Had the 300CE in the shop for a new wheel bearing yesterday, the first necessary repair in quite a while, but there are many other things I could spend money on to make it "just right" (like a new evaporator core...A/C just won't keep up). While my car was under repair I had the pleasure to drive a '97 S320 sedan.
The S320 is gorgeous, black with tinted windows and every creature comfort you could imagine. The seats. Oh my, those seats are heavenly, and the adjustment range is limitless. You can move the seat forward while the back stays in place. It's a little touch that makes a real difference.
The interior is massive, and quite caccoon-like. You are set apart from the outside world, in a plush manner that is limousine-like. The sunroof is gigantic, probably wider than some small cars. This particular model suffered from deep, set in-cigarette smoke, and under that I could smell what I'll call "Grandpa Poot Remnants".
This old-man smell may have added to the boat-like sensation driving the S320. Make no mistake, this car is solid as a tank, but with the inline-6 it doesn't have the necessary grunt to give the car a strong feel, it's just not enough engine for the heaviest car around. And it's big. I mean massive, and it had more of a Buick feel than a BMW feel, it was more of a boat than I expected.
Maybe I'm just used to the feel of my '89 300CE. It drives better than the S320, more feel and firmness in the steering and suspension, so much lighter it felt like a jackrabbit after the S320. The 300CE is much more raw than the S320, not so many bells & whistles, less emphasis on plush and more emphasis on driving.
The S320 would be the car of choice for long road trips, but the 300CE wins out in the fun factor. While the S320 is perfect for isolating you from the outside world, the 300CE with the b-pillarless windows is at home with the windows down and sunroof back, taking in the environment while speeding through it. Nothing like hearing the crickets on both sides of a tree-lines road like NC 133 in Brunswick County.
It was fun to drive the S320, and now that I have, I'm over it and love my 300CE all the more. With a few repairs and some TLC I think I'll keep her around.