The Audi is more masculine, muscular, and athletic appearing

3. The S5 is generally more rare than the E-Class. Certainly harder to order due to more limited allocations.

4. The MMI is better than the COMAND system (the voice commands can be "VAG'd on" though I have had no reason to do that yet as the controls are so easy to use and intuitive)

5. The Stasis upgrade turns the S5 into a beast which, I am told with the exhaust, gets you about the same HP as the E550 with much better fuel eco

6. Quattro makes the car stick to the pavement

The advantages that the Benz had were European Delivery (better discount and no VAT deposit like Audi) and availability of the mBrace system, but the Audi is much more intriguing.

I would get the S5 over the E350/550 for the same reason I chose the S5 Cab over the A5 Cab. Though I love and adore my wife and my family (and have been 100% faithful to both), I always joke the difference between the S5 and the A5 is the difference between a mistress and a wife.

Let's be honest CB... you wanted the S5 from the start. If you didn't, you would not have asked an Audi forum which you should go with. (Assuming you didn't do the same on an MB forum).

I haven't driven the MB but to be honest you will love the S5 cab. Everyone has articulated the things right well but to add my two cents:

-E-class cars are not rare... S5s are
-you may want to wait for the facelift at this stage, but June seems aggressive if that's what they're telling you. I was in dealerships last year and the 2012 models weren't coming until September, which may be far too late to buy a cab and miss the summer (depending on where you live). That said, no reason not to wait until June since (again, depending where you live), you don't need a cab right now.
-the 550 would likely have a sick engine. I wish my car had a V8 notwithstanding the worse fuel effiency
-you can use VAG COM to turn on the voice activation in the S5 cab. Works fine even with the top down.

Either way, congrats!!

Stasis and Vag Com mods gives me 400hp and pull/speed 0-60 and beyond with the dual clutch transmission makes me not miss my old RS6 which is saying a lot. The voice activation is a 30 second exercise with a laptop along with turning off the blink with the turn signal/running lights and a few other things. The MB to me the lines are just off especially along the c-pillar...just looks unresolved...the S5 is far better looking. Features are all there in both cars and i do prefer Audi's less forced interior styling that MB is lost on in my mind...Last MB i liked was the early 2000s CLKs and cabrios. I have had no problems with my car so far and get compliments every day. 43, and director of design for an architecture firm. I took my car out on the track and was very impressed. This car will handle nicely when pushed for a piggy. I just had my top down all day yesterday here in Chicago...with wind screen up and windows up its a great environment year round. I just did a long trip to Florida in the rain over x-mas where a truck put his tires off in front of me and threw a several inch thick layer of water and mud on the road for me...i think if i was not in a 4 wheel drive car it would have ended badly. This thing like all Audi's is brilliant in the snow (winter tires of course).

Thanks for all the input, everyone! This has really resulted in a soul-search, and deep introspection into who I really am. It's been quite a week, for sure.

Toronto - You're absolutely right. My journey did start with the S5. It's the first car that got my blood flowing in over a decade. I saw one last summer coming back from Maine, and the design blew me away.

Now it's off to the dealer soon to find out about delivery times for the 13s, and see what kind of negotiator I am...

I'm definitely going to get the VAG software and interface...

With any luck, I'll be cruising the Chesapeake Bay area topless by June/July!

This is gonna be good......:thumbsup:

So, getting an order to release as soon as the dealer can... going with:

Prestige package
Regular seats (not the ventilated)
Sports Rear Differential (I was talked out of this by the dealer - told to use the savings to buy new springs if I wanted)
Adaptive Cruise w/ Active Braking Guard
Carbon Fiber Inlays
Supercharged Badges

So... should I get the Stone Guards or not?

Thanks,

Steve

CB CruzzR said:

Thanks, Tommyboy... but now I'm confused. I thought the Stone Guards ran along the bottom edge of the sides, from wheel well to wheel well.

My dealer said he's never sold or seen the Stone Guard on a car here in Maryland.

So which is it?

Click to expand...

I think tommyboy is referring to a clear bra which I have. I am definitely a fan as it has saved my cars from chips. As long as you care for it the same as the rest of your car, the clear bra will stay clear and hardly noticeable.

As for your question about the stone guards, I say get them! I think it adds to the overall look of the car. However, I thought they were standard on the S5 cab? I dont necessarily like them as much in the alum optic color but when they are color matched to the car, it looks nice.

BTW, my 2012 S5 pretty much has the same options as yours. I love it! I am not sure about the Sports Differential. I thought that this option will also give you the Drive Assist buttons in the car (Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual) which I love using. Changing to Dynamic definitely changes the character of the car.

Going to get the Stasis ECU upgrade soon. For less than $2K you get huge hp and torque gains! There will be nothing you can do to your car for that price that will give you as much noticeable improvement.

That makes more sense... I've never heard of clear bra here in Maryland. Then again, I've been driving a truck for the past decade. I guess I'll have to start looking now. Is it the same stuff as this?
http://www.a5oc.com/forums/detailing/19912-phantom-black-audi-tt.html

Maybe I'll just bring my ride up to NJ to get the treatment this TT did. It looks gorgeous!

Stone guards, it is... unless I find that the cab comes with them anyways.

BTW, my 2012 S5 pretty much has the same options as yours. I love it! I am not sure about the Sports Differential. I thought that this option will also give you the Drive Assist buttons in the car (Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual) which I love using. Changing to Dynamic definitely changes the character of the car.

Click to expand...

That's great news! I got to drive the '12 my dealer has, but it's not the exact configuration I want. According to my sales guy, he says the Comfort/Auto/Dynamic/Indiv selector is overkill. Auto/Dynamic/Indiv will suit me just fine.
The biggest difference is that the C/A/D/I system lowers the body a little bit, which nobody in the dealership ever noticed. That's why he said to take the $2400 savings and put it toward suspension mods to accomplish that if I wanted. Seemed to make sense.

I talked to the Service Mgr, and talked about the Stasis and other upgrades. He discouraged them... said that if I wanted a 400hp engine, then I should start from the block and build an engine designed to produce 400hp. His opinion is that the engine has not been designed to support that range of HP, and will cause excessive wear on the engine and drive train.

I hear of lots of folks here that do those kinds of mods, and I don't hear of breakdowns, so I'm torn as to that particular kind of upgrade. It would piss me off to know that there are Hyundais out there with more HP than my new S5!